Hey, Tom. I finally got out to use the net, yesterday, and after taking video of my downswing from behind I noticed an issue. I compared my downswing to yours in your latest youtube video where you play your swing in slow motion. Something is still off with my swing as I put more pieces together and I think I found another missing piece. My setup looks good (to me) and when I start my swing and I get closer to the ball with the club I noticed my hands are reaching out to strike the ball. They are not going back to the same place as at address. Your hands at contact are nice and close to your body and look similar to when at address. Even though I start the back swing good (I think!!) I can see myself reaching out to strike the ball. I believe I've been doing this all of my golfing life and this is the first I've noticed it. I think this explains why I've never been able to take a divot after the ball. My practice swings with no ball I think are fine. I'm not trying to hit anything so the swing feels better. But when I have the ball in front of me to strike I want to hit it as hard as I can so I subconsciously reach out towards the ball to hit it. Last night and today I've been working on hitting the practice balls making contact similar as when at address. I can now take a divot. First time ever I can take a divot after the ball. Wow!! But it feels a little strange and this is going to be a hard habit to break - especially on the course. I hit some practice balls down the street and those were nice and straight. And the groupings in the net are much tighter. Now I need to get to the range and see how real balls fly. But thought I'd share to see if you have any thoughts on that. (I know, video 2.8. lol ) It kind of makes sense in the past as I'd do a practice swing with no ball and it would feel good. Then I go to hit the ball with a full swing and the swing would feel off and it was luck if I hit a good shot or not. I'm guessing it's because I've been reaching out to hit it but I had no idea I was doing that. I can only see it in the video. And of course I was never consistent.
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Yeah - The Goodyear zeppelin wasn't available that day....
Ah, a drone, that's how you did it. lol Nice.
I really like that video, @Alan Studnicky, even if I must say so myself! 😎
I need to release the drone again sometime soon!
I remember that video but I couldn't find it. Thank you for the link to it. It made sense before but when you realize you have the issue it just hits home. So good to watch again. Thank you, Tom.
@Alan Studnicky - Fabulous post on a challenging - yet surprisingly common - issue! Think about it, though. So many of us played sports that involved a straight implement - such as a bat or a racket - being wielded on a level plane. In golf, not only is our body angled towards the ground in an inclined relationship, but we are also using an angled instrument that we grip in an angled fashion. That's three angles!! (Ever wonder why MLB pitchers are much better golfers than their hitting teammates?) We therefore have to somehow divorce ourselves from this ingrained action of hitting at a ball with a straight stick - which is what drives our hands out off of their path and away from the body - and replace it with taking them around our body on that inner circle established at address and swinging through the ball - a proposition much easier said than done!
So yes - you said it, and although I sound like a broken record, 2.8 will help us to beat down this tendency over time. To supplement these efforts, have a look at THIS video from the YT channel. The bird's eye view clearly shows the concentric circles traced - and maintained - by the hands and the clubface throughout the entirety of the swing. As you are practicing, try to visualize yourself from above doing the same.
Keep up the fantastic work - you're making great progress!!
Tom