Backswing Troubles

Swinging Looney

Hello all!

Well my game is slowly falling apart after a very brief period of utter brilliance with my irons during the summer when no shot was impossible and good contact was guaranteed. The only variable for me was how much the wind would affect the ball and whether I had picked the right club. What a great time it was!! Shame my putting was worse than a 1 year olds! :mad:

Anyhoo, now I can't hit the ball out of my own way and good contact is a rare event. An old problem of mine has reared it's ugly head and regardless of whether it solves my problems, it needs fixing:

You see my arms get way ahead of my shoulders at the top of my backswing. My left bicep actually squeezes against my chest at the top of the swing and I end up with no width at all. Imagine someone with shoulders turned 90 degrees but their arms are almost vertical also. Sounds painful? Tis!

So, I was just wondering if anyone has any ideas how to prevent this or any drills to help keep my arms connected to my body?

Cheers!

ShriekingSheet

That's because your crap!!!!!

ShriekingSheet

Oh yeah, I also slept with your pet sheep and she was great!

Mister Sifter

Sounds like your swinging like a looney!

Swinging Looney

Hmmmmmm. Don't really know exactly what caliber of reply I was expecting on a public forum. :rolleyes:

Thanks lads! I'll go off and have a think about what you've said and get back to you if it works. In the meantime, anyone know of any other decent sports?

I've heard cards are good fun. Not really classed as a sport, but you can get nasty paper cuts so technically it's full contact.

SS, you stay away from my Philomena ya hear?! Let some of the other residents of Ballygobackwards use the leisure centre facilities too. No one likes a sheep hogger.

Anyone else got any ideas?

ShriekingSheet

I've just seen those replies now. Lads in the office messing while I was away from my desk.

Apologies!

SalthillGuy

I think if you do get a helpful answer, even a solution to your problem, the sheepish slaggers above will hang their heads in shame.
No pulling the wool over your eyes.

ShriekingSheet

And to answer your post, sounds like you're flat and way on the inside. How accurate anyone's suggestion can be in an online capacity is highly dubious, but your left arm should not be squeezing against your chest so much. Sounds like you're turning around to talk to someone behind you, rather than making a golf swing.

I also recognise this kind of problem (I had it myself) because it is the kind of thing that can give periods of great play, but can quickly slide to the opposite end of the scale.

My thoughts would be you need to work on getting wider, more upright and giving your arms more room on the way back. Your arms should be out in front of your body - not accross your chest and getting you stuck. Then worry about being connected.

Simple drills can include practice swinging with your back to a wall. You should find this quite difficult at first but, with your arse almost touching the wall, you should be able to make a complete back swing and down through the impact area without touching the wall. Obviously, your follow through will be curtailed as you should hit the wall at around waist height.

Harrington puts a tee lighly in the ground back from the ball on the target line and clips it as he takes the club away, ensuring a low, wide take-away. In your case you can have the tee almost outside the target line to promote a more upright take away. A ball works too. Put one a couple of feet back from the ball youre going to hit and roll it away with your take-away, then strike the other ball.

Finally the best drill. Put a club on your target line, just out from your feet. 1/4 of the way back, stop yourself wher the club in your hand should be bang on paralell to the one on the ground. I'd wager you're you're currently not - that the butt of your grip is currently pointing right of the target. Adjust it to paralell to get the feel and swing from there. Work on this til the club starts to naturally get in this position. Always stop your swing and check and adjust if needed. Also notice that when you take it up to half-way, your left arm should also be closer to the target line and not clamped to your chest. Then when hitting down from the top you can stop again and check the club paralells. So it might go something like this...

Practice Swing
Take-away. Stop. Check. Adjust. Swing to the top. Ensure left arm and club are out in front of you. Swing down. Stop. Ensure club is back paralell. Continue to impact position and stop the clubhead at the ball. Check your impact position and feel where the power is coming from. (McDaid is a big fan of stoping at impact position)

The practice swing is with a ball infront of you. You might do that a couple of times. Then, without readjusting, put it all together and just hit the ball.


But that's just all a guess on my part.

Da Golden Goose

The usual waffel from the Sheet!

My advice is to give it up until Jan get some lessons with Ramy and you will hit every barn door in sight in April.

Da Goose.

ridonkulous

To be honest Im having trouble visualising your description of the problem. But as other posters have pointed out it seems that you seem to be suffering from lack of width in your swing. I find a great drill for improving width in the swing is set up to the ball as normal and keep your wrists along the same line for as long as possible during the backwards movement of the swing (doing so in a comfortble manner). I hope you understand my meaning, Im not sure if I do myself....

stockdam

Take a video of your swing from side on and down the line and post a link here.

It sounds to me like you are using your arms and not turning your shoulders.......maybe because your hips aren't turning. Maybe you are rocking your hips and they aren't turning.

But without seeing it then you'll get all sorts of comments.

Obviously the best solution is to take a lesson and work on it over the winter.