Guys, I am crazy about TGM, but don't know where to begin with my swing. Don't even know if I am a hitter or a swinger. My swing feels like a throw it back against my right shoulder then the shoulder 'throws' it back down. Just looking for a little direction. My swing looks steep going back, crosses the line, then steep coming down. Sort of a mess, but i am a +1 handicap. I draw my irons and fade my woods. I had one TGM guy tell me looks like I open the face early and try to sling it shut on the downswing. This is sort of how it feels, but don't know where to begin working on tightening up my swing. Anyone care to throw out some advice/drills?
I see too much upper left arm rotation to early ..butt could be more up and back at address
try the Boo weekly drill ..rubber thing tied around the arms above elbows..keep the elbows pointing down for the takeaway..you will need a better body motion to hit solid shots with this contraption
I think it boils down to ineffective thru pivot, causing you to still steer and quit (I know Yoda said that about Brad G, but you have the same problem, it's just not as pronounced as Brad G's is)
There's a definite flip in there at impact. Brian Manzella likes to talk about how the zipper should be moving ahead of the hands on the downswing. By "quitting" which causes you to flip, your hands are getting in front of the zipper.
A drill that worked for me (I'm in a similar situation, low handicapper who still flips) I worked on the left side connection drill (keeping a golf glove under my left armpit) AND keeping my right thumb and right index finger off the grip. Try hitting chip shots with the left side connection and the right thumb and index finger off the grip. It pretty much forces you to use your pivot to get the clubhead to the ball instead of using your arms and hands to get the clubhead to the ball (which causes an overacceleration of the clubhead and the flip through impact).
It takes some patience because the results won't happen overnight. And once you start to "get it" you will still be inconsistent because of years of flippng the left wrist through impact. And again, hit lots and lots of chip shots doing this drill and lots and lots of work with the impact bag doing this drill (most golfers go right to the full swing and make life harder for them).
Last edited by GooseofIron : 12-22-2008 at 01:30 PM.
Reason: grammar
I would agree that I my body quits and I sort of 'throw' the hands at the ball. This winter, I have actually been trying to hit the ball with my zipper facing the target. I've always had a lot of lateral motion and not a lot of rotary.
I would agree that I my body quits and I sort of 'throw' the hands at the ball. This winter, I have actually been trying to hit the ball with my zipper facing the target. I've always had a lot of lateral motion and not a lot of rotary.
I've had the same problem as well. I used to play mini-tours back about 10 years ago and was a low as a +1.7 handicap, but I would essentially time the flip and get by with my good putting and chipping. I've improved by leaps and bounds using the connection and right thumb and index finger off the grip drill (neither drill is new, but I've never seen them both combined). There's talk of feeling like you're "blasting the left arm off the chest" on the downswing which you have to be connected to do and can't "blast" that left arm unless you pivot. I think part of it is not only do we quit with the body, we also get too fast and anxious to use our ARMS and hands to hit the ball. I just keep telling myself things like:
- get the zipper to the target (or over the left knee)
- "blast" the left arm off the chest
- Hit it with your pivot, not your arms and hands.
There's other different feels as well. Trevino felt like he was "breaking his knees down" on the downswing which gave him that pivot. Hogan felt like he was just purely rotating the hips from the beginning of the downswing.
There also may be some flexibility issues, particularly in the hips, hamstrings and calfs which make it harder to pivot.
Guys, I am crazy about TGM, but don't know where to begin with my swing. Don't even know if I am a hitter or a swinger. My swing feels like a throw it back against my right shoulder then the shoulder 'throws' it back down. Just looking for a little direction. My swing looks steep going back, crosses the line, then steep coming down. Sort of a mess, but i am a +1 handicap. I draw my irons and fade my woods. I had one TGM guy tell me looks like I open the face early and try to sling it shut on the downswing. This is sort of how it feels, but don't know where to begin working on tightening up my swing. Anyone care to throw out some advice/drills?
I would load some "Lag"/resistance/heaviness, specifically the clubhead, on the top to tighten up the backswing and, at least, give the start-down a stabler start. I bet, in your current swing, the club feels pretty light on the top and coming down, which can make the swing vulnerable to pressure situation or physical condition.
How? Gently initiate the downswing in the middle of the backswing, during which you will feel the resistance (or inertia) of the club and try to sustain that heaviness feel (instead of throwing it away) through impact.
Good luck!
__________________ Yani Tseng, Go! Go! Go! Yani Tseng Did It Again! YOU load and sustain the "LAG", during which the "LAW" releases it, ideally beyond impact.
"Sustain (Yang/陽) the lag (Yin/陰)" is "the unification of Ying and Yang" (陰陽合一).
The "LAW" creates the "effect", which is the "motion" or "feel", with the "cause", which is the "intent" or "command".
"Lag" is the secret of golf, passion is the secret of life.
Think as a golfer, execute like a robot.
Rotate, twist, spin, turn. Bend the shaft.
In no way meaning to tell you anything you don't already know, but after talking to Kev Carter yesterday over coffee, then wearing out my eyeballs on more videos (I just about have AG memorized--I see flying wedges in my sleep), I have come to the conclusion I am going to try to use some Stack and Tilt with my Alignment Golf-TGM. I am hoping it will bring added consistency in ball striking.
I have a lot further to go than you do.
I have the Alignment Golf DVD's coming, and in the mean am working hard on taking out a dip and a sway. I'm starting to believe in the steady centered head as heading toward it is helping. Had my steadiest ballstriking game in months yesty.