Progress......

[spktho]

On 9/15/09:

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To 3/30/10:

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Had a few changes other than the camera.

Been working on pivot more lately. Still have some face and path issues, but nothing like 6 months ago. Picked up about 15-20 yards of carry with the driver and can take one less iron than before. I can feel the 70's coming. Would love to get a Trackman lesson with one of the Manzella crew(waiting not so patiently for a west coast tour stop).

Let me know if you guys see anything that could be changed or improved.

 

[Matt Bryda]

spktho,

How far are you carrying it now with the added distance?

Matt

 

[curtisj76]

Is the increase in distance from your pivot you think? What have you been doing if you don't mind me asking? Thanks

C

 

[spktho]

spktho,

How far are you carrying it now with the added distance?

Matt

I was in the range of about 250-260 before. I now carry to a 270 yard flag at the range pretty easily or close to it. I played this last Monday and most of my drivers were finishing 290-300. It was hard to judge my iron distances at the course though, I played a lot from the back of and over the greens.

Is the increase in distance from your pivot you think? What have you been doing if you don't mind me asking? Thanks

C

I think the changes as a whole led to the increase. I started making changes, because I was so inconsistent and it was pointed out by many here that it was club face issues. From the first driver video, you can see the high right shoulder, the flip and the wrist roll right after impact all in an attempt to square up the clubface. I've worked a bunch on closing the face early from the top of the backswing and getting the hands more forward into impact all with a Manzella neutral left hand and a slightly weak right hand grip. I struggled a lot with hitting it fat for a few months while trying to get the right shoulder working down and out. From there I started hooking the ball, so I concentrated more on adjusting the path. Then just within the last few weeks I've been literally feeling Brian's "pull back, run up, jump" in the pivot. Oh, and I moved the ball even with my front foot with the driver to help hit up on it. And from Jwat's post from a couple weeks ago, trying to really get the right shoulder through the ball, but I really have think about throwing the hands forward when doing this. It still is pretty new and some of the old swing comes back once in while, but I have a lot more confidence standing over the ball.

Like you Curtis, I hit a lot off the toe too, but mostly my irons--not so much the driver. But the second swing of the 3/30 driver was toed a bit as you can see the head twist some after impact.

 

[curtisj76]

WOW, that's really ironic. I was just reading the "pull back, run up, jump". I think I finally learned to pivot correctly with a lot more power. I was watching some videos on youtube where some people looked to be training their pivot with impact bags. Really noticed their hips moving up. Tried this with an impact bag and I think a big light bulb just went off. I've been whamming the crap out of that thing. Only problem is my low back is starting to hurt. Good luck with your game.

 

[spktho]

Thanks.

For me, I try to feel a small squat into the top of the back swing; make the transition and feel like I'm "jumping" straight up while twisting to the finish. I've had a past back surgery and have a couple bad lumbar discs, but this hasn't bothered it. I think the "jumping" straight up is important so you don't get too much sway.

I don't know if this is the "correct" way to do it or not. If it's not, I can always correct it.

 

[curtisj76]

Hit some balls today with my new pivot and it's much better. More distance and higher trajectory and I was even against the wind with range balls that are 7 yrs old and frozen numerous times. I got off to a bad start and then I just tried to get the same feeling I had with the impact bag.

My old pivot was driven more by my upper body/chest area and my hips didn't do much. Now my hips are doing the talking and I'm "giving myself the business."

PS Sorry to jack your thread spktho, just felt we have been working on the same issues.

 

[spktho]

Hit some balls today with my new pivot and it's much better. More distance and higher trajectory and I was even against the wind with range balls that are 7 yrs old and frozen numerous times. I got off to a bad start and then I just tried to get the same feeling I had with the impact bag.

My old pivot was driven more by my upper body/chest area and my hips didn't do much. Now my hips are doing the talking and I'm "giving myself the business."

PS Sorry to jack your thread spktho, just felt we have been working on the same issues.

Definitely using more of the hips, ground and legs in the pivot. I will on occasion forget the clubface or path control when thinking about the pivot. When talking about hips I try to think of from the knees up to the chest.

I have no problem with the thread jack. Brian has given so much information out with this forum and his Youtube videos, that I and many others here would still be struggling and frustrated if it didn't exist. I for one am very thankful for that and all the information given by others. Maybe something I have done can help some others.

 

[cmartingolf]

Nice! Well done.

Way better club face at the top...

Now you don't have to rotate like mad to catch up.

Much less early hip extension and better axis tilt = POW baby!!!

 

[spktho]

Nice! Well done.

Way better club face at the top...

Now you don't have to rotate like mad to catch up.

Much less early hip extension and better axis tilt = POW baby!!!

Thank you Martin.

The rotation I think of now is just the left hand to square the club face up and at this point I don't have to constantly think about it. Not much timing needed now to square the face. As Kevin told me when I started, "fix the face, then you can do whatever you want". Which right now is pivot, path and hitting the center of the club face(precision).

The axis tilt has been hard to get. I like to use the right arm a lot and when I started thinking more right shoulder down, I hit it fat for a long while. Eventually, I moved the ball way forward, while practicing with your tour striker at first, and made myself keep my wait back; allow the right shoulder to work down and toward the ball; and throw the hands to get to the ball.