I have a tendency to hit shots fat, I’m sure because I don’t start turning my forward hips and shifting my weight off my back foot early enough. I feel also that by extending my arms as I address ball just behind the ball, if my arms are fully extended, there is a tendency to have the club hit the ground a little behind the ball. To counter this I visualize having the club strike the ground ahead of the ball, the distance varying with the club. I also have tried addressing the ball with the club slightly off the ground (as I believe Nicklaus does). I’m sure your advice is to shift my weight and turn my hips correctly but just wanted your thoughts on the 2 methods I use to avoid fat hits.
Yes, you would hit behind the ball for a while when working on widening the arc because you are not used to a wide arc in your current golf swing. So you keep widening the arc until you’ve got it then get the weight off the back foot. Too many people stop working on widening the arc just because they hit a couple fat shots.
I really don’t want you thinking of hitting anything. If you are thinking hit you will be doing so with your arms. It’s so easy to fix fat shots you don’t need to do it that way. Just hit the top and think about touching your legs. This will get them moving in the downswing so you will not be stuck on this foot.
You can elevate the club if you want. Be careful this doesn’t tighten your arms. Other people I have seen do this lose the angle between the lead arm and clubshaft when watching them from down the line. There should be a slight angle instead of no angle. Those golfers were careful to hover the club just slightly off of the ground.
hey paul,just a simple question vaguely similar to your lesson.Many pro’s such as furyk,ray floyd,and trevino,all have no semblance to your backswing teachings,but yet all of them all have perfect impact positions which gives them all their perfect strikes.So,my question is,how can one attain a perfect impact position with an imperfect takeaway swing??
Good question. Can’t believe no one has ever asked this in 25 years of teaching golf. Although they are different going back both of these golfers started the downswing with the body (axis). If you turn an axis first the mass (club) would always flatten towards 90 degrees to the axis 100% of the time. This means that no matter how much they take it out side their clubs would both flatten perfectly in the downswing. Couple this with loose wrists, no checking wing and maintaining their spine angle and you have the same downswing, impact and through swing and most times the same follow through positions.
I have said for many years that there is only 1 swing whereas everyone else thinks no 2 swing are the same. This swing incorporates circular body rotation, a loose hinge and constant forward tilt. These are the 3 elements found in the swing of Iron Byron (which I base all of my teaching on) Now each golfer has their own individual flare to their swing but within their swing they do those 3 things.
I teach people the backswing I teach because I don’t want them out of position as they hit the top. If you are not out of position it’s much easier to start down and you need no other flaws in your swing to keep the ball online.
Another great “visual” aid to help me to imagine a better swing. Also to “feel” the club being heavy is very good as well as I tend to tighten my arms and chicken wing in my first year of golf. 2017 will be my year of loose wrist and relaxed arms!
Hi Paul, I’ve been working on your approach over the last 4 months and I’m pretty pleased with the progress. I had been having some trouble squaring the club face but the rolling the wrist drill is really helping. The main remaining issue I have is inconsistent strikes with my irons. I went to my pro recently and the Trackman stats showed a shallow angle of attack, the low point not being far enough forward and the ball strike low on the club face. He gave me a drill to work on but I am finding it hard to marry up with the thought process from your approach. Is there a drill or thought process that you would recommend? I am struggling with the conflicting thoughts of having the hands ahead of the club at impact (for better ball striking) versus rolling the wrists and having the toe of the club beat the heel of the club to the ball (for squaring the club face).
By the way, I live in Edinburgh, Scotland. If you are ever over then it would be great to meet up.
I will certainly look you up if I make it to Scotland. It’s on my list.
You are rolling it so you square the face and release the club. You are not doing this forever. It’s a drill. Why sit there and hit shots with slice spin? If you do when do you ever hit it straight? Answer: Never. So I want you rolling it earlier and hooking it which fixes the spin. Once you are releasing the club and hooking it you then need to switch to fixing the direction of your shots. This is a body issue. If the club is bottoming out too soon you are sliding through impact. All you have to do it turn more. You don’t need any drills. Sliding is making you too tilted through impact. If you turn more you won’t tilt as much and the club will attack more steeply. So, keep hooking it and working on releasing it until you rarely ever put slice spin on it. Once you are at this point you switch to working on your body. You need to start the body first in the downswing. If so, you will hit it dead straight. And if you get to my touch the legs position you will be attacking it on the right angle.
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8 Responses to “Simple Physics – Swing Arc”
January 30, 2017
WalterMihataHi Paul,
I have a tendency to hit shots fat, I’m sure because I don’t start turning my forward hips and shifting my weight off my back foot early enough. I feel also that by extending my arms as I address ball just behind the ball, if my arms are fully extended, there is a tendency to have the club hit the ground a little behind the ball. To counter this I visualize having the club strike the ground ahead of the ball, the distance varying with the club. I also have tried addressing the ball with the club slightly off the ground (as I believe Nicklaus does). I’m sure your advice is to shift my weight and turn my hips correctly but just wanted your thoughts on the 2 methods I use to avoid fat hits.
January 31, 2017
Paul WilsonWalter,
Fat shots are too much weight on your back foot at impact. Very easy to fix.
Watch:
Fat: https://ignitiongolf.com/fat-shots-cure/
Yes, you would hit behind the ball for a while when working on widening the arc because you are not used to a wide arc in your current golf swing. So you keep widening the arc until you’ve got it then get the weight off the back foot. Too many people stop working on widening the arc just because they hit a couple fat shots.
I really don’t want you thinking of hitting anything. If you are thinking hit you will be doing so with your arms. It’s so easy to fix fat shots you don’t need to do it that way. Just hit the top and think about touching your legs. This will get them moving in the downswing so you will not be stuck on this foot.
You can elevate the club if you want. Be careful this doesn’t tighten your arms. Other people I have seen do this lose the angle between the lead arm and clubshaft when watching them from down the line. There should be a slight angle instead of no angle. Those golfers were careful to hover the club just slightly off of the ground.
January 31, 2017
richmosneyhey paul,just a simple question vaguely similar to your lesson.Many pro’s such as furyk,ray floyd,and trevino,all have no semblance to your backswing teachings,but yet all of them all have perfect impact positions which gives them all their perfect strikes.So,my question is,how can one attain a perfect impact position with an imperfect takeaway swing??
January 31, 2017
Paul WilsonRich,
Good question. Can’t believe no one has ever asked this in 25 years of teaching golf. Although they are different going back both of these golfers started the downswing with the body (axis). If you turn an axis first the mass (club) would always flatten towards 90 degrees to the axis 100% of the time. This means that no matter how much they take it out side their clubs would both flatten perfectly in the downswing. Couple this with loose wrists, no checking wing and maintaining their spine angle and you have the same downswing, impact and through swing and most times the same follow through positions.
Watch:
https://ignitiongolf.com/pros-follow-through-position/
I have said for many years that there is only 1 swing whereas everyone else thinks no 2 swing are the same. This swing incorporates circular body rotation, a loose hinge and constant forward tilt. These are the 3 elements found in the swing of Iron Byron (which I base all of my teaching on) Now each golfer has their own individual flare to their swing but within their swing they do those 3 things.
I teach people the backswing I teach because I don’t want them out of position as they hit the top. If you are not out of position it’s much easier to start down and you need no other flaws in your swing to keep the ball online.
February 2, 2017
JohnBensonAnother great “visual” aid to help me to imagine a better swing. Also to “feel” the club being heavy is very good as well as I tend to tighten my arms and chicken wing in my first year of golf. 2017 will be my year of loose wrist and relaxed arms!
February 2, 2017
Paul WilsonJohn,
Glad you liked it and are making the commitment to 2017 being your loosest year yet. Let’s see what happens.
February 3, 2017
MikeBrooksHi Paul, I’ve been working on your approach over the last 4 months and I’m pretty pleased with the progress. I had been having some trouble squaring the club face but the rolling the wrist drill is really helping. The main remaining issue I have is inconsistent strikes with my irons. I went to my pro recently and the Trackman stats showed a shallow angle of attack, the low point not being far enough forward and the ball strike low on the club face. He gave me a drill to work on but I am finding it hard to marry up with the thought process from your approach. Is there a drill or thought process that you would recommend? I am struggling with the conflicting thoughts of having the hands ahead of the club at impact (for better ball striking) versus rolling the wrists and having the toe of the club beat the heel of the club to the ball (for squaring the club face).
By the way, I live in Edinburgh, Scotland. If you are ever over then it would be great to meet up.
February 5, 2017
Paul WilsonMike,
I will certainly look you up if I make it to Scotland. It’s on my list.
You are rolling it so you square the face and release the club. You are not doing this forever. It’s a drill. Why sit there and hit shots with slice spin? If you do when do you ever hit it straight? Answer: Never. So I want you rolling it earlier and hooking it which fixes the spin. Once you are releasing the club and hooking it you then need to switch to fixing the direction of your shots. This is a body issue. If the club is bottoming out too soon you are sliding through impact. All you have to do it turn more. You don’t need any drills. Sliding is making you too tilted through impact. If you turn more you won’t tilt as much and the club will attack more steeply. So, keep hooking it and working on releasing it until you rarely ever put slice spin on it. Once you are at this point you switch to working on your body. You need to start the body first in the downswing. If so, you will hit it dead straight. And if you get to my touch the legs position you will be attacking it on the right angle.
Give it a try.