Trying to shorten my iron swing

[Typhoon]

Man that's hard to do....

I overswing with my irons and cross the line at the top.  Last nite I decide to see how shortening it looks.  I'm indoors using video since I live in MA. I set the camera for 'down the line"...

Normal swing.... just as I expected.
Hmmmm lets try a 3/4 swing.... did it capture it or is playing back my previous swing....
Ok, lets just go halfway back and see.... ok, is it still replaying my normal swing??!!! 

It picked up every swing.... made me laugh.   I switched to the face on camera and I really had to focus on pointing the head to the sky and stopping there for it to be at parallel.

Gonna take some work...

[bailey]

I am working on the same thing.  I bought this on ebay and it helps me:  http://www.swingextender.com/app2/

[Desmond]

Try smoothing the tempo, be aware of your hands, and don't rush to the top. Feel as if you're in slow-mo.

[Sillybodkins]

Watch YouTube videos of John Cook, and then imitate.

[bl8d]

Man that's hard to do....

I overswing with my irons and cross the line at the top.  Last nite I decide to see how shortening it looks.  I'm indoors using video since I live in MA. I set the camera for 'down the line"...

Normal swing.... just as I expected.
Hmmmm lets try a 3/4 swing.... did it capture it or is playing back my previous swing....
Ok, lets just go halfway back and see.... ok, is it still replaying my normal swing??!!! 

It picked up every swing.... made me laugh.   I switched to the face on camera and I really had to focus on pointing the head to the sky and stopping there for it to be at parallel.

Gonna take some work...

I'm seriously considering this. Tried it in a dome last night with the irons and it is a solid feeling swing into impact all the way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0iqIoADJCE

[Typhoon]

yeah, I can look at Cook and all the video's I want... its not a flaw I have per se, its just hard to stop where I want.  It takes alot of practice and watching the video after each swing to know where the 'feel" is that's now at parallel.  I'm even practicing without the ball just watching the video.  I think I used to be overswinging and smooth, now I'm looking for shorter but more powerful.

[Desmond]

You might try this - when your turn stops, stop your arms.

Seems simple, but it's difficult for many people -- probably because of tension.

[Sillybodkins]

Well, OK, if you don't want to watch videos of John Cook...

Here's an exercise.  Hit ball with your right foot in front of your left foot.  You are allowed to set forward with your left foot after you hit the ball, so that you don't fall over.  In any event, the right foot in front of the left foot will teach you how far you can swing and still be in balance.  After you get that feel, repeat with normal stance.

[rok78]

Without seeing your swing, here are 2 things that help.

1. If the issue is overrotation that makes the swing long, feel like your sternum stays looking at the ball the whole time in the backswing.

2. If it's arms raising off the body, stick 2 tees in your armpits and keep them there.

[Sillybodkins]

If you can, get someone to watch you and give you instant feedback.

As I am learning, shortening the backswing is very hard work.

It is also one of Butch Harmon's tenets.

[Sillybodkins]

Man that's hard to do....

I overswing with my irons and cross the line at the top.  Last nite I decide to see how shortening it looks.  I'm indoors using video since I live in MA. I set the camera for 'down the line"...

Normal swing.... just as I expected.
Hmmmm lets try a 3/4 swing.... did it capture it or is playing back my previous swing....
Ok, lets just go halfway back and see.... ok, is it still replaying my normal swing??!!! 

It picked up every swing.... made me laugh.   I switched to the face on camera and I really had to focus on pointing the head to the sky and stopping there for it to be at parallel.

Gonna take some work...

How's it coming?

It only took me three rounds in 25 mph winds to shorten mine!   

[Typhoon]

How's it coming?

It only took me three rounds in 25 mph winds to shorten mine!   

well... its all on hold as I broke my middle finger on my right hand . Jammed it playing catch with a football at the gym and after waiting 2 weeks for it to heal, which it wasn't, I went to a hand surgeon.  He xrayed it and told me I broke the tip and pulled some of the tendon away.  He put it in a cast... yes, a solid cast.... for 4 weeks.  I just had a new xray and cast change the other day.  Got a couple weeks left before I'm out of the cast.

Guess I'll just watch John Cook videos!

[Sillybodkins]

well... its all on hold as I broke my middle finger on my right hand . Jammed it playing catch with a football at the gym and after waiting 2 weeks for it to heal, which it wasn't, I went to a hand surgeon.  He xrayed it and told me I broke the tip and pulled some of the tendon away.  He put it in a cast... yes, a solid cast.... for 4 weeks.  I just had a new xray and cast change the other day.  Got a couple weeks left before I'm out of the cast.

Guess I'll just watch John Cook videos!

Awe come on, man up and hit some balls!  You don't need that finger anyway. 

[jape]

I've been working on this also - you're right, this is tough!?

The first problem, I didn't even realize how far I was taking the club back until someone took a picture of me on the tee.  I was shocked at how far past parallel I was & on this tee I was trying hit a 3/4 shot?!

I've worked on this for a couple seasons now & I'm getting better.  My biggest issue is - when I shorten my back swing, for some reason my tempo just goes out the window.

Question to the original poster - have you video'd your swing?

[Sillybodkins]

My swing is getting shorter, and when it is, I am hitting the ball much more solidly.

When my hands get just short of behind my head, I am solid, and longer.  When the hands get behind my head - the ball can go anywhere: straight or very crooked.

Now I know what Hogan's secret was: shorten thy backswing.

[mr_divots]

I actually have people comment that they can't believe how far I hit it with how short my backswing is. 
I just try to stay "wide" and keep my wrist hinge. The body will only let you swing so far naturally if the "width" is maintained.
That's all I know. 

[bl8d]

you guys should really look into Gary Edwin's swing. It appears very abbreviated compared to the regular teachings but the power, and most important the accuracy, of the iron is remarkable.

I apologize for harping on this.

[Cwebb]

Keep your front heel down along with keeping your front knee from 'bowing' back.  In other words, keep your lead leg at least close to the positions that it started in at address.

Don't let your arms/hands go back any further, when your shoulder turn is done.  The vast majority of players do this and are reaching past their shoulder flexibility.

[bogeycentral]

I put on a weight training lead vest that really restricted range of motion when I am trying to work on shortening my swing. Plus it makes you look burly and strong on the range if you toss a vest over it. Tough to distinguish rock hard rippling muscles from lead plates. 

[Sillybodkins]

Take a look at David Blair's video series - it is available on the internet.

David advocates an early release of the club, or at least, trying to release the club early.  Power comes from the hips and the hands.

When you accept that power comes from the hips and the hands, it doesn't make any sense to swing the arms back so far that the hands can't release the club right to the ball.  Practicing what David Blair advocates has actually helped me to get my hands into the right place for me - not too far back - at the end of the backswing.  I know that the hands have a job to do early in the downswing, and because my body knows this, it prohibits me from getting them (my hands) too far behind me in the backswing.

PS - David Blair's method is so straightforward that if you grasp it, and love it, you may never need any other instruction, and you may never overswing again.  Why would you overswing when you know exactly what you want your hands to do to start the forward swing?

[Divot Dan]

I'm seriously considering this. Tried it in a dome last night with the irons and it is a solid feeling swing into impact all the way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0iqIoADJCE

Great video! I wish he had spoken English!

[Divot Dan]

Tie a string from your d*ck to your right elbow. If your swing doesn't get shorter, your johnson will get longer.