6 iron and driver

Hi Joe,

Thanks for checking out the program. You have a pretty solid move and I think you have a pretty good assessment of your swing, but I can see why you might get caught with some early extension and release concerns. I wouldn't say that your release is a flip, but there's a pretty strong stall and arm roll through the ball. Usually a flip struggles to get shaft lean. It looks to me like your early extension is more late downswing and lines up with timing your release. It looks like in transition you get your hands a little too much out to the target line and retain the wrist hinge late into the downswing. I think the early extension is probably a mechanism for adding extra shallowness to the two steeper components.

To solve this, I think there are two logical spots to address. The transition, and the release. For the release, I'd look at what happens if you don't early extend. If you don't early extend, how do you control low point? Right now, the late early extension and tilt back halfway down is a big contributor to the low point issue.

For transition, we'd want to try and get your upper body more forward and your arms deeper and wider. The challenge is that moving your upper body forward can cause some heel contact, which you already seem predisposed to. I'm guessing in a lesson, I would start with the release puzzle first. What does your 9 to 3 look like?

For your posture question, noI don't think you're too slouched at set up.

Happy Golfing,
Tyler

Tyler,

Thanks for your thoughtful analysis. It has given me a lot to think about over the past week, and I’ve hit 500+ balls since your post. I’m hitting a ton of 9 to 3s and 10 to 4s. I’m trying to: (1) keep hands deep in transition, dropping them down not out to target line; (2) shallowing club with arms only; (3) release/ulnar deviation starting at P6; and (4) covering irons – lining up left shoulder with hip/left foot at impact line with irons only. My hope is to buy enough shallow with the first 3 to also be able to add a steepening crunch in transition and stop the early extending.

Sadly, that’s not working. To answer your insightful questions: When I force myself not to early extend, I hit it fat, sometimes very fat, sometimes painfully – even when my left shoulder is stacked over left ankle at impact. But before concluding I’m EE’ing to avoid that pain, consider that I have no fear (I don’t think) of hitting it fat with the driver, where my EE is the worst. Your other question: how do I control low point? Great question; I haven’t thought about it consciously in the past. Now, in addition to removing backward axis tilt with irons, I have tried moving low point forward with arms, turning right shoulder underneath into impact. That sometimes allows me to hit it clean, brush grass in front of the ball, but I still early extend when I know I’m doing that properly.

Attached is a 9:3 DTL and FO. Release doesn't look terrible, but, I’m still early extending on these slow controlled swings. And, that’s even though the club is below plane at delivery and wrists are releasing, so there shouldn’t be a need to add more shallow with the EE.

Your perspective and expertise are very much appreciated. What you saw on the low point issue I’ve never even thought of.

Thank you,
Joe

Hi Joe,

Thanks for the description of what you experience with EE. And yes, if it's totally low point drive, it usually doesn't show up as much with the driver.

Looking at these short and slow-motion swings, I can see what you're noticing with your early extension. Take a look at the quick video.

Turtle shell stab video. https://www.golfsmartacademy.com/golf-instruction/turtle-shell-stab/

Happy golfing,
Tyler