My First Swing Video...EVER!

[BoomerGolfAnon]

Hey there, GolfWRX'ers

 

I've finally mustered the courage to post my first swing video to the forum.

 

I've been playing golf for a LONG time, but have never had a lesson or any formal instruction. I like to learn new things by experimenting, making note of what seems to work and what doesn't. The result is what you'll see in the video: an odd-looking windup in which my left heel comes up very high and is then slammed down hard as I shift my weight in the downswing. (I just learned that Francesco Molinari started lifting his left heel in 2018 to gain more distance, so I feel like I'm in good company!)

 

I use a 10-finger baseball grip as I had to abandon the interlocking grip recently due to a pinky injury on my right hand caused by golf. In addition, I use a VERY strong left- and right-hand grip. I'm willing to make the grip less strong, but the baseball grip is non-negotiable.

 

I've also always played with a BIG left heel raise during the upswing which slams down hard and transitions quickly to a BIG right heel raise near impact time.

 

Most of my shots fly straight & true (with maybe a tiny, baby fade), but without much penetration or distance. Instead, my swing results in a beautiful ballooning ball flight. I can't carry my 17-degree 3 fairway wood more than 185-190 yards.

 

What are some things I can work on without re-inventing my golf swing from the ground up?

 

[double_d]

Your lower body, from the waist down, moves around too much. You are moving off the ball. If you fix this your consistency will improve for sure.

 

Just my two cents.

[BoomerGolfAnon]

> @double_d said:

> Your lower body, from the waist down, moves around too much. You are moving off the ball. If you fix this your consistency will improve for sure.

>

> Just my two cents.

 

Thanks for the feedback, double_d.

 

Yes, the video make clear that I'm swaying all over the place, especially my lower body. At address, I'm lined up over the ball, but at impact my head and core have moved behind the ball. This is creating more dynamic loft with more backspin, which leads to the ballooning flight trajectory I get on most "clean" shots.

 

I'll do some research on drills to stay centered during the swing. Maybe I can use a tall mirror with vertical stripes of blue tape to retrain myself. Or, maybe I can use some back-lighting in the garage to cast a shadow on a white sheet to watch for sway.

 

I also noticed that Francesco Molinari pushes his left leg and knee forwards during his heel rise, whereas I am bowing (or collapsing) my left leg and knee to the inside. I can probably fix this by having A LOT more pressure on my right leg during the backswing.

[Moonlightgrm]

I see a lot of cupping in your left wrist at the top of the backswing. Do you see the toe of the club pointing downward at the top of your backswing? That means the club face is wide open. Somewhere during the downswing, you need to make an adjustment otherwise you're looking at a slice. Try to achieve a flat left wrist during your backswing. Dustin Johnson has a bowed left wrist at the top of his backswing, for example. Immediately after impact, we want to see full extension in both arms. In your case, this does not happen. Your elbows remained bent until your golf club is at or above shoulder height. That's a red flag and could certainly be a by-product of the adjustment you are making to square the club face. Conclusion: There's your power loss. Watch some Dustin Johnson and especially Zach Johnson videos. Dustin plays with a bowed left wrist and Zach plays with a cupped left wrist. Watch what they do to achieve beautiful impact positions. Especially look at Zach's arm extension after impact. He is amazing!