Andrew Rice Golf

Posts Tagged ‘Harrington’

Swing Self-Analysis for Golfers

August 14th, 2009 |

Author: Andrew Rice

Face On Camera Angle

There is so much in the form of technology available to golfers today that you would be missing out if you did not take advantage of the benefits that can be gained from its proper use. And I do emphasize proper!

Should you have the desire to record and analyze your own swing here are a few important items you will need:

You do not need an expensive or HD video camera. Anything with a shutterspeed of 1/1000th of a second or higher should work nicely. The camera I use every day runs $200! Flip Video makes a functional and fun camera.
A tripod is a must have! And no, your golf bag is not a tripod! There are several small and lightweight tripods available that fit in a golf bag comfortably. A tripod is important as it presents a steady image – any movement of the camera will render lines or reference points drawn on the screen useless.
A good swing analysis software program is a must and I have found none better than the V1 Home system. It allows you to compare swings side by side, draw lines (with angles!) and just about anything you could hope to do while viewing your swing. Purchase and install this software on your computer and get to work!

v1_LOGO_home

Once you have the above items you are just about ready to begin. When analyzing your swing it is very important that you establish a few rules and guidelines:

Never over use your new technology! Remember you want to shoot lower scores, not make prettier swings. Although the two might work hand in hand to a certain degree, never allow the look of your swing to take precedence over the function of your swing. Only evaluate and analyze once a month.
Make sure that your camera and tripod are placed in the same position every time. Subtle changes here can result in large changes in the appearance of your swing. Make sure that the tripod is positioned in the same fashion as the two photgraphs used in this post.
It is very important for the ‘down the line position’ to be consistent. Try to position the camera between the toes and the ball. A little practice and you’ll have it down!

Down the Line Camera Position is Key

Get the correct equipment, record and analyze on a monthly basis, obey the guidelines you set out for yourself, and don’t try to be perfect – just better!

Things to Ponder:

Is anybody overly excited about golf making it to the Olympics? Ho hum…
I find it interesting that the top three finishers from Firestone, Woods, Harrington and Allenby are the top three players after round one of the PGA. Supports the saying that golfers make 80% of their money in 20% of their events!
When will architects learn that you do not make a course (Hazeltine?) better by making it longer? How about a little creativity? Anyone seen the 16th hole this week?
I am not a fan of the way Tiger is playing his golf at the moment. Greg Norman and Nick Faldo played golf the way it was supposed to be played. Tiger seems to overpower the course and by blasting the ball everywhere, getting it up and down and making putts he continues to win. Almost like a modern Seve Ballesteros! Successful but not proper.
Is John Daly up to his old tricks again? I noted a WD next to his name yesterday. Maybe it was just that recurring rib injury he suffered when someone took a picture of him in his backswing……..?
I look for Tiger to continue to lead after round two (71) and for Phil to close the gap with a 67 of his own in the morning……

Thanks for reading and enjoy the PGA.

Posted in Practice |

Tags: allenby, camera position, flip video, greg norman, Harrington, john daly, nick faldo, olympics, PGA, swing analysis, swing software, tiger, V1 |

3 Comments »

Swing Methods and the Fifteen Second Flameout

July 9th, 2009 |

Author: Andrew Rice

Butch Harmon

Have you ever noticed how various swing fads seem to come and go? It seems like just the other day that Bennett and Plummer’s “Stack and Tilt” swing was the only way to hit a ball properly. How about David Leadbetter? When was the last time you heard from him or one of his players? Do you remember Jimmy Ballard and “connection”? What about Jim Hardy and his “One Plane Swing”? It boggles my mind how these methods pop up, become the hot item and then flare out almost as quickly as they arrived on the scene. They all have one thing in common that led to their ’success’; a tour golfer who wins an event or two with this ‘new and amazing swing’ they just learned. The golfer, feeling indebted to the teacher, proudly proclaims that they could not have achieved their success without this newly discovered way to swing. Please!

Understand that most of these ideas are thought up by very intelligent and well educated golf teachers. The problem I have with these methodologies, however, is that they set their own style of swinging the club. In other words, the club must be swung in a certain fashion for it to work or function correctly. I say an emphatic, “Nonsense!” I do not claim to know everything about the golf swing, but I do know that every great player has a different swing that produces fantastic results – or they would not be great! There cannot possibly be one ‘correct’ way to swing the club!

David Leadbetter

It’s a classic case of putting form before function! “If you swing this new and amazing way you will achieve desired results!” The best players of all time have always had a knack of getting the club on the ball correctly and the game today is no different. A feathery needed to be stuck the same way a ProV1X needs to be hit. Well almost! If every golfer out there could understand impact and physics that make the ball go in the right place AND the wrong place they would be far better off. What difference is perfecting the wrist angle at position seven in the moveaway going to make in your game and ability to compress a golf ball! Form will always follow function. Just ask Lee Trevino, Arnold Palmer, Raymond Floyd, Bobby Jones, Nancy Lopez, Walter Hagen, Bobby Locke…….

Function must be King when you work on your game. Get the ball to sound, feel and fly like you want it to and you are a happy, and very good, golfer!

Things to Ponder:

Watching the AT&T on Sunday looked like the King (Tiger) was taking his young Prince (Kim) out for a little schooling.
Anyone got an over under on the number of days before Carolyn Bivens is out as the LPGA commissioner?
Why when a golfer sets up with their body aiming left it is an ‘open’ stance and when their clubface is aiming right it is an ‘open’ face? Blame the Scots and single malt whiskey for that one.
I have a feeling Paddy Harrington will be back in contention at next weeks ‘Open’ Championship.
A claim could be made that Phil has choked away both majors so far this year!?

Hey, thanks for reading and please tell your friends about this amazing new website that is the latest and greatest golf blog in the whole wide world!!

Posted in Commentary, Swing Philosophy |