More Powerful "Hit"

[tomallinder]

A couple of years ago I started working on taking my hands out of the swing. I had never had a lesson until just a few years ago and none of my teachers ever really covered this. I discovered quite by accident that if I swung my arms through and relaxed the wrists through impact, It would be an impact that really compressed the ball. I had the feeling that my hands were getting to the impact well ahead of the clubhead. I am also much more accurate with this type of impact...

This has worked great with wedges, short and middle irons, but long irons and woods, it seems- that the swing is much too fast to be able to get exactly the same feeling. I am still working on it by doing it at 50% power.

I know that this is the way good players hit the ball. Has anyone else been working on this? - it certainly does not seem to come naturally to me because when I was young, the way for me to generate clubhead speed was with arms and hands. It generates speed but lacks in accuracy and depends much on my timing.

The new Golf Magazine "reveals" the new X Factor- basically whipping the hips around to start the downswing- certainly builds torque. But again I have to think that this is also making the swing more dependent on timing.

I know how to do this and it certainly adds some distance- problem is that I get "stuck" too easily and blow them way to the right. So the choice is- do I want to fly the driver 255-260 in the fairway or fly it 280 deep into the trees or the lake on the right, or... get stuck, whip the hands through to catch up and hit a wicked hook out of bounds into the houses to the left?

Thoughts?

[Simon Woo]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

I can identify with that. I've been focusing on release and impact lately.. One very good drill I came across was doing a short swing so that at the back swing, you stop the swing where the butt points at the ball, and same thing at followthrough stop where the butt points at the ball. With this abbreviated swing I can almost hit my 7i as far as my "full" swing. I think it really helps to develop the sense of release and powerful hit as you put it.

I've tried whipping the hips around, doesn't work for me as it appears that my hips and shoulders will end up outracing my hands and I end up with a push or even slice.

[tomallinder]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

I can identify with that. I've been focusing on release and impact lately.. One very good drill I came across was doing a short swing so that at the back swing, you stop the swing where the butt points at the ball, and same thing at followthrough stop where the butt points at the ball. With this abbreviated swing I can almost hit my 7i as far as my "full" swing. I think it really helps to develop the sense of release and powerful hit as you put it.

I've tried whipping the hips around, doesn't work for me as it appears that my hips and shoulders will end up outracing my hands and I end up with a push or even slice.

Thanks Simon, that is a good drill- another one I have been working on is taking the club back to the top then coming down about half way and stopping to make sure that my wrists are still set or even better- the wrist set has increased. I check this then go ahead and finish the swing from that position making sure that the hands lead. I may even go back to the top and rock back and forth from the top to midway down...

Exactly- if I fire with the hips first and there are houses or a road or something to the right- look out, bombs away!

Now there is a such thing and video brings it out- that my downswing actually starts before the backswing is finished. I will have to upload that. It shows that my arm swing is still finishing while my hips are starting to slide slightly forward then the hip turn starts right as the arms start to drop. I guess I do OK- I am 250-260 yards in the fairway most of the time with no effort- But if I whip the hips around and increase my "X Factor" and if the arms are a little late- boom 30-45 degrees out to the right. 290 yards, two rows of houses deep- don't even go look for it. Just reload.

[Simon Woo]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

Hi Tom,

From your description, you appear to be doing just what the doctor ordered I've heard it being said many times that we should initiate the downswing a split moment before we complete the upswing.

This is the power position drill I was talking about :
http://www.golfhelp.com/golf-tips/Power_Positions.html

Might not be the solution to your blocking problems, but it has helped me a lot in aligning my shots back in line instead of the push/fade/slide.

Having said that, you should also look at whether you could be overdoing the hips whipping. I think you are probably just not giving your hands enough time to catch up

[jbrunk]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

Hey Tom, I was actually about the post a question about the very same thing. I have worked into being a 5-6 handicap as a hands player, and am now just starting to experience the power and contact one can get by having passive hands. It has been awesome so far with all of my clubs, and I have not been able to turn the ball over since I made this change, everything is going dead straight!

[vp27519]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

Tom,

What you have been talking about - is that what Greg's Right Hand Drill encourages?

[Simon Woo]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

Hi Tom,

Where exactly is the halfway downswing you are referring to? I guess that is similar to the pump drill where you do that a few times before finally whipping through the ball. I like this drill of yours too, helps me develop the feel of lag. For me I check that position in the downswing where the club comes back to horizontal. Not sure if it's the same halfway down position you are referring to?

I just watched AJ Truth About Golf videos. Indeed it seems like a lot of people talk about the swing (especially swinging through and not hitting the ball), but I think for beginners like me, it is important to realise that there is an impact moment and you can do a lot at that instant to make your shots more powerful and more consistent. I'm not sure if that's the right way to go? AJ refers to it as if you are hitting a nail, and also talks about the release where you rotate your forearms and how that affects the clubhead. I thought these are very critical but often neglected points in order to get that powerful hit.

[LowPost42]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

Tom:

Aim left.

Enjoy the bombs.






Seriously, I know what you mean. My problem lately is a push, and it's caused by hips outracing hands (trying to 'spin through' too fast), and I have a problem where I play the ball too far back in my stance. So those combined make for a leak to the right.

Of course, when I compensate for it (by aiming left), I relax, because 'I've solved it', then put a good swing on the ball (because I'm relaxed), and end up left... go figure!

[james.welsh]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

AJ refers to it as if you are hitting a nail

My friend made one of those balls with a nail through it. We were making practice swings and sort of slowly swinging to the nail. I guess I got a bit careless and I actually hit the nail with my Mizuno driver (just a love tap I assure you). Well there was this enormous BANG just like a gun shot and a bright flash!

Nothing happened to the driver but the ball and the nail went about 25ft across the street!

We never laughed so hard. Not sure what happened.

[Simon Woo]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

AJ would have been so proud of you guys taking his imagery so literally

But seriously, do you think that has helped you in your golf shot? I think his idea of nailing the equator is a very good description for hitting irons which I'm surprised the pros don't pass on to the beginners taking lessons from them.

[Simon Woo]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

Any progress from u guys with the hands (or lack of)? At the same time I am learning to have a more powerful release, and I am not sure if that's contrary to your aim of removing the hands from the equation - I seem to be using more hands now while working on my release

[pnearn]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

Any progress from u guys with the hands (or lack of)? At the same time I am learning to have a more powerful release, and I am not sure if that's contrary to your aim of removing the hands from the equation - I seem to be using more hands now while working on my release

Simon, you shouldnt be using your hands to release the club

Correct body (shoulder and hip) rotation and connection will automatically create correct hand and arm rotation. Any conscious effort to open or close the clubface with your hands will most likely create leave the face open or closed unless you time it spot on. Any conscious effort to try to release the clubhead is a compensation for poor body rotation. You might get away with this for a while (I played like this for 2 years) but it will always come back and get you. Best to learn the proper movements first when you are stil learning. .

If the golf swing is a circular motion in which centrifugal force is produced, the weight of the swinging clubhead will automatically create the release

What you need to do is learn to have the hips well open at impact almost feeling as if the clubhead and the right hip get to the ball at the same time. Do this and you will square the clubface with your body rather than your hands which is the key

This isnt easy though! You will see if you do it slowly at first with half swings how you have to stay in balance, keep your spine angle, be the right distance from the ball, have the right grip etc to make this work but in the long run you will hit the better further and straighter this way

The gotcha here if you do this right is to remember not to turn your hands/forearms over. If you do this with your body in the right impact position you will pull or hook. Im constantly fighting this at the moment and having to set up for a draw a lot of the time. Sounds good? Well not if youre never sure quite how far left you'll pull it! Im having to learn through practice to take my hands out too

[pnearn]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

As an example look at the impact positions of the pro's at impact in the new x factor article

http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline...148865,00.html

They have squared the clubface by really making sure their hips are well ahead of thier shoulders so at impact their belt buckles face the target and you feel almost as if you hit the ball with your right hip/right hand together

[Simon Woo]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

Hmm sounds like something I have been trying to do a long time ago when I just started out and wanted to generate more power. But I kept slicing and pushing the ball, and was told that my lower body was outracing my upper body, so I stopped doing that. (Basically the idea is try to hold back the upper body for as long as possible right?) But it seems like this is what I should have kept doing in the first place??

[pnearn]

Re: More Powerful "Hit"

Hmm sounds like something I have been trying to do a long time ago when I just started out and wanted to generate more power. But I kept slicing and pushing the ball, and was told that my lower body was outracing my upper body, so I stopped doing that. (Basically the idea is try to hold back the upper body for as long as possible right?) But it seems like this is what I should have kept doing in the first place??

Sounds like a timing thing Simon. As always check you grip and your distance from the ball (too close and you cant swing the club in front of you to square it). Just do lots of half swings and lots without a ball and feel how your body pulls your arms through the ball. I wouldnt worry about 'trying' to hard hold the shoulders back too much. Just start making good contact first and then worry about that sort of thing

Also make sure your grip and your arms are nice and loose as holding on too tight would leave the face open