practise swing ok but actual swing is only half a swing

If anyone can give any tips or advice I would really appreciate it.

Ive been playing golf for approx 2 years now and although my scores have come down quite considerably the problem I have is that my backswing is very short and so
i'm losing a lot of distance.

I thought initially this maybe down to the fact that I had back problems a few years ago but this cannot be the case as everyone says to me that my practise swing is a full swing but then the actual swing is only halfway back.

Ive even got my son to video my swing and i cant believe when i watch back how short the backswing is.

Ive had lessons from 2 different pro's and theyve helped me with other things but they just cannot get me to come back further on the backswing

If anyone has any drills or ideas that maybe able to help i would appreciate it.

 

thanks

johnsi

 

The reason that you manage to get further back on your practice swing, John, is because, like me, you are not looking down rooted to where the ball is, but just swing relaxed. Try a practice swing pretending to see the ball and you will find that you do not get back as far. When the head is fixed it requires a body that can turn easily and yours sounds a bit like mine, just does not want to move.

Having said that, a short backswing is not the cause of losing distance, lack of a good strong follow through is the probable cause, something I struggle with also.

If you do have the flexibilty to be able to get a full shoulder turn on the way back then it is because you are trying to come down before you have got up.

 

I think for some reason like you say I start to come back down before I reach the top of the backswing.

In my last lesson the pro told me that if I can turn my shoulders 90 degrees without any difficulty (which I can) then flexibility isnt the problem.  If I take the club back in slow motion I can get to the top still looking at the ball.

Seems to be something in my head that as soon as the ball is there that maybe I become more anxious.

I just feel to make any further progress in the game this is what ive got to overcome.

 

John, why dont you upload your swing onto golfshake. Then people can get a better picture of what you're doing with your swing, and help you to improve it.

Luke, I have no wish to be ridiculed, as what I do now, can in no way be considered a swing. I get away with it when playing with others, as all they see is the result and in the case of my irons they are pretty straight.

My brain still thinks it is 20 but the body just does not want to do what the brain is telling it.

I am sometimes guilty of this sort of fault, starting the downswing before I've completed the backswing, practice swings are fine but put a ball there and a "hit" enters the equation.I find when I think rhythm and tempo (picture Ernie) I seem to swing much better and get a better turn and much better contact, works for me..... 

This is exactly what I am doing with my driver, Tony, why, I don't know. With the irons I manage a nice controlled swing at the ball, but put a driver in my hand and I try and hit it.

I see a lot of people do this same thing John, usually the longer the club, the more the "hit". I  sometimes see pro's like Jiminez (forgive the spelling) on TV, his practice swings are awful but the swing with the ball is totally different, like he practices what he does'nt want to do, works for him 

 

Well, several weeks after my first post about my actual swing only being half a swing compared to a practise full swing and Ive tried everything but still no progress.

Ive scoured the internet for drills and cannot find anything that can promote a full back swing. 

Physically, I can do it - my practise swing (on video) is fine and can get as far back so that I can catch a glimpse of the club head when at the top of backswing still being able to see the ball ok.

Then,  the real swing and aaaaaaaaggh  - i just cant do it!

I read articles about trying concentrating on the swing and not so much on the ball and trying to relax the shoulder and back muscles, i do a few practise swings in which I can bring the club back so its parallel and pointing at the target.

Then the actual swing ! and even when I feel ive turned properly, proper wrist cock etc  I'm told my all my playing partners its nowhere near a full swing.  I'm getting the same comment each week from different people and cant believe how short the back swing is when i watch it back.

If anyone has any ideas I'd be grateful or if anyone has suffered from the same problem and overcome it I would be interested addressed the problem.

Thanks all!

john

Have you tried not taking a practice swing John?  I used to take a least one practice swing each shot but I've found I am much more consistent if I just step up, take my stance and swing.  It stops you thinking about it too much.   

John,

I suffer from severe back problems too. (fractured vetebrae and 2 damaged discs to be exact) and so my back swing is very short

but.

most of the power i get is on the down swing and my playing partners cannot figure out how i can generate so much power from such a small back swing. i have been known to hit over 300yds with my driver. in fact i can still hit my PW 150yds with out many problems.

everyone has a different swing and if it works. do it. would you tell Jim furyk that he has a weird flicky motion?

from what i can tell there is no "quick fix". but hard work. i have resigned myself to just putting up with it as would probably paralise myself if i tried.

that in no way means you should forget about fixing the problem. most people on there practice swing have a fluid motion as there is no ball there, then hit "at" the ball when it matters. try to imagine there is no ball there and hit through it rather than at it. you may be surprised.

 

I thought initially it maybe flexibilty but if i can swing ok on practise there should be no difference.  I can exagerate the backswing so i can see the head of the club at top of backswing without any problems with flexibilty so I was ruling this out.

Simon O mentions about trying to imagine there is no ball there - thats what ive been trying to do but something stops me !  think it must all be in my head.

Been going to the range 4 or 5 times a week - my 12 yr old son making it worse as well rubbing it in,  he scored a gross 90 on Saturday and he's only been playing since november. Wish I'd started playing at his age!  He does come back as far as John Daly (maybe too far) and he's now hitting is driver further than me.

I dont get anywhere near 300 yrds with driver, wish i did  - i'm   220 /230yd if i'm lucky, PW about 120yds and I know the short backswing is restricting the speed of the downswing.

I think if I can cure this problem it can have a big impact on my scoring.

Thanks all for your comments.

 

 

I thought initially it maybe flexibilty but if i can swing ok on practise there should be no difference.  I can exagerate the backswing so i can see the head of the club at top of backswing without any problems with flexibilty so I was ruling this out.

Simon O mentions about trying to imagine there is no ball there - thats what ive been trying to do but something stops me !  think it must all be in my head.

Been going to the range 4 or 5 times a week - my 12 yr old son making it worse as well rubbing it in,  he scored a gross 90 on Saturday and he's only been playing since november. Wish I'd started playing at his age!  He does come back as far as John Daly (maybe too far) and he's now hitting is driver further than me.

I dont get anywhere near 300 yrds with driver, wish i did  - i'm   220 /230yd if i'm lucky, PW about 120yds and I know the short backswing is restricting the speed of the downswing.

I think if I can cure this problem it can have a big impact on my scoring.

Thanks all for your comments.

 

john,

watch how tiger moves his body as he changes to his down swing. there is the power! if you can adjust those movements to increase club head speed with your swing you will get there

 

I thought initially it maybe flexibilty but if i can swing ok on practise there should be no difference.  I can exagerate the backswing so i can see the head of the club at top of backswing without any problems with flexibilty so I was ruling this out.

Simon O mentions about trying to imagine there is no ball there - thats what ive been trying to do but something stops me !  think it must all be in my head.

Been going to the range 4 or 5 times a week - my 12 yr old son making it worse as well rubbing it in,  he scored a gross 90 on Saturday and he's only been playing since november. Wish I'd started playing at his age!  He does come back as far as John Daly (maybe too far) and he's now hitting is driver further than me.

I dont get anywhere near 300 yrds with driver, wish i did  - i'm   220 /230yd if i'm lucky, PW about 120yds and I know the short backswing is restricting the speed of the downswing.

I think if I can cure this problem it can have a big impact on my scoring.

Thanks all for your comments.

 

Sorry Miss

Must do better next time.

 

I thought initially it maybe flexibilty but if i can swing ok on practise there should be no difference.  I can exagerate the backswing so i can see the head of the club at top of backswing without any problems with flexibilty so I was ruling this out.

Simon O mentions about trying to imagine there is no ball there - thats what ive been trying to do but something stops me !  think it must all be in my head.

Been going to the range 4 or 5 times a week - my 12 yr old son making it worse as well rubbing it in,  he scored a gross 90 on Saturday and he's only been playing since november. Wish I'd started playing at his age!  He does come back as far as John Daly (maybe too far) and he's now hitting is driver further than me.

I dont get anywhere near 300 yrds with driver, wish i did  - i'm   220 /230yd if i'm lucky, PW about 120yds and I know the short backswing is restricting the speed of the downswing.

I think if I can cure this problem it can have a big impact on my scoring.

Thanks all for your comments.

 

apologies - dont know why its repeated post so many times

got to be honest i have pretty much given up on practice swings.

seems a shame to waste a good one!

J P

I'll do that now as its lighter nights, tried a few weeks ago but the quality was bad as it was getting dark by the time i was getting to the range at night after work.

Thanks

John

 

Tony D.

I may have an explanation for...

‘I sometimes see pro's like Jimenez (forgive the spelling) on TV, his practice swings are awful but the swing with the ball is totally different'

The pro at my club has given me a similar practice swing as Jimenez and the reason it helps is that it gets your arms legs and body rotating through properly.

I was far too static with my legs and not rotating my wrists at impact, only moving through after the ball had gone. He told me to take a practice swing as if hitting a baseball, club horizontal & parallel to the ground. This action naturally moves your whole body through, wrists, arms & legs and is the same as what you should feel when swinging the golf club through on a more vertical swing plane.

Hope that makes sense?

It does look odd but it's about getting the feel for the swing before actually trying to hit the ball for real. He mentioned Jimenez as doing the same on his pracice swings.

I still do this little practice before most shots and find it helps (especially off the tee).

More importantly if I do not do it I blame this for the poor shot that follows :-)

Further to my original post about A full backswing but then on actual swing the club only gets just past vertical  - i.e nowhere near to parallel to the target

Well further frustration last night  - the weather has been so bad recently Ive not had chance to have my swing videod on the course but I asked my son last night just to video me at the driving range so I was a bit limited with space but I got the top half of my body on camera on top of swing.

I'm too embarrassed to post the swing on here - it looks like someone swinging the club for the first time in their life on the actual swing itself. Its awful!  Even though I'm actually getting a decent contact with the ball and ok distance (mainly due to concentrating on a late release of my wrists/Lag)

I want to improve and Ive booked in some more lessons but I am beginning to  think its something in my head stopping me.

Its just so frustrating - I even did 20 relaxed  full practise swings and intending to gradually move up to the ball and then tried to strike the ball without thinking too much and aaaaaagh  something is stopping me at half way back!

Even when I feel ive made a full turn I watch it back on video and I am nowhere near.

 One thing I have noticed is that my swing seems to be very flat and occasionally I do stop and start again to make it more upright - I wonder if maybe I'm doing this on the actual swing and I am somehow getting trapped.  Maybe I should be trying some drills for a steeper swing plane. 

I'm sure it cant be flexibility as I can easily get to parallel on practise.

 Thanks for any comments  - I wish I could find someone  else who has had this problem and overcome it.  Ive had lessons but still cant get this sorted.

Sorry, I meant to make a brief post but ended up waffling on. 

thanks

John

 

 

 

 

 

Here goes - ive just posted and intend to delete from youtube  - Its awful!  Cant bear to watch.

 Unforutunately there is no more room at the range - I know its not a great angle or video  but it shows the top of the swing so it will give an idea of what I mean anyway. Ive been waiting for the weather to improve so I can get a video on the course but it seems to have rained each weekend for weeks or Ive been in the comp.

Straight away I can see i am dipping quite drastically, even though I dont feel I am when I am swinging.  But why cant I swing as far back  when I am making my proper swing as oppose to my practise.? Also, i believe I am taking club back too flat but not sure this is the cause of the short backswing?

 Its an 8 iron, 1st one I didnt contact that well but it went straight about 120 yards and the second one was ok and went 135 yards straight again. (was hitting 5 iron approx 165yds)

Believe it or not I'm scoring in the high 80's low 90's  with that swing and unlike most people the club I am most confident with is my driver!  strange.

Anyway, ultimately its the short backswing I want to get sorted.

I apologise in advance for inflicting that on you.

John

 

 

 

 

 

thanks Wayne 

 

Something else Ive just noticed is how much my head body and follow the club and move towards the target

Looks like I'm trying to push the ball to the target.

Lots to work on with my posture and need to concentrate on on a better impact position keeping  behind the ball and not looking where the ball as gone so quickly

 

Thanks JP 

I really appreciate your comments and thank you for doing the comparisions like that.

The main things I notice on those 2 pics are:-

1)  how much my body dips on the actual swing - if i draw a line across my head my head has dipped a good 6 inches on the actual swing.

2) My hands & arms have gone too far behind me & I think this is the flat swing I mentioned earlier  - when you mention steeper I assume you mean to pick the club up earlier, i thought i was supposed to take it back low but I'll give that a try - perhaps I'm doing it too much?

3) My head is looking more down at the ball on the actual - needs chin up more? as on the left - is this stopping me perhaps from turning or it could be stopping my view of the ball - (my chin blocking my shoulders from turning maybe)

When you say I make a big movement off the ball what exactly do you mean? Is this something Ive mentioned in one of the points above?

Thanks again, I really appreciate you taking your own time to try to help me out.

Cheers

John

JP 

 

Found this article which maybe one of the main reasons I have a problem

Unfortunately Driving range and the course closed this at the weekend so couldnt give it a try.

Heads up!!We’re all taught from day one that in order to play good golf you need to keep your head down!!Unfortunately, over the years, this tip has done more harm than good. “Keep your head down” limits he mobility needed to generate power.The head should be relaxed with enough mobility to allow the rest of the body to rotate in full.It’s not recommended that you move your head all over the place, but rather you should relax it enough so that it doesn’t hinder your mobility during the swing.Next time you go to practice, bury your chin into your chest and try to make a full swing. You will find it’s nearly impossible to do so!! Then, move that chin up so your shoulders can move freely underneath it.Make full swings with your chin up and compare it to the swings with your chin in your chest. You will feel and see a big difference!!Remember: “Butt up Chin up”

Keep your head up and in the game!!!!!

thanks again