tmoody
07-24-2007, 05:40 PM
I bought the Simple Swing ebook yesterday. I spent an hour or so practicing the basic swing movements without a ball: the backswing and wrist release and finish, mostly. The SS setup is virtually identical to what I was already doing.
For the record, I'm 53 and this is my 4th year playing. I average about 100 and my ball striking is very erratic, which is what motivated me to try SS in the first place. For reasons unclear to me, I have a strong tendency to contact the ball near the toe of the club. I inspect the grass marks on my irons after every stroke, and 95% of the time the marks are off the sweet spot, toward the toe. I of course lose distance and accuracy as a result.
Today I went to the practice range, meaning to try out the SS ideas. I warmed up by doing the movements without a ball. Then I tried hitting a few. I brought my 7i and driver, but tried only a half dozen or so with the driver (out of 45).
The session was a disaster. I couldn't make decent contact at all. Most of the shots just rolled 30 or so yds, a few got airborne, in various directions. In all cases the grass marks were near the toe, as usual. I tried standing a bit closer but that just caused me to jam the club into the ground.
I realize there's nothing you can do to fix the problem, but I'm going to play a round on Thursday. Do you suggest I forget about the SS while playing or should I try to take the system to the course (considering that so far it's not getting results). I'm a recreational golfer so there's nothing riding on it. I just don't know whether it's best to forget about the new swing while actually playing, as some suggest.
Thanks.
Todd
Edit: I'm not sure but I *think* my main problem is the left arm immediately at and after impact. In my "normal" swing I have a tendency to chicken wing the left arm. I fight this by telling myself to "stay extended", and it sometimes works. I'm somewhat indoctrinated by slo-mo videos of Tiger and other pros, swinging through with arms staying straight, going very high, as they pivot all the way toward the target and finish on the tip of the right toe. I can't *do* this very well of course, but it's my mental template of the swing.
The SS follow-through looks very different. As I understand it, the left elbow doesn't immediately separate from the body but stays connected during the wrist turn/release. To do so, it has to bend, but not with elbow up or out (chicken wing), but elbow down--just for a moment; then it can separate. That is, the left elbow in the follow-through mirrors the right elbow in the downswing. The SS finish still has the right foot lifted only slightly. In short, this part of the SS feels constricted. I think this is causing me problems.
For the record, I'm 53 and this is my 4th year playing. I average about 100 and my ball striking is very erratic, which is what motivated me to try SS in the first place. For reasons unclear to me, I have a strong tendency to contact the ball near the toe of the club. I inspect the grass marks on my irons after every stroke, and 95% of the time the marks are off the sweet spot, toward the toe. I of course lose distance and accuracy as a result.
Today I went to the practice range, meaning to try out the SS ideas. I warmed up by doing the movements without a ball. Then I tried hitting a few. I brought my 7i and driver, but tried only a half dozen or so with the driver (out of 45).
The session was a disaster. I couldn't make decent contact at all. Most of the shots just rolled 30 or so yds, a few got airborne, in various directions. In all cases the grass marks were near the toe, as usual. I tried standing a bit closer but that just caused me to jam the club into the ground.
I realize there's nothing you can do to fix the problem, but I'm going to play a round on Thursday. Do you suggest I forget about the SS while playing or should I try to take the system to the course (considering that so far it's not getting results). I'm a recreational golfer so there's nothing riding on it. I just don't know whether it's best to forget about the new swing while actually playing, as some suggest.
Thanks.
Todd
Edit: I'm not sure but I *think* my main problem is the left arm immediately at and after impact. In my "normal" swing I have a tendency to chicken wing the left arm. I fight this by telling myself to "stay extended", and it sometimes works. I'm somewhat indoctrinated by slo-mo videos of Tiger and other pros, swinging through with arms staying straight, going very high, as they pivot all the way toward the target and finish on the tip of the right toe. I can't *do* this very well of course, but it's my mental template of the swing.
The SS follow-through looks very different. As I understand it, the left elbow doesn't immediately separate from the body but stays connected during the wrist turn/release. To do so, it has to bend, but not with elbow up or out (chicken wing), but elbow down--just for a moment; then it can separate. That is, the left elbow in the follow-through mirrors the right elbow in the downswing. The SS finish still has the right foot lifted only slightly. In short, this part of the SS feels constricted. I think this is causing me problems.