Instruction
How to hit down on the golf ball
I have a lot of students who struggle to hit down on the golf ball, which often results from a basic misunderstanding of what it actually means to hit down. Hitting “down” is not something that most golfers can simply choose to do or not do — it requires a downward angle of attack (AoA), and golfers need to understand exactly what that means before they can execute.
Let’s start with the concept of Vertical Swing Plane (VSP). Doppler Radar Launch Monitors — I use FlightScope — measure the movement of the sweet spot of the club head relative to the ground, or the vertical movement of the sweet spot. If that sounds complicated, think of it this way: If the club was dragged along the ground through impact, it’s VSP would be 0 degrees. If it was swung from directly overhead, it’s VSP would be 90 degrees.
Now let’s discuss AoA. Somewhere on a club’s swing arc we strike the golf ball, and where we strike the golf ball on that arc is called AoA.
If the golf ball is struck before the club head gets to its lowest point, we are hitting down on the ball, which means that we have a downward AoA — Trackman and Flightscope indicate this as a “minus (-)” or negative number. If the ball is struck after the club reaches its low point, we are hitting up on the ball, which means we have an upward AoA, “plus (+)” or positive number. To hit any shot on the ground, we have to strike the ball before the low point, which means we have to have a downward AOA.
How do we hit the ball earlier in the arc, or before our swing plane’s low point? An obvious fix would be to move ball position back in our stance to hit downward and earlier in our arc, or to move the ball forward in our stance to hit upward or later in our arc. But that’s not it at all. I can have a back ball position and still have an upward AoA and a front ball position and still have a downward AoA.
So what do should you do?
What’s important to understand is this — to create downward AoA, your hands must stay in front of the club head and your weight center must be over the ball or slightly ahead of it. If you’re setting up with a wide stance and your spine is tilted “back,” or angled away from the target, you will have difficulty hitting down on the ball. So narrow your stance, keep your hands ahead of the club head and try to feel like your sternum is over the ball if you want to hit down on it.
When we look at the radar results, touring professionals have an average AoA of about -4 degrees with a 6-iron and I think that’s a good number for most to strive for when they’re hitting mid irons from the turf.
Above: A iron shot struck with a downward angle of attack (AoA). Notice that the club path is leftward. More on that below.
Hitting a driver is different. Touring professionals have an average AoA of -1 degree with their driver, while most amateurs should strive for a positive value, or upward A0A for their driver. The reason for the difference is speed. The best players in the world average around 115 mph club head speed with their drivers. With that much speed, they are looking for a launch angle of 11-to-12 degrees to optimize their distance. Amateurs at 90 mph need as much as a 15-to-16 degrees launch angle. It is simply not possible to get that much launch hitting down on the driver, so an upward swing is best for slower speeds. High speed players can get into trouble sweeping up that much, but when hitting irons, the goal should be similar to the top players.
Finally, a word about path. If hitting downward is the goal — and it should be for any shot off the ground — you will need to aim or swing a little left if you’re a right-handed golfer, or a little right if you’re a lefty.
Why? Because a downward hit on any inclined plane is an outward swing as well, which means that the sweet spot of the club is moving away from the body at impact. That’s why you see a lot of “laggers” with excessive forward shaft lean setup open to their targets. They are countering the outward movement of their path.
Tricky business this hitting down stuff, but once you feel it, you’re on your way to better golf. There is no need to fear hitting from tight lies if you can learn to move the swing bottom forward.
Drills to help you hit down on the ball
Downhill lie drill: Find a hill with a moderate-to-severe downhill slope. Hit balls off that lie — all day long. Typically, I use this drill with more skilled players, but it can help anyone who does it. If you reverse weight shift in the downswing or flip the club head past the hands into impact, you will hit the hill every time. Soon you’ll feel what leading with the hands feels like.
Aim Stick drill: Place an aim stick perpendicular to your target line and two inches behind the ball. Set your club head on the stick and hit balls without hitting the stick. This assures a definite downward movement of the club head into impact.
Fairway bunker drill: Go into a fairway bunker and draw a line in the sand. Make some practice swings taking sand on the front or target side of the ball. Sam Snead used to hit balls barefoot in fairway bunkers to feel balance and a downward strike. This is tough, but I guarantee this: If you can consistently strike the ball first and the sand after in a fairway bunker, you are well on your way to learning how to hit down on the golf ball.
For some of you this might be the first time you’ve ever taken turf in front of the ball — it’s a great feeling when you do!
As always, feel free to send a swing video to my Facebook page and I will do my best to give you my feedback.
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Rick Wright
May 16, 2017 at 9:16 am
Very nice piece of instruction on a very difficult golf topic hard to grasp but needed in your game with mathematical certainty appaulds many… Rick
Josh
Dec 21, 2014 at 6:19 pm
Click Here!
COASTKEK
Nov 23, 2014 at 2:54 pm
Mr. Clark you said, “If hitting downward is the goal — and it should be for any shot off the ground — you will need to aim or swing a little left if you’re a right-handed golfer”. I see the flight scope readout in the article shows the shot was a fade. If I wanted to hit a draw wouldn’t I want to still hit down but aim right or have a rightwards path?
Dennis Clark
Nov 23, 2014 at 4:35 pm
Yes you would need a path inside where the club face is aimed at impact. Don’t confuse path with swing direction. Thx
Dennis Clark
Nov 24, 2014 at 1:44 pm
the only time to swing left with a downward hit is when you want to get a ZERO path; for a draw you dont want that. Get it?
James
Dec 15, 2014 at 8:02 pm
So if I am swinging down 6 and 2 left with a driver Im not hitting a draw?
Jason
Nov 22, 2014 at 9:24 am
Great article, thanks Dennis! I hit the ball hard but have been having difficulty getting the ball to stop up where I need it to which adds a lot of strokes to my game. I’ll work on these drills and hopefully stick more. (I still consider myself quite a novice at 15+ but a lot of those strokes are due to inconsistency which is the most frustrating part of this *blessed* game! Ha)
So refreshing to see a well written article by someone who takes the time to follow up on reader questions to the extent you have. Good on you, and count me in on your future articles!
Dennis Clark
Nov 22, 2014 at 10:58 am
Thx Jason glad you enjoyed it.
Bob Tosh
Nov 21, 2014 at 8:32 am
I have been what they call a sweeper my entire 30 years of playing golf (I’m 40 now) I’ve been as low as 4 and since kids, oldest being 10 right now, my handicap has hovered around the 8-9ish mark for the past 3 or 4 years. At the end of Aug this past summer, two moons aligned for me. I had just heard the Paulson brothers once again talk about the values of the Tour Striker training club on their Sirius show and a long time playing partner finally said “you just fall back on so many shots”. I knew nothing about the tour striker besides what little the Paulson guys say about it. Well I bought one and within 10 minutes my entire golf game was transformed. My 8.9 cap went to a 6 in a matter of 4 rounds. I actually hit it well on my first try. Then hit or miss on the next ten. I’ve given it to some friends who tried to hit it 30 times and can’t do it and some hit it perfect right out of the gate 10 out of 10 times. They don’t need the club, they don’t have the issue I have. I now know exactly what position I should be in and what it feels like to be in that position and my ball flights have gone from fairly OK to good most of the time to penetrating, straight and solid. Even my miss hits still go straight, just not as far as they should but still solid and straight. I can’t imagine any golf lesson could produce the results that club produces in minutes. You can’t explain it to a student. You can’t hold most amateurs arms and club and go through a swing and stop at the impact point and say “here is where you want to be” and expect that they will feel it or get it. I have plenty of teachers, pros, my dad trying to show me or explain where I should be but it’s all on paper basically. This club does it for you. Either you hit it properly or you get nothing. I just ran out of warm weather. Can’t wait for spring.
kw
Nov 21, 2014 at 9:52 am
This is wonderful article which really makes sense. Lee Trevino used to aim to the left to counteract his amazing lag and was in top .001 % of iron players to ever live. I will try the downhill lie sounds like a real training aid versus the bs many swing aids are claiming create lag.
Dennis Clark
Nov 22, 2014 at 11:01 am
Its a good tool. Remember you can be a sweeper and play well. Tom Watson comes to mind…but “sweeping” in their case is less down than other elite level strikers, but DOWN nonetheless. Thx for reading
Steve
Nov 20, 2014 at 3:00 pm
With a downward strike should I feel like I’m covering the ball with my chest? When I do it feels like I am over the top.
Dennis Clark
Nov 20, 2014 at 3:48 pm
Generally yes but there is some right side bend. Over the top you’d need FlightScope or Trackman to tell true path. Some players who go too far under need to feel over it
CJ Bell
Nov 20, 2014 at 11:00 am
Dennis a little confused with your suggestion to set up open to the target for excessive laggers – why not fix the problem of excessive lag? If that type of lag (the ridiculous drill seen in thousands of instructional videos, with shaft parallel to ground, hands pushed wayyy forward) is actually held onto thru impact, that ball has nowhere to go but miles right, unless your timing/ability to flip the face thru is impeccable. Joe Mayo, Mark Crossfield, Steve Buzza, several teachers showing that the flip/wrist extension/whatever you call it is what’s really necessary near impact. Excessive lag isn’t storing more energy, it just causes balls lost deep in the rightside woods.
Dennis Clark
Nov 20, 2014 at 12:20 pm
I totally agree. That’s why I’ve been teaching release for 30+ years long before it was in vogue to do so. Lag is bad for 90 % or more of all golfers. What I said was great players, whose swing nobody would change, who have lag built into their DNA aim left to compensation for the excess lag. Thx for interest.
Dennis Clark
Nov 19, 2014 at 7:21 pm
It should also be noted that at the bottom part of the arc we are discussing, the club head is VERY stable…there is nothing we can about it at this point. Any change of path or face needs to programmed much earlier in the swing.
Golfnut
Jan 2, 2015 at 10:56 pm
Dennis, I have played off +5 left handed and now play off +2 right handed after an industrial accident. I am a fan of your instruction generally, but we can all have differences of opinion on some technical matters. I think your post I am replying to is relevant to all aspects of the golf swing – what happens before, causes the next effect. Perhaps you need to drive home this principle a little stronger. With respect to release, I think there is too much analysis on what happens during this phase, rather than the timing of it and the trigger which makes it happen effectively. Over the top and stuck on the inside is essentially the same cause for players of different abilities. I would suggest that for both, the issue of triggering release at transition is what alters posture and spine angle, rather than not manipulating the club correctly through the release phase. Proper positions in release, I believe, is a result of a passive transition and the right timing of release, together with an appropriate release trigger.
Dennis Clark
Nov 19, 2014 at 7:18 pm
Keith, feel free to send private message to continue if you’d like. I’d be happy to offer whatever I know o the subject.
Jm
Nov 19, 2014 at 6:42 pm
Also keep in mind these systems dont actually “measure” face angle at impact. It only estimates it based on ball flight.
Its not all an exact science like everyone wants you to believe
Dennis Clark
Nov 19, 2014 at 7:06 pm
No exact science, but clearly light years ahead of the technology of by gone days
Jm
Nov 19, 2014 at 10:06 pm
It basically comes down to the same thing it always has. Watch the ballflight and that should tell you what you need to fix. The biggest problem is still getting students to actually improve.
Dennis Clark
Nov 22, 2014 at 11:41 am
Jm, In most cases that’s true. ballflight is a good indiscator of impact. I can, however, slice with a closed face and hook with an open one with either heel or toe contact. Just have to know face to path relationship and check for point of contact. Thx for interest.
Jm
Nov 19, 2014 at 10:29 pm
True the technology is better but does it actually make you a better teacher or your students better players?
Or does it help people improve faster? I always hear how great all of this technology is but i neve hear anyone give any statistics on how it actually effects teaching results.
DG Jei
Nov 19, 2014 at 6:08 pm
Wow. Problems are solved. I was always curious about why tour player’s average AoA for driver is minus one. Swing Speed matters!
Dennis Clark
Nov 19, 2014 at 7:08 pm
DG, you’re welcome; it would be difficult for the average golfers to get sufficient launch angle hitting down regardless of manufacturer loft.
KP
Nov 19, 2014 at 4:41 pm
this was a good article..of course it will be picked apart by everyone..
Dennis Clark
Nov 19, 2014 at 5:42 pm
🙂
Dan
Nov 19, 2014 at 9:24 pm
Haha. So true
Jose
Nov 19, 2014 at 12:39 pm
You should never think hit down on the ball. You would lose your objective which is the target.
You swing to the target and collect the ball in the downward portion of your swing. Thus the sequence ball, grass, ground happens instinctively, almost automatically.
Example: The feet together drill. Since you can not shift your weight, where your swing bottoms out is fixed. You can then tee the ball up center, off your left foot pinky toe, off your back foot big toe. Thus each teed ball position will teach you the feel of collecting the ball in a different part of the swing: The feet together drill teaches you:
• With the ball teed off the front pinky toe you will collect the ball on the upswing like a driver.
• With the ball teed center of your stance. you will have a ball, grass, and barely skim the ground feel.
• With the ball teed off the big toe back foot, it will feel like the centered ball position feet apart swing with an equivalent ball, grass, ground result.
Why don’t you simply pick the ball with the ball in the center? Lag, If you have been focusing on swinging to the target AND the body has gotten out of the way you will have a proper lag/shaft lean. That lag/shaft lean allows the bottom of the swing to happen just past you center of gravity. In a normal golf swing your weight shifts forward and so does the bottom of the swing.
The arc of the down swing of the arms and the downswing arc of the club head vary. The arc of the club head is shifted forward due to wrist cock and the resulting lag.
When you shift your weight forward the bottom of the arc of the downswing of the arms and hands follows your center of gravity. Again the bottom of the arc of the club head is slightly forward of that due to lag.
It is just basic physics.
Dennis Clark
Nov 19, 2014 at 12:56 pm
Is that what you teach your students?
Gary McCormick
Nov 19, 2014 at 12:08 pm
It would be nice to have an illustration that demonstrates this statement:
“…a downward hit on any inclined plane is an outward swing as well, which means that the sweet spot of the club is moving away from the body at impact…”
Does this assumes that contact with a negative angle of attack comes at a point before the club has reached the furthest point (in its swing circle) from the body, and is therefore still moving (slightly…) away from the golfer’s body?
Also, I wouldn’t say “…where we strike the golf ball on that arc is called AoA.”, more like “…where we strike the golf ball on that arc determines AoA.”
Dennis Clark
Nov 19, 2014 at 1:10 pm
If we had a perfect vertical circle, for example a hula hoop standing straight up, every point in the swing would be directed at or perfectly away from wherever the hula hoop is pointed. There would be NO left or right
movement of a club swung on that that 90 degree arc. Now if we tilt the dual hoop down to 45 degrees as we might in a driver swing, the downward part of the swing is no longer swinging exactly where the base of that hula hoop is pointed. It is swinging to the right of it until it hits low point and then begins to swing left of it as it begins to ascend. The sweet spot, when the face is square,will be at right angles to the plane, IOW coming coming OFF the plane and swinging OUT to the right (of the base plane line) as it descends.
Agreed om the phrase “determines”. Thx for interest. DC
Oliver Heuler
Nov 19, 2014 at 9:34 am
I think that everything you wrote is correct, but I am surprised that you didn’t include a warning for all slicers (which should be the majority of your readers) that it is not helpful to try to hit down on the ball as long as your ball curves to the right on all long shots. Or do you think otherwise?
Oliver from Germany
Dennis Clark
Nov 19, 2014 at 12:08 pm
On the ground vs off a tee. Read again where I mention “driver is different”. Up for T ball down for turf shots.
gary
Nov 19, 2014 at 8:58 am
So although the launch monitor reads it as a leftward path, its actually a rightward path because the golfer is lined up left? How confusing, therefore the launch monitor only reads in respect to the target line? Also doesn’t explain the 2.1L face angle which should of caused a draw shape?
Dennis Clark
Nov 19, 2014 at 12:10 pm
20 MPH left to right wind. Path is left not right. And path to face curvature is ONLY on balls hit in middle of face. Even a slight off center all bets are off
Dennis Clark
Nov 19, 2014 at 12:13 pm
Another thing to look at is HSP which is swing direction. Path is a 3-D value derived from seing direction and AoA. I think HSP here is 4.6 or so
Keith
Nov 18, 2014 at 3:43 pm
Any chance you can do a follow up on how wrist set affects AoA?
Meaning…if you set with radial deviation and release with ulnar deviation versus setting with Dorsifelxion and holding through impact…I would assume this would have a significant affect on AoA.
Which is correct…or easier to repeat? This is something that has always been a question of mine and it seems to have a different answer depending on who you ask.
Dennis Clark
Nov 18, 2014 at 6:08 pm
i think it’s confusing because there is some of all the motions, not simply one or the other. In swinging the golf club, there is radial, ulnar deviation, flexion, extension and pronation and supination. Clearly At impact the right wrist is extended or dorsi flexed and the left wrist is flat, having gone from radial deviation to a neutral position. So what I see happen is ulnar and radial D when supinated becomes a dorsiflexed position. Of the two you described I would think dorsi flexed and held on describes it better buts it’s too simplistic. thx
Keith
Nov 18, 2014 at 11:32 pm
Thank you very much for the reply.
That’s just it…it’s incredibly complex…but isn’t this ‘the move?’ if you understand and can apply how the wrists truly function wouldn’t that be the missing link for AoA?
Outside of changing your body angles (frowned upon) how else to you return the club back to the ball after you set your wrist? Shoulder turn, hip turn…all very easy moves to understand and apply. Your wrists…more specifically combination of wrist movements to correctly set and release would be most helpful.
Maybe I am not seeing the forest for the trees…but I feel like this is the part that instructors continue to gloss over given the complexity and say things like just release it…isn’t that going to be the most vital part of AoA?
Dennis Clark
Nov 19, 2014 at 7:09 am
Keith have you read my two articles on release in this site? If not do so and get back to me…
Jay
Nov 19, 2014 at 12:14 pm
I have a difficult time getting my left wrist flat at impact. I shoot in the upper 70’s to low 80’s, but tee shot accuracy is my huge downfall. What kind of drills can I do to learn/feel how to keep the left wrist flat? Thank you
Keith
Nov 19, 2014 at 12:48 pm
I have not, thank you for the direction!
Keith
Nov 19, 2014 at 3:07 pm
Alright…I read (3) different articles you pointed me to.
I guess why I am questioning in my own mind is lines like “The release is the unhinging of the wrists and the rotation of the forearms in the downswing. And a handful of drills to feel proper release…golfers including myself continue to leave storkes on the table because that still doesn’t answer what the release actually is.
I’d like to think I am a smart person (debatable)…but…if ‘feel’ isn’t working…why not throw a little science our way? Let’s get into the weeds of what is really happening when you ‘feel’ your wrists and forearms do something. I don’t want to trick my mind into making something work…I want to understand what my body needs to do and then make it do exactly that.
Anyway…you’ve given me too much of your time already and I appreciate your engagement on the topic. Thank you for that.
Dennis Clark
Nov 18, 2014 at 1:41 pm
Yes. Lateral slide of body can produce too much right side bend and result in the reverse C look which creates a very shallow attack angle.
Brandon
Nov 18, 2014 at 1:38 pm
Do you think the rotational movement of the body helps in any way with this?