Your golf swing

BigChap1759

I’m curious as to whether other people struggle with the way they swing a Golf club the way I do??

I’m an ok golfer(off 9 at the moment) yet I’m consistently changing everything about he way I swing - ie I’m always searching for a “move” in my backswing or takeaway that leads to better stringing. I hit the ball well when hitting it well but feels seem to leave (trasitorily, is it even a word?) after a few rounds, then I’m searching for a new feel to get back to striking it solid!

Am I bonkers or do other semi-competent golfers also go through this regime/torture???!?

ShivasIrons

BigChap1759 wrote: »

I’m curious as to whether other people struggle with the way they swing a Golf club the way I do??

I’m an ok golfer(off 9 at the moment) yet I’m consistently changing everything about he way I swing - ie I’m always searching for a “move” in my backswing or takeaway that leads to better stringing. I hit the ball well when hitting it well but feels seem to leave (trasitorily, is it even a word?) after a few rounds, then I’m searching for a new feel to get back to striking it solid!

Am I bonkers or do other semi-competent golfers also go through this regime/torture???!?

Golf is a game of function not style, focus externally not internally to get the best results. Does a footballer think about what their leg is doing on the way back before they hit the ball? Golfers should spend much less time thinking about their backswings too.

BigChap1759

ShivasIrons wrote: »

Golf is a game of function not style, focus externally not internally to get the best results. Does a footballer think about what their leg is doing on the way back before they hit the ball? Golfers should spend much less time thinking about their backswings too.

Easier said than done and not what I asked.....

I says

I’ve modeled mine on Ben Hogan’s book
Five lessons;The modern fundamentals of golf
Took me from a disastrous fade to a lovely soft draw.
The book is donkeys years old but the basics hold up just the same using modern equipment I use pings I’d highly recommended it very easy to follow and get a feel for your swing

GreeBo

BigChap1759 wrote: »

I’m curious as to whether other people struggle with the way they swing a Golf club the way I do??

I’m an ok golfer(off 9 at the moment) yet I’m consistently changing everything about he way I swing - ie I’m always searching for a “move” in my backswing or takeaway that leads to better stringing. I hit the ball well when hitting it well but feels seem to leave (trasitorily, is it even a word?) after a few rounds, then I’m searching for a new feel to get back to striking it solid!

Am I bonkers or do other semi-competent golfers also go through this regime/torture???!?

I had exactly this problem and was the same handicap, and stuck there for years.
I'm now 5 and still dropping. For me and I suspect you too, it was because my swing relied on timing far too much.

I'm now much less handsy, to the point where it feels like I'm a bit of a passenger, and the game is much more enjoyable.
Sure I still have good and bad days but nothing like the scale I used to have.

I used to hit shots that would embarrass a 29 handicap golfer, which is not what you expect from single figures.

I used to early extend, get stuck behind and then flip the hands.
Have you gone to a pro and asked their opinion, in my experience you need to let them know you are ok with a rebuild rather than a quick fix. Start this in winter if you can!

BraveDonut

Agree with the above - go see a pro for lessons.
I play to about the same handicap and am constantly tinkering with my swing to overcome the latest perceived problem.

Took a lesson recently using trackman. The pro sent me a video with his voice-over showing my bad shot and then my good shot.
Really gave me something to focus on

GreeBo

Btw, the next feeling that you are constantly looking for is probably just a new trigger to help you time whatever bit of your swing is timing based, probably your hands.

I chased that for literally years, with many the eureka moment, with countless hours wasted on the driving range

Hoppermcgrath

GreeBo wrote: »

Btw, the next feeling that you are constantly looking for is probably just a new trigger to help you time whatever bit of your swing is timing based, probably your hands.

I chased that for literally years, with many the eureka moment, with countless hours wasted on the driving range

Hi GreeBo, would you mind sharing the pro's name who helped you with your swing? I have many of the same issues you describe in your former swing. Looking for somebody good to help me with them. Thanks a million.

GreeBo

Hoppermcgrath wrote: »

Hi GreeBo, would you mind sharing the pro's name who helped you with your swing? I have many of the same issues you describe in your former swing. Looking for somebody good to help me with them. Thanks a million.

tbh I kinda did it by myself, it was only afterwards I was talking to one of our pros and he said that he struggled with the same thing for years!

Michael McDermott in Grange in Rathfarnham is the guy I work with, he plays (& wins!) on the Irish circuit and knows what he is on about.

PM me if you need more info.

Rikand

BigChap1759 wrote: »

I’m curious as to whether other people struggle with the way they swing a Golf club the way I do??

I’m an ok golfer(off 9 at the moment) yet I’m consistently changing everything about he way I swing - ie I’m always searching for a “move” in my backswing or takeaway that leads to better stringing. I hit the ball well when hitting it well but feels seem to leave (trasitorily, is it even a word?) after a few rounds, then I’m searching for a new feel to get back to striking it solid!

Am I bonkers or do other semi-competent golfers also go through this regime/torture???!?

Bigchap - you are the one of the best ball strikers I have ever had the good fortune to play with. I cannot believe you are off 9, you should be so much lower.

I am like you to a point. I'm also like Harrington to a point. I am constantly working on my swing and constantly trying to make small changes to my swing in the hopes of a swing that feels better, looks better and gets better results. However, I am happy with how my swing looks and feels as it is. I just feel like I could do better and I just love working on my swing.

I'd consider myself a student of the game. I'm always looking to improve and make myself a better player, more consistent striker, longer hitter and sometimes my changes dont work out and its trying to find my way back thats part of the fun challenge too

You're not bonkers and we probably all do. I dont know a low handicap golfer who isnt always working on something to try and make themselves better. I know very few golfers period who arent always working on something

FixdePitchmark

Had a year where I had so many swing thoughts going on in my head.

Eventual went to a pro, she went back to very basic ideas. It worked.

I come inside very quick on way back and end up Over the top. So i Just got it back to wide at start as my only swing thought.

Then went a period of just target based golf. Everything out of head except target.

Best results have been target only.

I think it is fairly personal thing -

Goldenjohn

BigChap1759 wrote: »

I’m curious as to whether other people struggle with the way they swing a Golf club the way I do??

I’m an ok golfer(off 9 at the moment) yet I’m consistently changing everything about he way I swing - ie I’m always searching for a “move” in my backswing or takeaway that leads to better stringing. I hit the ball well when hitting it well but feels seem to leave (trasitorily, is it even a word?) after a few rounds, then I’m searching for a new feel to get back to striking it solid!

Am I bonkers or do other semi-competent golfers also go through this regime/torture???!?

I suffer exactly the same. The last 3 years have been horrific ...gone from just off single figures to 13 and the only reason it's not higher is the new 1 shot rule last year and this. Lots of lessons, know too much about my swing and now too many swing thoughts. Zero confidence in any part of my game. Just trying to find anything consistent in the swing so I can rebuild from there. Greebos advice sounds solid for me especially the point on timing as I can play decent for 7/8 holes then a bad shot destroys the next 3/4 holes. Trying to work on 2 key things for rest of the year...
Pre shot routine & swing thought of finishing/ holding my finish actually on that point if I could just hit my practice swing every time I'd be a category 1 golfer

billy3sheets

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Had a year where I had so many swing thoughts going on in my head.

Eventual went to a pro, she went back to very basic ideas. It worked.

I come inside very quick on way back and end up Over the top. So i Just got it back to wide at start as my only swing thought.

Then went a period of just target based golf. Everything out of head except target.

Best results have been target only.

I think it is fairly personal thing -

I'm writing down what I think are key things when my ball striking is good.
For me it's using my shoulders and chest in the takeaway and keeping it out wide as you've done. At the top I just try to not swing too fast.
I tried some of that target golf last evening and it seemed to work well too.

That's this week's recipe anyway....

kod12

Has anyone used the coach John Kelly for the TPI screening process before. Looking to get a full assessment done on swing mechanics and analysis and heard his name mentioned alot

swededmonkey

If it's the same john Kelly that's the Pro in St. Margaret's I'd highly recommend him. Had a few lessons in the past and the take away was always beneficial

CalamariFritti

I'm going through the same problem OP, you're not alone.

Different swing thought and (what feels) a different swing every time. Most of it not good. The odd time I'm hitting it well. So probably too may variables is what I take from that.

As for the swing thoughts. Most of it is obsessed that I'm doing something wrong at the backswing. Hands too tight, hands too loose, hands not set, hands have rolled over, hands haven't rolled over, not turning the to the side right but pushing out instead. Any number of things. All depending on daily form. Its gotten to the point where I'm after forgetting I'm not hitting the ball with my backswing. I rarely ever finish properly.

Sometimes I can play quite well with it. I'm off 12-13, up and down. And thats usually when something feels right and I can forget about looking for something and just play. But at the moment that hasn't happened in a while and I'm getting worse.