Flat halfway back

[jimmysu]

Hello - I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on this video that shows a problem I have of getting the clubhead flatter than it is at address on the way back and steeper than it is at address on the way down!

I have tried 101 things but nothing seems to work and it's driving me mad!

[BrianW]

Re: Flat halfway back

I can't see a problem in your video. You have a beautiful one plane type swing.

You stay nicely on plane through the backswing, your left arm is perfectly on plane at the top, you do overswing a little though.

Your downswing also stays on plane and at impact is almost the same as your address position.

What problems do you have with your ball flight?

[jimmysu]

Re: Flat halfway back

No Problem, just when i look at everyone else they are steeper on the way back and shallower on the way down compared to their shaft angle at address.

I seem to be the complete opposite so assumed something is wrong

I also seem to have little room at impact compared to the photos u see and thought the flat swing may be a reason.

[BrianW]

Re: Flat halfway back

No Problem, just when i look at everyone else they are steeper on the way back and shallower on the way down compared to their shaft angle at address.

I seem to be the complete opposite so assumed something is wrong

I also seem to have little room at impact compared to the photos u see and thought the flat swing may be a reason.

They will have a two plane swing that lifts the arms higher in the backswing and drops them back again in the down swing. You use a one plane swing and it is very good.

Look at this video, you are doing just what is suggested.

[Neil18]

Re: Flat halfway back

Hi there,

What shot are you trying to hit in this video? A seemingly inane question, I know, but interesting to me never-the-less.

Cheers

[jimmysu]

Re: Flat halfway back

Just a regular shot - not trying for anything like a draw or height.

I am aiming left in this video - my target was left of the camera so not too helpful!

[Neil18]

Re: Flat halfway back

Ok.

With your setup and swing as it is, how do you set up to aim at whatever your target might be?

[jimmysu]

Re: Flat halfway back

I stand behind the ball - and pick out a target 6ft or so in front of me and in line with the target and line up parallel to that.

[Bogeygolfer19]

Re: Flat halfway back

Hi,

I can see a major fault in your swing.Your right arm is bent through impact. If you watch the video you can see it. IMO you need to concentrate on extention of the arms through impact. You are not straightening that right arm and this in turn causes a poor finish position.

I hope that helps,
Best wishes Bogeygolfer.

[Neil18]

Re: Flat halfway back

I stand behind the ball - and pick out a target 6ft or so in front of me and in line with the target and line up parallel to that.

OK cool. Good process.

However..................!

In your video, your feet are aligned with what I presume is your target (left), but your knees are aligned so far right they are right of the camera line, and your hips and shoulders are aligned straight with the camera line.

From this, and your swing movements and slight plane issue, I would surmise you have become very adept at playing with a pull. And why not?! It's a more powerful shot. But to you it isn't a pull. It's straight. But your body lines say different.

If you play with a pull and are happy with that (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with this - there's no laws in golf!) then cool, but you won't sort out the steeper downswing plane from that alignment.

If you wish to look at it in more depth to sort out the plane, and gain accuracy and power improvements, you need to have a good look at your setup and alignment of your feet, knees, hips and shoulders.

Because of your current steup and how you play the ball, it looks like an out to in swing. However because you're actually playing to a target that is left, all you're doing is swinging along your toe line. The problem stems from the fact that the rest of your body is closed in relation to the target.

If you have a look at your film again, your backswing shows the club come up in line with the camera view (when the club is parallel to the ground), which is essentially too far inside your target line (it would be perfect if you were playing to a target that was straight down the line) . The only option then is to make a move which looks OTT to get the club swinging toward your target (left) in the downswing. So basically, you're actually set up to a target that's straight infront of you with your body lines, but you're trying to swing to a target that's left of you.

The result is essentially a pull (in relation to your setup, apart from your feet) and a flippy swat through the ball (sorry to point it out, but it's very wristy - for proof of this, look at how low the club comes out from the other side of your body in the follow through. The clubhead appears by your left hip, when it should be more toward your shoulder). But it's your only option in order to make as good a contact as you can, in the direction of the target.

It's probably something that's naturally crept in if you were a habitual slicer of the ball. In fact, if you have a day when you can't time your release, you will probably hit the odd weak one to the right, and maybe even thin a few.

So, re-check all of your alignment lines so that they are all pointing toward your target. When you sort that out you may find your backswing too inside and you'll start hitting slices again. But atleast now you'll be starting from the correct point.

From there it will be easier (but not easy!) to get the club up on plane in the backswing and get is shallower coming into the ball.

If you've been swinging this way for a while, then your good connections will see a genuine pull which is left of your actual target line, and the bad ones will be sliced, but percevere. If you wanna get the club working the right way (as per your original post) there's no short cuts, I'm afraid.

[Neil18]

Re: Flat halfway back

Hi,

I can see a major fault in your swing.Your right arm is bent through impact. If you watch the video you can see it. IMO you need to concentrate on extention of the arms through impact. You are not straightening that right arm and this in turn causes a poor finish position.

I hope that helps,
Best wishes Bogeygolfer.

Hey Bogeygolfer19,

Can't say I agree with that. Frame by frame shows the right arm straightening too early. It adds to the flippy release. It most definately should be bent through impact.

Yes, extend the right arm through impact, but not before it. Straightening it too early means you have to use your wrists to hit through the ball. This is what jimmysu is currently doing, hence the low "false" finish.

[Bogeygolfer19]

Re: Flat halfway back

Sorry ,
Will have to disagree with you Neil, it still appears to me that the right arm is not straightening and extending through impact. I agree with your view on his set up and the fact he is swinging to the left of his setup. I may be wrong, they say the camera doesn't lie however from the angle the shot is filmed the picture we see can be very inaccurate.It looks to me as if on takeback the club comes outside the line. Again this may be a trick of the camera. I wonder if the guy could shoot some more film of swing with camera directly behind. I am not saying you are wrong Neil it is just my view of the swing. Anyway I think I need glasses, my eyes are playing up, old age.

Cheers Neil.

[Neil18]

Re: Flat halfway back

Don't apologise!

With your last post, I think we've actually agreed anyway!

Straightening through impact and bent at impact can be the same thing! I was just cautious that the arm shouldn't be straightened before impact.

[Bogeygolfer19]

Re: Flat halfway back

Yes I agree with you, I did post before straighten through impact (never said before). The video of your swing sums up what I mean, the right arm is bent on the downswing, but it unfolds and straightens through impact producing that triangle (shoulders/arms) again as per your swing as you impact the ball.
The original poster needs to set up squarely as you rightly point out, and IMO concentrate on extenting through the ball. You do this majestically. If you slow down your swing, frame by frame compared to his you can clearly see your good extention, compared to original posters. I know his is taken from a different angle.

Well done Neil good swing, the original poster can learn alot from viewing it.

Cheers Bogeygolfer.

[Neil18]

Re: Flat halfway back

Thank you sir.

Appreciated.