Okay all, especially @joey puvel , @Gerry_Lager , @Nocona Colt Abernathy :
Following @Tom Saguto 's suggestion to try the "Simpest Golf Swing" material, I'm working on the first Trailing Arm drill from that course ("Load and Explode" chipping drill Part 1, from the 'Train Impact' section). If nothing else, it's bringing out a specific old habit into the light, affecting even this simple and focused drill, that I think you'll notice in these short vids(?):
Without getting into fixing the early extension and over the top tendencies, which I feel going on even in this simple drill, maybe you'll notice an active hand(?) leading the downswing constantly, even as I'm fighting to just let it go and extend the arm or 'punch' into contact and follow-through. And I can tell even from the feeling that this starts at the top of the backswing, where the clubface already "feels" open to me:
Sorry the clubface isn't visible in this pic, but you can check the DTL vids on this point. And I know, I know, "don't go with feel" - but you can't bring a mirror or a vid camera out onto the course. You need to replace it with some kind of 'new' feel don't you? Because right now I think this lingering ghost 'feel' is persistently creeping into my downswing at all times and backswings, from chips to fully loaded turns, bringing an open clubface into ball contact (if not even hosel-first sometimes!), as seen here in 2 more pics from separate swings:
Do you all agree? See other important things to notice? Because I don't know what to work on to get rid of this cleanly. Or even not to worry about it with this drill, work on it in another one. Obviously I don't want to "think"about something like rotating the hand back to square the clubface, etc, that's not the point of S&T as I understand it. Again I apologize for the slightly off camera angles in these vids. As you can see this is a pretty busy driving range, where I have to pick my spots, angles, and brief chances to vid my practice at the right times. But I hope this still gives a useful view to others looking to make suggestions. BTW @Nocona Colt Abernathy I hope you see more 'stack' in the setup here from previous posts, really trying to make that happen better.
By the way, and I'll add @danny , @James Flood , @Gerry_Lager , I'm not just doing this drill, I'm also bringing in the lead arm to try simple chip shots. And these chips are starting to crisp quite consistently and genuinely, feeling *KFC* good at times, going pretty far with some power. Just. Always. Right. So I'll continue...
Crisping up quite consistently? Sounds like you're headed in the right direction, @ericostling.
@Nocona Colt Abernathy is spot on in his comment on your execution of this drill. And also remember that the ball's starting direction is determined by the clubface at impact. Draw a line along the sole of your clubhead in the screen shot below and you'll note that it is very open to your foot line. Those shots will start right every time - it's just a matter of how much.
@ericostling - Yes. I like the setup much better. BUT....you're not using your body in the drill. I would suspect to do somewhat use it on the good strikes and not on the sh***s.
The key to this drill is to have your chest and your hands move at the same speed. In the video, you're just pulling your arm back without turning at all. I would suggest you go back and watch Tom perform the drill and pay attention to how his hands move in relation to his body.
That's where the "punch" comes in. Once the body is in position, you can punch at the ball.