Swing clubhead down the target line

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Crunchie1982

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10 Rules From Nick Faldo: Golf Digest

This is Nick Faldo's advice (see Point #3)

One of my first lessons from a Professional ten years ago also made me practice short swings, and getting the clubhead to trace down the target line as long as possible. He also strengthened my grip. This led me to two years of hooking, and the worst golf I would ever play until I discovered the neutral grip and 'swing left' concept, and later the D-Plane.

Anyone surprised to hear Faldo advocating this? Anyone else received this kin of advice from a teacher?

Also, I was under the impression that Trevino hit a low fade - how could he so this if he was aiming left, and 'swinging right', or was he just swinging slightly more right than the line of his feet / shoulders, but still left relative to the target line (if that makes any sense?)
 
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chipingguru

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I think your spot on about Trevino.

The swinging down the target line thing can lead to bad steering if the hands of a non tour pro.

I always have thought the "swing left" thing is a misnomer, although it might be a good thought. Its just the proper path/plane. Once you call it "left" of something it reveals a misconception.
 
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ScottRob

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Not sure if this contributes anything but the idea of keeping the face and the head on the same line is often recommended by some of the best ball-strikers (Trevino/Faldo in this instance.) There is a kernel of truth, although I understand that most players will probably end up steering. The fact is in order to hit it straight the path and the face are on the target line, right? There is no doubt that there is definately "swinging left" going on, unless you are looking to start it to the right (and bend it back left, straight, or further right.) The target line is the most important line, so path and face angle should be identified accordingly.
 
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ScottRob

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Not sure what you mean by maintaining the spine angle. It is my understanding that only octogenerian honorary starters are OK to do that. :D

Do not think you can plant the hula hoop into the ground and then yank it out without altering the spine's angles in multiple planes.

My point was the true resultant path and true face are ON the target line through the impact interval for a straight shot. That is as much as you keep the head and face on the target line without steering.
 
billmckinneygolf

billmckinneygolf

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Faldo has turned out to be very funny as an announcer. His swing commentary is especially hilarious..."Camillo's foot slipped again!"..."Tiger's head dipped again!"..."That right knee has got to stay perfectly still."...then there's his academy which is based on the idea that if you get the back swing right, the rest of the swing will be automatic.
Great golfer. Funny announcer. "Funny" tips for a man with such pedigree. just goes to show ya.
 
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Crunchie1982

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ScottRob said:
My point was the true resultant path and true face are ON the target line through the impact interval for a straight shot. That is as much as you keep the head and face on the target line without steering.
Click to expand...

I think I understand what you're saying - if the clubface is on the 'target line' for the split second where there is ball / club contact, then you would hope for a straight shot. Are you therefore saying that, by thinking about the 'target line', you would hope to increase your tendency to get the face / club on the target line at this split-second impact?

The problem I had, from being told to 'swing my clubhead down the target line', is that it gave me a prolonged hooking problem. When you're approaching the ball from 'inside', or 'on plane', if you can get the clubface ON the target line through the split-second impact interval, then great. However, there is a very small margin of error for achieveing this concept - if you're pre-occupied with the 'target line' and swinging your club down it at impact / after impact, it doesn't take much to unwittingly get the club going a bit inside --> outside, as opposed to inside ---> target line.

Does that make any sense? Once i started playing golf again and got a friend to video me (on his iphone!), it was immediately obvious why i was hooking, even on a blurry video - i was usually in what looked like a good position halfway through the downswing, however I would make a 'flip' with my wrists at the ball, and the club head clearly travelled just outside the target line immediately after impact. All the while, i was just telling myself to 'swing down the targetline' like I was told. However, what was really happening was i was coming inside --> outside, with a flip-closed clubface (relative to the path). On good days I could hit pleasing draws, and there MANY bad days of uncontrollable hooking!

Sorry to bore people with the anectdote above, and i'm sure it's not a revelation to most good player! But what really helped me was the idea of 'swinging left' after impact rather than 'swinging down the target line'. This really got my club entering, and exiting, the impact interval on plane. And with a good grip, i got control over my shots again! :)
 
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softconsult

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ScottRob writ, "The fact is in order to hit it straight the path and the face are on the target line, right?"

Now maybe it's just terminology, but it strikes me that what you wrote is at odds with one of this forum's core topics, The D-Plane.
 
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