Aiming Point

Status
Not open for further replies.
E

Eagletau

New
I would like to ask that my lack of clarity about "aiming point" be destroyed.

There appears to be two concepts operating that don't appear (on the surface) to be compatible:
1. "inside aft quadrant"
2. a concept, often proposed most notably by Ragman in this and other forums of either aiming in front of or behind the ball. It appears that this is also dependent upon the speed of the swing.

What I am seeking is a practical as opposed to theoretical explanation as, in my limited endeavours to follow Concept 2, I achieve fat or thin. A fundamental explanation or an exposition that can be simply applied and, if possible, only touches on the complexity of plane & target line etc.

Regards
 
rbaumgolf

rbaumgolf

New
I find the inside aft of the ball a valuable objective and it has worked for me. I am having difficulty "feeling" or educating the hands. Played last night and had a fantastic success with the driver concetrating on hitting the inside of the ball and rotating forearms. I have not been able to execute or understand the "aiming point" concept
 
C

CentralCoastKid

New
The aiming point is a point on the ground which can be in front of, at the ball or behind the ball that you drive the hands towards. If the hands move fast, the aiming point will probably be behind the ball. If your hands move slow, the aiming point will be in front of the ball. (note: the hands don't move by themselves, they are moved by the pivot).

You will need to experiment to find where your aiming point is. For me, my aiming point is about 3 inches ahead of my left leg.
 
rbaumgolf

rbaumgolf

New
So basically, its similar to the aiming point process you use in the sand trap. you aim inch or 2 behind the ball - same concept??
 
E

Eagletau

New
Yeah, yeah, yeah...

Nobody has answered my question - I know the theory - but nobody has addressed the incompatibility or contradiction of inside-aft and the 2nd concept.

I swing the club, and sometimes the clubhead, with the arms and hands. I don't swing the hands. I aim the package at the ball - inside-aft.

Sorry to be so terse but I don't think the question is about educating the hands.

I seek exposition and not bare instruction, ie do this or that.

Aiming the hands does not work for me. Dispel my ignorance, convince me that there is not a contradiction at work.

quote:Cental Coast said:
The aiming point is a point on the ground which can be in front of, at the ball or behind the ball that you drive the hands towards. If the hands move fast, the aiming point will probably be behind the ball. If your hands move slow, the aiming point will be in front of the ball. (note: the hands don't move by themselves, they are moved by the pivot).
Click to expand...

I thought I had read Ragman say it was the other way around. Fast in-front, slow behind. Another contradiction?

Please tell me something I don't already know.

BTW: I love the figures that David Laville has on his website.
 
R

ragman

New
You can either look at the inside aft quadrant (for the clubface)OR look at your aiming point (for the hands)!
quote:Aiming Point - At the Top of the Backstroke - even at the End -
mentally construct a line from the Hands to the Aiming Point. Let a
careful Downstroke Pivot move the Hands precisely along this line
they will "feel" as though they remain at the top of the Stroke. Don't question that Feel - just sustain (monitor) it, all ready for Release at the preselected Release Point. Drive the Hands (Clubhead Feel) "down the line" until both arms are straight, NO QUITTING! This procedure merely utilizes a long
Click to expand...
"This Aiming Point can be pin-pointed by experiment and experience only, because 'normal' Handspeed differs among players."

Slower handspeed moves the aim spot forward, vice versa for faster handspeeds...

It takes expirementation!!!
 
Michael Finney

Michael Finney

New
trying to figure out what you actually want, eagletau.....i will try but i dont thik this is what you want

"inside aft quadrant" of the ball is where your eyes are focused and your clubhead travels toward......the clubhead hits the "inside aft" of the ball because the hands have passively aimed at and actively thrusted toward "aiming point"...or as some have said "impact hand location"....

this EXACT impact hand location is very personal to you and your equipment and you should verify this location before every stroke until you feel comfortable enough with the concept....

my "aiming point" or "impact hand location" is usually slightly left of my left toe as it appears to me......

now, can i see my hands go through that location during the swing....of course not....but like i said before....my hands passively aim at that spot and i actively thrust my hands to that selected spot by using my pivot....

that's my attempt...be it a weak one....good luck. eagletau and many thanks for your posts to jramers...they were QUITE appropriate and spot on
 
E

Eagletau

New
Thanks Ragman and Mikestloc and others for trying to overcome my thickness. I think I understand it as the position of the hands at impact fix.

I am having difficulty, here, in walking and chewing gum at the same time. In that Bobby Jones said that there was one "categorical imperative" (strange term) _ hit the ball. And that in his backswing, he tried to rid himself of any consciousness of what was happening behind his right eye, or thereabouts. At times this works very well for me, especially if I let the thought of the "inside path" hover on the peripherary of consciousness.

I guess that the concept of the "inside aft quadrant" fitted nicely with the above approach.

Following the principle that if it's not broke, don't fix it _ or not very broken - I was seeking, originally, plausible/rational guidance before I made any changes. That's why it is so very difficult/unwise for me to submit to an unknown master in golf, ie a teaching pro. I am not implying anything about the advice here. It's silver, if not golden.

I've had some ruinous advice in the past, including the various manifestations of the power from the hips/ "body" school that made a significant contribution to a couple of herniated discs in the lower back.

I'd still like to ask: if we can be so precise about the inside aft location + or - one degree, shouldn't we be equally precise about the hand location, I know that we should memorise this at impact fix but it does appear a little fuzzy _ in the context of relatively fine geometry.

Thanks, again
 
E

ecox3

New
Aiming point varies relative to the length of the clubshaft,(shorter clubs throwout more quickly, (ie. they have a faster overtaking rate than longer clubs and vice versa)and therefore require the aiming point to be farther forward. Also, trajectory control is aiming point and hinge action dependent. Overtaking rate and hinging are mutually inclusive.
 
E

Eagletau

New
I got it _ "quail high", I think it was Jimmy Demaret's go to shot - very strong forearms. You highball guys have all the fun.
 
B

Bono

New
Everyone is totally misinterpreting aiming point vs impact hand location. It is such an important and distinctive principle.

Aiming point is a spot along the PLANELINE yopu are directing the lag and is used for release point. Impact hand location is what everyone here is describing and is used for impact verification but can and is used for 'driving the hands to'.

Faster handspeeds generally need the aiming point more back to give them time to release the club. Imagine someone like Watson with his aiming point forward - he would never release in time to hit the ball. Conversely, people with slower handspeeds want their aiming point in front of the ball on the planeline so they dont release to early and dump the accumulators. But it is relative to you and must be experimented with.

Lets say your 5 iron aiming point is the ball (hypothetically). Your aiming point for longer clubs will be behind the ball and for shorter clubs ahead of the ball since they need less time to release due to shorter shafts.

-Patrick
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top