getting parallel

[supashu]

I hate this stupid game

Alright, I'm desperate. So desperate that I'm willing to ask for swing advice from strangers on the internet haha. I mean that with all due respect of course.

OK- I play to about a 6. Have for a couple years now. I'm 6' 2" and only like 158 pounds (yes I know I'm skinny, but damn I eat alot, it just doesnt stick). Everyone I play with thinks I should hit it a mile. However that couldnt be farther from the truth. I do however hit it VERY straight. Which is the only thing keeping me at a 6. That and my short game. I probably hit my driver like 235-250 on avg. 7 iron= 150 yards, PW= 105 ish etc... Like I said, not long at all for my build. I have a very short backswing, and I def. dont get the club to parallel. Honestly it's pretty flat, and needs to come more upright. My tendancy is to slide (not turn) my hips way early (this is about the only time I dont hit it straight) while at the same time swinging very short and flat. I've come to the conclusion that I need to:
1) get the club upright to parrallel. (ie- big long wide VJ type swing haha)
2) hit the weight room (try and gain a few pounds)
3) stretch and continue to work on my balance

Anyone have any ideas on how I can practice getting the club parallel and stop swinging so flat? Drills, ect?? I swear it feels like I'm swinging like big John Daly but on video it's so damn short and flat. I'm not looking for a HUGE increase, but I'd like to get to scratch, and to do that I simply have to hit it farther. It changes the game alot when I'm hitting 8 iron in instead of a 4 or 5 iron. Any help or advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

[beachgrovejunior]

you dont need to lengthen your backswing that much, shorter swings are becoming more popular, i find when i go back to parallel the only thing that changes isn't how far i hit it but i hit it all over the place. but for stretching work on stretches seperating your hips and torso, like sitting on a swiss ball with a club behind your shoulders and turning back and through

[willamette]

Well, if you're sitting 6' 2" and only like 158 and you hit the ball straight, you could work on some major swing improvements to get more out of your mechanics (which is definitely a great idea, but you probably risk getting worse before getting better since you hit it straight as is) or you could work on adding muscle mass and fast twitch (smaller) muscles in the right places.

 

For example, on a playing lessons with the pros, Fred Funk added 3-5 MPH to his swing speed in 3 WEEKS by working out with a trainer who focused on the fast-twitch and stability muscles. I wouldn't worry about adding bulk. One of my good friend is a trainer and his method has individuals doing a lot of body weight, plyometrics, and dumbbell exercises. Sadly, he says, many of his male trainees refuse to use his routine and insist on him training them on the weight machines and benches because they think his method is for girls. He says the guys who have committed beat out the weight bench men by a landslide in strength, flexibiliy, endurance, and overall fitness.

 

There's an infomercial on right now that has like 8 dvds you can get with various routines like my buddy uses....it's call P90x...and it's about $120 (but that's like 2-3 training session with a trainer). It's not a gimmick - the trainer specifically says that you need 1 hour a day and kick-a** hard work to do it well, but it combines plyometrics, dumbell, yoga/flexibility, karate, etc. Looks like the perfect program for a golfer, actually. You can do it in your living room.

 

My $0.02

[ezra76]

I'll agree that being bigger is not where it's at. I'm at 149 and 6'1". I have no problem getting it out over 270 and with my steep, delofting, low trajectory iron swing, I am usually 1-2 clubs longer than most guys I play with. There are a lot of factors and it starts with getting square at the top, then at impact. From there it's honing the mechanics to build width, leverage and speed. I'd consider getting a video of your swing and checking for power leaks first.

[supashu]

Ya I've watched it on video. Plus I have a coach who has watched. Neither of us can really figure it out. The sick part is that I catch the ball really clean and pure too. It sounds sweet, and launches fine on the right trajectory, then just kinda stops going.

 

I appreciate the help, keep it coming.

[loulou]

Ya I've watched it on video. Plus I have a coach who has watched. Neither of us can really figure it out

 

Thats pretty funny that you've got the instructor going "Hmm...". It sounds to me like your swing is mostly arms, if you pick up more rotation through the ball with your body you will probably see some improvement.

[Bomb and Gouge]

Sounds like one of these might help:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Groove-Tube-Swing-Pl...g/dp/B000EZWI4M

[supashu]

Hmmmm not sure I want to go with the "groove tube" approach. Obviously I have some power leaks going on somewhere. I'm gonna try and get a video on here so yall can really bash me haha. I think it's the lack of torque in my back honestly. Like if you watch Charles III swing, he's got so much torque built up. But then I hear that I need to turn my lower body more and get it more involved? Wouldnt that take away from torque? I was always under the impression your hips should turn 45* and your shoulders 90*. If that makes sense... Maybe it's the "slide"??? Perhaps if I can make sure and get my shoulders fully turned, then start turning (not sliding) my hips around it would create more lag/torque (whatever)??? Alright, to the range I go....

 

Any more insight, thoughts, trash talk, etc???

[yoonie]

If you have a shallow angle of attack, it's possible that you're just not getting enough spin to keep the ball in the air- not a swing flaw, you just need a ball that spins more. Just a guess, from your description of the ballflight.