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This is another classic example of a steep to flat transition that gets the right arm behind the right side and causes a weak impact. It is also a classic example of a tight right arm that stays tucked to the body in the backswing, causing the left arm to initiate the swing, giving it minimal width and early upper trunk coil. When the right side feels like it has no depth halfway through the backswing it likes to add depth late, causing the hands and grip end to loop backwards behind the right side while the shaft steepens. The only thing that can be done now is to flatten the shaft late, which usually causes the shaft to get “stuck” coming from too far inside out. In this case Mark has increased his body rotation which pulls the club more out in front of him, but with the right arm so trapped behind him his hands don’t get forward enough in the approach and the right arm straightens out to the right. Here is Mark’s email entailing the feelings and ideas he has about his swing:
“I am 47 years old. I began to play in my early 20’s, but only about 10 rounds per year until the last 5 years when I have been lucky enough to play about 30-40 times per year.
I have taken numerous lessons with video analysis over the last 5 years and my swing has definitely improved. However, I have not noticed any significant improvement in my ball striking over the last year or so.
After watching several video analyses, I think I have had the problem of getting to vertical in the downswing, having the club to high at impact and losing posture with my hips going forward and my head back (goat).
I also have a tendency to get stuck – my ball flight has always been a push to the right. When timing was on, I can hit a draw, when it isn’t, it is a push or snap hook (yes, I read Jim Hardy’s book, but I think my tendency was already there).
By the way, kudos on such a good web-site and on your swing analysis. I have read multiple books and viewed multiple videos on the golf swing. Some like Jim McLean do a good job of addressing positions in the golf swing and others do not (Hardy). However, these positions are always discussed in static terms – I really didn’t know how to get my arms and body in the positions described.
By keying in on the movement of the right arm and the compression and 45 degree movement of the hips, the positions can be easily understood in dynamic terms (although not necessarily easily assimilated by us older guys :)).
In these videos I am allowing my hips and upper body to rotate open more than I am used to – trying to simulate the sidearm throw. This really feels much better than coming into the ball with a closed club face and trying to hold on with snapping it. By the way, an added benefit is that it also feels much better for my back!”
Cheers
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