Posted by Dexter Francois
| Posted in
Golf Courses,
Mike Southern,
My Rounds,
Swing Mechanics,
The Driver
| Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2011
I finally got a chance to film my swing on the driving range yesterday before my round at Vistal Golf Club. Virtual swing coach Mike Southern has been working with me on improving my swing and requested recent video to analyze. My greens in regulation(GIR) percentage is low due to the fact that I am missing a lot of greens short and right, and we need to figure out why.
Mike has already given me some things to work on, but he needs to see my swing in order to make a proper assessment. I have to say that I have been playing a lot better in my recent rounds. My GIR percent has gone up and I am driving the ball a lot better. As a result, my scores have gone down and I am averaging 84.5 for my last six rounds. With that being said, I know that there is still much room for improvement.
I filmed The Doctor's swing as well so that we could compare our techniques. Our stats are almost the same. Our overall scoring average is separated by only 0.4 and we have an identical 12.8 handicap, which is the lowest mine has ever been. We filmed our swings with the driver and the 8-iron as Mike advised. Let's take a look.
This is what my swing used to look like before I started working with Mike online. I cringe when I watch it now. Just wanted to let you see the improvement I have made, but like I said, I'm not there yet.
DEX - Driver - Target View
THE DOCTOR - Driver - Target View
DEX - Driver - Face On View
THE DOCTOR - Driver - Face On View
DEX - 8-iron - Target View
THE DOCTOR - 8-iron - Target View
DEX - 8-iron - Face On View
THE DOCTOR - 8-iron - Face On View
So there it is. I've exposed myself to the world, but it is the only way to get better. We have to figure out what I'm doing wrong so that I can make it right. After Mike gives me his analyst, I will be sure to share it with you. I encourage you to read the comments as Mike and I go back and forth, and always feel free to chime in. This is where the learning happens. Have a great round and always hit your target.
Photo found here.
Posts
I took a quick look at them and your swing looks much better, Dex! That over-the-top move you had is nearly all gone (I still see a bit with the 8-iron -- it's always more noticeable with a shorter club) and you're not twisting your forearms nearly as much. I'm not surprised your score has started improving -- your shots must feel much more solid now.
I'll give them a good look-over and then we'll decide what to work on next. The big problems you had are pretty much fixed -- good job!
Hey Mike,
Any Advice for the Doctor??
Sure, why not? I'll see if I can't give you a little help as well. ;-)
BTW, you have a nice solid move thru the ball, Doc. That can make up for a lot of things that would otherwise be faults.
One other thing, Doc... What's your normal shot shape?
Thanks Mke. I have been working hard on what you have been teaching me. I think playing more actual rounds is helping as well. Nothing beats actually being on the course.
You're right, my shots do feel a lot more solid. The Lucas Glover swing thought that you wrote about is helping. You said...
"When your wrists cock at the top of your swing, the club shaft should cross over your shoulder and point on a line parallel to your target line."
I don't have a "deep" backswing anyway, so I think "just over the shoulder" is the "feeling" that is working for me. Although I sometimes think I would get more distance if I had more of a shoulder turn.
Thanks for the comment Mike,
WIth my driver I tend to hit a slice. starts out on my line well then trails off, sometimes significantly right. Been trying to work on turning my hands over with the driver but it is a challenge.
Occasionally, will pull it left . I think my right arm gets away from my body when I do this
With irons, as long as my tempo is good, I hit a slight draw. Occasionally push my irons, usually when I take my eye off the ball.
Any advice is appreciated. Thanks again
Dex... I agree. Playing is better than practice for most weekend players, simply because the game gives our "practice" more focus. On the range we just tend to hit balls without any real regard for how they behave. Besides, who hits 10 drivers in a row on the course?
And don't worry, we'll improve that shoulder turn this time around.
Doc... That's about what I suspected. Don't worry about turning your hands, that's not the problem. You're "chicken-winging" at impact, but the cause is much earlier in the swing.
Your problem is slightly different from Dexter's, but the cause is similar. I want to go thru the videos a little more, but I think some of what I'm going to have Dex work on will solve your main problem also.
And if things go as planned, you'll both gain some distance as well. ;-)
A little quick info, Dex...
1) You didn't mention what your normal shot shape looks like now. Knowing that would be helpful.
2) How much difference in height is there between you and Doc? The videos appear to have been taken at different distances from the camera.
3) About how far are each of you driving the ball? And how far are you hitting your 8-irons?
I've been making some of my patented marked-up pics for you guys. However, I promise that no telestrators were injured in the process. ;-)
1)I never draw the ball, so it's either dead straight or a slight fade.
2)The Doctor get more height on his tee shots than I do. Probably 10, 15 foot difference. I have improved in this area though.
3)Driver-Between 240-250ish. I need to start tracking it.
The Doctor rarely hits driver so I don't know for him. maybe he will chime in soon.
8-iron-150ish. The Doctor is probably about half a club to a club longer than I am.
Thanks again Mike. Looking forward to being "marked up".
Heh-heh-heh. By "height" I meant physical stature. How tall are you, Dex, and how tall is Doc?
But more height -- the kind you were talking about -- isn't necessarily better. Remember, with a driver you only want around a 12° launch angle. For what it's worth, your launch angle (measured from a video still) is nearly 10° while Doc's is around 30°. Yours is much closer to the ideal.
BTW, your distance with the driver is pretty good. You're losing some distance because you're wasting energy fighting your swing. Doc's wasting energy too, but he swings much harder so he wastes it more impressively. ;-)
Before Carl improved my swing, I swung really hard and pull-sliced my driver about 240 yards. (That was pretty good back in the '80s.) After he helped me I was hitting my 3-wood the same distance -- plus hitting it straight! -- even though I wasn't swinging nearly as hard and was still fighting my swing some.
You and Doc should both pick up some yardage by the time we're done, simply because you'll be using your strength more efficiently. And you shouldn't feel as if you're working as hard to do it.
Whoops:-D. I'm 6'2" and Doc is around 5'8". Every now and then I hit a drive in the 270's and I know it's a good one as soon as I hit it. I want that to be the norm.