More power and consistency with a shorter swing.

[RoverRick]

I have been on an epic journey to make myself into a scratch golfer.  I have not done so yet but feel like I have the final piece of the puzzle and might actually get there in my life time.  This has taken me four or five years to get from a 100's shooter to a my current level.  It turns out that the answer to the long game was pretty much the same as my short game and have been there for more than 3 years. 

 

Like the earlier Americans who moved west, I may have had an destination in mind but really no road map on how to get there.  I feel like I have found the road map.  Last month, I was looking through the Golf Magazine Swing Sequence and their monthly guy was Steve Stricker.

 

I use a Steve Stricker like stroke in my pitching of the ball and concentrate on very little wrist action and hitting the bounce of the wedge off the ground directly under the ball.  Distance is controlled by the amount of body turn and length of back swing and using a variety of lofts.  I usually fly the ball to the flag and have it hop and stop.  I also use a variety of clubs that will roll out.  This is why I like a blade at least through 8 iron.  Currently, today at least, I have 5-P wedge in blades.  Actually, for tomorrows round I plan on having 5-P a 21* hybrid, 17* FM, Driver, putter, and 52, 56, 60 and 64 wedges.

 

To make a long story short, my old swing was to overswing, come over the top, and release the club early.  Misses are a 40 yard pull to the left.

 

Here is a picture of Striker's Swing Sequence.

 

Things from each picture I am trying to emulate. 

1. I want a one piece take away with no conscious wrist or hand movement.  Just relaxed hands.
2. Keep my hands wide and knock the hat off anyone standing behind me.
3. Turn my shoulders and raise my arms until the butt of the club is about eye-level.  Focus on turning my right butt cheek not sliding it.
4. Once my butt feels like it has gone as far as it can comfortably go, I start the down swing with the hips sliding a bit forward.  This is not a violent move because I do not need any speed at that point.  The hips will turn on their own as soon as they start forward.  Because my arms and hands are relaxed, the club will actually still continue back for a short period of time.
5. Maintain the lag that was created by the clubhead and relaxed hands until the hands are waist high.
6. As the hips shift (and rotate) I staighten the left leg.  This stopping of the lower body creates power in the upper body.  And I drive the clubhead into the ball.  (The hammer hitting the nail image.)
7. I feel like my right shoulder is turning under my chin.
8. And of course I finish in balance.

Now, I started to post pictures of my swing but decided to use Stricker instead and here is why.  If I videoed myself, I might find out that I am doing none of this.  Often what we think we are doing and what we actually are doing is two different things.  I have gained 7 mph with my swing changes, and am swinging easier.  I have only been doing this for a few weeks and have not played often enough in this time to be fully engrained into the new swing.  If I found that what I am doing was not right it would be a set back.  And am making serious progress now.

 

I am hitting the ball distances in cold weather that I was hitting when the temperatures were much higher.  I am hitting bad shots more often because I am thinking about the swing but it is a work in progress and I am pleased with the initial results. 

 

My only swing thoughts are back and through.  I do not think of all of those things I listed above.

Share your thoughts.

[BK in TEXAS]

Very interesting topic.  I too am working on increasing lag and decreasing the slight Outside-In in my swing.  However, I just finished reading Dante's "4 Magic Moves" and am working on those methods rather than the points you listed. 

 

I know you read Dante's book......love to hear your thoughts on it and why you're going with the Stricker style swing instead.

[RoverRick]

Thanks for the segue BK.  I thought about this and almost included it but it was already pretty long.

 

The four magic moves as I understand them are:

1. Early backwards wrist break.
2. Full turn to the top to create spring tension.
3. Aggressive hip slide to start the swing.
4. No effort to manipulate the club head and release the hands late.

This is a powerful swing and I loved this for 3 weeks.  I was hitting the ball so much better and farther than ever in my life, however, the early wrist set caused tendonitis in the left elbow.  I could deal with that but then the aggressive lateral hip slide hurt my back and I was unable to continue golf that way.

 

I am not sure if it was just my understanding or what but I found the moves in the Four Magic Moves to be somewhat violent where Steve Stricker is the antithises of violence.  Unless you are a deer or an elk.

 

The Stricker swing and this is really the Stricker Swing with Lag.  He does not lag the club much at all and has rather firm wrists,  I have added the loose wrists on the take away which creates more lag.  The great thing about this is on a tighter driving hole just firm up the wrists and get less distance and more control and on the wide open holes just relax and let 'er rip.  This is really a twist the shoulders back and through.  Not a lot of moving parts and timing involved.

 

So while there are some similarities between the two, I would say that the Stricker Swing is more compact and easier to time, since it is pretty much one movement.

[dru_]

Rover, this has been the source of my own swing changes that have caused my scores to balloon before starting to really come back down. Early this year, I switched to a much more compact swing.  The result has been overall great, but it has taken almost all season to erase old muscle memory.  If I miss, it is now a consistent miss (slice induced by a tightening on the grip with the right hand during a backswing that is long and slow). 

 

It seems counter intuitive that a compact swing (I *am* 6'3" with gorilla arms) is more effective than a free flowing long swing.  That said, I find that this compact swing has another effect, and it is why I've struggled score wise.  

 

The shorter swing produces a more down on the ball contact that has produced a huge jump in spin.  The net result, I have changed my ball preference, and I am having to relearn my approach/wedge game.  Prior to this swing change, I played my approach shots with a 'short, release and roll' expectation, while with this, I have had to adjust to new gaps, and a 'hop & stop' for 9i/PW and even a 'plug or check back' landing on the 56/60.  That struggle has caused my more frustration and grief in terms of scoring than anything else. I still consistently take 2-3 holes to get this feel right after any time off.  Last night being a prime example.  doubled on 1,2,3 all due to misjudged approach shots.  Bogey on 4, then par/bogey/par/birdie/par down the stretch as I got back into the groove.

 

3 months after the change, I still have to mentally tell myself to swing compact to override bad habits in muscle memory.

[RoverRick]

Rover, this has been the source of my own swing changes that have caused my scores to balloon before starting to really come back down.

 

3 months after the change, I still have to mentally tell myself to swing compact to override bad habits in muscle memory.

 

It is hard to not drop back into old habits.  I did today on a couple of holes.  Wedges especially the 3/4 wedge is very hard to adjust to.  Since I am only taking what feels like a 3/4 swing anyway, I have to come through at a slower pace. 

 

Today was the first time I was able to relax and just hit the ball.  I hit 11/14 fairways, and 10/18 GIR.  This is huge.  Putting numbers were up but I expect that by hitting more GIR.  I did not have any bad putts, so that is good and 28 putts is still a really good number.  

 

We started on the back 9 and on the second hole, number 11, a par 5, I hit a 4 wood 245 yards and made a 6 foot eagle putt.  On hole 12 I hit a hybrid from 218 and missed my 12' birdie putt and on 14 I hit the hybrid from 214 and had 20' eagle putt but made birdie.

 

I struggled during the middle of the round missing fairways and greens and not getting up and down and two inexcusible chili dips but was very happy with my game.

 

You are right about putting more spin on the ball.  I have always spun the ball quite a bit but usually hop and stop.  Now with the short irons, especially off of a tee on par 3's these will back up.  I almost backed one off the green on 9.  4 is another one where that might have happened but the 3 trees I hit took all the spin off of it.

[RoverRick]

One more thing on the 4 wood from 245, I had hit the drive over into the mogals.  The ball was sitting on some grass and not a bad lie, but I was standing on some gravel and simply did not have good footing at all.  There was a drop off that started about a quarter of an inch behind my heels. Being that far away, and not in the best of shape, i pulled out the 4 wood and thought, "No reason to kill this ball.  It will not get there anyway and you do not want to fall your big @$$ down this hill and hurt yourself.  A nice smooth swing and get in in wedge distance."

 

It was a nice smooth swing alright and I struck it perfectly and it was one of the best looking shots I have ever seen.  Effortless power.

 

I continued that until hole 18.  220 yards to the fairway.  It would have been easy for me to carry that but I had to try to kill the ball and made double bogey.  I screwed up the next 3 holes also before I remembered that shot on 11 and got my swing under control again.

[Bobtrumpet]

Looks like you're on the right track. Nice to see your progress!

 

I've been using Don Trahan's Peak Performance Golf Swing (PPGS) for about 3 years now. Don describes it as a 3/4 turn (no more than 70 degrees), limited backswing. I don't play enough to stay as consistent as I would like, but I have found that I have actually gained some distance and my consistency is better than it was before. The biggest benefits I have found are that I have pretty much lost my slice, my shots are straighter and some actually have some "character" behind them, and my back (2 herniated lumbar discs) doesn't hurt after a 9 or 18 hole round.

[RoverRick]

Being from Dallas, Bob, I am sure you have heard, bad weather is coming to Texas.  10 days of freezing temps and rain, BUT TODAY it was 70 and sunny.  So I went and squeezed in a little golf.  45 holes.  The last 9 holes were horrible.  It seems I was a bit tired.

 

But the first 18, I started out great with 8 solid pars.  Hit fairways and greens but very windy and not really close to the hole but a nice putt that went close to the hole and easy par.  Then I lost the swing and focus for 3 holes and made a double and two ugly bogies.  I say ugly bogies because 4 poor shots and having to make a 15 footer for bogie is ugly.  And then boom.  Three birdies in a row and then finished out with pars and 2 good bogies.  A good bogie is when you have one bad shot and still have an opportunity to make a par and hit a good putt that simply does not go in the hole. 

 

The new swing is coming around.

[Bobtrumpet]

Yeah, Rick, ugly bogies and I are on a first name basis.

 

Yesterday was beautiful, as December days go; I had to fight the urge to take a half day and play. The next week or so will make the entire outdoors in the D-FW area an unplayable lie.

 

I took off Monday afternoon a couple weeks ago and played 18 with some guys from work; beautiful high 70s day. Shot an 86 which is one of the best, if not the best, 18 hole round scores for me. No birdies, though, but a bunch of pars and a few bogies and a couple - ahem - others. One LB off the tee which sucked because we all saw where it went but couldn't find it.

 

Here's to continued success with your new swing!

[revkev]

Interesting stuff. I've found that I've lost some distance the last couple of years. In the end I believe the gym is the answer. My swing still produces a lot of solid straight shots but I've lost some mph. I shortened my back swing about ten years ago and it really helped through the bag.

 

The biggest temptation I need to fight is the desire to try and play the high draw that used to be my ball flight. I have to put that image out of my head and remind myself that a moderate straight ball works best and I can't go for any forced carries over 200.

[RoverRick]

We have two holes, 11 and 18 that have 220 and 210 yard forced carries to dry land from the tips.  Nice smooth short swing and I am easy 50 yards past the trouble, but OMG standing on that tee and looking at that carry is hard not to revert back and try to kill the ball.  I have been fairly lucky on 11 and at least put it in the bunker way beyond the hazard but 18 the hazard is short and to the right and still 200 yards to land on the left.  Then if you hit a good drive on 18 you have an island green. it is a really hard hole.  It makes the 210 yard par 3 before it with water right and 180 yard carry seem easy.  (Perhaps because I am not as comfortable as I would like with the driver yet.

 

But on 11 and 18 I get a bit intimidated and tighten the rams and theat is a serious problem.  But I am getting better.

[Lonnie96]

I'm just a casual golfer..but the more I shorten up my swing..the more "lag" I get. I get opposite of Steve stricker ..and I'm thinking about firm wrists. Why does this happen? When I think long swing..I go back to casting and flipping..long feels so loose and flip cast. My wrists feel like they are in casts...but yet I look like a casual golfer version of Sergio

 

 

 

 

 

[Lonnie96]

Forget Dante.. ( even though I loved that book).. An upgrade to Dante is Gerry Hogan's book. Hard to find, but it has twice the info that Dante had..

 

 

I'm staying away from online lessons and youtube videos on the swing. For me, illustrated books are the way to go. Always been that way, for some reason the videos just confuse me..or the instructor goes off and just talks about all the good he does for golf.. Too much overkill, and some videos could be reduced to a minute vs the 30 half hour ...IMO

 

Do yourself a favor..Gerry hogan

[Lonnie96]

Thanks JP

 

Here is how i see the book list prerequisite.. Dante/ Gerry Hogan/ Dan Shaugher/ Bobby Clampbett Impact Zone. In that order, Each book builds on the other..IMO

 

The impact zone being the most advanced

 

Hope all of you guys have a wonderful holiday.. 4 months left of the white stuff

 

 

Mm

[RoverRick]

UPDATE:  It is getting easier.  I no longer have to think about my swing after the first move.  i am still struggling with what is the right amount of speed.  But it is getting better and better all the time.

 

New Year's Eve day, I went out late in the afternoon and struggled a little on the first two holes but by the 14th hole I had made enough birdies to get it back to even par.  I told my playing partner, who had also just birdied to get to even par, that with 4 to play we needed to finish our last round of the year strong.  He finished at even par for the day.  I got lucky and chipped in on 15 for a birdie, stuck my approach to 3' and birdied 16, and dropped a 25-30'er on 17 for another birdie.  I was just off the green on 18 maybe 20 feet and said that it did not matter if this putt goes in or not, because no matter what I was having a great round and was finishing the year off right.  The putt dropped in the hole and I shot a 68 for my final round of the year.

 

New Year's Day, I played match play with 5 guys.  There was a 20 mph wind so conditions were not great for scoring, and I shot 81 or so.  I mentioned match play because there were some low percentage shots I went for because I was forced to by my opponents that I knew better before I did it.  But solid ball striking all day.

 

And today, I went out and played worst ball, by myself.  That is hit two balls off the tee and play the worst one out.  I shot close to par today, but the overall score was not something that I was focusing on in my practice round.

 

I also made some changes to the bag, major changes, to the bag that I hope will lead to more consistency. 

[Lonnie96]

Sounds good Rick,,post a swing,.would like to see

[dru_]

I am right there with you Rick.  Monday I got out for a late 9.  It was really wet and sloppy, but I still managed to put together a decent round of a 45, and most of the was just really bad putting, I had 6 3 putts in 9 holes. 

 

01/01 though, I got out and played 18.  Conditions were better, though still quite cold, at 41 degrees. Had a couple of stupid mistakes that cost me off the tee, and the putting was still a little sketchy ( 8 3 putts over 18 holes ). The kind of round where you feel like your ball striking was pretty solid, even if your score didn't reflect it.  No birdies, just either Par or Double bogey, nothing in between. 

 

Both of these rounds were played testing out some new equipment for next season ( Cleveland 588-RTX wedges, JetSpeed 3w ), so there was some impact from that involved too.  

[Lonnie96]

The 3/4 swing sure makes it easier ..doesn't it? Feels so less stressful on the body..and if you have swing flaws,,the shorter swing help alleviates them,,IMO.. Where a long over swing will just compound swing flaws

[Lonnie96]

Here is a late Christmas gift for u guys...once I got the 3/4 swing down..I added this. Watch this video(line up sole with right arm), this video will shallow u out ..big time

 

[RoverRick]

Dude, hellova, video, but it may be better at teaching you how to deal with slow play.  Swing, talk for 9 minutes, swing again.  Looking for a little more excitement in my drills.