how active are the hands throughout the swing?

[sandylc524]

I have a fair amount of success with my irons (S to 6i) with fairly quiet hands through impact. My divots are shallow and they are in front of the ball. I can easily visualize "compressing" the ball between the club face and the ground.

Should I apply the same visual and motion to my driver? I have a problem visualizing (and applying) the same technique with my driver, because I know I should be hitting up on the ball. I don't really compress the ball against the tee.

So i end up being too "handsy" with the driver and have this visualization of 'slapping' the ball with the clubface using my hands and wrist. Feeling quite similar when you try skipping stones on water. Like a side throw, if you can call it that. It's inconsistent and I feel it's costing me at least 3-4 strokes per round. I'm looking for a more consistent drive, even if i lose 10y of carry.

Can anyone suggest a tip or youtube channel that will show me how to properly keep my hands quiet through the swing? particularly in the contact area.

Thanks!

 

[the_coach]

one issue is a tad of a misconception

the idea of an iron compressing the ball between club face & ground is really a false paradigm

at impact the ball is just 'compressed' or deformed against the face only - the term compression refers to an optimum center strike with optimum dynamic loft & -AoA along with other impact conditions for good strike face angle to path & club head speed

at strike with an iron with optimum impact conditions the ball deforms on or against the face only - in effect it is pressed inwards so deforming to say a tad of an egg shape then the ball construction reforms the ball shape - that's the transfer of energy occurring chs into ball speed in an iron the face actually tilts lower at strike & the ball deforms a tad up the face - that is what also initiates the spin rate - ball always travels up off the face then the clubhead takes the divot

so in truth the ball is never really compressed or pinched against the ground with all full type iron shots or any clubs with the ball on the ground

so exactly the same thing happens with a driver the ball is just compressed or deformed against the face only - solid strike or compression again just really refers to optimum impact conditions again center strike good dynamic loft optimum +AoA etc

the hands during strike move from flexion to extension - so flat lead wrist with extension or flexed trail wrist coming into strike then lead wrist extension (or flex) & trail wrist flexion (or flat) post impact
approaching impact the trail arm is still flexed with the lead arm extended through impact the trail arm extends

the issue with what feels like a handsy strike or a slap is just the wrists extending & flexing at the wrong time - so the lead wrist has extended/fexed or 'cupped' before impact along with the trail wrist trail wrist trail arm straightening out before impact

hands/wrists & arms always flex and extend into & thru impact it's just having the technique for that to occur the correct ways & at the optimum time
hands are or should be quiet at the start of the swing will gradually 'set' during the backswing (optimum start of the set being sometime after the hands/handle pass the trial thigh to around that & waist high) they then are quiet-ish during transition & down to around hip height then from waist height the hands/wrisits operate in the ways described earlier