I think I'm afraid to hit the ground

[klaymon]

I've been video taping my swing and trying to figure out why I'm topping/blading everything lately. I've found I'm folding my left arm up at impact (chicken wing, I guess). I have the concept in my head that I cannot help the ball up, but I think I'm afraid to hit the ground with my club even though I know I have to. My right arm is straight as a ruler, but I pull my left arm up and that makes the club pull up.

Are there any drills for helping get this thought out of my head other than "Just hit the ground"?

[LowPost42]

Re: I think I'm afraid to hit the ground

Your best bet, IMO, is to take a few shag balls with you next time out, drop them in the rough, and just focus on mashing them into the ground as you swing.

[bill reed]

Re: I think I'm afraid to hit the ground

hi
have a look for a big pile of sand that they use to fill the bunkers and stand and hit into that. its also great for cleaning the face of the club.
cheers
bill

[klaymon]

Re: I think I'm afraid to hit the ground

But as far as your right arm being strait at impact, that might be your problem as well. your right arm should be bent at impact and straiten about shin height in the through swing.

Good point. I just watched some slow motion swings (Tiger and KJ Choi) and it is definitely not straight until after impact. I know mine is straight before impact from the video I've done of myself. Thanks for that tip.

[BrianW]

Re: I think I'm afraid to hit the ground

Good point. I just watched some slow motion swings (Tiger and KJ Choi) and it is definitely not straight until after impact. I know mine is straight before impact from the video I've done of myself. Thanks for that tip.

If you are right handed the your left arm and wrist should be straight and in line with the shaft at impact, your right arm and wrist should be slightly bent, opposite for left handers. Try focusing on driving the ball downwards and forget about hitting the ground, that will happen on it's own if you catch the ball on the clubs sweet spot.

[jambalaya]

Re: I think I'm afraid to hit the ground

Do you play on a course with lousy fairways? Maybe you get lots of thin lies, you know, little grass. That can turn one off to hitting down on the ball.

[klaymon]

Re: I think I'm afraid to hit the ground

Well, I think I figured out what I was doing. I was keeping my right arm straight at impact. It was causing me to chicken wing my left arm and physically not be able to get down to the ball. Thanks for all the help guys.

[pnearn]

Re: I think I'm afraid to hit the ground

One thing you might want to check is that you arent setting up with your weight on your heels and coming out of your spine angle in the backswing (lifting up). I started doing this yesterday and started thinning everything. Worked out (eventually) that I had to set up witj more hop bend and the weight more out over the balls of my feet which helped me stay in posture going back