Paging Lynn/Ted (steering & low point questions)
 

Hey guys,

With my latest lesson with Rob Noel we focused almost entirely on getting rid of my steering problem and really creating a direct drive with a straight line to low point.

I'm struggling mightily with distance control now mainly because I'm smashing the ball like never before.

My swing thought now is simply "let the pivot do what it wants to do going back, pivot load the right arm, draw a straight line with PP #1 down to low point."


This is working fantastically for all clubs including a 3 wood but I simply cannot find the low point with a driver.

For some reason I cannot seem to get any distance or carry without steering.

So I'm wondering can you guys explain to me the low point variations through a set of clubs?

I'm dying to apply my new found epiphany to the driver and stop steering the damn thing but I simply cannot figure out where to drive PP #1 with a driver.


Thanks in advance.:salut:

I was having the same issue as well and Ted and I talked about it stemming from having too fast of a startdown. That would throw everything out of sequence and then the OTT/steer move would come into play. From my experience the driver usually has this problem because as golfers we tend to get impulsive and really wanting to kill that driver...whereas if we would just stop being impulsive and we would slow that startdown we would wind up hitting the ball further with accuracy.

I use the #1 PP as well. What helped me was sensing the pressure in that #1 PP. I found that if that pressure is at its maximum at impact, my speed would be at its maximum at impact as well. When I got too fast with the startdown, my pressure was at its maximum at the startdown. So for me...pressure = speed. And you want the speed at impact, not at the startdown. When I started concentrating on speed, I couldn't get that max speed at impact with any consistency. When I focused on pressure, that's when the consistency came into effect.

Now when I mean 'maximum pressure', I am not talking about gripping the club harder. I'm getting that pressure of the #1 PP up against that left thumb by thrusting the right arm.

Just some thoughts from a fellow hitter.



3JACK

Richie, I struggle from the same issue. I pound my irons, shot a 77 from the tips today at Woodmont, my home course in Canton, GA.

But had 4 drives that got me in trouble.

I think I get quick and just lose my alignments.

A couple of questions, how closed are you setting up the clubface of the driver at setup and how high do you tee the ball?

By the way, since you're a fellow hitter, we need to get out and play sometime since I believe you're in N. Ga as well.

thanks

Well, the biggest issue I had was that instead of simply shoving PP #1 "down to China" I would steer PP #1 towards my target which would lead to club head throw away, loss of distance, etc.

But the only way I know how to "hit" a driver is to steer PP #1 out towards my target.

Any other way seems to have me hitting the ball low, right, or simply straight down into the ground.

I don't try to close my clubface at address. I have my stance a little closed, much like diagram in Hogan's 5 Lessons. I tee the ball somewhat high, at least higher than average. I like to try and hit up slightly on the ball with the driver and I make the adjustments at address to hit up on the ball with the driver instead of thinking about hitting up on the ball with the driver.

I'm a member at the Canongate coures and usually play out of Windermere or Olde Atlanta.




3JACK

Interesting , with a true hitting motion, I have to have the face somewhat closed, or I'll lose the ball a bit right. I have a tendency to want to verticle hinge with the left hand, so I need a strong grip and slightly closed face.

I think the strong grip may cause you to vertical hinge. When I first went to see Ted, that's the problem I had and we immediately changed my grip. Essentially the grip was so strong that I had a very shut face in the backswing and the only way to square it up was to use a hinge action that bordered on vertical hinging.





3JACK

Interesting, I've weakened the grip a bit and added, just a touch of left roll to open the face a bit on the back swing and then turn the right forearm on the downswing and I'm getting a little bit straighter ball flight.

Left is typically my nemisis.