Swing Assistance (Videos Included)

[ej20]

Twistaway does 2 things.It flattens or even arches the lead wrist from a cupped address position.This delofts the clubface.

It also prevents the clubface opening up too much due the counter clockwise rotation (twistaway) of the lead wrist and club in unison.

The action of rolling the lead wrist clockwise on the takeaway and cupping the lead wrist goes hand in hand.Rolling the lead wrist counter clockwise(twistaway) will prevent the lead wrist cupping.Just make sure the twistaway doesn't break down at the top and on the downswing.For someone who cups their lead wrist at the top severely,it would feel like you need to arch the lead wrist quite a bit to even get it flat.It may feel awkward at first especially when done with a neutral grip.You really do need a neutral grip
with the twistaway otherwise you will end up pulling and hooking.

Rotating the wrist is the same action as rotating the forearm.You just need to get the direction of the rotation right.

 

[Ducky]

I've hit a couple of buckets of balls and played a round using the NSA fundamentals (in particular, the neutral grip and "twistaway"). I essentially just hit pull-hooks constantly with the divots still pointing left of the target. Due to this, I believe that the path/plane still needs to be fixed.

My current instructor wants me to do a ZenoLink screening and believes that PST may be the answer. However, I'm skeptical (and at $300 per screening I'd want to be certain it's going to work).

All of this experimentation has me mentally exhausted. I need to know what is going on so I can practice the right things. Maybe Brian would consider doing an internet lesson if I asked nicely?

 

[spktho]

Did you try out what Kevin suggested? With a mid iron, set up 5-10 yards left of your target and see what you have to do to hit it at the target. Does the ball fade to it, stay straight or do you still pull hook? I'm trying to figure out if I need to work on club face or path, too. It sounds like you need to work on path. Btw what is PST?

 

[Ducky]

Did you try out what Kevin suggested? With a mid iron, set up 5-10 yards left of your target and see what you have to do to hit it at the target. Does the ball fade to it, stay straight or do you still pull hook? I'm trying to figure out if I need to work on club face or path, too. It sounds like you need to work on path. Btw what is PST?

I did work on my alignment in an effort to get it "square", but I didn't experiment with aiming left of the target. I have taken some practice swings in an attempt to rehearse what you are suggesting and it feels as if I am swinging to right field (much the same way if I was trying to hit a push-draw). I can try this at the range tomorrow and report back (if you would prefer).

PST stands for Progressive Skills Training. As far as I am aware, it is a series of exercises that an individual repeats in an attempt to retrain the body's movement tendencies.

 

[Ringer]

A pull is a good shot with bad aim. Fix the face first (which you appear to have done) then fix the path.

 

[spktho]

I did work on my alignment in an effort to get it "square", but I didn't experiment with aiming left of the target. I have taken some practice swings in an attempt to rehearse what you are suggesting and it feels as if I am swinging to right field (much the same way if I was trying to hit a push-draw). I can try this at the range tomorrow and report back (if you would prefer).

PST stands for Progressive Skills Training. As far as I am aware, it is a series of exercises that an individual repeats in an attempt to retrain the body's movement tendencies.

If the path is already going right then, as I understand it, aligning left should straighten out the path. But lining up right of the target may cause a slight ott and path to go too far left.

Interesting on the PST. Who is in charge of the training? How do they evaluate what movements need retrained?

 

[spktho]

A pull is a good shot with bad aim.

I'm trying to figure out if you mean club face aim or body alignment aim?

 

[Ringer]

I'm trying to figure out if you mean club face aim or body alignment aim?

Neither. Aim of the path during the swing. Remember it's inside-square-inside. Not inside-out or outside-in.

 

[spktho]

Neither. Aim of the path during the swing. Remember it's inside-square-inside. Not inside-out or outside-in.

Alright, so it's just a case of the "hula hoop" aimed a bit left? Thanks.

 

[Ringer]

Alright, so it's just a case of the "hula hoop" aimed a bit left? Thanks.

You got it.

 

[ej20]

A pull is a good shot with bad aim. Fix the face first (which you appear to have done) then fix the path.

Yeah.A lot of times players will instinctively alter their path to "straighten" out the pull but obviously this is not always the case.

 

[Ducky]

I'm confused. I shouldn't be altering my path?

 

[leon]

I'm confused. I shouldn't be altering my path?

Well unless you want to carry on hitting pulls, you need to alter your path

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Yeah.A lot of times players will instinctively alter their path to "straighten" out the pull but obviously this is not always the case.

I think the point being made here is that sometimes if you just fix the face (get it squared to the path) then you will subconciously alter your path without having to actually try and do anything to the path. The mind is a powerful thing! Shame mine isn't though, I have also recently fixed my face but am now hitting straight pulls

 

[Ducky]

Well, a couple of things happened today.

First, I was able to have a quick go on TrackMan. What an eye opener! What I thought was happening and what was actually happening were complete opposites. The statistics I can remember (to the best of my ability) are as follows:

Driver: Club Speed 122MPH, Attack Angle -2.2, Club Path -2.5, Face Angle 0.2, Smash Factor 1.45, Spin Rate ~2200.

Iron: Club Speed 97MPH, Attack Angle -4.5, Club Path 6.5.

I was surprised to discover that whilst hitting driver my path was down and in (as it feels up and out). However, I almost had a heart attack when I noticed that the club path was 6.5 in-to-out whilst hitting an iron (considering I was under the impression that I was struggling with an out-to-in club path).

I can't afford TrackMan, so this brings me to my next point.

Second, I purchased a Casio EX-FH25 so I can record and view my golf swing in high FPS. The iPhone's video recording capabilities just weren't cutting the mustard and it's quite clear (from the TrackMan data) that I had absolutely no idea what was actually going on in my golf swing. I will be sure to upload some videos once the camera arrives.

 

[Ducky]

Well, here are the first swing videos recorded with the Casio EX-FH25. Thoughts?

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-nbdqNtC9o[/media]

 

[lookingtolearn]

Well, here are the first swing videos recorded with the Casio EX-FH25. Thoughts?

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-nbdqNtC9o[/media]

It looks like you're making progress. What happens if you back extend more at the finish? Do you shank it/leave the face open?

 

[Ringer]

I'm confused. I shouldn't be altering my path?

Not being snarky here, but re-read it. Fix the face first, THEN fix the path. Since you already fixed the face and are now hitting straight pulls, you can fix the path now.

 

[Ducky]

Not being snarky here, but re-read it. Fix the face first, THEN fix the path. Since you already fixed the face and are now hitting straight pulls, you can fix the path now.

I understand that the path needs to be fixed, but how do I go about accomplishing this? What changes need to be made?

It looks like you're making progress. What happens if you back extend more at the finish? Do you shank it/leave the face open?

Just to clarify, when you say "back extend" are you talking about a "reverse C" appearance?

 

[lookingtolearn]

Just to clarify, when you say "back extend" are you talking about a "reverse C" appearance?

Well, more toward that type of finish. Straight up and down works too. Brian explains it nicely in this video:

 

[Ringer]

I understand that the path needs to be fixed, but how do I go about accomplishing this? What changes need to be made?

Well you can change your ball position, your alignment, your arm-swing, or your pivot.

Putting the ball further back in your stance will cause you to approach the ball a bit more from the inside. You will also be hitting down on it a bit more.

You could move your right foot back away from the target line in your setup which will open up your hips and shoulders in the backswing and generally cause you to approach the ball more from the inside.

You could intentionally drop your right elbow low on the forward swing, underneath the left elbow causing you to flatten out the plane and generally swing more from the inside. Another way to accomplish this is to think of pointing your left elbow out to the right for as long as possible in the forward swing.

Or you could stall your pivot by keeping your right foot planted on the ground longer in the forward swing. Some people prefer a "roll onto this inside part of the back foot" and keep the heel on the ground. That is what helps them use less lower body turn late in the downswing.