Please critique

[Artvandalay22]

Apologize in advance for the dark video. I don't like to self diagnose but looks like I'm having problem with an out to in swing path and early extending. This was a driver swing where I sliced it pretty bad.

 

Thoughts and advice would be appreciated . Thanks !

 

http://s165.photobucket.com/user/jdabush/media/IMG_1839.mp4.html

[Artvandalay22]

[url="https://youtu.be/xWo5chmUw8o"]https://youtu.be/xWo5chmUw8o[/url]

how do you get video to play in the thread without having to click a link?

[Reasonability]

Art,

Take a look at the elbows. Notice how the left elbow moves out and away from your body by the time the clubhead makes it only a little past the back foot. As that arm does this its continuously working to get a little higher off the ground than the right elbow which is folding early and staying close to the body.

That flow keeps going until you make it about halfway back through the backswing when the shaft reaches dead-parallel to the ground. If you stop video at that point - you will notice your shaft is pointing left of the target and your chest is still almost pointing back at the ball (the hands and arms sort of ran off leaving the chest behind).

What I would do if it were me personally is think of the triangle from the elbows down through the handle and how it and the club almost looks and feels like a lower case letter "y" in front of you. When you move into the takeaway - I would keep the shape of that triangle feeling like it moves WITH and right in front of the chest. Its natural to fold that right elbow - but I would focus on folding it a little more gradually and rolling that triangle to that same halfway point going back right in front of the sternum and THEN the elbows would be both level (at that point)...rather than getting there with the left elbow higher than the right elbow really early in the process. The shaft - once it reaches ground parallel would be pointing more parallel to the toe line and target line.

This would likely feel absolutely horrible at first - and take a lot of getting used to. What I believe happens (as is) - tends to lead to a flaw some refer to as arm-run-off. It basically means your hands and arms are operating early in the swing very independently of your shoulder turn. That won't happen when this triangle moves more in front of the chest during the takeaway and the left elbow is not so quick to rise above the left.

It may even help to feel like the right hand is almost pushing the handle gradually away from the body going back and that the club travels back along the target line a touch longer during the takeaway - almost as though the shape of the backswing is a little wider and more "U" shaped rather than "V" shaped.

I would also look into making certain the shoulders turn a little less horizontally - and instead turn more perpendicular to the address spine. In other words the left shoulder would work a bit more down as the right shoulder worked a little more up behind the head during the backswing. Notice how your level shoulder turn are sort of driving a lower arm plane? If your shoulders turned as suggested that club would move up on plane a little better and you would see that left wrist landing just barely above the right shoulder at the top.

Once at the top - you would then likely find easier ways to transition into the downswing with quieter hands as the body's rotation moved the club versus things having to be so active with the hands and arms alone. You could then stay in your address spine posture to the top of the backswing and from THERE - you could let the right elbow swing down in front of the right hip - retaining that bend in the back of the right wrist all the way down to almost your left thigh and unhinge the wrists at that point.

What you will begin to notice in videos like this is that brand of release will cause the "whoosh" of the clubhead to be heard more on the target side of the ball (sounds backwards but give it a try)... both arms will extend past the ball not at the ball and your follow through hands will better match the height and flow of your backswing hands. As is your arms extend straight a touch early and the follow through is very high handed compared to the backswing hand height (at the top of the backswing). Normally - you want a little more symmetry between the two as seen down-the-line.

With all of this said - I hope and trust this is taken in the spirit its given and that you and a pro teacher are able at some point to compare notes about all this. There is no better/faster way of getter there than when working with a good teaching pro.

Good luck out there and best to you.

[Artvandalay22]

Thank you so much for that very detailed and informative response. Looks like i have a few things to work on. I will try and take some more videos of my swing and upload them

[Reasonability]

[quote name='Artvandalay22' timestamp='1432358795' post='11612306']
Thank you so much for that very detailed and informative response. Looks like i have a few things to work on. I will try and take some more videos of my swing and upload them
[/quote]

You're most welcome - and apologies for a typo back there.... I noticed having commented that as is your club's shaft is pointing left of target once the club reaches ground-parallel after the takeaway. My bad - meant to say it pointing out to the right at that point.

Best to you.

[Artvandalay22]

Let me know if this is correct, I did some practice today using a mirror and in order to keep the "triange" and elbows even i get the feeling that I need to bring the club a little wider down the line. Doing this (widening take away) will enable me to create the U shape and help shallow the club creating that U on the downswing?

[Reasonability]

[quote name='Artvandalay22' timestamp='1432445521' post='11617092']
Let me know if this is correct, I did some practice today using a mirror and in order to keep the "triange" and elbows even i get the feeling that I need to bring the club a little wider down the line. Doing this (widening take away) will enable me to create the U shape and help shallow the club creating that U on the downswing?
[/quote]

In my opinion - and in your case - YES.

Without getting overly technical - the width you describe in the backswing is a very good things.

It causes many golfers to actually sway away from the target going back and then sway toward the target on the DS. In reality, and when done correctly -- that width comes from the arm flow and keeping that triangle from pulling inward toward the chest going back - not from swaying.

Then that "U" shape you describe on the DS is what is often called "angle of attack". When you TURN versus sliding - when you lead the triangle down with the trail elbow, and LET that little bend in the back of the trailing hand wrist UNHINGE more off of your lead thigh (or close to that thigh at least) then clubhead will actually shallow out in its angle of attack as it closes in on the ball. The divots get thinner and a touch longer and start just to the TARGET SIDE of the ball. The technical stuff is referred to as "wide to narrow" and is a reference to the swing arc going back versus coming down and through --- but I wouldn't concern myself with all that confusing stuff.

So I personally would answer your question with a big YES and just keep the trail knee from wander over the back foot and feel what you're feeling in the takeaway. Its a good thing indeed.

I would think - based on your question - that it feels odd - but some of the ball flights are already getting better. It takes time before this feels 100% natural - so sometimes it will leave you scratching your head. Good job of working with a mirror. The feedback is immediate. You can take your time that way - work on half swings - then fuller swings - then to the range - and then to the course. Good stuff.

btw - "trail side" body parts are those on the right side of the right handed golfer. "lead side" would be the right hander's left side. For lefties, you reverse all of actual lefts and rights and stick to lead side and trail side references. This is just a way of keeping it simple for both left and right handed golfers.

[Artvandalay22]

http://youtu.be/HmV6KpfG4ns

Worked on getting heat feel in the range. Wasn't my best swing because I felt like I had to rush cause I asked the guy next to me to record it. Have to get a stand bag or make a home.made tripod to take videos.

[Artvandalay22]

Worked on getting the shoulders to turn more perpendicular when practicing my irons. Hit a lot of balls fat which I'm fine with for now just getting the feel. I often have the problem taking practice swings where it feels like I can't brush the ground at all and just get air

[Reasonability]

Getting there. It takes time. Keep at it. Club will feel like it travels in front of chest.

Great book to study if you haven't read it already is to soak in Hogan's Modern Fundamentals of Golf - 5 Lessons

Here is a link that helps with the setup (wouldn't get too lost in the bottom half of this link but the first half of it contains lots of gems).

[url="http://perfectgolfswingreview.net/AddressSetup.htm"]http://perfectgolfswingreview.net/AddressSetup.htm[/url]

[Artvandalay22]

http://youtu.be/ErCyyNoK2Nc

http://youtu.be/UsjocO3i3EU

Fast forward to 33 seconds

[Artvandalay22]

Went and saw Iteach last week and he helped correct my set up as well as making sure my left knee doesnt move in towards my right
here are my latest videos

https://youtu.be/UYalLoIsqaw
https://youtu.be/MuLXp1_WzNI

[rockinar]

Worked on getting heat feel in the range. Wasn't my best swing because I felt like I had to rush cause I asked the guy next to me to record it. Have to get a stand bag or make a home.made tripod to take videos.

 

My opinion:

 

You're reaching too far out for the ball, bring it closer in. Look how close the pros have the ball at address. Their arms hang down. Look how far you're reaching out. You got flying elbow and coming over the top. Stand closer, arms down, club pointed at your crotch or no higher than belt buckle. Tuck your right elbow in your pocket on the downswing.

 

This is all just my opinion after having been there, done that for 15 years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Artvandalay22]

http://youtu.be/UYalLoIsqaw
http://youtu.be/MuLXp1_WzNI