Is the Golf swing and baseball swing almost the same

[WardenGolf]

Dude do whatever works for you. If the ball goes far and straight keep doing youz

 

 

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[PMookie]

One of the kids I used to coach has become a college baseball coach. Each year, he has a golf cut-off date for guys on the team. After this date they are not allowed to touch a golf club until the season is over. He firmly believes that the golf swing is a major hindrance to batting.

Now, I understand that this is the opposite of what you ask, but it does make the point that the two are somewhat close, but not necessarily good for the other.

 

 

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[revkev]

Someone sent you a pm and told you it was wrong???

That's messed up....

Do your thing.

 

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It wasn't that bad - they sent him a PM and told him his teacher was wrong.

 

To be fair to the PMer it's true that this isn't often how a teacher will start a player. But again it shows how most golf instructors work with players where they are at to help build as repeatable and efficient a swing as possible.

 

 

 

 

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[MattF]

I'd bet I know who the PM was from...but I'll keep that to myself.

[StrokerAce]

Personally....and this is just me.... I think sending someone a private message with unsolicited advice is improper. If two people were having a discussion and decided to take it off line with a PM then I get that... and I think the OP mentioned it was negative in some way.

Just my view...back to the topic at hand, I think that the way a baseball player uses his hips and weight shift transitions nicely into the golf swing. It's just a matter of using the arms and wrists a bit differently.

 

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[MaxEntropy]

One of the kids I used to coach has become a college baseball coach. Each year, he has a golf cut-off date for guys on the team. After this date they are not allowed to touch a golf club until the season is over. He firmly believes that the golf swing is a major hindrance to batting.

Now, I understand that this is the opposite of what you ask, but it does make the point that the two are somewhat close, but not necessarily good for the other.

 

 

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When I was in grad school, my golf league was the same afternoon as one of my softball leagues. It almost became comical how one effected the other - if I hit the golf ball well, I could almost guarantee I was in for a night of a lot of pop-ups at softball and vice versa.

 

I do agree that if the teacher is speaking in terms of a feeling to which you can relate, that is the important thing.

[HeathS16]

Played ball through college not playing golf thinking it would mess up my baseball swing, even taught myself to golf right handed to not mess up my baseball swing. After 4 years of thinking about and practicing nothing but golf I can say for sure, the swings are very similar, just on different planes.

Like you said above I liken hitting a golf ball to letting the bat drop on a low inside fastball. Works pretty well!!

One other thing if you haven't already read Hogan's 5 lessons, he talks a lot about baseball in there too!!

 

 

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[SteddyGolf]

Man that was a long dang post! 😁 There was a guy who use to play in the NBA named World B Free. He had the craziest shot and kind of broke every fundamental rule every taught in regards to shooting a basketball. Regardless of his poor form he could simply fill up the hoop. Sooooo, if it's working for you and it's repeatable plus achieves your desired results then keep on keeping on with that very unique technique.

 

The one thing I would be concerned about is the inability to push past a plateau. You might find that your deviation from the accepted norms in golf form and function might create a low ceiling for your continued improvement.

 

Although there are countless examples of anamolous excellent performance one could argue that the overwhelming number of good to great golfers all share the same basic fundamentals.

[Mr. 82]

If it works for you, then by all means, keep doing it. I played more little league baseball before getting serious with golf, so what I was taught hitting a baseball, translated to golf for sure, even though I couldn't tell you when or how I made the transition. I don't disagree with the premise of your thread here, as there are many similarities between the baseball and golf swings. In fact, many baseball players become good golfers in their later years, so there has to be a positive correlation between the two.

 

Either way, if it works for you keep doing it. Now chipping and putting, that's a totally different animal that I don't think anyone will ever conquer.

 

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[bluesmandan76]

Quote: “One of the better posts I've read.My pro told me do the opposite and close the club face in transition. Would that be the same as torquing it open inconjunction with the opening of the hips! Maybe some one smart on this can chime in . Will opening or closing the club in transition do the same effects of rear elbow forward . Just trying this with no club and I can see how that torque move prevents one to flip . I guess my pro was right as well , that torque on the way down is vital and maybe a secret for good golf. “

 

Opening the face in transition has the effect of moving the clubhead more behind you, so it drops behind and below the backswing plane... in other words it flattens or shallows the plane of the downswing.

 

Mike Malaska relates the golf swing to a baseball swing. He says its like hitting a pitch that is low and outside. That thought facilitates a better release than a low inside pitch, i think, since you don't rotate your forearms as much for an inside pitch, but when you reach for an outside pitch you lengthen your arc and rotate the forearms more fully. Lack of forearm rotation and keeping the right arm too bent at impact is why former baseball players struggle with the gigantic slice.

 

 

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[Shankster]

So I can blame my dumb arms on all those years of baseball growing up then.

 

Shoulda gave that crap up and focused on golf. - Chubbs probably

[Big money]

Excellent comments everyone. Went practicing today and was consistently carrying my 6 iron 200 yards.With a very noticeable draw

 

Can swing almost as hard as I want now

[bluesmandan76]

I spent the afternoon hitting balls with a baseball swing in mind. It's a very 2 plane feel, upright for the backswing and flat for the downswing, vertical to shallow. A little rerouting. I think the key is to remember that the bat only relates to the shaft, not the face.

 

Pretend you're hitting a low outside pitch as a grounder between first and second base... you'll come from the inside with good shaft lean, and though it will feel like a tremendous blocked push shot, your grip will square the clubface and you'll hit great shots off the turf. But you still need the feel of quick hands to release it right, which is where the inside fastball feel comes in.

 

Don't try to swing for the left field fence!!! That will be a mega-slice. Hit a grounder to right field, and that's the shot.

 

 

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[Big money]

 

Quote: “One of the better posts I've read.My pro told me do the opposite and close the club face in transition. Would that be the same as torquing it open inconjunction with the opening of the hips! Maybe some one smart on this can chime in . Will opening or closing the club in transition do the same effects of rear elbow forward . Just trying this with no club and I can see how that torque move prevents one to flip . I guess my pro was right as well , that torque on the way down is vital and maybe a secret for good golf. “

 

Opening the face in transition has the effect of moving the clubhead more behind you, so it drops behind and below the backswing plane... in other words it flattens or shallows the plane of the downswing.

 

Mike Malaska relates the golf swing to a baseball swing. He says its like hitting a pitch that is low and outside. That thought facilitates a better release than a low inside pitch, i think, since you don't rotate your forearms as much for an inside pitch, but when you reach for an outside pitch you lengthen your arc and rotate the forearms more fully. Lack of forearm rotation and keeping the right arm too bent at impact is why former baseball players struggle with the gigantic slice.

 

 

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. I've tried this a few times in my net.Was successful using a baseball backswing ONLY! If I physically rerouted the club under into the ball.Was pretty successful opening the club and also closing it this way.When I came straight down the results were awful and felt extremely steep.And ended up shanking a few in the net.Only way was rerouting it physically into the ball.Had a real nice pop feeling hitting it this way.Unfortunately results are always bad Anytime I physically alter the downswing while playing golf.If I could make this move automatic I would be all set.

[Gg Owen]

I spent the afternoon hitting balls with a baseball swing in mind. It's a very 2 plane feel, upright for the backswing and flat for the downswing, vertical to shallow. A little rerouting. I think the key is to remember that the bat only relates to the shaft, not the face.

 

Pretend you're hitting a low outside pitch as a grounder between first and second base... you'll come from the inside with good shaft lean, and though it will feel like a tremendous blocked push shot, your grip will square the clubface and you'll hit great shots off the turf. But you still need the feel of quick hands to release it right, which is where the inside fastball feel comes in.

 

Don't try to swing for the left field fence!!! That will be a mega-slice. Hit a grounder to right field, and that's the shot.

 

 

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perfect post.For anyone that is or was a steep golfer with bad rotation this is key.The opening or turning of the bat handle on the way down is vital.Anyone who tells a steep golfer close the club face on the way down is an complete idiot.Ive had a few lessons where the pro told me this.I would just look at him and say ‘hell no'.Previous steep golfers like myself will hit the ball left of left (for a right hander) every time.And than develop a nasty flip open release over time so they can try and get the ball in play.Not sure why more instructors don't advocate an open clubface transition with an natural torqued release at impact.Really produces some simple powerful shots.And a natural inside shallow approach into the ball Edited July 19, 2018 by Ott95

[Sluggo42]

Excellent comments everyone. Went practicing today and was consistently carrying my 6 iron 200 yards.With a very noticeable draw

Can swing almost as hard as I want now

Wait... what..??

 

So you're either a young beast with incredible swing speed, or, you're playing some of the new mega distance irons, like the rogues or something.

 

But I digress...

I played open league softball for years and years. Where the pitches were dropping out of the sky straight down vs fastballs etc...

Quite often the play was to let the ball drop almost to the plate, then “golf it” out to right field. But most everyone at that level turned their wrists over like a golfer does, and I thinks that's the power generating move.

Plus in baseball there is no backswing, so that also is a big diff.

 

But at the end of the day, swinging any stick to hit any ball a long way, the same motion at contact is the same thing...

[NiftyNiblick]

You're standing vertically for either swing, yet the swings are on completely different planes, so the mechanics are by necessity different.

 

I think the golf swing is actually more like a tennis serve than a baseball swing. They're both on a more vertical plane, and in both instances, you know exactly where the ball is.  The baseball swing is horizontal, and you have to square up with the trajectory of the pitched ball which varies.

[bens197]

You're standing vertically for either swing, yet the swings are on completely different planes, so the mechanics are by necessity different.

 

I think the golf swing is actually more like a tennis serve than a baseball swing. They're both on a more vertical plane, and in both instances, you know exactly where the ball is. The baseball swing is horizontal, and you have to square up with the trajectory of the pitched ball which varies.

Yet, each is on an axis.

 

 

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