Front Pictures....

[Eminem]

Ok time for the front pictures....

My front on view of my address was all screwy when I saw it on film a while back. The most noticable change is moving my ball position back, before it would be on my left heel which helped me flip at the ball in conjunction with my upright posture. Now im working on reducing that and is what brian calls throwaway. In addition when I moved my ball back towards my left breast area, my shoulders felt much more confortable pointing at the target.

Here my hands are more passive which you see better from the side view and my body is turning.

Ive been working on turning better and it was at this point was starting to get noticable before. My weight pressure is moving onto my trail side better.

Still turning better and my wrists are somewhat cocking with the upward sweep of the club. Before the wrists would be severly uncocked at this point.

Much better !

Video shows me that I am getting what I am trying to accomplish. The swing is alot shorter due to much better syncronisation. This used to be beyond parallel by quite a bit and Ive shortened my swing by working on the right things, not by trying to somehow stop the club.....etc

The turn in the last two weeks has massively improved. It really is looking more pro-esque.



Ok now its your turn to critique my downswing, for a while I am still going to work on reinforcing the new backswing until it becomes fully natural but I would like input esp on the downswing.

This was an ok-ish hit. The downswing and the whole swing is looking alot better to this point. My only thought in the downswing just now is to try to get the hands ahead of the ball at impact. This will do until I spend more time on it.

Heres the ugliest picture of my new swing, it had a bit of a hint of this before. I think this is an old fault highlighted better.

My finish might of been prettier before due to a slinging of the arms and a big high finish but my plane has changed more around me and is shorter like my backswing due to better syncronisation and much more controlled, but there is problems as you can see.

PS Brian looking for your input

 

[Brian Manzella]

I'll make more comments but I think it is REALLY a big upgrade!

Your right shoulder looks high thru the ball and you lose axis tilt some (same thing, really).

more comments to come!

 

[Eminem]

quote:Originally posted by brianman

I'll make more comments but I think it is REALLY a big upgrade!

Your right shoulder looks high thru the ball and you lose axis tilt some (same thing, really).

more comments to come!

More comments would be very appreciated.

Got some questions too

I forgot to add that my new swing's ball flight is alot lower and am in general taking more of a divot rather than just grazing the turf - do you think that this is a good thing and the result of less throwaway?

Im also getting a tendancy to hit the ball fat on occasion, is this because of not enough axis tilt and throwaway?

Do you think my right leg driving is a result of my right shoulder not going more down at impact or something seperate ?

It is occuring to me that I played extremely well with bad mechanics before and with a big load of throwaway and other junk I still managed to hit the ball a very long distance on my drives with a somewhat degree of accuracy. Im looking forward to the time when I can start to just go up to the ball and rip into it again with the new swing but I have patience.

Thank you Brian again for you help

 

[Eminem]

Bump up to top......................

 

[hue]

Eminem: To me you look like your hips should be further left at impact than they are. So I would advise you work on your impact fix.

 

[EdZ]

Eminem - well on your way to an outstanding swing... Your arm swing and body rotation are still looking out of synch (just a bit of a 'flip'). I know you disagreed with my image of a wheel, but in those terms, you aren't keeping the spoke (basically) straight. Hands and chest in synch.

A few ways to get to that, but one that should work for you is to focus on keeping your right arm width in the transition move, combined with PP #4 (feel that 'heavy' feeling, mop swinging, slowing down the hip turn to synch up). In other words - keep the right palm on the rim, don't let it get too narrow.

You'll also want to practice right arm thrust a bit. This will help you synch up, and maintain width.

Swing is looking very good.


Edit: - to borrow an image from Austin re: PP#4 - At address, you have basically created a "7" with your left arm and chest. You want to keep that "7" intact until after impact. This will allow you to 'feel' how much the shoulders and body control the swing, and most importantly, to 'feel' the stretch in the back/left shoulder area during the downswing. Start with hip to hip shots. For me, the feel is as if I hit the ball with the back of left shoulder, with almost an upper cut punch with the right arm (well, it is more of an uppercut, than a side arm throw - see hogan's image in 5 lessons).

Hope this helps - EdZ

 

[Eminem]

quote:Originally posted by EdZ

Eminem - well on your way to an outstanding swing... Your arm swing and body rotation are still looking out of synch (just a bit of a 'flip'). I know you disagreed with my image of a wheel, but in those terms, you aren't keeping the spoke (basically) straight. Hands and chest in synch.

A few ways to get to that, but one that should work for you is to focus on keeping your right arm width in the transition move, combined with PP #4 (feel that 'heavy' feeling, mop swinging, slowing down the hip turn to synch up). In other words - keep the right palm on the rim, don't let it get too narrow.

You'll also want to practice right arm thrust a bit. This will help you synch up, and maintain width.

Swing is looking very good.


Edit: - to borrow an image from Austin re: PP#4 - At address, you have basically created a "7" with your left arm and chest. You want to keep that "7" intact until after impact. This will allow you to 'feel' how much the shoulders and body control the swing, and most importantly, to 'feel' the stretch in the back/left shoulder area during the downswing. Start with hip to hip shots. For me, the feel is as if I hit the ball with the back of left shoulder, with almost an upper cut punch with the right arm (well, it is more of an uppercut, than a side arm throw - see hogan's image in 5 lessons).

Hope this helps - EdZ

First off thanks for the compliments from Edz and Brian - It is really good to hear encouraging things about my swing which gives me even more confidence to make the changes nessesary to my swing


I do see alot of flaws on the downswing.... The syncronisation is downswing is definately getting better due to it being much better on the backswing but I am fully aware that it is still has to be better.... but it is alot better... basically I had no syncronisation, forearms rotating all over the place and arms and hands getting caught behind with a big flip through impact.

It is not that I disagreed with your image of the swing, I just didn't think it was original or esp helpful... and I find it hard to envisage the swing in that way.

I have thought alot about trying to get my body work improved in a more dramatic way. I do 90% of my practice at home and I believe that is crutial esp in Scotland...lol. I spend perhaps 15mins a day doing exercises.

I then remembered a drill that many instructors on the golf channel (before they made you pay for video streams)... step in drill - where you take a narrow stance and turn and step into the ball. Very quickly after swinging my arms I seem to be much faster through impact and more importantly the right shoulder is going lower.... that is my first thought and will probably spend 5 mins a day at this as it seems to be having a positive effect ....

Does anyone have experience with this drill .... Brian, Edz...

 

[EdZ]

The step through drills and their variations are near the top of the list in terms of helpful, second perhaps to split grip drills.

They are helpful because most people don't turn 'around' their spine, and step through drills tend to ensure that happens. The one you mention does help create more 'lag' of the arms vs. body turn - which while good, is somewhat opposite what you are looking for at this point in terms of your arm swing, but exactly what you need in terms of turning 'through' (even though this is nearly always a good drill - watch Jack warm up - you'll see he exagerates the 'around the spine' move, swinging back and forth and back and forth - getting that weight to flow 'with' the club.

Your flowing well going back, but not turning through (disconnected) coming through.

In your case, you have plenty of good motion going back, but like many better players, your lower body gets ahead.

You mentioned in your post on how to swing how important the 'feel' of the swingng clubhead is, and I couldn't agree more. I'd bet if you get back to that feel, with a heavy club, feeling that 'swinging' motion more, you'll start to feel how rushed you are coming down. A well connected swing with lag feels both 'heavy' and 'smooth', and much, much 'slower' - no wasted motion (nobody better than Tiger there). Your hands and club should 'fall'. Think of how you would swing if you had no arms, and just body motion. The better you get, the more your will understand that everything comes from body motion (footwork, weight 'flow', and swinging motion)

You want to feel more like you are swinging at the same speed back and through, letting your body just move 'with' the club. Like you are swinging in slow motion.

Practice hitting your 160 club, 100 yards, with a full, smooth, unrushed 'swinging' motion. Focus on your balance, and your finish position - facing the target in 'perfect' balance on your left foot. You should feel like you could stand there all day if you wanted to, and be able to lift your right foot.

It won't take long until you feel that 'flow' - then you can get back to 'building' speed, and not rushing the transition as much. It is a hard thing to ingrain. You hear pros mention how they 'got too quick' - and that is the transition move. You have to 'wait' for the loading motion a bit before you can explode through a shot.

The other piece that Brian is talking about is the down plane shoulder motion. There is a training aid on this site that should give you the 'idea' of what Brian is talking about regarding the shoulder, as well as what I mean by 'keeping the spoke straight'.

www.rovergolf.com - the power angle

This is what 'delivering the package' is all about, and getting that right shoulder down on plane

 

[bcoak]

I agree that your follow thru looks out of synhc - like your body is slowing down or the club is. I would turn the club around (hold the head) and work on swishing the grip thru the ball and hearing the swish after impact.

 

[Eminem]

Brian still looking for your comments , but also know your busy

edited to bump up top....