My 9i and Driver swings in slo mo

Other thread is hi-jacking someone elses topic

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fKnRgAZDBlM 9 iron

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4uLYN-p9Kx0 driver

would love to hear what people think and any suggestions for improvement.

I dread to think how far you would hit it if you swung the club correctly, Stephen.

Both the nine iron and the driver show you with a closed clubface at the top of the swing and then comes the most pronounced movement from the top that is only going to produce an out in in swing. Only the fact that the clubface is open at impact keeps the ball straight. Although the finished flight of the ball cannot be seen.

Just imagine coming into the ball on an inside path what distance you could achieve.

I am quite sure that David L will tell you the same in a more eloquent manner. Listen to what he has to say if you wish to improve at this game.

Its been picked up on about the face at the top of my swing but its corrected instantly on the downswing, the face isnt open at impact normally, I guess the face at the top of the swing makes it look that way. Plus i wasnt swinging at my best that night at all.

the line of the club used to be at the top of my neck but is now coming down on same line as the backswing over my shoulder.

Its probs not the best swing in the vids though, I need to get some more consistency through more and more practise.

I managed to get out and do 9 holes today and did a 39 which is the best over 9 by far i've ever done, one 304 yd slight downhill slight dog right i was on the green from my drive.

Got a vid from today which is hopefully a bit better - will get it up later on.

cheers for feedback john.

Stephen, you asked for any feedback and what you presented in the videos is all I can comment on.

I suggest you stop the swing at the top and then very quickly start and stop the frames and you will see distinctly that you are not doing what you claim.

Congratulations on the 39, that kind of scoring puts you in single figures, so perhaps you will soon be a candidate for a new bandit thread.

sorry john, wasnt disagreeing with your comments on that particular swing, just i was aware of the face issue at the top. and that it wasn't a particularly good swing. Thats why I asked for the feedback - sorry if it came accross that way.

Par for my course is 70, 34 front 9, 36 back 9, and some holes are on temporary greens at the min.

Here isone of my drives from today;

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9eQ_OplvY7A

again I apologise for the manor of my reply - I don't want to alienate anyone on here because I'd like to participate with events etc down the line.

Been playing since July this year.

I couldn't refuse the deal on the driver, £99 custom fitted and it was better than most others i tried!!!

That thing at the top will eventually be worked out but the pro doesn't wanna touch it at the min as its not effecting my shot at the min as I subconciously correct it at the start of the downswing apparently.

PS, what is a bandit lol

i dont have my proper handicap yet, need one more card.

Believe me i'd rather be off low handicap

I hope your right, and yes i most vertainley have the bug!

do you ever have one in the north east?

Nothing wrong with owning a Sassie Paul.  Tried many, many drivers before and after purchasing mine and wouldn't swap it for anything.  I'll be gutted when I eventually break it and have to. 

I might be replacing it with a tour burner next year to match my 3 wood anyway

My Sassie may be for sissies, but it goes longer and straighter than the Tour Burner you've got.  Serves you right for buying a 'bargain' before trying it and making sure it was right for you.  After saying that, my Sassie goes longer and straighter than the one that you did try before buying!

Can't wait for tomorrow with all this testosterone flying around!!

I'm inside his head already John.  He'll be putting discs out trying to prove he outdrives me now and it'll be all over the place.  You wait until I start on about his short game; he'll still be playing when Santa visits his house 

Stephen you never have to worry what you say to me as I am pretty thick skinned and am quite capable of holding up my end of any argument. I never hold grudges.

Your latest video is in actual fact a very good swing but I still do not like the top of the swing position and I am surprised that your instructor is not attrempting to change it. Maybe he is instructing you on the flight of the ball only and then giving you a fault to correct a fault as this kind of teaching gets you hitting cosistently down the range and you yourself think progress is being made, and who knows maybe it is. But if you have aspirations of playing this game well, then only a sound method will do this for you.

You have only been playing a short while and now is the time to change your basic swing thoughts if the eventual target is single figure handicap status.

You appear to be a one off in respect of distance as I have played with many fine players who would love to bang it out that far.

Not for your embarrassment, but I thought I would post your top of the swing position to explain what I am saying.

Good rotation.  It'd take me a week to get enough momentum to get my lardy gut round that far! 

Christopher, any good instructor would quickly realise that to arrive at that top of the swing position means that the whole backswing is flawed.

Personally I have no faith in  the average instructor one gets from golf clubs and driving ranges, mainly because none of them have ever proved themselves players of any standing either in the amateur game or the professional game. That is why they are at golf clubs and driving ranges, they are not even scratch golfers.

Stephen ,can you post up some face on swings?

I will try and get one tonight Dave, slo mo or normal speed?

Cheers John, I will specifically request at my lesson tonight that I want the club face position looked at and fixed. I just give my wrists an extra flick at the end of my swing and flick them back before impact, maybe that gives me a bit extra speed?

Will try my best to iron it out in tonights lesson and see if it affects my speed etc.

All videos are better in slow motion, Stephen, as they are much easier to freeze frame at the right moment.

I really am amazed at the power you are getting, because I also noticed that your full shoulder turn is helped by a rather large right hip turn, which tells me that you have not built up the resistance between the upper body and the hips, like a coiled spring.

To get the distance you're getting with what is effectively hands and arms only is incredible. Oh how I wish I had your power, this game would be easy again.

So I should turn my hips less and that will give me more power?

I dont know where it all comes from then because I am far from a 'big bloke', my arms are quite skinny!

I was good a the javellin at school, Threw 47 meters in year 9 - connected? who knows.

I will try and take a pic of my speed on the screen tonight, and get that side view of the swing.

I'm amazed that my speed is rare, lets hope i can hone it and get to scratch one day lol

John always says I generate some power. Any pointers to help Stephen from this swing John?

was more of a discus and shotput man myself

Hi Danny, I have just done a long post only to have it fail on posting to the site. That does annoy me. You are a very strong man Danny and your power comes from your strength, whereas looking at Stephen, he is obviously developing his from speed through the ball with hands and arms only, as he does not coil up like a spring on the backswing.

Your right John. Looking at that freeze frame, if you put a black hood on me, and an axe in my hand, I could have got a job for Henry VIII.

Am i right in thinking then John, that if my hips turn less and my shoulders turn as far back as they do, then I have "coiled up"? Would that make it more powerful?

I always try and make sure I turn my hips first to start the downswing, otherwise I get very steep.

Do you know what swing speed you generate Danny? what distance you get etc? - cant view the video yet as on work servers...

I went on one of those simulator things at urban golf. It registered the ball speed at 170mph with my driver, not sure how that relates to clubhead speed.

I think I remember reading somewhere it's about 115-120mph.

I'd give it up for a short game though.

With a swing speed of 111.8 my ball speed was 163mph from my driver so I'd guess 115 - 120 would be about right. thats quite impressive! must be able to hit over 300yds easy.

I practise short game 75% of the time, Just using lessons to try and perfect my swing.

Stephen, if you turn everything out of the way to get a full shoulder turn there is no coiled up power when you are at the top of the swing, so to hit the ball as far as you do means that your downswing is very fast with a lot of hand movement. This is a pretty dangerous method to adopt if you are thinking of becoming scratch.

At address the right foot should be square to the target line and the left foot just slightly open, so that the follow through is made easier. With the square right foot it is more difficult to turn back, so the upper body makes a fill shoulder turn whilst the hips are being restricted somewhat by the position of the right foot and knee. This should give you a feeling in the lower back that you are coiled up like a spring. This is the stored energy you start to release as soon as you start the down swing by transferring your weight to your left side.

I have played with Danny, and I can assure you he is a very powerful striker who hits the ball a long way, and as he says himself, if he had a short game he would be a far better player. Plans are afoot for this to be rectified in the New Year. One round will be enough to set him on the right track.

You are probably thinking that I have a lot to say being only 13 handicap but as most of the members here know I used to be a scratch golfer and therefore fully understand the mechanics of the golf swing, which I try to impart to anyone who wishes to advance in this game. Add the fact that I am nearly 72 and that brings problems which make the game hard for me now.

I'm not thinking that at all John, It is evident you know what you are talking about! 13 H/C @ 72 is very very impressive I think!

I used to turn my right foot in a couple of months back to train myself into shortening my backswing as I used to overswing quite alot! I will definately try and do what you are saying to do. Do you think this will speed it up or slow it down?

I just tried it (no club in hand) with teh right foot more square and i can feel it in my lower back more - will post progress later.

Keep the tips coming!

Stephen, now you are answering your own questions. You realised that by turning the right foot in that it was difficult to overswing.

If you can feel the tension in your lower back then you have created the resistance that will give you the stored power which will be released as you start the downswing by transferring the weight to the left side. It is important that one resists turning the shoulders on the downswing past the square position until the ball is struck. Momentum will create a natural follow through.

Your natural speed (tempo) is very important for consistent golf. Personally I like to hit at below 100% as this gives the control one needs and also leaves something in reserve when an extra ten yards is needed.

Accuracy can only come with a consistent ball flight, myself I prefer a soft draw. Not an easy shot to be able to produce because to do it one must hit from the inside and, as we all know, that is not the easiest of things to do consistently, mainly because we start thinking power too early in the downswing and are forced slightly across the ball.

David L asked for a face on video, so please try and do one. He is a great striker himself,with an avid interest in the golf swing and has great ability in explaining things in a nice straightforward manner. Listen to what he has to say.