Help: overswing, poor turn and swatting at ball

[snake]

Hi,
After various lessons I still have the same chronic problems.
1) Overswing : when i reach what you would normally expect to be top of my backswing my left arm bends and I continue to "swing". This is much more evident on woods but even with irons my swing is very long. How can I get to a tight position and feel able to stop. I think my weight transfer is poor. When I take a practice swing without the ball I can't get to parallel !
2) Poor turn at strike ; I feel I get caught under myself on the down swing and tend to block/cut/snap-hook (occasionally straight). At impact I am very closed, only after the ball is gone do I manage to turn to face the hole but I feel I slide and bend my legs rather than turn against a firm left side.
3) Swatting ; caused by both of the above, I think, I tend to "scoop/swat" at the ball resulting in no divot and ballooned shots with poor penetration. Trying to lead with the back of the left hand has limited results (not good solution).
I know this sounds terrible but actually I play off 7.
I ned to find some way to get secure and shorter at the top and keep some width without forcing away from body.
Help
Snake

[Mcdougle]

Re: Help: overswing, poor turn and swatting at ball

To get into the perfect position at the top use this drill:

Firstly, grip the club and then hinge your wrist so that the the club is pointing straight up. Your arms and club should form a right-angle in front of you. Then from here keep your wrists hinged and bring your hands up so that the shaft of the club rests on your right shoulder (assuming you are right-handed). Then rotate your body so that your back is facing the target and your stomach is facing away from the target. Then simply straighten your right arm and you have the perfect position at the top. From here you can practice the downswing and this may help with your problem of overswinging.

[snake]

Re: Help: overswing, poor turn and swatting at ball

Thanks "McDougle" I tried that and it was a good feeling but very difficult to hit the ball from a static backswing position.
How do I get into this good, tight position when making a normal swing ?
My backswing seems to keep going and going by allowing my arms to bend, sometimes the club hits my right shoulder and only then can I start the downswing !
Do you think I am just lifting with the arms and not turning the body ?
How do I initiate the start of the downswing and stop the backswing when I get to the correct point ?

[pnearn]

Re: Help: overswing, poor turn and swatting at ball

Do you make sure your right knee keeps it flex and is turned slightly inwards (so the weight is down the inside of your right leg, right foot?). When I do this and turn I find it hard to go past a certain point simply because your level of flexibility stops you. I feel very coiled at this point and tension in my right leg and lower back. .. you also keep your spine angle which is key. I feel like I have an weight shift into the right side as the club stays low to the ground on the takeaway and then a turn/coil into that right side. The more I turn the more tension there is. You then reach a point where you cant hold that tension any more and thats when the hips rebound

Your arms should stop moving when your shoulders stop turning, with no independent lifting of the arms, setting of the wrists etc

HTH

[pnearn]

Re: Help: overswing, poor turn and swatting at ball

My pro gave me what he calls the 3 90's drill for this, helps you feel the right position at the top. Do all of these steps with the same spine angle if you can

Stand with your club and put your arms and hands out straight in front of you so that the club head is pointing straight ahead (away from you)

Now bend the right elbow up 90 degress so the club head is pointing to the sky
Now cock the wrists 90 degrees so that the club head rests on your left shoulder
Now turn the shoulder 90 degrees so that your shoulder line is across the instep of your right foot keeping the angles in your right elbow/wrists. As you do this resist with the right knee

This makes sure you have the right angles, not too much of one i.e wrist and too little of another i.e. shoulder. It also helps you feel what the right top of swing position should feel like. Probably way more compact and coiled than you are used to

[Simon Woo]

Re: Help: overswing, poor turn and swatting at ball

Hi pnearn where does your right foot point to at address? Thanks!

[snake]

Re: Help: overswing, poor turn and swatting at ball

I think my foot points straight but in video it appears to point slightly out.
What is correct ?
Should my right foot point slightly forward to restrict my back turn & my left foot similarly point to the hole to promote a good turn forward at impact or is this incorrect ?