Is hitting the ball STRAIGHT the goal?
- Thread starter GolfHappy
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I believe the goal of your swing is to produce the most consistent shot possible under pressure. That might be a straight shot, a draw or a fade. Our human weaknesses can't be ignored in trying to answer to your question.
If all holes were straight (and pins in the middle of every green) I would tend to agree that a straight shot would be optimal. However, hitting the ball dead straight might not maximize your chance at scoring. For example, a straight shot at a tucked pin can be difficult because there might not be enough green to hold the shot at that angle. (If you want to hit a straight shot to the right or left of the tucked pin that would work, but it might not get the ball as close as a shot that curves towards a tucked pin.)
If all holes were straight (and pins in the middle of every green) I would tend to agree that a straight shot would be optimal. However, hitting the ball dead straight might not maximize your chance at scoring. For example, a straight shot at a tucked pin can be difficult because there might not be enough green to hold the shot at that angle. (If you want to hit a straight shot to the right or left of the tucked pin that would work, but it might not get the ball as close as a shot that curves towards a tucked pin.)
Brian Manzella
Administrator
(I know where you are going with this....just so you know....)
Dead straight would be ideal.
For some golfers, at is easier to curve it the same way every time. For some of them, it varies through the set.
I want to say of course but let me tell you about my experience. I have been on trackman twice with two different teachers. Both times I was hitting the ball very very well going into the lesson (playing a draw with all clubs in the bag). Both teachers thought that I was underplane coming down and tried to get me to swing more left to produce a straight ball. I struggled mightly both times with getting this feeling and had horrible results. So now I am back to hitting a draw and playing pretty well.
So to answer your question in an ideal world it is always the goal to hit the ball straight. BUT- FOR ME - a person who grew up underplane and hitting a draw - it is easier and BETTER for me to continue that approach ...
duckjr78
New
This describes my dad to a "T." He plays a fade off the tee with a driver and also fades his med/long irons. He hits a draw with his fairway woods and hits his short irons pretty much dead straight.
S
SteveT
Guest
If you can't hit the ball straight, you've got a cockeyed swing.
Accomplished golfers can adjust their swing to shape their shots.
However, the driver will tend to misbehave because it's D-plane is so tight.
I carry a 10.5º driver and a 12º 2-wood ... the driver for straight and fades, the 2-wood for draws.
I don't carry a 3-wood ... only a 4-wood and 7-wood, a couple of hybrids and then 6-iron through to 4 wedges.
(Interestingly, about a year later, Mickelson tried a two driver combo too.)
Cool.
I carry 2 drivers. I have Callaway FTiQ 9.5° for straight/fade and a Ping i15 9.5° for straight/draw.
I also don't carry a 3 wood, I have a 4 and a 5.
What's a 7-wood? Isn't that for really, really old people
S
SteveT
Guest
Cool.
- I carry 2 drivers. I have Callaway FTiQ 9.5° for straight/fade and a Ping i15 9.5° for straight/draw. >>> ... and I bet you hit a lot of slices and duck hooks too with that combo!!!
- I also don't carry a 3 wood, I have a 4 and a 5. >>> ... and I bet you get the same distance from both clubs!!!
- What's a 7-wood? Isn't that for really, really old people >>> Yes .. but lots of LPGA pros carry 7 woods and I bet they are a lot lot better than you or I !!!
mgranato
New
One of the biggest attractions in golf, for me, is the availability to make the ball curve. I absolutely love to curve the ball both directions with 13 clubs - often more so than my talent level allows. It's just a fun way to play. However, anytime I'm on the range with Flightscope, I always work on "zeroing out". It's like getting my tires aligned before I take the swing off-road.
drewyallop
New
I vote for straight, but then I have a high handicap and can't hit a draw or fade reliably to a target.
Also not very long. A straight ball maximizes my distance.
If I par I am happy. Fading or drawing an approach shot into a tight pin is a birdie move. I just put it on the green and beg for a two putt.
Straight for all clubs. How can you go wrong?
Finally, I appeal to the wisdom of Moe: "Draw? That is not a golf shot. Fade? That is not a golf shot. This is a golf shot"
He pipelines it.
Drew
Also not very long. A straight ball maximizes my distance.
If I par I am happy. Fading or drawing an approach shot into a tight pin is a birdie move. I just put it on the green and beg for a two putt.
Straight for all clubs. How can you go wrong?
Finally, I appeal to the wisdom of Moe: "Draw? That is not a golf shot. Fade? That is not a golf shot. This is a golf shot"
He pipelines it.
Drew
The FTiQ doesn't go left, the i15 doesn't go right.
4 wood is 240/260yd, 5 wood is 220/230yd.
I don't really mind what lady golfers carry.
Nicklaus used to play that way. I remember a video where he said he hit everything at the left side of the green - if it went straight then he was on the left side, if it had some fade he was in the middle of the green and if he over-cooked the fade he was on the right side of the green, at least he was always putting.
All he tried to guard against was losing the ball to the left (which I guess didn't happen all that often).
birdie_man
New
Brian...would Trackman "zeroes" be ideal? Or even just face/path the same ideal?
Why is straight FLIGHT ideal?
If you Can't or don't?
Maybe Phil copied you Steve!
He did win a Masters with 2 drivers though yes? (and maybe another tourney)
I wouldn't mind having more hybrids...
Why is straight FLIGHT ideal?
If you can't hit the ball straight, you've got a cockeyed swing.
If you Can't or don't?
Maybe Phil copied you Steve!
He did win a Masters with 2 drivers though yes? (and maybe another tourney)
I wouldn't mind having more hybrids...
birdie_man
New
Have been hitting it best with a push fade recently.
I have been making use of the push-fade lately, now that I know I am allowed to!
I set up to hit it way right, then rotate everything left so that the face has some relationship to the target, I add a little wrinkle by closing my stance with a 6 iron and down. I absolutely kill my irons, especially the long irons. I have played some good golf with a stock draw (that turned into an unmentionable from time to time), and there is not doubt the carry on the push/push-fade is longer.
The easiest thing in the world for me is to hit it from the inside! I seem to be more successful matching the face consistently with an inside to out path by opening the face to the target line, then rotating everything left.
working on the tumbling has helped me not get to inside out, but I can still manage the ball pretty well with the well grooved below plane move. I think having the face closed to the path invites distaster...for me anyway.
When I was a youngin' I enjoyed a 3 week period of great ball striking (it made my junior career and made a college career possible!) The overarching (no pun intended) feeling was torquing the grip during start down. I lost it a while later and started hitting "coat-hangers."
If Brian had seen younger me (although he was in his TGM parrot phase if I have the autobiography correct) he might have said " Open the face a bit...rotate the bidness a bit left to allow for the resultant path...add a little tumble"
Unfortunately like many "should have beens" I bought into the Faldo overhaul mentality. After hitting lord knows how many basic motion ship shots I said "To hell with this!" Took 6 months off from golf...found Brian's Essential D-plane video by accident..."cured" a hook that destroyed a good young golfer's competitive aspirations. The real cure was letting go of the i dea that pull-hooks are singularly a result of coming over the top (which in hindsight I do not think I have done in 20 years!) I opened the face (visually excruciating) learned to hit a few pushes then aimed it left!
The Essential D-plane video is the most helpful video I have ever watched. I am still amazed it was gratis. Thanks Mr. Manzella.
Happy New Year to all.
I set up to hit it way right, then rotate everything left so that the face has some relationship to the target, I add a little wrinkle by closing my stance with a 6 iron and down. I absolutely kill my irons, especially the long irons. I have played some good golf with a stock draw (that turned into an unmentionable from time to time), and there is not doubt the carry on the push/push-fade is longer.
The easiest thing in the world for me is to hit it from the inside! I seem to be more successful matching the face consistently with an inside to out path by opening the face to the target line, then rotating everything left.
working on the tumbling has helped me not get to inside out, but I can still manage the ball pretty well with the well grooved below plane move. I think having the face closed to the path invites distaster...for me anyway.
When I was a youngin' I enjoyed a 3 week period of great ball striking (it made my junior career and made a college career possible!) The overarching (no pun intended) feeling was torquing the grip during start down. I lost it a while later and started hitting "coat-hangers."
If Brian had seen younger me (although he was in his TGM parrot phase if I have the autobiography correct) he might have said " Open the face a bit...rotate the bidness a bit left to allow for the resultant path...add a little tumble"
Unfortunately like many "should have beens" I bought into the Faldo overhaul mentality. After hitting lord knows how many basic motion ship shots I said "To hell with this!" Took 6 months off from golf...found Brian's Essential D-plane video by accident..."cured" a hook that destroyed a good young golfer's competitive aspirations. The real cure was letting go of the i dea that pull-hooks are singularly a result of coming over the top (which in hindsight I do not think I have done in 20 years!) I opened the face (visually excruciating) learned to hit a few pushes then aimed it left!
The Essential D-plane video is the most helpful video I have ever watched. I am still amazed it was gratis. Thanks Mr. Manzella.
Happy New Year to all.
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