New to hitting, any thoughts?
 

Hi all,I am pretty new to hitting and would like any guidance you all could share with me to improve my swing. I love the forum and look forward to your feedback.

Thanks,
Steve


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEOZ-...eature=channel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iY10...eature=channel

Another view

hitting
 

tyfu,my dimes worth,it still looks like your swinging,maybe switting,my limited knowledge tells me that you should be letting the c/face look at the ball more.
takeaway looks wrong also,look up in search toolbar for "hitting stickman" it may clarify re-c/face looking at ball.
Im no teacher,but have used hitters pattern for last 2 yrs,and luv it. good luck man

Thanks Brownman for the insight.

Steve,
Golf's a difficult game to learn - outside of any swing changes - the importance of understanding "essentials" and thinking long term in building and integrating your swing - is key. It's the "web" not so much any particular string that's important. With that said here's a few basic ideas given your request for feedback.

First, you can work on some changes that are common to both hitting and swinging - later as you progress you can choose to swing or hit, etc. While your strength and stature may give you the ability to hit - it seems that you naturally are a swinger - but even that can be mis-leading as you are "throwing the clubhead at the ball" and that makes it look like you are swinging.

I need to eat dinner - I'll be back shortly to provide my feedack.

It would be nice if you could get the ability to shoot some better quality i.e. higher speed shutter speed so that the downswing of the clubshaft, hands, etc. was clearly visible.

Understand that one's intent, first shows up with that part of the body that is moving the implement that one is trying to move - the distal joints of the upper extremities in the case of golf. That is the hands, wrists, forearms motions.

Therefore, that's really the order of approach for changing the movement - 1st) One's intent or procedure, 2nd) The distal joints closest to the implement that one is trying to move and finally addressing the proximal body motion that is created by the first two items. You work on them all at once - as they are tied closely together and completely related - however, understanding their causal relationship is important.

Sorry - need to take another short break - family - I'll be back within the hour.

Intent: If you have constant acceleration from the top past impact - then you have constant lag pressure- in that regard there is no release, no release feel. The clubhead lags behind the hands - doesn't get thrown past the hands during release.

That creates a situation where the right wrist is more bent, which creates a condition where the right arm is more bent at impact, which creates a condition where the clubhshaft can arrive at impact on the proper lie angle that is built into it, creating a right shoulder that is lower at impact, which creates a condition where there is more lateral bend of the trunk at impact, which creates a condition where the hips have slid out of the way, which creates the knee rolling in and the right ankle rolling in.

In contrast, you have the intent or habit of releasing the club, throwing it past the hands in the effort or belief to get power, which flattens out the right wrist, which straightens the right arm, which raises the clubshaft angle through impact, which creates a high right shoulder, creating little lateral bending of the trunk through impact, creating less hip slide movement, creating right knee and ankle movements that move out and up - as opposed to in and around. This results in a finish position of the body with little side bend into the follow-through.

That's definitely a swing.

My novice advice would be to try to make the swing ENTIRELY right arm focused. Literally try to make everything else not exist and/or be simply along for the ride.

For me it is as much of a mental thing as it is a golfing thing. Consider it this way:

Swinging = a factory. There is lots of workers, lots of machines, several stations all working to create one thing.

Hitting = a blacksmith with a hammer. There is one thing, one guy, one station, it is simplicity.

The great thing about less moving parts is you have less things to break down. The bad thing about simplicity is it doesn't take much to wreck the motion.

For the take away, make it completely right fore arm driven. Let the body respond to movement but not create movement. Try to keep the club face from opening in your take away, almost like you wanted to keep the club face pointed at the ball for as long as possible.

For the down stroke, keep your right foot stuck in the ground for as long as you can. Feel like the hips are quiet, the feet are quiet, the knees are quiet, everything is just kinda there.

Then simply use the right arm to power down and out through the ball.


A swinger uses his entire body to create power to transfer to the ball.

A hitter simply positions his body in such a way to provide a stable base to drive the right arm down the plane line.


For me the trick is to feel like the body and pivot is no longer powering everything like a swinger does and truly make EVERYTHING right arm centric.

You'll know when you do it because it is a COMPLETELY different feeling.

Mike you have given me a lot to think about and I will heed your advice.. I've struggled with throwing the club for a while, I will work on maintaining my angles among other things. Thanks for your time.

Steve

Thanks Grant for your feedback, much appreciated.