+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 21 of 21
Thread: Short Backswing
-
09-18-2003 12:27 PM #1Ty WebbGuest
Short Backswing
I have dramatically reduced my score this year by shortening my backswing (ala Allan Doyle). I was trying to emulate the pros and, by mistake, realized that a shorter backswing allows me to hit the ball straighter and more consistantly (albeit it doesn't look pretty but neither do I). I am able to hit my 5 wood in the 180-200 range using this approach.
I am constantly bugged about this by my playing partners and have the following questions for the gurus residing within:
1. What am I losing by taking a compact backswing?
2. Why does this facilitate me hitting straighter/more consistant?
3. Any thoughts/comments if I should change this and/or how do I perfect this?
Cheers
Ty
-
09-18-2003 12:47 PM #2
you see it a lot more these days.
especially with the pros and on their irons (less so on their woods). I've been doing the same thing with my irons. Less distance for the club to travel = less room for something to go off line.
I find I hit my irons just as far, and more consistent. I can't seem to do the same with my woods, it just doesn't feel right.
-
09-18-2003 02:44 PM #3
- Join Date
- Jun 2003
- Posts
- 207
I think you've analysed it perfectly. You might lose a few yards, but you gain incredible accuracy. Don't listen to people who raze. Many times, I've taken an abbreviated driver and it flew 250+...you hit the sweet spot far more often, which produces far more distance than a fast swing off centre of the s-spot.
That said, a full/perfect swing AND hitting the sweet spot is the ultimate goal. But look at it this way: if you use an abbreviated swing and ingrain it perfectly, you have very little work left to do to increase it to the full swing. You also have swing to fall back on if the full swing gets "wonky".
In answer to your question, it faciliates a straighter and more consistent shot because there is less chance of things going wrong. I think you should make sure your compact swing is something that you can expand to a full swing, other than that there's nothing wrong with it.
-
09-18-2003 03:50 PM #4AndruGuestOriginally Posted by Rough Stuff
Ty
Don't get caught up in "THE PERFECT SWING" because it doesn't exists. There's only one perfect in golf, and that's the shot that goes exactly where you wanted it to. Via a long back swing like Tiger. Short one like Doyle or somewhere in between like John Cook. It sounds like you're heading in the right direction. Don't change a thing. Let it happen naturally if it's going to happen. Your club head speed through the ball will improve as you become more comfortable.
Doyle AVG 266.2 and Thorpe AVG 279.6 from the tee. That's pretty good. You can develop that kind of speed it just takes practice.
And make sure you have fun doing it.
Cheers ( PS: read my signature )Last edited by Andru; 09-18-2003 at 04:13 PM.
-
09-18-2003 11:16 PM #5
- Join Date
- Jun 2003
- Posts
- 207
Originally Posted by Andru
Whether you go with Andru's religion or someone elses, they all require practice, practice, practice and patience, patience, patience. Just like get rich quick schemes, quick fixes don't work.
-
09-19-2003 06:59 AM #6beatnik58Guest
Short Backswing
I've done the same thing recently and seen a dramatic improvement in accuracy and scoring. It's hard to resist the impulse to overswing but once you get the feel of a 3/4 backswing it frees you up to hit through the ball and turn at impact. I look at is this way, if i don't waste energy trying to swing like Daly there is more of that energy directed through the ball at impact. I'm hitting longer and straighter than ever before.
Don't listen to the knuckle draggers who think length of backswing = manliness. Just hit your shot clean, go find it in the middle of the fairway and hit it again. Then smile as your big hitting companion curses as he scours the rough and the woods for his wayward 300 yard boomer!
-
09-19-2003 07:16 AM #7
Sometimes less is more
I agree completely.
3/4 backswings are a great way to ingrain good swing habits and gain confidence. Besides which, you would be surprised how "full" a 3/4 swing actually is! Most people tend to overswing anyways, so having them think they are only going back 3/4 of the way, actually creates a full swing.
Good luck!
GarthM
-
09-19-2003 07:56 AM #8Originally Posted by Ty Webb
I've played with people from all over, including some older golfers who have lost some flexibility and cannot perform a full swing.
As I am looking for my over-swung ball in the rough, trees, high bushes, etc, they are hitting their second shot from the middle of the fairway.
A reasonable par 4 from the whites is say 350-360, with some up to 400, some less than 350. So these old guys hit 180-200 off the tee, but its up the middle. Their second shot is in the same range, 180-200. If they are just off the green, it's a chip and a putt, if they are on the green it's a two putt for par, maybe a one-putt for birdie. So they are averaging par on every par 4, par 5's are the same, par 3's are simple, unless they are long. The only issue is a course that has a long carry over a gully or water off of the tee.
It sounds like boring golf, and may be, but when I saw the 80 year old shoot his age while I stunk up the course, something was wrong with what I was doing. Sure enough when I took a lesson, one of the things I was told was that I was over-extending on my backswing, my left elbow was breaking. In order to keep that elbow straight, I had to reduce my back-swing and that has helped considerably. I think I have a chance to compete against that 80 year old now (especially if I sabatoge his walker!!) (and for those of you who might have taken that last comment seriously, it was a "joke")It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.
Colby
-
09-19-2003 08:13 AM #9Ty WebbGuest
Colby, where did you take your lesson?
-
09-19-2003 08:19 AM #10Originally Posted by Ty Webb
Lessons at the Marshes aren't the cheapes, I bought a three hour package for 225 (75 an hour) and we've split it into a one hour foloowed by four 30 minute sessions. I have an hour left which I need to get in before the snow flys, hmmm time to callIt could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.
Colby
-
09-19-2003 08:41 AM #11
do you remember a guy named Tiger?
Shorter backswing will help for sure. Look at a guy they calll Tiger ....
When he first appeared on the PGA, he used to be able to read the sole of his clubs because they were below eye level on his backswing. He wasnt as accurate with it but it sure was longer. Then he got shorter and and more accurate. If it can work for him, maybe it could work for you too.
Colby ......................I think I have a chance to compete against that 80 year old now (especially if I sabatoge his walker!!)
I have an hour left which I need .....I've spent most of my life golfing .... the rest I've just wasted"
www.nationalcapitalgolftour.com
-
09-19-2003 08:54 AM #12AndruGuestOriginally Posted by Rough Stuff
I hate talking swing mechanics but I find myself drawn in. The top 1/4 of the the golf "SWING" is non-active anyway. Most instructors will tell you to let the hands fall from the top.
-
09-19-2003 08:56 AM #13AndruGuest
Be careful with the 80 year old. remember what Bob Barker did!!!
-
09-21-2003 02:14 PM #14
- Join Date
- Oct 2001
- Posts
- 259
I am constantly bugged about this by my playing partners and have the following questions for the gurus residing within.Why would you be concerned about what your playing partners think of your swing. Let your golf clubs talk for you.
1. What am I losing by taking a compact backswing?
Nothing. So don't worry about it.
2. Why does this facilitate me hitting straighter/more consistant?
I have posted this before, but the myth of a FULL swing is a "vertical" left arm with the club shaft horizontal. This is nonsense, even though this is frequently taught. Consider this: The backswing is full and complete when your left shoulder is at or just past the ball. If your left arm is horizontal, vertical, or "3/4", (a detestable term,) your swing is still full. A couple of good local players Lee Curry(just made the Canadian Tour for 2004) and Mike Walker have their left arm at the "3/4" mark, with the shaft horizontal, because of flexible wrists. But, the left shoulder is slightly behind the ball. I have seen others with a left arm slightly past horizontal and a full shoulder turn, hit the ball a ton. The key is to marry the shoulder/body swing with the arm swing for your particular amount of flexibility. If either is too short or too long relative to the other, poorer shots will result. Most golfers swing too far back with their arms for the amount their body turns, resulting in the arms or wrists breaking down, or even the grip loosening.
3. Any thoughts/comments if I should change this and/or how do I perfect this? Don't change a thing.
The two most significant ways to score well is to have a sound short game and putting stroke and to avoid hitting bad shots in the rough or worse that will cost you shots. If scoring is important to you then, 250 yards in the fairway is better than 275 yards in the rough, 9 times out of 10. How many strokes are taken off your score for hitting the ball 300+yards? Hit the ball as far as you can, without sacrificing accuracy, and if shortening your arm swing will achieve this, do it.
A long straight driver has an advantage, but simple geometry shows that
the farther the ball goes, the greater is the chance of hitting it crooked.
-
09-21-2003 09:08 PM #15beatnik58Guest
shorter backswing
I have been practicing with a 3/4 swing with great results. I played Calabogie today and hit 13 of 14 fairways with drives in the 225-250 range. Golf is much more enjoyable when you're not scrambling from the rough/woods/other fairways!
-
09-21-2003 11:32 PM #16
Natgolfer-
What is your point??
-
09-22-2003 01:28 AM #17
- Join Date
- Jun 2003
- Posts
- 207
Originally Posted by The Shtick
-
09-22-2003 09:19 AM #18
OOPS!!!
My bad.... d'oh! :freak5
-
09-22-2003 02:12 PM #19beatnik58Guest
my point
Originally Posted by The Shtick
-
09-22-2003 05:00 PM #20
Swinging too far back
Most golfers swing too far back with their arms
This is where a quick video session with a golf pro can help. Personally, I was convinced I had cured myself of this problem until I had a video done at a winter golf school. I THOUGHT I was doing a 3/4 swing - in REALITY I was still overswinging but with a slower tempo. According to the golf pro, EVERYONE is surprised by how far back they are swinging the club when they see it on the video tape.
Now, I THINK I'm doing a 9:00 backswing (i.e., left arm horizontal). My playing partners tell me it is more like 10:00 or 10:30. It seems to be working for me.[COLOR=green][B]Golf is a game invented by the same people who think music comes out of bagpipes.[/B][/COLOR]
-
09-24-2003 06:49 PM #21
- Join Date
- Oct 2001
- Posts
- 259
Originally Posted by el tigre
When my left shoulder touches my chin, my shorter, but ideal backswing length is complete. When I feel my shoulder push firmly into the chin, I have gone too far back.
Thread Information
Users Browsing this Thread
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Similar Threads
-
No-Backswing Swing
By rhh7 in forum InstructionReplies: 4Last Post: 04-30-2011, 03:47 PM -
backswing question
By HoganWoods in forum InstructionReplies: 11Last Post: 01-08-2011, 06:47 PM -
No backswing swing?
By ipoh in forum InstructionReplies: 13Last Post: 04-07-2007, 04:52 PM -
Short Backswing
By Ty Webb in forum InstructionReplies: 10Last Post: 08-05-2005, 01:11 AM -
Short Backswing
By Gofish2 in forum InstructionReplies: 1Last Post: 04-16-2003, 05:40 PM