Steep Launch Angle with Driver

[redmen1892]

Hello All,

I had the pleasure of visiting the UKgolfshow today held in the NEC (Birmingham, UK), luckily I managed to grab some time on the Ping and Calloway driving ranges, Ping were using a the Vector Pro launch monitor, and it showed up something in my swing that quite surprised me.

My ball striking has never been solid, particulary with the longer clubs, but i've managed to keep my 16 h'cap through my short game, i've recently been taking lessons with my local pro, and he has shortened my backswing as I was prone to overswinging and then losing momentum on the downsing.
However, after hitting some balls today, it appears that i'm coming down too steep into the ball on the downswing, according to the Ping pro, a ideal launch angle should be about 13 - 16, mine was 22, along with a high backspin rate (cant remember the details), the swing speed was 105mph and I was only hitting 200 yards with a 10.5 G5 Driver, the pro told me to try and create more width in the backswing as it appeared to him as if I was cramped at the top and there wasnt much room for my arms to swing down into.

Before I head back to my local pro for my final lesson, does anyone have any thoughts on creating more width and shallowing out the swing.

Thanks. Jon.

P.S - Would a backswing that starts on the inside and becomes rounded contribute to a steep downswing, because this is one area on my swing that I have never been able to sort out.

[slf]

Re: Steep Launch Angle with Driver

Hi Jon,
I think the first 18 inches of take away is probably the most important part of the swing, it puts you in correct plane, promots good body, shoulder turn and correct waight shift. I think you need to work on this part of the game. take the club back using your arms, shoulders and hands at the same time, it sounds that your hands taking over and creating over swing / cramped at the top. you can find good take away technique in the instruction page. hope this helps.

[takinitdeep]

Re: Steep Launch Angle with Driver

Jon:
A slow, low takeaway is going to provide you with more on plane swing opportunities; after you are happy with hitting this way, you can speed up until you lose tempo.
For a low, shallow, upsweep, take it back low and slow and allow the downswing to just happen without any hands or arms controlling.

[BrianW]

Re: Steep Launch Angle with Driver

Hi Jon,

Without seeing your swing it is difficult to understand the problem. Are you collapsing your left elbow on the backswing? This creates a narrow swing that is a big power-leak.

If this is the case, to assist with a wider takeaway try this drill:

Place a second ball on the ground around 1 foot behind the ball at address. In your takeaway feel as though you will push the second ball away with the back of the club. This will create a wider takeaway that will assist in keeping your left arm straighter.

[redmen1892]

Re: Steep Launch Angle with Driver

Folks,

Thanks for the reply, interestingly enough i've used the ball drill before, and I can sweep the 2nd ball away quite happily, I think the problem lies further on in the chain, once I get the club back to about waist height ,instead of turning the shoulders and lifting the club up into the slot, it looks and feels to me as if I fan the club open with my wrists and as a result I swing around my body, I've tried the drill of taking my stance with my butt about 6 inches from a fence but more often than not I hit the fence on the backswing.

I'll spend some time using the ball drill but using a head cover instead, i feel that gives a little more resistance and helps me keepthe club face outside the hands

Warm regards Jon

[BrianW]

Re: Steep Launch Angle with Driver

Folks,

Thanks for the reply, interestingly enough i've used the ball drill before, and I can sweep the 2nd ball away quite happily, I think the problem lies further on in the chain, once I get the club back to about waist height ,instead of turning the shoulders and lifting the club up into the slot, it looks and feels to me as if I fan the club open with my wrists and as a result I swing around my body, I've tried the drill of taking my stance with my butt about 6 inches from a fence but more often than not I hit the fence on the backswing.

I'll spend some time using the ball drill but using a head cover instead, i feel that gives a little more resistance and helps me keepthe club face outside the hands

Warm regards Jon

Jon,

OK, try this: When you have completed the takeaway and continue with the backswing, concentrate on pointing the butt end of the club along the extended ball to target line as it passes behind you, imagine a laser light attached to the butt end tracing along that line. Follow the same line with the butt end coming back down until it points directly at the ball, then release the club through.

Actually Butch Harmon sells a Laser light trainer that does this but it is not so difficult to imagine the path.

Hope it helps.

[redmen1892]

Re: Steep Launch Angle with Driver

Brian,

Thanks.

Reviewed my swing on video earlier (i'll upload a copy on Thursday), one thing that struck me was how rigid my right arm is at address, once I soften the arm up so that it was bent towrads my right hip I found it easier to take the club away on a straighter flatter plane. Unfortunately thiswas only in my garage so i'll have to see what happens what I go down the range.

Jon

[30yearlayoff]

Re: Steep Launch Angle with Driver

Folks,

Thanks for the reply, interestingly enough i've used the ball drill before, and I can sweep the 2nd ball away quite happily, I think the problem lies further on in the chain, once I get the club back to about waist height ,instead of turning the shoulders and lifting the club up into the slot, it looks and feels to me as if I fan the club open with my wrists and as a result I swing around my body, I've tried the drill of taking my stance with my butt about 6 inches from a fence but more often than not I hit the fence on the backswing.

Warm regards Jon

Went though some recent steep angle driver problems myself. I fixed it last Sat. I was going back too quick as though I was building power in the backswing. I wasn't getting enough turn on the driver. Also, I was doing something weird with my right forearm/elbow.

The fix...I forgot about the ball. I slowed the backswing down, focusing on the back turn but then used my hands to actually complete the turn (I can give you more on this if you need it).....make the turn more full....finish it off. The danger here is letting the hands get too high without letting them assist on the pivot.

The hands assisting the turn (at the very top) helped me get that torso around another 20-30*.

From that point, I just released...let everything go and finished the swing. No thought as to anything else.

I was hitting 230-250 yard drives before. After focusing on the swing and not hitting the ball, I hit a couple of the longest drives of my life. I play with a guy that has the same distance as me when we hit straight and I was 50 yards farther than his best drives.. These drives carried over to a round on Sunday and 2 trips to the driving range this week.

Hope this gives you some thoughts! TURN THEM SHOULDERS around that spine!