Videoing your swing is probably the first thing you do when you want to get better – but is that a good idea?
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34 Comments
Adam Young. The Strike Plan. Look into it. I haven't personally, because I never considered it necessary for me, but it might be helpful for you. It's less about style, and more about function, but the function is derived from the ability to control the club face. If you listen to the Chasing Scratch podcast you'd know well about Adam Young. He co-hosts "The Sweet Spot" with Jon Sherman. Absolute quality instructor.
Find a grass range pretty sure Peterborough and Milton has one for members. Hit shots, if you want to score well you need to have the ball under some degree of control and it be powerfulish.
High draws, low fades and everything in between. If you can’t do a certain shot have a lesson on something specific, ie I can’t hit high fades.
Work on flexibility, chipping and putting and just accept some days your just going to play bad and enjoy it when you play well.
Whatever you do, pick one path and stick with it. As an ADHD mentalist obsessed with getting better and failing, I know that struggle. Choose one. E.g. choose a pro you trust who you absolutely know can improve you. Stick with him whatever he says to do do it. I think you should probably see a pro as I know the trying to practice skills, you won't last a month just sticking with that without professional help, be realistic. Practice your arse off. Forget everything else, YouTube videos, anything else, just trust that process. Give it a whole year at least and you'll hit your lowest index ever I believe.
Hi Rob, You pose a great question that takes me back to my junior days (late 70's early 80's) when in Europe (and the UK in particular) coaches looked for everybody to have the perfect swing, while in the US they took what you had and made it work….Would this have been part of the reason why the GB and Ireland team needed to recruit European players to compete with USA in the Ryder Cup (discuss). Like Red Rider, I too have come back to the game after a 35 year hiatus (in my case) and in part thanks to the advances in equipment, I'm now playing better than ever (HCap 4-6), despite my incompetence from 35 yards in and around the greens. In the past 2 years I have perhaps worked on my swing more than in my entire career as a junior! Why? What was I looking for and what have I found? My desire was to lose those big misses……particularly the big (flippy) hooks (that don't listen to you). Have I achieved it, largely yes…does my swing look better as a result, I guess it does but that's not what I was after. Could my swing look better? I bet it could but I'm just interested in hitting straighter shots (or controlled draws) and if I could also get a more penetrating trajectory, well bully for me (i'd love to bring my ball flight down a little but hey…..that's the way I play). So getting back to your question, I think that what matters is moving in a way that makes you more consistent… If your hands stay closer to your body and the club doesn't come back on the inside? If your wrists are not too cupped at the top? If you swing natural or mechanical? Hey, whatever makes your strike and the direction of your shots consistent must be good. And if it looks good then Hooray to you. However, I'm pretty sure that if you strike the ball well, consistently and on a steady line, then I bet your swing looks fairly good…
Jeeezus christ, I needed this channel. This might finally be the remedy I needed after 10 years of youtube golf swing addiction. I understand the contradiction ….. But this channel is basically rehab for an addict ; )
I think learning the skill of golf is probably the most important thing. What I mean by that is just like you said, getting comfortable with hitting shapes and various trajectories. If you can somewhat master those then the game will become so much easier. Club face control and having the knowledge that you'll never be off the planet would be awesome. That can look however it wants to aesthetically speaking 😂
Sounds like the inner mind workings of probably 95% of golfers there buddy
I'm of the mindset that it's my swing, I own it. Whatever you buy into the most you will stick with and you will improve. It could be a mix of technical and natural. I have tried both (pga pro and zen lessons)
I shot a 77 at the weekend off a 9hcp without a single thought in my mind apart from where I wanted the ball to start and finish
Inner game of golf advocates the natural,self learning swing,a very interesting read and a book I recommend to any level of golfer. A lovely swing is great but doesn’t guarantee success.
Rob it doesn’t matter at all
And yes it should be a lot easier and natural so if you go ZEN you can’t go wrong !!!!
What's your measurement/what's going to give you success, happiness you want and enjoyment? Is it looking good (and if so define good) lower handicap, winning comps? If not the first, then is your current swing preventing the other two?
I think the key is finding a balance of the two. I separate my practise into block practice, where I'll focus on technique and feel practice where all my balls are based on results. When I'm doing my technique practise I'll use a gadget of some kind to help the change. I think that's key to confirm your getting in the right positions. My feel practice would be purely results based. So going through my bag and hitting shaped shots at targets. No thoughts of technique. I wouldn't do them both in one practice session either. Keep them separate. Works foe me. Hope it helps.
What matters is the number you write in the box at the right side of the score card…
I’ve recently had similar issues and resorted to purchasing and reading Ben Hogans modern fundamentals of golf and it has helped and improved my game immeasurably. It includes the teachings of the supposed best swinger of the golf club ever and really helps me to simplify my swing so there’s less to think about when I’m out on the course. Hogan firmly believes that anyone with mere athleticism and co-ordination could break 80 in his era with the basics nailed down. Give it a read and it will completely change the way you feel about golf 😀
I have played 2 sports a lot in my life: Tennis & golf ; Im currently a 2.6 hcp and I have always found the technique easier playing tennis. To me its because when im playing tennis Im not thinking about how it looks ; I am just reacting to the ball and the opponent , focused on what I want the ball to do. Also in tennis the way it is taught that you learn awareness of how your body moves in space while golf the majority of teachers will get you into positions…
Hi Rob. Good to see you back! If you’re an analytical person like me, the worst thing you could do is get a technical style coach. If you weren’t aware Danny Burstzyn now coaches with Zen Golf who a few other people have mentioned. The reason that more people don’t do it is because we’ve all been taught to believe we must swing like Rory’s P1,P2,P3 etc. People have made a lot of money trying to make everyone swing the same. Zen’s approach is mind blowing, clears the head and helps you enjoy the game more. How many times have you heard golf commentary admiring a swing, only for the resulting ball flight to end up left/right/long etc. What matters most? Good luck
Hi Rob, really glad you are back making golf videos! Thoroughly recommend The Sweet Spot Podcast and in general stuff from Adam Young and Jon Sherman. If you haven’t listened to them before, the two episodes on ‘How do you control impact – better swing mechanics or skill’ I found very useful and are about exactly what you are pondering in this video. Cheers!
Not sure if others have mentioned but take a look at Moe Norman, think there are some vids on YouTube of his swing (sadly deceased now)
Hi Rob. So good you are back. Thanks for the great videos. Look at zen golf. Has transformed my game. Allows freedom and exploration of your own golf swing.
So I've fallen a bit down the rabbit hole of playing golf swing, but that being said I have a good coach and I've been going to consistently for the past 2 years. I've seen big changes in my swing and have gotten rid of lots of bad habits in the process, so there's definitely been improvement. I think a big part of it is find a coach that resonates with you, my coach uses trackman and a lot of data, with high speed video and all the frills, and I'm an engineer, so that really speaks to me and I enjoy learning that way, but I have friends who would get nothing from those sessions and prefer a coach to be more about feel etc.. so I think a big part of it is shopping around to find someone you vibe with.
On a side note, the one thing killing my game at the moment is I can't stop flipping the club, it's a habit so deeply ingrained in me that when you put a ball there I flip my hands. I can do a practice swing hitting something that isn't a ball and get to a fantastic impact position, I can hit a ball that I can't see in a fantastic impact position, but as soon as I know the ball is there, my subconscious takes over and I revert to the old habits. I think I need a pyschologist more than a golf coach tbh 😅Not sure what this adds to the discussion but.. yeah, golf is a stupid sport.
Your swing and club head speed are good enough Rob. You seem to have the basics mastered to become a very good player. Course management and short game are the key to getting lower scores at any level
At the end of the day there are some people with huge natural talent who will always excel and there is nothing we can do about that. We cant compete against them because it is beyond most of our abilities no matter how much we try.
I think working towards the perfect swing is the way to go when you are practicing and at the range, but when you are on the golf course trust that all that you've practiced has gone into muscle memory and put it to one side. On the golf course use the "natural swing". You're not going to sort your issues that you've had for years magically over an 18 hole round of golf. Play with the swing you've brought to the course that day.
Then over time your natural swing will improve with the technical practice you've put in. 👌
Discovered your channel and really enjoying it. I really relate as I’ve been on a mission to improve. I’ve spent the last two years working with a swing coach and while I’ve gained massive amounts of distance and consistency in ball flight, I truly believe everyone has a personal swing like a fingerprint. Just look at tour players past and present there’s plenty of variability. Your videos are great, thanks for making them!
I don't think it matters what your swing looks like but every good swing should be able to stop at the top/puase b4 ypu hit a ball practicing on the range. And when you hit a ball doing this it should feel like the club drops into the ball with no manipulation of the hand arms. You should be able to hit a shot with good contact no effort from that position. If you can't do that then you know you're not getting into the right position to hit your best shots consistently
Your dog in the background is also so tired of hearing about your golf swing 😂 just joking good video glad your back.
Still one of your greatest videos is the one with "Jimmy McSwingfix". I rewatched it recently for kicks
I think there are undoubtedly things you need to do to make good impact. This is why all pros have forward shaft lean/hands in front of the ball at impact when hitting irons. Now how you get there I think is different for everyone, because everybody's physique and range of movement is different.
I think it's difficult to copy someone's swing it's tough but not impossible if you're disciplined enough. I think of it like a dance move some people can mimic other people almost exactly while some will never look close.
Bobby Jones.
Great vid Rob! Totally resonates with me! Possibly too much!! All the best!
I love golf but it messes with my head and we are in the same boat! I know so many golfers off 0 or better and they swing it horrifically but they get it round. I’m off 2 and swing it better but they get it round which is half the battle!! I know your pain Rob, I work on what my coach says but I cannot do it literally!! :/ nice editing
Rob, your long game is fine. What I reckon is more important is chipping and putting.
Most amateurs focus on their long game but the club they use the most is a putter.
Keep up the great work btw 👍😊
Who cares as long as you can control it an your happy
The downswing is the only part of the swing that matter. If you can control the path and face that’s all that matters. I’m a professional golf coach at golftec. We are all about positions. I’m not… if you can get the club on plane by p5 then you’re good… don’t get boggled up in making changes. Learn how to swing faster and swing on plane. That’s all.
Nick Faldo