Impact Position

[Big Sheesh]

Greg, here's a segment from your site that I'd like you to explain:

Turning your hips prior to impact is the next most important thing you should practice. This is what they call "clearing" the hips. This is where most of our power will come from. When we turn back to the top of our swing, it is very easy to just return our hips where they started - square to the ball (or our left and right hip are in a line pointing at the target - the way we set up). This is not enough. Our right hand at impact will be pointing the club face right.

Does that mean if we simply square are hips to target line on impact, the right hand would not be square to target and thus the clubface will be left open? That's the interpretation I received from reading the above. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[GregJWillis]

Re: Impact Position

You have it correct.

This discussion is to isolate the issue of the relationship of the hands and hips at impact. Simply rotating our hips back to square causes our hands to have to time the early release across the impact zone that squares the face...and it can be squared, yes. But it has to be timmed perfectly.

If the hands actually did what they should be doing and your hips did not (only rotating back to square) then the hands will be leaving the face open. So to get the face square with proper use of the hands AND hips, the hips have to be past their origional setup's position. The more your hips can rotate past their setup position before impact (max is probably 90 degrees - normal is 45 degrees) then your hands have the ability to hang back and release as the last action that is done.

This way you are incorporating
Full body rotation + Full shoulder rotation + Arms + Hands.

Otherwise the reduced hip turn causes:
1/2 body + 1/2 shoulder + Arms + Hands

[Big Sheesh]

Re: Impact Position

Greg, thanks for the explanation. It will help me A LOT.

[Big Sheesh]

Re: Impact Position

Greg,

Tonight I tried the clearing of the hips method. It worked extremely well with the wedges and short irons. I was able to hit them with a very slight draw and land 3-4 years off to the left.

However, I'm still struggling a bit with the mid to longer irons. I'm curving to the right. What could I be doing wrong?

[Big Sheesh]

Re: Impact Position

Greg, are you there? Anyone?

[shooter]

Re: Impact Position

Greg,

Thanks for all your help. Good stuff. Keep it up. O.K., if my hands are doing what they should, but the hips return to setup position at impact, would this cause a straight slice where the divot is straight but the ball slices hard? I've seen this pattern develop and through video notice the hips not open.

I have found it challenging to feel the hips open prior to impact. I have seen the door drill and am working on it. My goal is to hit the 603 yard green in two (????...inhuman).

Thanks again.

[GregJWillis]

Re: Impact Position

... I'm still struggling a bit with the mid to longer irons. I'm curving to the right. What could I be doing wrong?

Check the ball position. Longer irons should be more forward - the longest and 3w just inside the left heal.