Driver Impact

[CrimsonTider]

Brian,
I remember an old argument over on FGI where you stated that the correct impact with the driver would be with a slightly descending blow, as opposed to an ascending blow which is more often staed as being correct with that club. I was one of the ones who disagreed with you at that time over there. I have stuck to my guns all along on this issue, while continuing to be a short hitter off the tee.

Now, I am finding myself getting tired of striking the ball so poorly with the driver while I hit pretty decent shots (sometimes) with my irons. Can you please go over this in a bit more detail for me once again, like I am a 6th grader, so that I can try to do something about putting myself in better position off the tee going forward?

Thanks,
CT.....Roll Tide

 

[EaglesNest]

Oh no not again, Please not the driver ascending descending issue.
Hope your not trolling.
Start by reading some of Brian's articles, these will help explain to you the concept of lag and the sweetspot. Once you have an understanding of what makes a golf club work you will then understand that the only way to improve ones golf is to work on keeping the clubhead behind the hands leading into impact and thus explaining why the driver must strike the back inside quad of the ball with a decending blow.

 

[CrimsonTider]

quote:Originally posted by EaglesNest

Hope your not trolling.

Definitely not trolling. I am admitting that I may have been wrong, and sticking to my old ways may have been holding me back. Trouble is that I am not really sure how to make the change and have it work for me. Can you provide a link to the articles you have referred to?

One part that confuses me on this issue is this. There has been a lot of talk lately that with the new bigger drivers, the optimum place to hit the ball is higher on the clubface. This would require that I have the ball teed a little higher. As you can imagine, any attempt on my part to strike down with a driver on a ball teed high results in popped-up tee shots and nasty marks left all over the crown of my previously beautiful driver.

Thanks

 

[EaglesNest]

CT,
Seriously..Have look at the front of the forum for the articles listed under "Instruction Articles by Brian Manzella". Nice place to put them actually.

In a good swing the hands pass the ball before the clubhead passes thru the ball (Lag), so the shaft of the club will be leaning forward coming into impact and beyond hopefully, so if the clubshaft is leaning forward then one would say the clubhead is descending. Your popped-up tee shots and nasty marks left all over the crown are a result of the clubhead passing the hands and ascending into the ball, the club has released most of it's energy before striking the ball.

 

[mgjordan]

"As you can imagine, any attempt on my part to strike down with a driver on a ball teed high results in popped-up tee shots and nasty marks left all over the crown of my previously beautiful driver."

Not if you hit the ball before the club is below it. If you are striking downward and hitting the ball first, poor contact is impossible.

 

[cdog]

To steep can also = pop ups.

 

[CrimsonTider]

Ok. I tried it on the range today. Now I will preface this by saying that I realize that, often, swing tips and thoughts may work one day and crap out the next day. But today, I hit some of the best drives I have in over a year by keeping my hands in front of the clubhead with the driver and making a slightly descending blow. At first, I struggled with it, hitting a few pop ups and some big hooks. But this was with the ball teed very high like I had done with the ascending blow. So, I teed the ball a little lower, to where the top of the ball was just ever so slightly higher than the crown of the driver. My contact was much more solid. My flight, while still far from perfect, was much more consistent from shot to shot, with a slight draw on most swings.

For now, I am a believer.

Now, for a confession. When the whole thing started on FGI, I was already doing this, and hitting the ball well. I had always just believed I was doing it wrong, but did not want to change something that was working. That was when I decided that, since I took the stance that the ascending blow was correct, I had better start making changes and do it the "correct" way. I don't think I have hit a good drive since, until today. Thanks for setting me straight.

 

[Brian Manzella]

Here's the deal guys and girls...

If the face is SQUARE when the shaft is VERTICAL and open when it is SHORT of VERTICAL and Closed when it is PAST vertical...and you want the shot to go straight...

 

[CrimsonTider]

quote:Originally posted by brianman

Here's the deal guys and girls...

If the face is SQUARE when the shaft is VERTICAL and open when it is SHORT of VERTICAL and Closed when it is PAST vertical...and you want the shot to go straight...

Huh?[?] If you are going to answer the question, answer the question, please. I do not understand your sphinx riddle-speak.

 

[Brian Manzella]

ver·ti·cal ( P ) Pronunciation Key (vûrt-kl)
adj.

1. Being or situated at right angles to the horizon; upright.

 

[Burner]

quote:Originally posted by CrimsonTider

quote:Originally posted by brianman

Here's the deal guys and girls...

If the face is SQUARE when the shaft is VERTICAL and open when it is SHORT of VERTICAL and Closed when it is PAST vertical...and you want the shot to go straight...

Huh?[?] If you are going to answer the question, answer the question, please. I do not understand your sphinx riddle-speak.

The answer to the question was - "open when it is SHORT of VERTICAL", because:-

Slightly open on impact (short of vertical) means square at separation (vertical) then closed post impact (past vertical).

 

[CrimsonTider]

quote:Originally posted by Burner

quote:Originally posted by CrimsonTider

quote:Originally posted by brianman

Here's the deal guys and girls...

If the face is SQUARE when the shaft is VERTICAL and open when it is SHORT of VERTICAL and Closed when it is PAST vertical...and you want the shot to go straight...

Huh?[?] If you are going to answer the question, answer the question, please. I do not understand your sphinx riddle-speak.

The answer to the question was - "open when it is SHORT of VERTICAL", because:-

Slightly open on impact (short of vertical) means square at separation (vertical) then closed post impact (past vertical).

Thanks for the translation, burner. I needed it. Brian obviously has some good ideas and know what he is talking about. Unfortunately, I have no way of figuring out what the heck he means on half the stuff he says.

Brian, I apologize, but I really think you should find a way to say what you mean more clearly and finish what you are saying. This is the same thing that turned me off so much last year when I tried to listen to what you have to say. You would get started on a thought, and then either not complete it or go off on a tangent. If you want to help us, and I think you do, then please complete your thoughts.

 

[Dr_J]

This is what you will find with Brian...he is like many great medicine professors I have had. He doesn't just give you the easy straight answer when asked a question. He will give you an answer that will make you have to think, and look up things, and try different things. On the way to trying to figure out his answer so you can get your answer, you learn more than you ever would have, and you will remember it. I like the stimulating eloquent answers, but if you want Brian to speak straight forward and understand what he thinks about the swing, just got to the instruction section, or buy his tape. Doesn't get any clearer than that.

 

[CrimsonTider]

The problem with that way is that it would be very easy for someone to come to the wrong conclusions due to the incomplete answers and start trying things that throw their game off for years.

 

[EaglesNest]

quote:Originally posted by CrimsonTider


For now, I am a believer.

Now, for a confession. When the whole thing started on FGI, I was already doing this, and hitting the ball well. I had always just believed I was doing it wrong, but did not want to change something that was working. That was when I decided that, since I took the stance that the ascending blow was correct, I had better start making changes and do it the "correct" way. I don't think I have hit a good drive since, until today. Thanks for setting me straight.

You are kidding right...LOL

 

[Brian Manzella]

Crimson...

If you had, let's say, 4degrees(which is very small) of UPswing and a typically too stiff shaft which is unloaded forward of vertical, you would hit it STRAIGHT up in the air.

I know you hit down slightly with a driver not only because I understand it science-wise but because I have fixed thousands of students by way of this alignment.

Sorry my answers aren't super easy to understand. But, to be fair, I teach all day and I try to answer in a way that SOMEONE on here could elaborate.

 

[CrimsonTider]

quote:Originally posted by EaglesNest

quote:Originally posted by CrimsonTider


For now, I am a believer.

Now, for a confession. When the whole thing started on FGI, I was already doing this, and hitting the ball well. I had always just believed I was doing it wrong, but did not want to change something that was working. That was when I decided that, since I took the stance that the ascending blow was correct, I had better start making changes and do it the "correct" way. I don't think I have hit a good drive since, until today. Thanks for setting me straight.

You are kidding right...LOL

No....what is funny about that?

 

[CrimsonTider]

quote:Originally posted by brianman

Crimson...

If you had, let's say, 4degrees(which is very small) of UPswing and a typically too stiff shaft which is unloaded forward of vertical, you would hit it STRAIGHT up in the air.

I know you hit down slightly with a driver not only because I understand it science-wise but because I have fixed thousands of students by way of this alignment.

Sorry my answers aren't super easy to understand. But, to be fair, I teach all day and I try to answer in a way that SOMEONE on here could elaborate.

Fair enough, but just expect a lot more "Huh?"'s out of me then.