Before & After with Dan Carraher (June 2022 Update)

[naj959]

@scratchmcgeeI think "definitely better" is an understatement. Great work!

[Golfbeat]

Great improvement! Well done. Now keep doing it 🙂

[leekgolf]

On 12/30/2020 at 8:27 PM, scratchmcgee said:

 

 

 I could be wrong but working that medicine ball drill against helps me to increase tilt as long as I'm not swaying. I think naturally you have to increase tilt to keep ball against ball as you work back. 

 

 

 

scratch - with the medicine ball drill, did you do this at a driving range or at home? If it was at home, were you hitting golf balls?

[ALIF]

Noticeable significant improvement! Great work. Keep it up!

[scratchmcgee]

12 hours ago, leekgolf said:

scratch - with the medicine ball drill, did you do this at a driving range or at home? If it was at home, were you hitting golf balls?

I did it at home pretty much all winter. DC had initially given me the drill in 1st lesson (May 2020) but I only focused on half of it…extending my right leg on backswing with the intent to focus on it more fully in the offseason.

 

Once I started the drill in mid December I would do it diligently each day…I’d say atleast 20-30 reps in each session if not a few more mixed in throughout the day. 
 

I did it mostly hitting foam balls in my basement with a 60 degree…don’t want to hit ceiling. Lol

 

I haven’t practiced the drill much since winter but where I noticed the gains were on swings I wasn’t trying to clean up to impress myself or Dan I was seeing much better lower body movement overall. 
 

I plan to do some more work with that drill in our harsh ND winter again. 
 

thanks for asking. 

[leekgolf]

Thanks @scratchmcgee Just to make sure I understand, is it this drill?

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNqVQ3qFo1E/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

[scratchmcgee]

@leekgolf correct!

[leekgolf]

8 hours ago, scratchmcgee said:

@leekgolf correct!

He has me doing it too. It's harder than it looks 🙂

 

[scratchmcgee]

Sent some shots to DC showing some progress on the drill he gave me in my first lesson about 1.5 year ago. The alignment stick in ground is to create some depth with trail leg but not allow my trail leg to cross over the stick through downswing. A lil detail below with each of the screenshots...

 

1) The two lines are for starting point of trail knee and back of hip at address. Able to create some depth in backswing while allowing trail leg to extend.

2) On the downswing I'm doing a much better job of keeping my posture (blue line on spine at top of backswing). The trail knee is just crossing over my initial starting point but it's much better than what it previously was. The red line is the depth I created at top of backswing and keeping that line through the downswing. 

3) Lead hip working back and staying on red line and trail knee not crossing over the green line too much...it's better but can be cleaned up. 

 

I actually haven't worked on this drill much this year...been working on a few other things but the muscle memory is so much better because of the reps I did in my basement this past winter. 

 

DC confirmed the changes were "awesome to see" which obviously was great coming from him. 

 

As for my progress it's really just been a combination of consistently doing the drills Dan has given me...I do a lot from home as I'm not getting to course as much with our newborn. But by continuing to work on the drills he prescribed for my swing I don't feel like I've missed a beat not playing as much this year. 

 

Hoping for a great fall season before winter comes here in Nodak! 

[glk]

Big difference.  Especially from where you started but also just from late last year.     Lots of work along with good instruction paying off.    

[naj959]

@scratchmcgee looking good man! Thanks for the description for monitoring knee flex. It never occurred to me to draw lines on my knees but I will definitely be doing this from now on. Great way to monitor the pivot.

[Hstead]

That's a solid P6.  Ball should go pretty straight from there.

[scratchmcgee]

18 hours ago, naj959 said:

@scratchmcgee looking good man! Thanks for the description for monitoring knee flex. It never occurred to me to draw lines on my knees but I will definitely be doing this from now on. Great way to monitor the pivot.

Thank you! Yup got this from the first lesson. Gives me an idea if I’m creating depth & making sure I’m keeping that space on way down. (Not crossing the line)

[scratchmcgee]

Well we're officially in the offseason and back to work in my basement until spring arrives. Good season overall for me including shooting my personal best and proud of my continued improvement. I've started my offseason by revisiting concepts from my lessons with DC to continue to make previous weaknesses into a strengths. 

 

The one thing that stands out for me is a path that gets too in to out resulting in big blocks and poor contact with longer clubs. My left side works up too quickly while hanging back which creates some BIG MISSES. I feel like I'm throwing my arms at it as opposed to turning through the shot with my whole body. 

 

I've enjoyed using DC's drill with alignment stick in butt end of club---if I don't turn through properly I'll flip and wack myself in the side. (see video below) I like the feels with the stick but as soon as I go back to a regular club I revert to my old feels...this is going to take a while. LOL

 

In addition I'm also working on the previously mentioned medicine ball with a bit of a twist. I slow it way down and only take club to p2. From there I start by pushing my left hip into ball and pushing against the wall which pulls my body through...kind of like this. It's very difficult and frustrating as I experience new feels but now there's good in that. Strive for 1% better every day

 

https://www.instagram.com/willsmurraygolf/p/CWyiTPhPY-6/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

Wishing all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year...thankful for this community I get to learn from!

 

[scratchmcgee]

 

[PracticeSwinger]

53 minutes ago, scratchmcgee said:

I've enjoyed using DC's drill with alignment stick in butt end of club---if I don't turn through properly I'll flip and wack myself in the side. (see video below) I like the feels with the stick but as soon as I go back to a regular club I revert to my old feels...this is going to take a while. LOL

Great stuff!

 

Don’t want to hijack the thread obviously - I wanted to get your insider info on that drill as I’ve been practising a lot with it also - finally getting good results with a combo of feels (lead shoulder not ‘pulling out’ and trail wrist ‘staying’ extended) that allows for a good pivot - but always wondered if it is meant to be as a ‘feel drill’ only because when I try and do it with full swing (especially with longer clubs) I have a hard time releasing it correctly; (swing direction a few degrees to the right) and when looking at elite swings; I’m pretty sure that even for the top guys with ‘cobra’ pattern: Morikawa / Hovland / DJ - they’d hit themselves in the follow through)

[scratchmcgee]

Thanks! 

I haven't tried with longer clubs...only 56 wedge. For me personally it's a feel drill working on changing movement patterns. 

 

However I'm able to do pretty decent 1/2 swing as shown above. To be completely honest if I go any further back I lose the feel I'm going for and revert to tilting to shallow initially from the top. So that's about as far back as I can go right now just due to where I'm at with the changes. 

 

57 minutes ago, MtlJayMan said:

Great stuff!

 

Don’t want to hijack the thread obviously - I wanted to get your insider info on that drill as I’ve been practising a lot with it also - finally getting good results with a combo of feels (lead shoulder not ‘pulling out’ and trail wrist ‘staying’ extended) that allows for a good pivot - but always wondered if it is meant to be as a ‘feel drill’ only because when I try and do it with full swing (especially with longer clubs) I have a hard time releasing it correctly; (swing direction a few degrees to the right) and when looking at elite swings; I’m pretty sure that even for the top guys with ‘cobra’ pattern: Morikawa / Hovland / DJ - they’d hit themselves in the follow through)

 

[scratchmcgee]

June 2022 UPDATE:

 

Great winter of practice in my basement working on drills to improve my lower body. Continued to work on medicine ball against wall drill and also alignment stick in butt end of club from both left & right side. Swing felt grooved and I was excited to get outdoors with it. Here were two videos taken back in early May at our family farm. Again...it's as good as my swing ever has looked and felt great too. Was very pleased in the work I've put in with DC under his direction (3 lessons in). 

 

DTL

 

FO

 

[scratchmcgee]

I've had a couple solid rounds to start this year and really feel as a whole my ball striking has and IS improving.

 

The last two winters I've made some really good strides because it's drills only---I can't play outdoors with the winters in ND which makes for a perfect time to practice. As I get back outdoors I unfortunately slowly revert to old patterns/habits and swing gradually gets worse unfortunately. 

 

I promised myself that I would commit to continue doing the drills I practiced all winter to make sure I stay on track. As we all know it's a process and there's definitely ups and downs but I'm thankful for my progress. 

 

With DC he's really helped improve my knowledge of the swing. I'm better to diagnose what's causing my bad shots and make corrections better on the fly. Best thing I ever did was take lessons from a quality teacher like DC...for $57.50 on Skillest I'm very thankful for him keeping the cost down and have let him know that.

 

Cheers to all of you and hope your golf season is treating you well. 

 

Happy Father's Day!

 

 

 

[KMeloney]

17 hours ago, scratchmcgee said:

June 2022 UPDATE:

 

Great winter of practice in my basement working on drills to improve my lower body. Continued to work on medicine ball against wall drill and also alignment stick in butt end of club from both left & right side. Swing felt grooved and I was excited to get outdoors with it. Here were two videos taken back in early May at our family farm. Again...it's as good as my swing ever has looked and felt great too. Was very pleased in the work I've put in with DC under his direction (3 lessons in). 

 

DTL

 

FO

 

 

It looks like DC got you bent over the ball (chest closer to the ground) a lot more initially, and that you're less over the ball now. Is that true, or just a camera angle thing?

[scratchmcgee]

8 hours ago, KMeloney said:

 

It looks like DC got you bent over the ball (chest closer to the ground) a lot more initially, and that you're less over the ball now. Is that true, or just a camera angle thing?

Probably just a camera thing as he hasn’t changed anything in my setup. I’ll check with him in each lesson but he’s ok with it for now from our lessons

Edited June 20, 2022 by scratchmcgee

[huskydawg]

On 8/1/2021 at 5:03 AM, scratchmcgee said:

I believe a side effect of swinging with left arm only it helped me generate a bit steeper shoulder tilt as shown in the 2nd attachment.

 

Comments and questions always welcome!

Can I ask you, with the steep shoulder tilt do you feel like you have to do anything to shallow the arms?  I'm a little lost as to what I should be feeling or doing with the arms.

 

My problem is my shoulder turn is too level and a very steep, almost vertical shaft downswing.  My right hip also pops forward so yeah I early extend too. 

[scratchmcgee]

On 7/24/2022 at 9:37 PM, huskydawg said:

Can I ask you, with the steep shoulder tilt do you feel like you have to do anything to shallow the arms?  I'm a little lost as to what I should be feeling or doing with the arms.

 

My problem is my shoulder turn is too level and a very steep, almost vertical shaft downswing.  My right hip also pops forward so yeah I early extend too. 

I personally feel nothing…I don’t think of anything arms related in downswing. 
 

Without seeing your swing have you seen the Justin Rose drill? Keep your back closed to target with arms dropping…based on what you’re telling me you may have to really exaggerate the feeling of the arms dropping first 

[huskydawg]

On 7/29/2022 at 11:50 AM, scratchmcgee said:

I personally feel nothing…I don’t think of anything arms related in downswing. 
 

Without seeing your swing have you seen the Justin Rose drill? Keep your back closed to target with arms dropping…based on what you’re telling me you may have to really exaggerate the feeling of the arms dropping first 

Thanks for the reply.  That's actually really insightful.  I've been looking at a lot of pro swings and there doesn't seem to be any "dropping."  It looks like it just naturally trails the shoulder unwinding with no added hands.  Really want to try the left arm only swings and focus on working the lead shoulder down like you said.  I definitely get that working up too quickly.

[scratchmcgee]

11 hours ago, huskydawg said:

Thanks for the reply.  That's actually really insightful.  I've been looking at a lot of pro swings and there doesn't seem to be any "dropping."  It looks like it just naturally trails the shoulder unwinding with no added hands.  Really want to try the left arm only swings and focus on working the lead shoulder down like you said.  I definitely get that working up too quickly.

I would agree but just based on your comment you may have to feel something that would feel completely different to achieve the shallowing you see in other swings. Best of luck…thanks for chiming in.