Drill Question

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ekennedy

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I've been doing this drill for about a year now and I like the results. I tend to underplane a lot of shots so this drill helps me get more on top of the ball. Its not really measurable, like Trackman, but it accomplishes a few things that the D Plane encourages and I would like to get some feedback. I use it for irons only and fairway woods off the ground.

I place a club (or alignment stick) on the ground parallel left of my target near my feet to get my body square. I then take a 2x4 and place it on line with my target. After making sure that the clubs are parallel, I move the 2x4 about 5 or 6 degrees closed to the target (aiming left). Then I put a rolled up towel on the ground at the back of the 2x4. I place golf balls as close to the 2x4 as I can and about a foot forward of the towel (after a few swings, of course) so that there is no more than 1/2" between the toe of the club and the board. The towel gets me to swing down and the board gets me to swing left. I have also used an inclined impact board and that works well too. I find that it really helps me swing down and to the left and if the clubface is pointing at the target, I hit the ball very straight or occasionally it wall fall slightly right....but (disclaimer) I'm not responsible for any injuries that result from anyone else trying it.

Its a cool drill and when people are standing behind you, it really freaks them out. :)

Any thoughts or does anyone have any similar drills?
 
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SteveT

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ekennedy said:
I've been doing this drill for about a year now and I like the results. .......

Its a cool drill and when people are standing behind you, it really freaks them out. :)

Any thoughts or does anyone have any similar drills?
Click to expand...

Can you post a video or even a pic showing your setup ... gotta see it to believe it ...:D
 
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ekennedy

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<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/nwnjIWbqNMQ?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/nwnjIWbqNMQ?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

First time I've tried to upload video. Sorry if it doesn't work...
 
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ScottRob

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Nice drill...even better golf swing! Curious to ask about your stance line. Is your stance line parallel to your plane line?
 
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SteveT

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^^^ekennedy^^^ ...What is the orientation of the 2x4 when you hit fades and draws ?
 
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ekennedy

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Its actually slightly closed to my intended swing direction. It helps me feel like I'm swinging left. If I aimed farther left, it may be easier to miss the 2x4 but wouldn't help my tendency to get under my plane and swing toward the target. The biggest benefit for me is that I have less hand action during the shot and I can play from just about any lie.
 
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ScottRob

New
A bit pushy!

Interesting. Like you my tendency is to get under plane, and occasionally I cannot bring myself to swing left with everything aligned (what feels like) waaay left, consequently I hit a giant block fade. Most of the Hogan footage I have seen has the Hawk with open shoulders and a closed stance (regardless of the diagram in 5 lessons).One of the easiest things to do in golf is to come over the top of your stance line, right?;).

A separate question if I may. I am in the middle of a d-plane debate with a pro that will not come quietly:rolleyes:The best way i know to demonstrate the d-plane concept is to take a five iron and

Take a five iron
1. Place the ball a good deal back in my stance to increase the OUT. First hit a push-slice. This demonstrates the effect that the out has on the path and that the ball will start close to the true face.
2. With the same ball postion I angle the face closer to square to the path, but not quite. This results in a push fade.
3. Same ball postion I square the face to the path. This results in a push, say 15-20 yards.
4. I rotate my plane line left to hit a 10 yard push
5. Finally I rotate my plane line until the ball is perfectly on line! :D

The argument reached an impasse when he declared that I did not hit a straight shot but just aimed for a push shot! I countered that the path and the face were "zeroed out" and the ball does not care one wit where my feet or shoulders are placed. He would not relent. :eek:

Do we think it is a good idea to teach a player how to hit a push (i.e. straight shot) then teach them how to aim it?
 
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ekennedy

New
I had a similar conversation with a guy that teach S&T. I think its important to teach them how to hit the ball solid and that usually means compressing it into the ground. Since most people can only do that from a rear ball position, the ball generally goes right. They then start adjusting the face until they hit a push-hook. I played with Allen Doyle years ago and he pretty much perfected a direct push. Maybe teachers do a disservice by making the target so important to the student early on that they are making constant adjustments to make the ball go toward the target instead of teaching them to hit it solid first.
 
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ScottRob

New
Fore I was almost right!

I guess that is where I may be laboring under a misconception. You mentioned that Alan Doyle perfected a push shot...I say he learned to hit it straight and then he learned to aim his straight shot! If the ball is back of low point you can do a variety of things, several of which do not include rotating the plane line left, however in order to hit it straight the path must move left. I recall a range incident when I was a 16. I was hitting a 7 iron and managed to hit a push (common shot back in the day) that flew straight as "Manzella-talk" right of my intended target and struck the flag stick on another faux range green. I did not pay much attention to it due to being irritated by missing my target by 30 yards! A couple of balls later I'll be darned if I did not hit the damn thing again:mad:The other guys on the range took notice. I did not tell them that that particular flag stick was not my intended target:eek:And due to my emarressment I also did not recognize that I had stumbled on to something. I went back to my squarish face...squarish stance...and the only straight shots I hit were the ones that threatened the wrong flag. :eek:Unlike Doyle it did not occur to me to aim the whole business-business left. :confused:

So, you set your face to the target, your plane line appropriately left and take your stance slightly closed to the plane line? Thanks for the drill and info.
 
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Kevin Shields

Super Moderator
ScottRob said:
Interesting. Like you my tendency is to get under plane, and occasionally I cannot bring myself to swing left with everything aligned (what feels like) waaay left, consequently I hit a giant block fade. Most of the Hogan footage I have seen has the Hawk with open shoulders and a closed stance (regardless of the diagram in 5 lessons).One of the easiest things to do in golf is to come over the top of your stance line, right?;).

A separate question if I may. I am in the middle of a d-plane debate with a pro that will not come quietly:rolleyes:The best way i know to demonstrate the d-plane concept is to take a five iron and

Take a five iron
1. Place the ball a good deal back in my stance to increase the OUT. First hit a push-slice. This demonstrates the effect that the out has on the path and that the ball will start close to the true face.
2. With the same ball postion I angle the face closer to square to the path, but not quite. This results in a push fade.
3. Same ball postion I square the face to the path. This results in a push, say 15-20 yards.
4. I rotate my plane line left to hit a 10 yard push
5. Finally I rotate my plane line until the ball is perfectly on line! :D

The argument reached an impasse when he declared that I did not hit a straight shot but just aimed for a push shot! I countered that the path and the face were "zeroed out" and the ball does not care one wit where my feet or shoulders are placed. He would not relent. :eek:

Do we think it is a good idea to teach a player how to hit a push (i.e. straight shot) then teach them how to aim it?
Click to expand...

This would be the fastest way to help a low VSP max trigger delay inside out player IMO.
 
C

chipingguru

New
Beautiful impact position. I especially admire the right forearm on perfect plane.

excellent drill too. Left elbow down through impact helps me a bit to get the release motion right. Kinda a Curtis Strange type action.
 
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ekennedy

New
Thanks man. Despite what some people think on this forum, there needs to be a way to communicate some of this info to the public. I love everything about this forum, but I generally have to read everything 6 times before it makes sense. I've been hanging with too many old school teachers in my life, I'm ready to broaden my horizons.

BTW, saw your swing on YouTube. TQ. Tour quality.
 
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ScottRob

New
Kevin Shields said:
Someone who cant swing left, that is.
Click to expand...


Like Trevino? I was curious looking at some of Trevino's stuff on youtube if he was tracing left, or if his whole machine was rotated so far left because he hit downward out to right field? I may have a point of confusion here!:confused:
 
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