How to Position Hands!?!

[Keith Tobberman]

Hello,
This may seem like a funny question, but believe me, it affects my game. Basically my situation is, at one point, I was hitting pretty well, but then as some flaws came about, I read articles and watched shows on how to improve (Hit Straighter, Farther.) Anyway, towards the end of last season, I could not even hit anywhere with anything. I feel like I can't square the face at impact. I'm wondering basically what should be done with clubhead position through the swing. Are you supposed to open the face on the baackswing and twist on the way down? or just try and keep the face square throughout the swing (keeping hands in the same position through the backswing and downswing.)
Sorry this may be confusing but I would appreciate advice.
-thanks

[slater170]

Re: How to Position Hands!?!

Hello,
This may seem like a funny question, but believe me, it affects my game. Basically my situation is, at one point, I was hitting pretty well, but then as some flaws came about, I read articles and watched shows on how to improve (Hit Straighter, Farther.) Anyway, towards the end of last season, I could not even hit anywhere with anything. I feel like I can't square the face at impact. I'm wondering basically what should be done with clubhead position through the swing. Are you supposed to open the face on the baackswing and twist on the way down? or just try and keep the face square throughout the swing (keeping hands in the same position through the backswing and downswing.)
Sorry this may be confusing but I would appreciate advice.
-thanks

keith
i take the club away by feeling i am moving the butt end away first and try to keep the face looking at the ball for as long as possible.
i toe of the club should be pointing straight up when the shaft is parallel to the ground.

[Renton405]

Re: How to Position Hands!?!

Unofrtunatly I had the same problem.. The cupped right wrist is most important, because it keeps the golf head stable... I only can do this with greg normans secret and I am able to hit balls again alot better.. I tended to get too 'handsy' with my swing and this has really helped me out.. another way is to take pressure off your right hand on the club and not use your right first finger and thumb..

Also try swinging the club with only the right hand, practice swings that is.... this will show you how a release feels..

[Keith Tobberman]

Re: How to Position Hands!?!

Thanks so much for the good tips/advice!
-thanks

[oldwease]

Re: How to Position Hands!?!

When you're swinging well, you should feel that the club face returns sqaure to the ball naturally - it should not be manufactured by the hands.

Two things may be going on; first, you could be sliding too far to the left on the downswing (getting slightly ahead of the ball) or you could be failing to rotate properly on the downswing. To check the latter, make sure that your hips have turned fully through the shot - at the end of the backswing you should be facing, or even slightly left of target. This usually gives a nice balanced finish.

[Mox]

Re: How to Position Hands!?!

Hello,
This may seem like a funny question, but believe me, it affects my game. Basically my situation is, at one point, I was hitting pretty well, but then as some flaws came about, I read articles and watched shows on how to improve (Hit Straighter, Farther.) Anyway, towards the end of last season, I could not even hit anywhere with anything. I feel like I can't square the face at impact. I'm wondering basically what should be done with clubhead position through the swing. Are you supposed to open the face on the baackswing and twist on the way down? or just try and keep the face square throughout the swing (keeping hands in the same position through the backswing and downswing.)
Sorry this may be confusing but I would appreciate advice.
-thanks

Boy do I know the feeling you describe here. I boy have I felt the frustration.

Somehow we get lost in all the swing elements and things start becoming confusing.

We begin to see "pronation" and "suponation", "cupping", "cocking", "swatting", "sliding" and "rotating", "pulling with your leading hand" and "pushing with your trailing hand", "one plane" or "two plane", "lag", "setting the club" etc etc and at the same time we forget what the golf swing is all about: unleashing the enormous amounts of energy stored in the backswing on the ball through a square clubface.

Personally, no one has explained it to me better than Greg does in his Right hand drill. The essence of that drill is my basic swing thought, and whenever I get confused, I break it apart and do it in a different order. Cock wrists, turn shoulders, swing arms ... BOOM ... you still hit the ball and hit it far and straight.
Introduce any other element into the equation, and you can be darn sure it'll be a mess!

But do what Greg says - and ONLY that - and all will be well

[Keith Tobberman]

Re: How to Position Hands!?!

Thanks soooooo much for all the great advice, unfortunately I cannot try it our for another month and a half or so because of the snow. I cant wait.
-thanks

[edshaw]

Re: How to Position Hands!?!

There are two great advantages to
(what is called) the delayed hit. By
that I mean waiting until the hands have
gotten close to the address position before
releasing them. The advantages are:
1) You get that whip effect, which translates
into distance, and,
2) Holding back with the release of the
right hand avoids that miserable outside in
path.