low handicapper needs some advice (video inside)

[jaxson]

Hey Guys. I am a + handicap that has been struggling lately with my driver. This all started after a four day tourn about a month ago that I hit a fade off the tee about every hole. (very tight course have a little more control over the fade)... Anyway the problem now is that I cant get my driver to turn over to save my life. I will hit big blocks that go straight or may even cut a little more to the right. I have tried everything I can think of including grip changes etc. My version of a draw now is a low pull hook.....

The only thing I see is that I may be bringing the club a bit inside on the takeaway.

The irons have been great. Very straight...

You might ask well why dont you just a fade all the time. That would be great but I play many courses where I do need to work it both ways and I play in a very windy state.

So.... I have attached a few swings (driver face on and down the line and a face on iron) that a friend took with an ipad. Sorry about the speed of the video I didnt know how to slow it down...

YouTube - ‪iSwing_Video_6.24.11.mov‬‏

YouTube - ‪iSwing_Video_6.24.11.mov‬‏

YouTube - ‪iSwing_Video_6.24.11.mov‬‏

I also have had a lesson with Brian back in December. Trackman showed that all of my swings were inside out (that has obviously changed with the driver). We tried to work on getting a positive AOA with driver but it was very hard for me.

Anyway.. Any advice would be appreciated on how I can get that nice little draw back with my driver.

Thanks

 

[Shot Limit]

Maybe?

Sounds like you tried to swing more rightward but didn't adjust the face.
Nice swing BTW.

 

[jaxson]

Sounds like you tried to swing more rightward but didn't adjust the face.
Nice swing BTW.

Thanks. Can you elaborate on adjusting the face?

One other thing I did see is that my rt heel comes off the ground very early. I dont know if that could cause me to lose my spine angle or something... Also I think I really need to watch on rolling the face open or taking the club too far inside on takeaway..

 

[Shot Limit]

Not sure about all of your inquiries, just referring to the ball flight you were describing. If it's starting to the right, the face is pointing thataway.

 

[Lindsey Newman]

Obviously just my opinion...I see a great move that is massively pivot driven which is great! What I don't see is enough arm swing. Because in you're transition, you have zero slack between your rapidly dragging pivot and arms, you are not able to get the arms,hands and club low enough to swing from the inside. You're in what appears to be model-ish position at the top, but your early rotary movement is preventing your arms/club from getting down in front to hit from the inside. If you did get the face to close your trajectory is going to be to low to be serviceable and you would have to aim right of right. Personally, I dig the move, but if you gotta draw it, you better change both path and angle of attack.

You could get more early tilt, but that is a tricky thing to add to a good swing. You could add some slack at the top between your pivot and arm swing so the arms could free fall a bit and then catch a ride around on your pivot, once in the arms lower enough.

 

[jaxson]

Obviously just my opinion...I see a great move that is massively pivot driven which is great! What I don't see is enough arm swing. Because in you're transition, you have zero slack between your rapidly dragging pivot and arms, you are not able to get the arms,hands and club low enough to swing from the inside. You're in what appears to be model-ish position at the top, but your early rotary movement is preventing your arms/club from getting down in front to hit from the inside. If you did get the face to close your trajectory is going to be to low to be serviceable and you would have to aim right of right. Personally, I dig the move, but if you gotta draw it, you better change both path and angle of attack.

You could get more early tilt, but that is a tricky thing to add to a good swing. You could add some slack at the top between your pivot and arm swing so the arms could free fall a bit and then catch a ride around on your pivot, once in the arms lower enough.

i follow what you are saying. went to the range tonight and really tried to get my arms a little higher and tried not to suck the club inside on the take away. Hit it pretty good mostly straight or slight fade still.... What baffles me is that I could work it both ways before and really dont know what I have changed.....

Brian do you have any insight?

Thanks

 

[Matt 4-L]

It looks like to me your hips are running away from you causing the face to open.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

based on your backswing and that very laid off position your face is just too open through the ball; if you are still swinging inside/out and with the face open you are most definitely going to fade it.

 

[jaxson]

based on your backswing and that very laid off position your face is just too open through the ball; if you are still swinging inside/out and with the face open you are most definitely going to fade it.

saw that too. I assume your suggestions for a fix would be more up right back swing without rolling club face open?

 

[Kevin Shields]

Obviously just my opinion...I see a great move that is massively pivot driven which is great! What I don't see is enough arm swing. Because in you're transition, you have zero slack between your rapidly dragging pivot and arms, you are not able to get the arms,hands and club low enough to swing from the inside. You're in what appears to be model-ish position at the top, but your early rotary movement is preventing your arms/club from getting down in front to hit from the inside. If you did get the face to close your trajectory is going to be to low to be serviceable and you would have to aim right of right. Personally, I dig the move, but if you gotta draw it, you better change both path and angle of attack.

You could get more early tilt, but that is a tricky thing to add to a good swing. You could add some slack at the top between your pivot and arm swing so the arms could free fall a bit and then catch a ride around on your pivot, once in the arms lower enough.

I agree with this 100%

 

[wulsy]

Doesn't he just need to get his arms more behind him on the DS and close the face a little?

 

[spmurph]

Because in you're transition, you have zero slack between your rapidly dragging pivot and arms, you are not able to get the arms,hands and club low enough to swing from the inside. You're in what appears to be model-ish position at the top, but your early rotary movement is preventing your arms/club from getting down in front to hit from the inside.

You could get more early tilt, but that is a tricky thing to add to a good swing. You could add some slack at the top between your pivot and arm swing so the arms could free fall a bit and then catch a ride around on your pivot, once in the arms lower enough.

How would one add slack in the transition? I went and searched other posts by you and Kevin about this but I couldn't grasp how this is achieved.

 

[Lindsey Newman]

How would one add slack in the transition? I went and searched other posts by you and Kevin about this but I couldn't grasp how this is achieved.

In my opinion, when your maxed out with your arms completely across your chest and you have turned your upper body completely, you have zero slack. If you can get to the top and still have just a bit of "room" between you lead arm and pec and you feel some softness in your turn you have some slack.

When you have some slack, it gives you that extra portion of time to allow the arms to drop (with or without trying) before rotation puts horizontal torque on the lead arm. This is ultra obvious in watching Sergio. If you look at his backswing, his arms are up and out away from him. Then in his transition he has room to let them drop and latch onto the pivot.

 

[DCgolf]

I agree with Lindsey but what I find interesting is that you used to draw it with that move. What did you change? It's a good move just a natural fade for the reason he mentions. Craig Stadler and Mark Calcavecchia faded it because of the inability of the arms to drop really. But they faded it to perfection obviously. But your club face is open to the downswing arc for sure. Maybe a little more tuning the club face down in early transition if you can?

 

[spmurph]

Thanks Lindsey. Makes perfect sense now.

 

[CupSlam]

Take this from someone who got an amazing lesson from kevin and lindsey and worked on the samething getting that slack changes everything. I'm hitting it straighter than ever and picked up a club on my irons.