| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
dbmeyers
47 Posts |
 Posted - 06/27/2009 : 08:38:56
|
The other day I met with Russ(rustyredcab) to hit a few balls at the range, maybe both Russ and some other golfers can help me with a few things.
Russ found some obvious set-up/swing flaws...I saw his set-up/swing and did noticed how it looked similar to Todd/Moe. So I'm not doubting his suggestions at all. I also have a few questions from the free webinar last week.
1) Russ lowered my hands, straightened my legs and had my forward spine angle lower a bit. After making these changes I did hit some good iron shots but my driver/3-wood was all over. I went back to the range yesterday with similar results but continued to hit very fat iron shots and was still inconsistent with my driver/3wood. I do feel better with my hands lower...but I feel very uncomfortable with straighter legs....it does not seem right to lean over more with straighter legs. My lower back is sore from these changes as well(sciatic pain). I can't afford back pain with my job! I think I'm going to have to bend my knees more like a CG....I also believe I can still lean over with the proper angle, but again my knees will have to be bent more in a athletic position. I know it's been discussed a lot in this forum, but a straighter leg set-up has seemed to cause me some unwanted body pain, and I believe I'm bending my legs more during my swing causing me to hit way behind the ball. I'm beginning to think that trying to copy Moe's swing is just not physically possible for some. I'm built much differently than Moe in both his younger and older years. I'm 6'1 210 but fairly lean. Thoughts/suggestions? Anyone have similar issues with this?
2) During the webinar last week tempo was briefly discussed. I'm a newer golfer but really believe tempo to be very important to any golf swing. My wife has bad mechanics, but when she has good tempo she makes decent contact....as do I! I believe Todd said Moe's swing was a "3 to 1" tempo. I downloaded the tour tempo app for my Iphone(I'm officially a golf geek) and it has 21/7, 24/8, 27/9 tempos. Which one if any would be close to Moe's/Todd's swing? I thought I heard 18/6?
|
Dan M. |
|
|
fcox85
10 Posts |
Posted - 06/27/2009 : 12:43:21
|
I actually have some of the same concerns re: the straightness of the legs at setup. I've noticed increased tightness in my back muscles after trying this, and I've hit it worse as well. Granted, I haven't even received my Total Overview DVD yet, and so I'm only going off what I've gleaned off the website. I'm sure I'm doing many things wrong.
However, I would like to hear these concerns addressed as well.
P.S., sorry to chime in before the GGA guys, I just wanted to "second" the questions here. |
Edited by - fcox85 on 06/27/2009 12:44:04 |
 |
|
|
Jay
14 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2009 : 09:08:11
|
Hi Dan,
Sounds like Russ helped you. I'm also 6'1" so I know what you mean. Standing straight legged does feel uncomfortible and to me not very "athletic". But it's something you have to train your body to do. Hitting ball after ball at the range will tax your back so maybe you need to hit balls as if your playing...i.e. grab a ball, set it up, step back, line it up, take your position and hit...then repeat. That keeps me moving more and more "game" like versus whacking at balls. I also tend to only get the small bucket and take my time with each ball.
As for tempo...I think your tempo is like an inner clock. It's how you move, talk, etc. Think of how slow and syrupy Ernie Els is, his interviews are the same. But Nick Price is a real quick swinger but also seems to talk quicker in interviews. Not sure you can change who your are when the pressure is on.
Jay |
|
|
|
dbmeyers
47 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2009 : 11:01:28
|
Good advice Jay, I do tend to get overzealous at the range.
But I went yesterday...did all the things that Russ told me to do except kept my legs bent a bit. I believe I kept my spine angle in the correct positions...and the results were great. My ball striking was very crisp, and powerful. I was hitting my 7 iron with excellent height and distance...getting between 165-175 yards with a slight draw! This was also with the shorter backswing. I also was making much better contact with 3wood/driver. And all I did was bend my legs a bit..crazy, but that's what worked. And the best thing is I'm pain free today!
So for now, I'm answering my own question...yes it's okay for me to keep my legs in a bent/comfortable position. Down the road I'll tweak this..but I'm new to this swing and have made many swing changes recently. Lowering my hands, bending more forward and shortening my backswing have helped....I did watch some videos of Todd (Total game overview DVD) and noticed his legs looked bent when he had shorts on. |
Dan M. |
|
|
|
niceshot
30 Posts |
Posted - 06/28/2009 : 21:06:16
|
guys,
I know it is a breach of protocol to answer before a GGA staff member, but there are other posts on this issue on another thread. You can't hit a golf ball or perform any athletic movement with straight legs. Moe started this way at address but "sat down" to a more athletic position through his swing. When you "unlock" the knees it bends the legs slightly (somebody said like a linebacker in a ready position). I think the site is argueing over semantics. If you unlock the kness the legs have an angle thigh to knee then knee to foot.
You can see this clearly on www.swinglikemoe.com; click on "on-line instruction" and scroll to "posture & stability: ideal set-up". Click #6 for face on view; # 2 for down the line; call this straight if you want to but the knees are "unlocked" and so the legs are slightly bent in an athletic position. Scroll also to "Key positions of Moe Norman's swing"; #6 & 12 for down the line and # 7, 10, 11 for face on. Legs again forming an angle from thigh to knee and knee to foot. A good rule of thumb is place a club-shaft vertically from the arch of your foot with a straight leg and then unlock your knee till it touches the shaft line; about a two inch break which is what you see modeled in the online instruction. The only way to have a straight leg is lock the knee; surely no-one means for this to be a proper address. Unlock the knee and you will have the proper flex as illustrated in the above referenced on-line instruction. I think we are caught up in seeing the same thing and giving it a different name: one person sees straight but unlocked and another sees bent.
I couldn't help myself; I had to post, Rod |
|
|
|
Toddg
Administrator
USA
2425 Posts |
Posted - 06/29/2009 : 21:48:29
|
PLEASE NOTE, The legs are straight at address to ensure spine tilt. They bend immediately in the backswing. A slight bend at address is fine but Do not over FLEX the KNEES at address. Like many things that we teach, make sure you read and investigate the entire teaching, Do not take one bit of the puzzle and try to solve the entire equation. We (GGA) have never said hit a golf ball with straight legs!!
We have said address with legs straight so you bend from the waist - then when you swing, flex the knees!!!!
Just my input.
Todd |
|
|
|
rustyredcab
USA
640 Posts |
Posted - 06/30/2009 : 14:19:23
|
I'm so happy that someone thinks my swing is similar to Todd/Moe.
Russ |
Build Your Game Camp 2005
2-Day Alumni school 2006 & 2007
5-day Alumni Camp 2008 (The MOEniacs) |
|
|
|
dbmeyers
47 Posts |
Posted - 06/30/2009 : 16:14:11
|
I'm working on the posture....sorry for all the confusion!
I finally got my video camera back and video taped myself hitting at the range....I'm no expert but can tell that I'm a bit steep with my swing, I believe my hips rotate too much(because my front knee bend in, Russ pointed this out also).
On another note, I changed my thought process on my woods/driver...instead of aiming at the inside/back of the ball and thinking of coming inside I thought of having a wide takeaway and hitting the ball directly from behind. I pictured a nail sticking out the back of the ball. I used to think of the inside path more with CG, and I think carrying this over has screwed me up. The results were much improved with my driver/3wood. I think I was getting my hands tied up coming from the inside causing the ball to fly way right...since my path was a little steep to begin with this made it worse. Thanks for all the feedback.
|
Dan M. |
|
|
|
Toddg
Administrator
USA
2425 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2009 : 04:04:22
|
No, You probably do not rotate your hips too much unless you straighten your trail knee. Your lead knee should come in in the backswing. Remember, rotate the hips with a flexed trail knee in the backswing.
Todd |
|
|
|
rustyredcab
USA
640 Posts |
Posted - 07/02/2009 : 09:12:51
|
If you have access to the knowmoe site, watch Todd on the video about the lead knee. It is great and shows the leg action.
http://www.knowmoe.com/slm/videos
Russ |
Edited by - rustyredcab on 07/02/2009 11:17:02 |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
some questions/concerns from a newer SA golfer
