NHA, Lie Board and Toe Contact

Status
Not open for further replies.
I've struggled with flipping and the "lefts" my entire golfing life. I assumed that I was a below-planer. I bought NHA and COFF and shot my best round in 10 years. Since that round, I've struggled to recreate those results (particularly with my irons). The hooks began to creep in again and I wasn't compressing the ball.

I had recently purchased a new set of sticks, so I thought I would get the lie angle checked. I felt like I was swinging very well, but the impact tape showed a different story. I was making contact towards the heel or in the center of the clubface...but the sole was striking WAY OUT on the toe every time.

The club fitter said I was "swinging over the top", but I've read enough threads on this site and watched NHA enough to know that this often a stock answer. I am really working on swinging left, but can't figure out why turf-club contact is always occurring on the toe...

Is there any explanation for this phenomenon? Any help/ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.
 

Burner

New
I've struggled with flipping and the "lefts" my entire golfing life. I assumed that I was a below-planer. I bought NHA and COFF and shot my best round in 10 years. Since that round, I've struggled to recreate those results (particularly with my irons). The hooks began to creep in again and I wasn't compressing the ball.

I had recently purchased a new set of sticks, so I thought I would get the lie angle checked. I felt like I was swinging very well, but the impact tape showed a different story. I was making contact towards the heel or in the center of the clubface...but the sole was striking WAY OUT on the toe every time.

The club fitter said I was "swinging over the top", but I've read enough threads on this site and watched NHA enough to know that this often a stock answer. I am really working on swinging left, but can't figure out why turf-club contact is always occurring on the toe...

Is there any explanation for this phenomenon? Any help/ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.

How are the shafts on the new sticks? Could be they are not stiff enough and the toe dips into impact more than it should.
 
I think the shafts are OK - I am using Project X 6.0 and I have 7 iron distance of approximately 170.

I tried to weaken my grip (glove logog pointed at target) during my round today....which seemed to eliminate the hooks. However I also used the weaker grip during my fitting session as well - and still soled the toe first.

It's funny/frustrating/maddening, because I had the same problem with a stronger grip, a more inside-out path and upright irons. I know I am doing something mechanically deficient, but it seems to me I am getting the same lie board impact with two completely different swings.

Thanks for the suggestion.
 
Z

Zztop

Guest
Some kind of fit in move, could be still a small flip, handle of club a lot higher at impact than ideal, clubs not fitted properly, length, lie, weight, flex.
 
Seems to me that issue number 1 is whether your irons can be bent by the fitter, cast or forged? If yes, then why did this supposed "Fitter" not bend an iron, and use the lie board again progessively adjusting until impact is in the center of the sole?
 
Lie Adjustments seemingly useless - Mechanics Issue

I should have mentioned that I've had this "toe first" strike issue with multiple club set-ups. My previous set were Pings that were 2 degrees upright and 1/4 inch over standard length....and I was still out on the toe.

The new set I purchased standard L/L/L and was going to get used to the feel before making adjustments. They are cast clubs, so I understand that adjusting the lie should not be beyond +/- 2 degrees before risking the integrity of the club.

Unfortunately it seems like no matter what set-up I use, I still have the same effect. The fitter yesterday had me try longer and progressively more upright clubs....and while it moved me away from the extreme edges of the toe, I was still far from center.

I know there is something wrong with the mechanics...I just can't explain it.
Even when I am swinging down into the ball - the divot is often a small scrape that looks as though the toe sliced through the turf as opposed to the entire sole.

I am willing to try anything to get more solid contact and compress the ball.
 
High impact hands with all left wrist cock and right wrist bend gone?

Try to punch a SW 50 yards with a LCT and a tucked right elbow whilst utilizing only a 1/3 swing. And stop swinging/manipulating the clubHEAD. Try focusing on the handle/grip instead. On these punch shots, right when you achieve max right wrist bend thru the LCT, pull the HANDLE down past your belt buckle with your pivot BEFORE the clubhead catches up and you lose right wrist bend.
 
Some of those symptoms sound familiar, so I'll make some wild guesses:
- still getting below plane and hands (too) high at impact works as a fit in move?
- some issues with lagging the hosel instead of sweetspot? (contacts towards hosel)

I had recently issues with the lefts again (sometimes toe down with long irons) and when I tried to avoid it, I would block it to right. I had worked on SDP trying to combine NHA downswing with it and could not get to work consistently. I went back to NSA and found that I got things working much better with going back to neutral grip, bit of twistaway and feel of a bit more around than up in the backswing. But that's me right now. Who knows where I'll be next month.
 
These are all great suggestions. I think I probably do "rise-up" a bit through the impact zone - which would likely create high hands and toe impact?

I am going to work on the punch shots as suggested, but past experience with forward shaft lean has resulted in quite a bit of the dreaded S***ks word. This is probably an indicator of lagging the hosel as opposed to the sweetspot?

I was thinking of trying a training aid to help with this concept...but wasn't sure if there were any drills that might do the trick.
 
Some of those symptoms sound familiar, so I'll make some wild guesses:
- still getting below plane and hands (too) high at impact works as a fit in move?
- some issues with lagging the hosel instead of sweetspot? (contacts towards hosel)

I had recently issues with the lefts again (sometimes toe down with long irons) and when I tried to avoid it, I would block it to right. I had worked on SDP trying to combine NHA downswing with it and could not get to work consistently. I went back to NSA and found that I got things working much better with going back to neutral grip, bit of twistaway and feel of a bit more around than up in the backswing. But that's me right now. Who knows where I'll be next month.


I've had this issue, small thin divot possibly made by the toe. Not sure what was causing the manipulations but more NSA style swing with some twistaway prior to impact seemed to eliminate the hooks and also created a wider more uniform divot IMO.
 
I am going to work on the punch shots as suggested, but past experience with forward shaft lean has resulted in quite a bit of the dreaded S***ks word. This is probably an indicator of lagging the hosel as opposed to the sweetspot?

I was thinking of trying a training aid to help with this concept...but wasn't sure if there were any drills that might do the trick.

I do not intend nor do I desire in the slightest to turn this thread into a shanking thread. God knows there's enough in the archives on this subject. But as you turn the focus on pulling/pushing the grip rather than the clubhead, you will necessarily start to manipulate the shaft which protrudes from the grip. You will need to remember and sense that the sweetspot is 1-2 inches outward from the end of the shaft on the clubface, and not at the tip end of the shaft. You will just need to "fit in" the extra space.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top