My swing

[bames]

Well, this is my Christmas present to myself, I'm putting my swing out there for evaluation, I know that I'm a long, long, way from being a good golfer, so don't hesitate, please help me out. Thank you gentlemen, and Merry Christmas.

Notes:
-The first is a 7 iron, the second is a driver. They are not my clubs, but that shouldn't change my swing eh!
-I think I swing my driver too flat, don't bring my driver back to parallel, need more knee flex, and more of a hip turn!



Fire away!

[Hybrid-Heaven]

Originally Posted by bames

Well, this is my Christmas present to myself, I'm putting my swing out there for evaluation, I know that I'm a long, long, way from being a good golfer, so don't hesitate, please help me out. Thank you gentlemen, and Merry Christmas.

Notes:
-The first is a 7 iron, the second is a driver. They are not my clubs, but that shouldn't change my swing eh!
-I think I swing my driver too flat, don't bring my driver back to parallel, need more knee flex, and more of a hip turn!



Fire away!

Overall, I like it. Tempo is excellent. It looks like you might have too much weight on your toes, and it appears your pre-hinging your wrists which I believe is the biggest problem in your swing since that will de-loft your clubs, and cause a draw ball flight will a low trajectory. It will make it difficult to keep shots on the green and will make your club selections inconsistent because you'll be over-trapping the ball. You'll end-up hitting short-irons much longer than you should be and when you get to longer irons and woods you won't have any extra distance. So where you want extra distance you won't have it, and when you want distance control you won't have that either. I'm personally not a big fan of a draw for mid to high handicap players, I think there too hard to control.

Then after all of that your going to tell me you hit a high fade!

[bames]

You nailed it. I started the pre-hinge because I used to have issues with getting my hands through before the clubhead. I probably no longer need to do this, but it has become a habit. When I screw up an iron shot, I miss left. I do hit my irons lower than I would like, and interestingly enough have better luck when I open my clubface to drop in a fade. Thanks for the review!

[warbirdlover]

It's not a bad swing at all. Only thing I noted was (at least with the driver) you dipped your head down on the backswing. I wouldn't do that. Some get away with it so that's it from me. And too much weight on the toes was also accurate.

[bames]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

It's not a bad swing at all. Only thing I noted was (at least with the driver) you dipped your head down on the backswing. I wouldn't do that. Some get away with it so that's it from me. And too much weight on the toes was also accurate.

I'm sensing an underlying theme! Thanks WBL.

[EnglishGolfer]

Originally Posted by bames

Notes:
-I think I swing my driver too flat, don't bring my driver back to parallel, need more knee flex, and more of a hip turn!

You have already highlighted the main points above but also I've never seen such a stiff left arm, I can feel the tension in it when I'm just watching it! Make your plane more upright and transfer your weight a bit better and you're half way there.

[warbirdlover]

I was taught a stiff left arm (not tense, just stiff) and like it. I would leave that alone.

[demon]

Your dipping your head on the backswing and downswing, you are very flat on your backswing, and it looks like you are not transfering your weight to your right side.

Here is a pick of your swing plane.

Try pointing the butt of the club towards the ball.

[bames]

Originally Posted by demon

Your dipping your head on the backswing and downswing, you are very flat on your backswing, and it looks like you are not transfering your weight to your right side.

Here is a pick of your swing plane.

Try pointing the butt of the club towards the ball.

I have a difficult time hitting my drives very high, this seems it would solve that problem. I'm going to work on these and post a new swing next spring or something.

[EnglishGolfer]

Originally Posted by warbirdlover

I was taught a stiff left arm (not tense, just stiff) and like it. I would leave that alone.

Err yes, but no. Straight-ish left arm good, tense enough to burst arteries in left arm baaaaaaaaad.

[bames]

Originally Posted by EnglishGolfer

Err yes, but no. Straight-ish left arm good, tense enough to burst arteries in left arm baaaaaaaaad.

Thanks EG, so do you think I should allow it to bend a little to obtain a greater rotation?

[EnglishGolfer]

Originally Posted by bames

Thanks EG, so do you think I should allow it to bend a little to obtain a greater rotation?

By correcting your plane you will give yourself more room to manoeuvre. Presently I wouldn't be surprised if you can feel most of your upper arm across your chest at the top of your back swing which makes you feel like you need to keep it tense to stop it wrapping around you. Bending it would not help as you are not addressing the main issue which is that you need to swing much more upright. You seem a similar build to me and I go to the extreme of this by having a very wide arc, you may find this style would suit you too (equally you may not but it will definitely improve you in the short term).

Re-grooving your plane is not something I envy as it is difficult to do and easy to slip back to the bad old ways, however the results should be almost immediate and very pleasing. Let me know how you get on.

If you haven't already done so, have a look on the Golfdigest site at the pro's swing down the line and compare them to your own.

[charnockpro]

Thanks for the PM Bames

Already remarked on by a few people is the weight on the toes, which i would agree with, although the rest of your posture is quite athletic.

My main cause of concern is your grip being too strong and the compensations you make for this, with both hands being too strong (turned too far to the right) to enable you to get into a decent position at hip height you quickly breakdown your takeaway arc by an enforce hinging of the wrists very early, which then creates a lack of width on the backswing and also a very flat + deep hand Position when your hands are shoulder high with also a very shut clubface due to grip and backswing moves also with no natural width and rotation created on the backswing your weight stays on your left hand side.

On the way down you creditably keep the club on the same shaft plane (even though very flat) and struggle to release fully due to a shut clubface a reverse weight shift and flat shaft plane, then through impact especially with the driver you actually shift backwards with your head and release only with your hands and leave the body and legs behind which is then brought to a finish with the club down the back indicative of a handsy relase


Suggestions

Grip:study instruction booklets regarding correct left hand grip and also try to get the club more in the fingers of the right hand
Address:weight more towards the centre of your feet, a good test is to set up and get someone to push you lightly and if you lose your balance then you know you are not balanced enough.

Takeaway:a good drill is to grip down the shaft and stick the butt end into your belly buton as this will create the linkage you need between the arms, torso and and hip rotation to hip height after that let the club swing to the top as you will have set better angles and path.

all these presets will then help to make your swing more in plane and improve weight shift

You said you pull a lot of shots these are the reasons why, i also think this is what is responsible for your low flight and the reason when you open the face you find more manouervarability.

[bames]

Thanks Charnock, I'm going to work on these and look to get something out next spring with the new and hopefully improved swing!