Mike Larson wrote a blog, a pretty good one, making some comments about what it's like to have limited movement. Mike said, “I am 50 years old and years ago when I was in the Air Force I had a jet engine blow up on me and blew me out of the airplane. I ended up having 6 neck bones removed and replaced with metal neck bones. This limits my swing because my neck won't turn that far. So my swing is maybe a 3/4 swing. I am doing great hitting the ball straight but my distance is poor. On average I have to use a 5 iron on a 7 iron shoot. Is there anything i can do to get my normal distance shot back?”
First off Mike, that must have been one heck of a ride when that engine blew up and blew you out of the plane. I guess, maybe in the end, it was a good that it blew you out of the plane.
What is important about your ability now to play golf is that you can play and, as you say, your neck won't turn very far.
Well, making the Peak Performance Golf Swing does two things. As you said, you're three quarters and that's what the Peak Performance Golf Swing is, and we're a limited turn swing. We still believe that from the takeaway to the top of the backswing and into impact, the head should not move. That's why I have this term I call, “nose at the ball.” At address we have the nose looking at the ball and it should remain looking at the ball from takeaway to top to impact.
Today, in the rotational swing, they allow the head to move. It's simple. Because, as long as your head stays attached to your shoulders by your neck, you could not turn your shoulders more than 90 degrees and not have your head move.
So we advocate everything you're presently doing, which is why you're having success hitting it straight. Now the distance issue could be a number of things. For starters, let's look at the equipment. Maybe your shafts are too stiff or too week or they might not be the right length. My suggestion would be, get to a good, certified club fitter and get him to check out your swing speeds, then your clubs, to see that the shafts are the right length and flex and everything else for you.
Once you get that done and your clubs are correct, I think the other issue is because we are a three quarter, limited turn swing, we're using less body to swing the arms faster. The key is you just might not be accelerating your arms fast enough.
Another thing is just maybe, considering as we're all now getting older, your clubs might be too heavy. Have the certified fitter look at graphite shafts if that will help you swing faster.
Last but not lease, again because you have limited movement in your neck — and I guess very likely into your shoulders and upper back, I would also suggest you might want to consider getting some more, higher lofted hybrids. We know that in the LPGA many ladies don't have anything higher than a 7 or 6 iron in their bag — and certainly a 5 iron. I'm hearing that a lot senior golfers on the Champions Tour are dropping down a few. Even on the PGA Tour guys are getting rid of their 3 irons and having a hybrid instead. So maybe a 7 iron will be your highest iron and go to hybrids for your 6 and 5 iron.
Again, hybrids are short in length versus regular woods, they have more loft and they make it easier to get the ball up in the air. When you loft the ball quicker you get better height and distance.
So look at those options. We gave you a few things here, but in the end, keep that three quarter swing with the quiet head so that you're looking at the ball all the time, from takeaway to impact, and I think you'll find your distance with some of the choices I've brought up for you to look into.
The Surge!