Current visual status of the new golf swing

I worked hard on some changes down in the desert and just 2 weeks after my final lesson in the warmth I was out on a slightly snowy day filming that swing to see if things were still moving in the right direction.

Instead of spending too much time writing right now, here is a short intro about the swing videos that follow:

I wanted to edit all of this into one video, then realized that I don’t currently have any video editing software. Instead, here are a few clips from different angles of where I currently exist swing wise.

7-iron face on:

7-iron down the line:

Driver face on:

Driver down the line:

This is mainly just an update about where my swing is without too many words. Having watched these a number of times today I can see what I need to work on and where I have regressed in the two weeks since seeing Bruce. It’s important to stay on top of these changes as it’s a slippery slope back to where I came from and in golf it is so easy for progress to reverse itself even with the best of intentions. Filming must be a regular part of practice as feel doesn’t always lead towards one’s ultimate aims and intentions.

What I need to continue to push: bigger shoulder and body turn and less hands-on at the takeaway. I also need to use more lower body to generate greater speed/power.

For some contrast, this video was almost exactly a year ago:

I might have a couple of days to just hit the gym as it’s a high of mid-20s tomorrow with 20-30mph winds:

The courses will probably be closed for a couple of days. But, I ran into a friend yesterday who owns a golf simulator down in Oregon City. I might just have to go and visit Jari to keep the swing moving forward through this cold snap.

I also plan on doing a lot of swing drills inside today and tomorrow as I know from looking at those videos where I have started reverting and need to make sure progress is being made. I need to forget so much of my old swing and in a lot of ways forgetting habits is harder than learning new ones.

7 Responses to "Current visual status of the new golf swing"

subject smith says:

February 5, 2014 at 4:23 am

Really interesting to see, thanks for posting. Have to say, I’m used to watching the swings of the best in the world on Sky Sports every week, and by comparison, your swing looks pretty ugly. A lot better than mine, but I suppose you still have a long way to go. Project is inspiring though.
Damien Kelly says:

February 5, 2014 at 1:19 pm

Nice update Dan, I think the swing is coming along nicely. Sure does look cold out there. How are the new clubs going?
subject smith says:

February 6, 2014 at 7:28 am

You have a good point, I have watched both, but the thing that struck me about the swing was how much movement there was. Watson and Furyk look stiller to me, and more in control of the clubhead, even Furyk, with his funny loop at the top.

It’s not bad, better than mine, and probably 95%+ of the swings I see when I play golf, but watching again, to me, it looks like a very strong grip, and that he does something funny with his hands at takeaway and through impact, that and his ‘adonis’ finish could be tidier. But hey, everyone’s a critic, and bear in mind I play off 19. So what do I know?
subject smith says:

February 6, 2014 at 8:07 am

You have a good point, I have watched both, but the thing that struck me about the swing was how much movement there was. Watson and Furyk look stiller to me, and more in control of the clubhead, even Furyk, with his funny loop at the top.

It’s not bad, better than mine, and probably 95%+ of the swings I see when I play golf, but watching again, to me, it looks like a very strong grip, and that he does something funny with his hands at takeaway and through impact, that and his ‘adonis’ finish could be tidier. But hey, everyone’s a critic, and bear in mind I play off 19. So what do I know?
Richard Chen says:

February 7, 2014 at 6:17 am

In bad weather, practice of slow motion mini swinging of the arms of the release phase without holding any clubs can be done to get the hands in the slot, and to square. A kitchen ladle can also be use to practice the release in mini swings of the release phase. A coin or ball can be place on the ground at a measure distance from the stance while practicing slow motion swinging of the ladle in the mini arc of the release. A squared position at impact will be when the ladle, when imagined to be filled with liquid, will not spill a drop. The arms have to be very vertical to not spill any drops at impact, so that the cup of the metal ladle may have to be bent down, if the none spilling is taken literally, although not bend down too much, as to encourage swinging the arm more vertically closer to the body rather than slanting out far away from the body during the release. At the start of the release, the cup of the ladle will be tilted, so that any imaginary liquid in the ladle will be spilled. At the impact position, the cup of the ladle will be upright so as to not spill any liquid. During the initial part of the followthrough, the cup can be tilted slightly forward with the leading side of the lip slightly lower than the trailing side of the lip, so that the imaginary liquid pours slowly out in the direction of the target. Or, the the leading side of the lip of the ladle cup can be more lower to spill the liquid out in greater volumes, or the liquid can be imagined to be thrown out in large volumes toward the target during the followthrough.
Theguru says:

February 8, 2014 at 4:51 pm

Another classic from mr chen!
Benny says:

February 12, 2014 at 12:22 pm

Thanks for sharing the progress, Dan. Keep goin’!

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