Hitting ground before Ball

[BigdazUK]

Hi

After months of hard work i've got my swing to a point now where I'm getting pretty consistant and i'm hitting the ball well 9 times out of 10. My problem shot is hitting the ground and inch or 2 before the ball and duffing the ball about 30 yards up the fairway. I think it is because i'm releasing the club too early. Is this probably the reason and if so does anybody know any good drills. There is nothing worse in Golf than splitting the fairway with a long drive leaving yourself with and easy 8 iron and and then hitting the ball 30 yards.

Darren

[LowPost42]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

Hi Darren,

Releasing or not releasing doesn't affect your chunking the ball.

Now, a hip slide certainly would. If you slide back and don't slide forward, you'll chunk it.

If you drop your spine angle, you'll chunk it.

If you tilt your shoulders (tantamount to dropping your spine angle), you'll chunk it.

If you're thinking "don't chunk it!", you'll chunk it.

[BigdazUK]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

Blimy, now you've said that i'm always gonna be thinking don't chunk it!
I definitely don't slide my hips. Maybe i should but i don't. I'm sure I keep my spine angle. Not sure about Shoulder turn so it could be that.

I'm trying to upload a .avi video file for people to see and give me comments on but it doesn't seem to be working. When i click upload it says file contains no data. It would be handy so i'd know for sure. any ideas?

I've posted them on my website for now.
Here are 2 links:

http://www.robertsuk.com/roberts/DazSwingBehind.avi
http://www.robertsuk.com/roberts/DazSwingside.avi

[Brian 39]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

I'm curious to see what the experts have to say as i have the same problem and am playing off a similar handicap.

Even when I'm hitting good shots, I know there's a chunk coming soon!

Watching your video (the side one) in slow motion, I would guess your moving your hips past the ball slightly too early but I'm no expert.

It's something that I've been told in my last couple of lessons.

I don't have any drill. I am able to correct it while on the range but still slip up on the course.

[Brian 39]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

Mind you, it would be more helpful if you had a video of you duffing one 30 yards!

[LowPost42]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

Down the line, it looks like you raise up a bit on your backswing (needing you to drop back down on your downswing). If this is true, then that's a good reason to chunk - you're now closer to the ground. Granted, it could be the cameraman, too.

Face on, it looks like you've got a slight slide right, but for your swing, it's fine, as your slide forward is OK. (Thus, if anything, you should be topping/sculling balls).

[BigdazUK]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

Thanks for the replies guys.

My raising up on the back swing is only very slight. It that amount of movement enough to cause a problem??

Obviously it would be great if i could get a video of a duff. I'll take the camera to the range next time i go and hope I duff one. I probably wont when i want too .

Has anyone else had similar problems and cured them? It would be lovely to get to the bottom of this as it's the main area that is costing me shots. I'd say it cost me 4 or 5 shots a round.

Cheers

[Ryan_s3]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

Swinging way too far inside on the backswing and your shaft points way left to the target line,also as slicershell has pointed out you have a sway too the left in the backswing ,look how your foot comes off the ground just after hip height.The combination of these two means that your shoulders are getting back too impact before your hands ,hence the chunk.

[BigdazUK]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

Never noticed my foot come off the ground that early before.
What do i need to work on and is it a big problem??
Should i try to stop my hips sliding left on the downswing??
You've got me all worried now.
Anyway I'm going for a 9 holes now and i'm gonna try not to think about chunking it!

[gord962]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

To keep your hips from sliding on the backswing, start with your weight 20/80 on your left/right foot, respectively. With your weight almost completely on your right leg, you will not be able to slide away from the target.

[SlicersHell]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

I'm not sure how you ever hit a fat shot with your ball played back that far...I'm guessing you lose focus once in a while, and your ball creeps up in your stance a bit more than what we see here.

[BigdazUK]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

I went through a phase of playing the ball back in my stance to stop the fat shot. I usually play the ball in the middle though. I managed to only chunk the ball once last night in my 9 holes. It was really annoying as I'd hit the middle of the fairway with a lovely drive and I only had a lob wedge of about 60 yard to go.

Is a hip slide a complete no no in golf or is it ok to have a slight slide in the swing?

[LowPost42]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

Generally speaking, a slide on the backswing is a big no-no.

But virtually all two plane swingers slide forward to get over their lead leg in the downswing - nobody talks about this as a slide, but that's what it is (not a huge one, mind you).

[BigdazUK]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

What do you mean by 2 plane swingers and is it bad? Is that like back swing on the inside and down swing from the outside?

Just looking at these pictures of Ernie, he doesn't move a millimeter and I agree after viewing my video again there is definitly some movement.
http://redgoat.smugmug.com/gallery/79626/1/2770247


If this is what is causing my problem how do i combat it?
Also are there any other major faults in my swing? I really want to get more consistant. I'm actually becoming obsessed. Is it bad to be obsessed with golf??

[gord962]

Re: Hitting ground before Ball

It is okay to have a 'bump' towards the target to trigger the weight transfer, but you do NOT want to have any movement away from the target on the backswing. See my earlier post to keep from sliding back on the backswing....