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Intermediate golfer in need of comfortable smooth swing
Hello everyone, I just found this site today while doing some searching on google. First a little background before i get into my problems.
I'm 23, started golfing when i was about 11 or 12. My dad taught me and i know all the basic fundamentals straight out of ben hogan's book. So don't be afraid to get technical, I should be able to understand it. I've been golfing off and on since then, and not much while in college because i had no money and no car. Well now I graduated and have a job so i'm trying to get back into it to give me something to do while its nice out.
I'm roughly 6'0"-6'1" somewhere in there, and about 160lb, so i'm pretty thin. I have a Callaway Warbird Driver, a old 3wood thats getting replaced, and Mizuno T-Zoid Comp Ez Irons all recommended by my father (he's a big golf nut so i trust his advice). Also all my shafts are stiff/firm flex based on my dad's recommendations since i have a pretty fast swing. Also, an important note, is I'm left handed but i swing right handed.
Now there's a variety of issues i'd like to discuss and get some ideas on. First of all, I'm having a difficult time feeling comfortable at address. What i mean by this, is when i address the ball I start to feel real tense in my lower back muscles above my tail bone. During and after a small bucket of balls, the muscles feel very strained (not pulled or anything serious). So first of all i guess i need to obviously get in better shape so i can stand up at address with my straight back and not feel sore. anyone know some good exerices for the lower back?
Secondly, for the past 4-5 years when i developed a "mature" or "adult" swing and was capable of really turning through the ball and generating power, i began to notice by the end of the day my lower back joint(s) really hurt. Now this is a separate feeling from a above and is hard to describe, but the way my swing is it feels as if my back joints/bone is grinding each other. This happens (i think) from me generating way too much hip turn too early. I develop this "whiplash" effect where when i begin the downswing, my weight transfers to the left, i start my turn, and my upper body remains behind the ball like you're supposed to, but that angle causes stress in my lower back joints. My father believes this is because I'm left handed and my dominant side is taking over. Ideally this is what you want, but i guess i can't get the timing down or the feel for doing it properly.
Another major problem i'm dealing with is terrible slicing. By slicing, i mean for the first 100 yards or so with the woods, it goes striaght but then keeps curving right. Now i've since read some good drills and ideas on this forum today, so next time out i'm going to practice the right hand drill, and trying to change my swing plane lower. I usually hit my irons pretty good, but i notice that my divots are not parallel to the target, their pointing left so i'm obviously coming over the top somehow even tho my hips (read above) are already way out in front.
What'd i really like is to just have a smooth comfortable swing that doesn't hurt my back. i watch these guys on TV (besides tiger) and they don't even look like their trying, everything is so smooth. If i can't be comfortable with my swing and be in pain i'm not going to get anywhere. One last thing, with my driver it always seems like i'm standing too far away and i have trouble deciding how far apart my feet should be. I do this drill my dad taught me to find the right distance to be from the ball: grip the club and hold with both arms out infront directly infront of your eyes (with the proper angle just like at address), bring club down till your arms hits your arm pits, flex knees, stick out the rear end like you're sitting on a bar stool, and bend over from the hips.
Thanks for any help..
-Mark
I'm 23, started golfing when i was about 11 or 12. My dad taught me and i know all the basic fundamentals straight out of ben hogan's book. So don't be afraid to get technical, I should be able to understand it. I've been golfing off and on since then, and not much while in college because i had no money and no car. Well now I graduated and have a job so i'm trying to get back into it to give me something to do while its nice out.
I'm roughly 6'0"-6'1" somewhere in there, and about 160lb, so i'm pretty thin. I have a Callaway Warbird Driver, a old 3wood thats getting replaced, and Mizuno T-Zoid Comp Ez Irons all recommended by my father (he's a big golf nut so i trust his advice). Also all my shafts are stiff/firm flex based on my dad's recommendations since i have a pretty fast swing. Also, an important note, is I'm left handed but i swing right handed.
Now there's a variety of issues i'd like to discuss and get some ideas on. First of all, I'm having a difficult time feeling comfortable at address. What i mean by this, is when i address the ball I start to feel real tense in my lower back muscles above my tail bone. During and after a small bucket of balls, the muscles feel very strained (not pulled or anything serious). So first of all i guess i need to obviously get in better shape so i can stand up at address with my straight back and not feel sore. anyone know some good exerices for the lower back?
Secondly, for the past 4-5 years when i developed a "mature" or "adult" swing and was capable of really turning through the ball and generating power, i began to notice by the end of the day my lower back joint(s) really hurt. Now this is a separate feeling from a above and is hard to describe, but the way my swing is it feels as if my back joints/bone is grinding each other. This happens (i think) from me generating way too much hip turn too early. I develop this "whiplash" effect where when i begin the downswing, my weight transfers to the left, i start my turn, and my upper body remains behind the ball like you're supposed to, but that angle causes stress in my lower back joints. My father believes this is because I'm left handed and my dominant side is taking over. Ideally this is what you want, but i guess i can't get the timing down or the feel for doing it properly.
Another major problem i'm dealing with is terrible slicing. By slicing, i mean for the first 100 yards or so with the woods, it goes striaght but then keeps curving right. Now i've since read some good drills and ideas on this forum today, so next time out i'm going to practice the right hand drill, and trying to change my swing plane lower. I usually hit my irons pretty good, but i notice that my divots are not parallel to the target, their pointing left so i'm obviously coming over the top somehow even tho my hips (read above) are already way out in front.
What'd i really like is to just have a smooth comfortable swing that doesn't hurt my back. i watch these guys on TV (besides tiger) and they don't even look like their trying, everything is so smooth. If i can't be comfortable with my swing and be in pain i'm not going to get anywhere. One last thing, with my driver it always seems like i'm standing too far away and i have trouble deciding how far apart my feet should be. I do this drill my dad taught me to find the right distance to be from the ball: grip the club and hold with both arms out infront directly infront of your eyes (with the proper angle just like at address), bring club down till your arms hits your arm pits, flex knees, stick out the rear end like you're sitting on a bar stool, and bend over from the hips.
Thanks for any help..
-Mark
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