Compression Board

[alfcallowhill]

Brilliant for not flipping but after a while I always get ahead of it. Wouldn`t it be an idea to make a board with like a hole in the middle?,so that if you hit behind the ball or get to far in front of it you touch the board either at the front or at the back. But if your AoA is perfect you just manage to miss both sides of the board.

The idea is first and foremost to hit the golf ball first - before you hit the ground. This is regardless of your AoA. If you did progress from level 6 to the pro level over time. You would notice much better contact with the ball, and more consistent contact as well. It's a feedback tool to help you learn and train, without being forced to do anything.

 

[faux_maestro]

If everybody's swing radius with every club was exactly the same, then you could probably put accurate markings on the board refering to specific Attack Angles. But obviously, for a number of reasons, radii differ. For me, the SW and the 4" setting equated closely to a -5* AA, which I feel is a good, fair test of someone's ability to intentionally increase the negative AA. The classic flipper will spank the board every time. Works great in the sand, too.

I see.....this is why I teach music not golf

 

[cmartingolf]

The CB is great if you have one and don't mind lugging it around. Provides a great sense of alignment too.

Simple solutions:

On turf, step on a dowel to create a nice line in the grass.
On a mat, use your towel behind the ball to give you some AoA feedback

 

[curtisj76]

So are you sharing any of your profits with Martin Hall????

 

[footwedge]

The idea is first and foremost to hit the golf ball first - before you hit the ground. This is regardless of your AoA. If you did progress from level 6 to the pro level over time. You would notice much better contact with the ball, and more consistent contact as well. It's a feedback tool to help you learn and train, without being forced to do anything.

What would be the ideal club to use for practicing with the c.b. or should you vary clubs and the distances from the ball? The reason I ask is if someone keeps using a s.w. or wedge would that person ingrain an aoa that wouldn't be so good for longer clubs? And if you kept changing clubs how can you ingrain the proper aoa from club to club or is it just more for feedback for making ball first contact?

Is this what you mean by the quote above?

 

[Todd Dugan]

What would be the ideal club to use for practicing with the c.b. or should you vary clubs and the distances from the ball? The reason I ask is if someone keeps using a s.w. or wedge would that person ingrain an aoa that wouldn't be so good for longer clubs? And if you kept changing clubs how can you ingrain the proper aoa from club to club or is it just more for feedback for making ball first contact?

Is this what you mean by the quote above?

I test my students ability to produce a sufficiently downward AA using the Sand Wedge. You need to hit down the most with the most lofted club, as Tour Averages show. Once you have the technique that allows you to hit down 4 or 5* on the SW, it is simply a matter of positioning the ball progressively farther forward in your stance while maintaining the same Low Point/swing to hit down less. But if you can pass the SW test, you'll have no problem hitting down enough on any other club. Again, this tool is for people who don't hit down enough. Not those who hit down too much.

 

[Shot Limit]

Again, this tool is for people who don't hit down enough. Not those who hit down too much.

There's the answer to my question.

Thanks Todd.

What would be the ideal club to use for practicing with the c.b. or should you vary clubs and the distances from the ball? The reason I ask is if someone keeps using a s.w. or wedge would that person ingrain an aoa that wouldn't be so good for longer clubs? And if you kept changing clubs how can you ingrain the proper aoa from club to club or is it just more for feedback for making ball first contact?

Is this what you mean by the quote above?

+1

 

[footwedge]

I test my students ability to produce a sufficiently downward AA using the Sand Wedge. You need to hit down the most with the most lofted club, as Tour Averages show. Once you have the technique that allows you to hit down 4 or 5* on the SW, it is simply a matter of positioning the ball progressively farther forward in your stance while maintaining the same Low Point/swing to hit down less. But if you can pass the SW test, you'll have no problem hitting down enough on any other club. Again, this tool is for people who don't hit down enough. Not those who hit down too much.

What should someone who plays the ball in one positon do? Adjust their width of stance and initial tilt and weight pressure more to the lead side or aim and swing more left or...?

 

[birly-shirly]

I test my students ability to produce a sufficiently downward AA using the Sand Wedge. You need to hit down the most with the most lofted club, as Tour Averages show. Once you have the technique that allows you to hit down 4 or 5* on the SW, it is simply a matter of positioning the ball progressively farther forward in your stance while maintaining the same Low Point/swing to hit down less. But if you can pass the SW test, you'll have no problem hitting down enough on any other club. Again, this tool is for people who don't hit down enough. Not those who hit down too much.

I'm curious about this. With short irons or a wedge, I have no trouble taking decent-sized divots on the target side of the ball - but I need to work quite hard with anything longer than a 7 iron. It's something I'm working on now, but my sense is that it's a lot easier to hit down with a shorter club, and it's a lot easier to hit down with a shorter swing.

I like the idea of the aid. Although Todd says in his first post, optimal AoA and radius may change through the bag. Looking at the CB website, there seems to be an assumption that one board position is good for all shots. In other words, the "pro" setting seems to be the same regardless of whether you're hitting a wedge or a 3 iron. I guess I'd like to hear other thoughts on whether this holds up in practice.

 

[alfcallowhill]

I'm curious about this. With short irons or a wedge, I have no trouble taking decent-sized divots on the target side of the ball - but I need to work quite hard with anything longer than a 7 iron. It's something I'm working on now, but my sense is that it's a lot easier to hit down with a shorter club, and it's a lot easier to hit down with a shorter swing.

I like the idea of the aid. Although Todd says in his first post, optimal AoA and radius may change through the bag. Looking at the CB website, there seems to be an assumption that one board position is good for all shots. In other words, the "pro" setting seems to be the same regardless of whether you're hitting a wedge or a 3 iron. I guess I'd like to hear other thoughts on whether this holds up in practice.

Great question! The angle of attack will be different for each club (they vary in length). A pros angle of attack with a 3 iron might be -3.1 but with a PW -5.0. I wouldn't get too attached to the the numbers. The levels are there as your own personal reference point with the goal being to "hit the ball first".

If you start at level 4 and gradually improve to level 1 or 2, I guarantee all the data will be better, but more importantly you'll be hitting better golf shots more consistently...and that's all we are after.

I hope this helps.

Alf

 

[birly-shirly]

Hi Alf - thanks for the response. I get the point about progression - but I'm still not sure I understand how you would use the board as you work your way through the bag. Your website gives guidance about where to start with the board positioning, based on handicap - but this didn't seem to be specific to a particular club.

The other issue is whether you feel that a compression board user should be striving to be able to use the same board/ball position for all clubs. Say you've got someone who can hit wedges with the board in position 1, but can only hit a 5 iron with the board in position 3 or 4. How do you separate out a swing fault like a flip that only really creeps in to the longer clubs, from what's just the effects of a longer club and change in optimal AoA?

 

[ekennedy]

Brilliant for not flipping but after a while I always get ahead of it. Wouldn`t it be an idea to make a board with like a hole in the middle?,so that if you hit behind the ball or get to far in front of it you touch the board either at the front or at the back. But if your AoA is perfect you just manage to miss both sides of the board.

Great idea....it's no secret that if you could make contact directly in the middle of the "hole" in the board that you would be headed straight for "glory." Awesome invention, I just wish I could come up with the perfect name for it...

 

[trickyric67]

I am really surprised by the critical response this training aid has gotten. I have seen this type of training prop used in many top teachers arsenal with a towel or piece of wood etc. For the average golfing flipper this thing looks to be gold. I would think they can learn in there back yard hitting wiffle balls what lag feels like with this and then take it to the range.
Seems to me like a solid device and I don't think having computer like accuracy for AoA #'s is really important for the guy who is going to practice with this as well as pushing it around on the ground with a club is a big deal, but if they improve contact that is going to be a big win.
I like it.

 

[Todd Dugan]

What should someone who plays the ball in one positon do? Adjust their width of stance and initial tilt and weight pressure more to the lead side or aim and swing more left or...?

Yes, vary width of stance and weight distribution, becoming wider and less forward as the clubs get longer,from the SW. This varies the location of the upper sternum, relative to the ball, even when the ball is still positioned in the same place relative to the feet. This is why I use the upper sternum, not the feet, to measure "true" ball position.

 

[mgranato]

Great idea....it's no secret that if you could make contact directly in the middle of the "hole" in the board that you would be headed straight for "glory." Awesome invention, I just wish I could come up with the perfect name for it...

Yeah, and it could be sold in airport restrooms across the country.

 

[alfcallowhill]

Hi Alf - thanks for the response. I get the point about progression - but I'm still not sure I understand how you would use the board as you work your way through the bag. Your website gives guidance about where to start with the board positioning, based on handicap - but this didn't seem to be specific to a particular club.

The other issue is whether you feel that a compression board user should be striving to be able to use the same board/ball position for all clubs. Say you've got someone who can hit wedges with the board in position 1, but can only hit a 5 iron with the board in position 3 or 4. How do you separate out a swing fault like a flip that only really creeps in to the longer clubs, from what's just the effects of a longer club and change in optimal AoA?

I would suggest you strive to get to level 1 or Pro with all irons. I'm happy hitting my wedges at the pro level, and hitting my longer irons off level 1. It will be easier with the wedges but if you can train yourself to hit your 5 iron well from level 1 your ball striking will be pretty good.

As for ball position, I don't think there is one set answer. Personally, I play the ball in different positions based on the flight I want (fade, draw, straight) but regardless of that position I need to make sure I hit the ball before I hit the ground. Just be consistent with it and aware of it so you can figure out if you are better with it further back or further forward. If that fails, see your local PGA professional.

Hope that helps.

 

[TROYNYGOLFER]

If that fails, see your local PGA professional.

Hope that helps.

Alf, most of us are here because we saw our local PGA professional and several hundred dollars and countless range hours later we were no better than before.

 

[trickyric67]

Alf, most of us are here because we saw our local PGA professional and several hundred dollars and countless range hours later we were no better than before.

wait a minute, I am here because Brian is my local PGA proffesional...about 2 weeks a year...

 

[alfcallowhill]

Alf, most of us are here because we saw our local PGA professional and several hundred dollars and countless range hours later we were no better than before.

haha, fair enough! The onus is always on the player to do the real learning. Learning requires getting reliable and accurate feedback to what you're doing whether its from a training aid, trackman or something else.

 

[conkanen]

I tried placing a head cover about 6 inches behind my ball to mimic the CB...I miss the headcover every time and take deep divots after the ball...trouble is, the ball only goes about 15 in the air on a rope.