Swing is feeling good! Wish I could shorten my swing, I get to parallel with the club on the backswing and that “feels” like half a swing to me. I’ve always fought over swinging but never have had trouble finding the middle of the face. If I could shorten my swing I think a lot of things would fall into place and be more consistent. I would hold shaft flex better, be on the 4:30 line, and rotation would be used closer to impact. It’s getting there and I’m definitely hitting the ball the best I ever have.
3 Likes
A full turn with a shorter arm swing on the backswing is the goal. Looks good though, and will only get better the more you drill.
2 Likes
Good work, everybody. You may not know it, but sharing your swings inspires the rest of us.
I am very thankful for ABS. I picked off this screen grab from a Mike Malaska YouTube. There are so many well-intentioned, very smart golf people talking “all around the edges” of what makes the golf swing work… but IMHO, ABS and Lagpressure has given us the core of the golf swing. With ABS, we know what is being referred to in this graphic:
Screenshot came from this URL YouTube Malaska Golf - “Swing is invisible quote” is at 10min-41second mark
This is not a plug for Mike Malasaka. He’s very good, as many are… but IMHO, if you are not able to do the internal body pressures and feelings that ABS teaches us and gives us a rigorous proven method that we can follow… if not for the ABS drills, we “everyday golfers” will probably never be able to “piece together” on our own nor ever get in the required repetitions, to achieve the physical ability and requirements to execute, what teachers like Malaska and many others are talking about… let alone add the required ‘hold shaft flex’ and ‘post-impact pivot thrust’ that is at the core of ABS - ABS gives us the path to the promised land.
Let’s keep drilling! ABS will work for each of us in our own way, given enough proper reps and time.
2 Likes
Great swings above. Wish I could swing that well.
Here’s a progress report for me, from November 2024:
Since my previous July 1, 2024 videos posted above, another 5 months of ABS drilling is yielding further incremental (albeit slow) progress. There’s no magic bullet; the ABS drilling is clearly improving my motion, my post-impact pivot thrust is better and faster for sure; but that said, there’s still so much that needs to be improved that I can see.
I have been diligently drilling all the Modules: Modules 3 and 4 to improve my post impact pivot thrust thru the ball, to “hold the X”, “exit low left and around”; Module 1 to improve my forearm strength and rotation into the ball; Module 2 cohesive body tension to firmly ground my body for the Module 3/4 “orbit pull”; Module 5 to transition; Module 6 to slot the club.
It’s worth noting that while my swing videos show my motion is nowhere near what it ideally could/should be; for example, I’m clearly not holding the right elbow bent enough and exiting low, left, and around the way I’d like; I’m raising up thru impact as my old 40 years of early extension pattern exists and I still has a long way to go to learn to truly rotate fully level thru the ball.
But what’s important is the above key foundational ABS fundamentals are incrementally improving slowly. The golf swing is truly invisible; my external positions above do not and cannot truly portray the internal improvements in my body from now almost 2 years of ABS drilling. It’s getting to the point where I can feel much different and deeper body sensations, and as a result, while it’s not visible, I feel myself really learning and re-learning a new, different way to strike the ball. I trust that I simply need to keep ABS drilling (there’s no time to waste, as I’ll be 66 in Jan 2025!). It’s hard work. It’s difficult (Module 3 is such a workout!) It’s not a magic bullet. But it IS making a positive difference.
6 iron face on - Nov 2024:
6 iron down the line - Nov 2024:
Driver face on - Nov 2024:
Driver down the line - Nov 2024:
My YouTube playlist of all previous swing videos:
4 Likes
Hi, all,
Sharing for everyone’s benefit, the suggestions about my swings above, from Neil Gascoigne, one of our ABS instructors on the forum, who reviews our swing videos.
From Neil Gascoigne:
Your swing looks good. My thoughts on this are:
- Do lots of (ABS) drilling
- More module 4 and (Module 4) “Magic Trick” pitch shots, focusing on getting the club more in the left hip pocket post impact, (JSing: i.e. low - left - around, “holding the X”)
- Then hit lots of half swing (Module 4) “Magic Trick” shots (i.e. pitch shots)
- Then hit 3/4 swing with PV5 finish
- Then full wedge swings
- Then finally on up through the bag.
If you can’t do (the ABS principles) with a half swing, then you’ve no chance swinging at 100 mph.
Neil
This really makes a lot of sense and super suggestions. Mirrors my experience with Lynn Blake and The Golfing Machine instruction which states the same thing, that being (my paraphrase) “learn to do the movements first with 12-5-1 Basic Motion two-feet-back-two-feet-thru chip shots. Then proceed to 12-5-2 Acquired Motion pitch shots. Only after that can you effectively proceed to 12-5-3 Total Motion. You must learn proper movements at slow enough speeds that you can monitor and execute correctly, before ramping up. No one can learn proper movements at full speed 100 mph, you have to build up step by step”.
I think Neil’s suggestions above are masterful. Thus worth sharing.
2 Likes
Clubface skyward at P3. Excellent…
3 Likes
Working with John and Neil on address and setting up on the 430 line. I thought i was setting up my shoulders on the 430 but realized through video that when I turned my head to look back and the ball, i wouldn’t disconnect my head from shoulders and the shoulders would line back up parallel with target line. Crazy the difference between feel and real!
Once i got the above worked out, John had me practicing taking the club back straight on target line and looping it back onto 430 line…I was surprised to see what happen in the pictures. Can’t wait to go out and play!
2 Likes
As far as playing… the key is always to go out with some kind of repeating shot pattern… regardless of what that is… a repeating pattern can be managed. So just keep that in mind.
Then when practicing… be vigilant about your Module work.
1 Like
Been working on this for 13 seasons now.These last 2 years has been my best.The slotting Hughes/ABS style swing really travels well.Merry Christmas and hit em straight
This par 3 looks amazing! Hope the shot was just as pretty!