TheSliceMaster
Hacker
No idea if this has been discussed before so apologies if it has, but just found this article:
http://thesandtrap.com/playing_tips/ball_flight_laws
It's kinda messed my current thinking about my ball striking and why I hit certain shots - but the more I think about it the more it seems to make sense with my current problems.
The article basically says that club face angle has an 85% impact on initial ball direction whereas the swing path only has a max 15% impact.
Recently, to try to help combat a fade and top promote a draw I have started to keep the club face quite closed in my swing and very 'hooded' in the takeaway. This has indeed helped me hit it straighter and to draw it. Recently though (at about the same time) I have also developed a nasty pull - this may be a straight pull, pull-fade or pull-draw. I thought it was principally caused by an over the top swing out to in which caused me to pull the ball left, but this article would suggest that the fact the club face was being closed relative to the target line (which I was doing consciously) was responsible for the ball travelling left of the target line. Then whether the ball went straight, drew or faded was down to whether the club face was open or closed relative to the swing plane. So my shots were actually one of the following:
- straight pull - same as the traditional way of thinking - out to in swing path, club face square to swing path - club face closed to target line (hence the ball travelling left)
- pull-fade - Here the pull is caused by the club face being closed relative to the target line. But the club face was open relative to the swing plane - therefore there must be an out to in swing path. In order to correct this I should be working on my swing plane and not the club face as I was doing - I was seeing a fading ball and trying to close the club face even more - but it was already closed to the target line. I need to swing more in to out and the club face remain closed to target and I will draw the ball!
- pull-draw - club faced closed to target line and club face closed to swing plane. Now this was a common shot for me off the tee with a hybrid. But I thought this was purely due to me pulling the ball - this may be happening, but due to me only changing one thing in my swing (the closed club head) I was more likely swinging down the target line with a closed face which sent the ball left and drew it!
Interesting ! Anyone else aware of this way of analysing the swing? I should be able to stop my pull draws simply by not closing the clubface as much during the takeaway rather than adjusting my swing plane!
http://thesandtrap.com/playing_tips/ball_flight_laws
It's kinda messed my current thinking about my ball striking and why I hit certain shots - but the more I think about it the more it seems to make sense with my current problems.
The article basically says that club face angle has an 85% impact on initial ball direction whereas the swing path only has a max 15% impact.
Recently, to try to help combat a fade and top promote a draw I have started to keep the club face quite closed in my swing and very 'hooded' in the takeaway. This has indeed helped me hit it straighter and to draw it. Recently though (at about the same time) I have also developed a nasty pull - this may be a straight pull, pull-fade or pull-draw. I thought it was principally caused by an over the top swing out to in which caused me to pull the ball left, but this article would suggest that the fact the club face was being closed relative to the target line (which I was doing consciously) was responsible for the ball travelling left of the target line. Then whether the ball went straight, drew or faded was down to whether the club face was open or closed relative to the swing plane. So my shots were actually one of the following:
- straight pull - same as the traditional way of thinking - out to in swing path, club face square to swing path - club face closed to target line (hence the ball travelling left)
- pull-fade - Here the pull is caused by the club face being closed relative to the target line. But the club face was open relative to the swing plane - therefore there must be an out to in swing path. In order to correct this I should be working on my swing plane and not the club face as I was doing - I was seeing a fading ball and trying to close the club face even more - but it was already closed to the target line. I need to swing more in to out and the club face remain closed to target and I will draw the ball!
- pull-draw - club faced closed to target line and club face closed to swing plane. Now this was a common shot for me off the tee with a hybrid. But I thought this was purely due to me pulling the ball - this may be happening, but due to me only changing one thing in my swing (the closed club head) I was more likely swinging down the target line with a closed face which sent the ball left and drew it!
Interesting ! Anyone else aware of this way of analysing the swing? I should be able to stop my pull draws simply by not closing the clubface as much during the takeaway rather than adjusting my swing plane!
