Ray Ray's Swing Thread

[RayPlan]

Here's my swing now.

 

Hoping to play my inaugural round sometime in the next few weeks.

 

Ok, see ya later 

 

 

Edited April 12 by RayPlan

[KD1]

Right in the bullseye!

[TheDeanAbides]

Huge improvements there, man.

[Hawkeye77]

That actually looks different!  All I'm capable of noticing, but most think they are different and aren't so something positive may be happening.

[TheDeanAbides]

The grovellers power is strong in this one.

[GoGoErky]

some improvements in the backswing. Still too much pressure on the back leg for too long due to lack of pressure shifting to the lead side. We see this with all the pressure going into the toes on the right foot, the heel coming way off the ground and the right hip moving forward.

 

 

[RayPlan]

Here's a face on view, for good measure. 

 

[TheDeanAbides]

5 hours ago, RayPlan said:

Here's a face on view, for good measure. 

 

 

You're over rotating, buddy. You need to create a little bit more of the no turn feel.

[GoGoErky]

Moving way off the ball in the backswing too, along with driving the the leads side and hands way down

 

what is the reasoning for kicking the right knee in?

[TheDeanAbides]

1 hour ago, GoGoErky said:

Moving way off the ball in the backswing too, along with driving the the leads side and hands way down

 

what is the reasoning for kicking the right knee in?

Not only that but losing and then trying to regain his height. I can see the things he's trying to put in place, but they're all exaggerated too much. What I would say overall is that Ray needs to bring some 'quiet' and stability into his swing. It's all in danger of collapsing from overegging. 

[GoGoErky]

6 minutes ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Not only that but losing and then trying to regain his height. I can see the things he's trying to put in place, but they're all exaggerated too much. What I would say overall is that Ray needs to bring some 'quiet' and stability into his swing. It's all in danger of collapsing from overegging. 

Agree. 

[RayPlan]

12 hours ago, GoGoErky said:

what is the reasoning for kicking the right knee in?

It's a right shift element, to address my way overactive pelvis shift right, but I misunderstood what actually causes it, so it didn't work properly.

 

 

Edited April 14 by RayPlan

[Valtiel]

Yeah that's way too much lateral movement, and not well timed either (late). It's getting you out of position here:

[RayPlan]

6 hours ago, Valtiel said:

Yeah that's way too much lateral movement, and not well timed either (late). It's getting you out of position here:

I'm told I'm missing a crucial pelvis movement in transition. I understand it in principle and I have good, focused reference material, but I need to work on the practical application and get the reps in. I may report back here after I've got it, however long that takes.

[MK7Golf21]

You’ve got a lateral head movement on steroids off the ball. What have you been trying to do that caused it? Probably one of the most drastic ones I’ve seen posted on the forum. 

[RayPlan]

11 minutes ago, MK7Golf21 said:

You’ve got a lateral head movement on steroids off the ball. What have you been trying to do that caused it? Probably one of the most drastic ones I’ve seen posted on the forum. 

Honestly, that particular swing was an outlier, and it's not really representative. I'm not really sure that was the one I intended to post, but it's there now, so it is what it is. I take a lot of videos.

 

If you look at the DTL above it, you can see that my head doesn't move down that much, or off the ball that much. 

 

Here's one that's not insane, but still sucks:

 

Edited April 15 by RayPlan

[TheDeanAbides]

3 hours ago, RayPlan said:

Honestly, that particular swing was an outlier, and it's not really representative. I'm not really sure that was the one I intended to post, but it's there now, so it is what it is. I take a lot of videos.

 

If you look at the DTL above it, you can see that my head doesn't move down that much, or off the ball that much. 

 

Here's one that's not insane, but still sucks:

 

 

Better head movement, but in the interest of improving your understanding (as I know you want), what do you see at the top here?

 

 

Compared to Justin Rose? 

 

[RayPlan]

4 hours ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Better head movement, but in the interest of improving your understanding (as I know you want), what do you see at the top here?

 

 

Compared to Justin Rose? 

 

Thanks Deano, a few things:

 

1. I'm completely planted on my right leg, where Justin Rose has already shifted to the left.

2. Related to #1, I've stood up out of posture. This would be much harder to do if I had started my shift left before reaching the top.

3. My left shoulder may be shrugged, left elbow hyper-extended*, left forearm and wrist are oriented in a manner that's difficult to comprehend (due to weird elbow).

 

The arm problems start with the takeaway, which would likely benefit from some reinforcement on the NTC wrist set. Fortunately, that simplifies things a lot, I just need to pay a little more attention to that aspect, possibly as part of a pre-shot routine.

 

The weight/pressure shift issues are inconsistent, as I sometimes start to get left early enough, but I've tended to have my pelvis slide out from under me when I do that, leaving my torso way behind the ball. As we know, the torso has to move left with the pelvis before getting into right side bend and rotation. My problem is that I haven't been "landing the pelvis" at all, so my pivot sequence skips a step, in addition to often being late. 

 

On the practice session with this swing, I actually misapplied some video coaching (not from this thread) because I got hip abduction and adduction mixed up, so that didn't help, but still resulted in a swing more typical than the one where I swung my head away from the ball like a giraffe. 

 

 

* This is the position my elbow goes to when I feel like my arm is completely straight, due to my joint hypermobility condition. To get it straight like a normal person, I have to consciously feel like it's bent.

[TheDeanAbides]

19 minutes ago, RayPlan said:

Thanks Deano, a few things:

 

1. I'm completely planted on my right leg, where Justin Rose has already shifted to the left.

2. Related to #1, I've stood up out of posture. This would be much harder to do if I had started my shift left before reaching the top.

3. My left shoulder may be shrugged, left elbow hyper-extended*, left forearm and wrist are oriented in a manner that's difficult to comprehend (due to weird elbow).

 

The arm problems start with the takeaway, which would likely benefit from some reinforcement on the NTC wrist set. Fortunately, that simplifies things a lot, I just need to pay a little more attention to that aspect, possibly as part of a pre-shot routine.

 

The weight/pressure shift issues are inconsistent, as I sometimes start to get left early enough, but I've tended to have my pelvis slide out from under me when I do that, leaving my torso way behind the ball. As we know, the torso has to move left with the pelvis before getting into right side bend and rotation. My problem is that I haven't been "landing the pelvis" at all, so my pivot sequence skips a step, in addition to often being late. 

 

On the practice session with this swing, I actually misapplied some video coaching (not from this thread) because I got hip abduction and adduction mixed up, so that didn't help, but still resulted in a swing more typical than the one where I swung my head away from the ball like a giraffe. 

 

 

* This is the position my elbow goes to when I feel like my arm is completely straight, due to my joint hypermobility condition. To get it straight like a normal person, I have to consciously feel like it's bent.

Good observations. What about the amount of rotation and spine angle?

[RayPlan]

23 minutes ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Good observations. What about the amount of rotation and spine angle?

Too much rotation, spine angled toward the target because of excessive back extension.

[TheDeanAbides]

Just now, RayPlan said:

Too much rotation, spine angled toward the target because of excessive back extension.

I feel like it would really benefit you to focus on P3 swings to tighten things up some. I say it so often it's almost a meme, but this really is where all the good stuff happens. Once you can get into a good place with the proper amount of rotation and resistance the backswing to P4 is only a shoulder turn of a couple of inches and a tiny hint of further hip depth. You can work on all the elements you're struggling with with these more contained swings. 

[GoGoErky]

15 minutes ago, TheDeanAbides said:

I feel like it would really benefit you to focus on P3 swings to tighten things up some. I say it so often it's almost a meme, but this really is where all the good stuff happens. Once you can get into a good place with the proper amount of rotation and resistance the backswing to P4 is only a shoulder turn of a couple of inches and a tiny hint of further hip depth. You can work on all the elements you're struggling with with these more contained swings. 

Agree. If you can’t do it from p3 you won’t be able to do it from p4.

 

 

[PedronNiall]

You may simply have to make adjustments in your setup or swing due to the excess flexibility you have. It's possible that alone is giving you a tendency to for excess elsewhere, and it's definitely leading you to that hyperextension of your lead arm. The arm you could lessen by not letting that lead elbow start in hyperextension when you're over the ball or by not starting with the elbow rotated underneath as much as you do. The elbow position/extension on top of such a strong lead hand grip are working together to create at least some of what you have going on up top. Changing that might be enough on its own to stop some of the overrun in tilt and turn in your backswing. 

 

Your body is just enough different that you're going to have to sort some things for yourself to understand what will help you stay within good movement windows. Could always see if you can find any discussion from other players who have the same issue or instructors who've worked with them, but if I'm in your shoes I'm trying to address what I can at setup before doing tons of reps to try and fix it in the actual swing. 

[RayPlan]

Work continues. Was starting to turn my hips without shifting left far enough, which I've been working to correct.

 

 

Hoping to hit more real balls and actually play, likely no earlier than mid-May, due to work and family obligations.

[getitdaily]

23 minutes ago, RayPlan said:

Work continues. Was starting to turn my hips without shifting left far enough, which I've been working to correct.

 

 

Hoping to hit more real balls and actually play, likely no earlier than mid-May, due to work and family obligations.

Keeps.getting better. Keep it going.

 

That hypermobility syndrome you've got going in that left elbow just looks so odd. Are you able to control how much that elbow collapses inward? 

[TheDeanAbides]

Looks a lot tighter, Ray, well done. You're still over rotating though. This is a full turn at P3. 

 

Also, man, you're really hypermobile in your elbows, aren't you?

 

 

[GoGoErky]

2 hours ago, RayPlan said:

Work continues. Was starting to turn my hips without shifting left far enough, which I've been working to correct.

 

 

Hoping to hit more real balls and actually play, likely no earlier than mid-May, due to work and family obligations.

That’s a pretty wide stance for what an iron especially what’s a 6 or 7 iron.

the ball is pretty far back for that iron too

Edited April 23 by GoGoErky

[getitdaily]

Love the stance width. Looks perfect. Helps provide stability.

[MK7Golf21]

2 hours ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Looks a lot tighter, Ray, well done. You're still over rotating though. This is a full turn at P3. 

 

Also, man, you're really hypermobile in your elbows, aren't you?

 

 

I think someone will have to look at the bigger picture of his swing and ball flight before telling him he is over rotating in that video. Most can’t rotate like Rory or DJ for example but it can be a strength. 

[RayPlan]

2 hours ago, getitdaily said:

Keeps.getting better. Keep it going.

 

That hypermobility syndrome you've got going in that left elbow just looks so odd. Are you able to control how much that elbow collapses inward? 

Thanks! I can control the elbow, but it takes active concentration to keep it from doing that. It's kind of a perception problem, because my arm just feels straight. I'd really like to stop doing that, but it will require feeling like my arm stays bent. It's hard to juggle with all the other things I've been working on.

 

2 hours ago, GoGoErky said:

That’s a pretty wide stance for what an iron especially what’s a 6 or 7 iron.

the ball is pretty far back for that iron too

For whatever reason, that's the width that I automatically settle into with a 7 iron. I'll try tightening that up. Easy adjustment to make.

 

Will also pay closer attention to ball position, use some sticks to get a better sense of relative position in my stance.

 

2 hours ago, TheDeanAbides said:

Looks a lot tighter, Ray, well done. You're still over rotating though. This is a full turn at P3. 

 

Also, man, you're really hypermobile in your elbows, aren't you?

 

 

Yeah, it's weird. I hit left arm parallel twice in the backswing, depending on which part of the arm you're looking at.😬

Edited April 23 by RayPlan