You Gotta Get The Club Back

[PlaidJacket]

Back to where? 

 

Another post this morning by Rev about driver length (not distance) got me to thinking. What's a Full Swing? What's your full-swing? And.... is a so called full-swing, for example; ah la Adam Scott style for you? I'm using Adam because his swing is widely recognised as a textbook beautiful swing. But is that necessary or even achievable by most amature players? I suppose that depends - on many factors. Age and flexibility come to mind first. Also as you age your motor skill and associated timing generally diminishes. At 63.5 years and playing with a 4.5 hcp my full swing is considered fairly short in the 3/4 range. Just yesterday I heard a couple of comments about my shortish swing as I went on to hit another fairway while their ball is sailing into the deep rough or worse. But boy howdy can they "get the club back". LOL The problem is after "getting back" of the club - they lose control during the next 1 second. That is unless their timing is perfect and everything else syncs-up right. A shorter swing has less moving parts basically. Back and through. Timing isn't as critical either. One of the guys yesterday is much younger than me by perhaps 20 years. He's a decent player and has his days sometimes when the stars align. But this guy is very inconsistent due to the above. IMO he basically over swings and rather violently. I recall him saying to me that he needs to shorten his swing... and I agreed. But, he also went on to say he'd lose distance. He doesn't get it. What good is distance when you're off in the deep rough and perhaps chopping out or taking a drop?  

 

I've never been known as Adam Scott Jr. as my swing is shortish in perhaps the 3/4 range on a full-swing. I take the club back on a full-swing to where it stops. That's a full swing. For me. But you might be asking.... what about distance Plaid? My distance is good for my age and ability. For example I average 245 off the tee with driver. I also play from the correct tee where on most courses that would be 6200-6500 yards. I'll take accuracy and my short swing - any day over distance. What about you?

[EthanSterlingPrice]

Plaid has played with me before so he has an idea of how my game works. I'm 25 and play to a 4 handicap, have more flexibility than some fellas so my swing is in the longer range around what's considered a full swing and sometimes longer. I've been committed to swinging around 3/4 back this season though and it does help with consistency but I haven't lost any real distance with it either as long as I put a good accelerating strike on the ball. It was tricky at the start getting my tempo correct with the shorter backswing though...

 

 

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[bens197]

In my late teens and early 20's playing competitive golf (D2 college and PGA chapter events) I was a lot more flexible and had a much longer and wider takeaway. It was a tremendous power source but untamed, it was vicious.

 

Now that I have a few more rings around my belly I am incredibly pleased to see that I barely get it to parallel at the top.

 

My personal philosophy, the less time traveled makes for an easier return.

 

 

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[GB13]

I take the club back way past parallel, maybe 45* past parallel. I am inconsistent with the driver, accuracy, not contact. I hit the center 90% of the time but am left a lot. This is a problem with swing path not swing length.

 

My irons are the same distance past parallel and they are my best part of my game.

They are basically point and shoot, and are great with distance control but struggle a little with that left miss.

I like my swing length how it is, when I try to shorten it, my swing gets way to quick and I have no control over anything.

[PlaidJacket]

Plaid has played with me before so he has an idea of how my game works. I'm 25 and play to a 4 handicap, have more flexibility than some fellas so my swing is in the longer range around what's considered a full swing and sometimes longer. I've been committed to swinging around 3/4 back this season though and it does help with consistency but I haven't lost any real distance with it either as long as I put a good accelerating strike on the ball. It was tricky at the start getting my tempo correct with the shorter backswing though...

 

 

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Yes we did get to play once. What I recall was how good your wedge game was. 

[NiftyNiblick]

I am incredibly pleased to see that I barely get it to parallel at the top.

 

 

 

 

My backswing didn't get back to parallel when I was sixteen.

[dhartmann34]

My old swing...or the demon that always creeps in....is far too long. I'd like to be Tony Finau length. In reality my 3/4 swing is a full swing and hits it much further than a "full" swing in my mind.

 

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[Badams69]

Swing length is a good topic.

Obviously it is like so many other things.  It is unique within millimeters or a couple feet for each golfer.

 

I overswing and this proves the death of a formerly solid game.  I would advocate hand travel back to about shoulder height (meaning height of right shoulder when it was at address - prior to turning back). Wherever it is for most it should be a point that retains feel of the club and control with the body.

 

I see overswinging as a big factor in casting/early release (among other reasons) as most golfers just cannot wait long enough to "pour it on", as Tom Watson says.

3/4 would probably improve most anyones game quicker than increasing flexibility and whatever else they are dreaming of.

 

How do you know how far .....? Lacking the ability to be wired up joints and all to measure where you should stop, just let the Flamingo drill will tell the tale. (standing solely on your forward leg and hitting balls - back foot behind you with no weight on it).  This should put you on auto pilot and restrict your swing to about where you should be taking it.  The tour guys are SPECIAL beyond comprehension and almost nothing they do or don't do relates to even solid amateurs - they are just so so so SPECIAL! 

 

PLAID JACKET ----> I'll bet you transition better and have an incredibly higher average "smash factor" than most everyone here and all you play with.

Way to keep up the good playing after 63 1/4 on into your 63.5 days  !!!!

Get it back - is one of those goofy deals like so many in golf that people are hoping is a simple thought or cure all.  It is only a good thought if you know where "back" ends and "forward" should begin!  

[deauxrite]

As my photo shows..I get my hands just about head high on my back swing.  I have spent a fair amount of time working on getting a longer swing, but it always turns out the same..my accuracy suffers for a minimal increase in distance and I end up back with the 3/4 swing.  At 68 and a 5 handicap, I think that I will be happy with the back swing that I have and spend my time working on my short game

[null]

Golf is all about timing. You get the club back to where it works for your swing. I tried to shorten my backswing, but that threw off my timing and hurt my swing.

[Calypso55]

I've noticed that I have an easier time getting the club back when I've incorporated a little more freedom in allowing my left knee to break toward the ball on my backswing.  I began golfing in the days of the Golden Bear, who had a pronounced left knee break on his backswing.  But, somewhere along the way, I was told to keep those legs (and knees) more anchored so that you're creating tension between the upper body and lower body.  That might work for some of the younger guys, but, at 62, I need to feel a comfortable swinging motion.   So, I start back in one piece, then raise the arms (with a wrist cock) to make the club feel light, and complete the turn with my left knee moving toward the ball.  This seems to help with a better-timed downswing as well.  

 

Anyway, my point is that I think that particular thought helps me achieve a decent parallel shaft position at the top of my (full) swing.

[Kenny B]

Apparently, it doesn't take a full swing to parallel to be a good golfer.  Yes, I love Adam Scott's swing.  Wish I had it.  However, Jon Rahm doesn't get to parallel, and he hits the ball a fair piece.  I believe it's what you do with the backswing you have... that is, leverage.

 

At 71 I don't have a long backswing, but I generally hit the ball straight.  Even 25 years ago, my swing wasn't much longer, but I hit the ball further.  The past few months I have been working to make a bigger shoulder turn, and I have gained yards, but it has come with a price of more missed fairways.  I'm hoping that more consistency will come the more time I spend with this new swing.