Soft Draw Question

[18in2hours]

I'm attempting to break myself of the pop out acquired through unsuccessfully trying to match my swing up with some random pro on a line drawing video analysis program. This pop out led to a consistent outside in swing path through the ball that I couldn't break without doing some radical and uncomfortable stuff. I've watched SD a few times since buying it a couple weeks ago and it is really starting to take hold. I'm definitely hitting ball from the inside more than previously so I am a believer.

Here is my question, the "line drawers" would tell me that the SD type of backswing will lead to the OTT downswing, but I have found the opposite to be true. Why is this? I watched the whole video last night looking for the answer and still haven't gotten my brain wrapped around it. Any further explanation would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ZAP]

I really think some of the line drawing stuff looks at random stuff and claim it "causes" other stuff. Kinf of like saying keeping your right shoe tied tighter than your left will enhance your fade.
The thing that really surprised me about soft draw was the last point. Crazy what it did for my pivot. And to think I almost ignored it.

 

[Matt Bryda]

Here is my question, the "line drawers" would tell me that the SD type of backswing will lead to the OTT downswing, but I have found the opposite to be true. Why is this?

I look at it like it gives me options (space) for the downswing.

Where the pop out move leaves you with a very small window to swing down through.

Matt

 

[Brian Manzella]

THE POOR LINER DRAWERS....

Here is my question, the "line drawers" would tell me that the SD type of backswing will lead to the OTT downswing, but I have found the opposite to be true. Why is this? I watched the whole video last night looking for the answer and still haven't gotten my brain wrapped around it. Any further explanation would be greatly appreciated.

They really have no idea how the golf swing really works.

If you DON'T pop-out, you don't have to rotate your left arm and club "Flying Wedge" as much, so you don't need to come over it to play an open clubface slider.

So easy.

 

[18in2hours]

Thanks guys, that really helps.

I went to the range last night and I had a friend watch my swing to see if I was still getting laid off at top or if the clubhead was between my hands and my head (from DTL view) as SD recommends. He said it wasn't laid off anymore, but not really in the SD desired position at the top, the club was more or less pointing straight at the target.

Ball flight seems to be pretty good like this (and definitely better than before my exploration of SD), but should I be working on getting a little more "across the line" and if so does anyone have some hints on how to get to that position?

 

[niblick1]

I went to the range last night and I had a friend watch my swing to see if I was still getting laid off at top or if the clubhead was between my hands and my head (from DTL view) as SD recommends. He said it wasn't laid off anymore, but not really in the SD desired position at the top, the club was more or less pointing straight at the target.

Ball flight seems to be pretty good like this (and definitely better than before my exploration of SD), but should I be working on getting a little more "across the line" and if so does anyone have some hints on how to get to that position?

If because of d-plane you need to aim 10 yards left of target with an iron to hit a shot that starts slightly right of target and draws a few yards left, then having the club point at target at the top of the backswing is already "across the line" (that target line is 10 yards left) isn't it (and pointing 10 yards right of target right might give you a big hook)? If the ballflight is exactly what you want then I think you have it right as is.

 

[holeout]

If because of d-plane you need to aim 10 yards left of target with an iron to hit a shot that starts slightly right of target and draws a few yards left, then having the club point at target at the top of the backswing is already "across the line" (that target line is 10 yards left) isn't it? If the ballflight is exactly what you want then I don't know why you would worry about the club position at top.

It's all about what you're aiming. To hit a straight shot with an iron, you will HAVE to aim your plane line left of the target, period. The D-plane demands that you do so if you want to hit down on it.

Now, as far as where your feet/shoulders/clubface/etc. are aimed at address, it really doesn't matter. Can you have a plane line that is aimed left of target with feet that are aimed 20 yards right of target? YES! Can you have a plane line aimed left or target with feet aimed 20 yards left of target? YES!

The important thing with the Soft Draw backswing and top-of-backswing position is the amount of rotation of the left arm wedge. If you fight being laid-off, you need to work on under-rotating the left arm wedge, regardless of where you are aimed. The lagging clubhead takeaway helps set this up.

Where the club points (left, right, or at the target) at the top of the swing is a good benchmark, but it's not the end all be all. Also keep in mind that the length of your backswing can greatly affect the appearance of being either laid-off or across the line .

 

[niblick1]

It's all about what you're aiming. To hit a straight shot with an iron, you will HAVE to aim your plane line left of the target, period. The D-plane demands that you do so if you want to hit down on it.

Now, as far as where your feet/shoulders/clubface/etc. are aimed at address, it really doesn't matter. Can you have a plane line that is aimed left of target with feet that are aimed 20 yards right of target? YES! Can you have a plane line aimed left or target with feet aimed 20 yards left of target? YES!

The important thing with the Soft Draw backswing and top-of-backswing position is the amount of rotation of the left arm wedge. If you fight being laid-off, you need to work on under-rotating the left arm wedge, regardless of where you are aimed. The lagging clubhead takeaway helps set this up.

Where the club points (left, right, or at the target) at the top of the swing is a good benchmark, but it's not the end all be all. Also keep in mind that the length of your backswing can greatly affect the appearance of being either laid-off or across the line .

Agreed. Straight might be a 20 yards left plane line for a 5-iron off the ground and a soft draw would have a plane line right of that straight shot plane line but would not be right of the target for an iron off the ground. I think Brian has mentioned that small tweak to the SD pattern a couple times.

 

[18in2hours]

Agreed. Straight might be a 20 yards left plane line for a 5-iron off the ground and a soft draw would have a plane line right of that straight shot plane line but would not be right of the target for an iron off the ground. I think Brian has mentioned that small tweak to the SD pattern a couple times.

Is that small tweak in the video, or somewhere I haven't yet seen? My impression from the video was that I should be aiming 1 degree to the right of the target, but I'm starting to question that now.

I'm relatively new here and still trying to gather a full understanding of the D-Plane and how the angle of impact affects all of that relative to where I am actually trying to have the ball land.

I guess the important thing is that I whatever I was doing last night was sending the ball at the flag I wanted, so I'll try to not overthink until I have a better comprehension of all of it.

 

[Matt Bryda]

Ball flight seems to be pretty good like this (and definitely better than before my exploration of SD), but should I be working on getting a little more "across the line" and if so does anyone have some hints on how to get to that position?

If the ballflight was acceptable to YOU, then that is what matters most.
Maybe the backswing matched your other components so you don't need to cross the line. Were you working on crossing the line at the top the last time you hit balls? Maybe on your way, you ended up at not laid off and not across the line? Which is the "where" that works the best for you.

Matt

 

[niblick1]

Is that small tweak in the video, or somewhere I haven't yet seen? My impression from the video was that I should be aiming 1 degree to the right of the target, but I'm starting to question that now.

I think Brian may have mentioned it in one of his recent free online Q&A sessions that either the club at the top or the "one last point" might be a little more leftward based on d-plane and amount of downward hit.

 

[niblick1]

If the ballflight was acceptable to YOU, then that is what matters most.
Maybe the backswing matched your other components so you don't need to cross the line. Were you working on crossing the line at the top the last time you hit balls? Maybe on your way, you ended up at not laid off and not across the line? Which is the "where" that works the best for you.

Matt

Exactly. If you are hitting a ball that draws a couple yards to your intended target when trying to hit a draw, then what you are doing is working!

 

[niblick1]

?

I just mean if the straight plane line for a "straight" 5-iron off the ground requires a plane line aimed 20 yards left because of d-plane and downward strike, then the plane line for a draw that starts just a few more yards right and curves back to same target is probably a plane line that aims a few yards closer to the flag but is still pointed left of the flag.

 

[savydan]

What's your definition of a draw?