How do you control forward lean?
- Thread starter wdking
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Do you know for sure that you have a lot of forward lean?
What are your misses?
What's your normal bread and butter shot shape?
Brian Manzella
Administrator
Forward Lean
From what I recently learned, here is the skinny on Forward Lean/Hitting down.
You HAVE TO HIT DOWN on the ball a certain amount with each club. This will divert your TRUE PATH to the right of your SWING (Plane Line).
You can over lean it, and then you will divert it even more.
The key is learning the perfect release point for YOU, and aimimg to counteract your diverted path and desired ball path.
From what I recently learned, here is the skinny on Forward Lean/Hitting down.
You HAVE TO HIT DOWN on the ball a certain amount with each club. This will divert your TRUE PATH to the right of your SWING (Plane Line).
You can over lean it, and then you will divert it even more.
The key is learning the perfect release point for YOU, and aimimg to counteract your diverted path and desired ball path.
"You HAVE TO HIT DOWN on the ball a certain amount with each club. This will divert your TRUE PATH to the right of your SWING (Plane Line)."
That made it click for me. So the driver would be about as close as I can get to "aiming straight" due to the upward strike. Is that right? Or am I aiming slightly right with the driver? Is there any instance where you can aim straight? 0* angle of descent?
That made it click for me. So the driver would be about as close as I can get to "aiming straight" due to the upward strike. Is that right? Or am I aiming slightly right with the driver? Is there any instance where you can aim straight? 0* angle of descent?
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
Brian, my driver has always been my best club and ive barely ever had trouble aiming it. With this info, I'll bet that I had a slightly in to out swing that was diverted "in" by a couple degree upward hit. So I can aim straight. Am I close?
Now master, what is the "trick" to discovering/learning that release point?
I have begun to encounter the same problem.
I think I have been overdoing the lean and attempts to compress the ball, as now my driver ball flight is like an exocet missle.
I am not sure how to get the ball back on a normal trajectory,
Do I need to lean back more, pumping my left hip further out on the downswing?
On a positive note, although very low, they are straight and still go a mile, just not very satisfying.
Any drills or tips would be greatly appreciated.
B
I think I have been overdoing the lean and attempts to compress the ball, as now my driver ball flight is like an exocet missle.
I am not sure how to get the ball back on a normal trajectory,
Do I need to lean back more, pumping my left hip further out on the downswing?
On a positive note, although very low, they are straight and still go a mile, just not very satisfying.
Any drills or tips would be greatly appreciated.
B
vjcapron
New
Forward Lean is influenced by grip type
Johnny Miller has said that the secret to his superb distance control and accuracy with the irons in the 70s was his weak left hand grip. The weak left hand grip forced him to have the same amount of forward lean on every iron shot. He said he could dial iron shots within a yard or two every time, especially in the desert where there was no wind.
With a weak left hand grip (a.k.a. Manzella neutral) your hands can really only have a little forward lean without leaving the clubface wide open. His grip forced him to have a similar amount of forward lean with every swing.
It's pretty simple:
1 knuckle left-hand grips - less forward lean (hogan, johnny, jack)
4 or 5 knuckle left-hand grips - more forward lean (trevino, boo, freddy)
Good players with strong grips tend to fight too much forward lean, because they use the forward lean to fight off a shut clubface.
Johnny Miller has said that the secret to his superb distance control and accuracy with the irons in the 70s was his weak left hand grip. The weak left hand grip forced him to have the same amount of forward lean on every iron shot. He said he could dial iron shots within a yard or two every time, especially in the desert where there was no wind.
With a weak left hand grip (a.k.a. Manzella neutral) your hands can really only have a little forward lean without leaving the clubface wide open. His grip forced him to have a similar amount of forward lean with every swing.
It's pretty simple:
1 knuckle left-hand grips - less forward lean (hogan, johnny, jack)
4 or 5 knuckle left-hand grips - more forward lean (trevino, boo, freddy)
Good players with strong grips tend to fight too much forward lean, because they use the forward lean to fight off a shut clubface.
Jim Kobylinski
Super Moderator
Yes it's possible; however i think the main culprit of the bowed left wrist is the movement of the low point rather than the couple more degrees of forward lean it might add.
Jim Kobylinski
Super Moderator
If you play a fairly constant ball position you will need to modify your stance width to essentially try to "pre-determine" how much tilt you will have at impact which will effect launch angle.
To get the feeling of how this works use a short iron that you are comfortable with and hit balls using your normal stance width and ball position. Then without changing your front foot position or the ball position; move your trailing foot further away from your front foot. Then hit a shot; if you didn't cheat ball should go higher. Then really start moving it away and see how ridiculously high you can make it and what you will notice is that your secondary axis tilt has increased.
Also be aware at some point you will make the stance so wide that you won't be able to get to the ball cleanly because you have too much tilt and too forward of a ball position.
Once you understand/feel how this works; use it with your other clubs
I don't know if I have a lot of forward lean, how can I test it. My misses are mostly underplane high hooks, normal shot shape is a baby fade, any draws are complete accidents.
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
Why dont you just video it and see?
Jim,
As usual, thanks a million. Look forward to trying this, it sounds like it is just what I need to do.
My stance is very narrow and I don't really vary it much.
B
Thanks Kevin, I'm not that smart. I don't have a video camera, but I guess that's going to change soon.
Do you have a digital camera? Most of these have a video setting and that is what I use to video my swing.
Kevin Shields
Super Moderator
MY bad. I shouldnt just assume people have access to video.
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