strong double action grips

[dannyc]

i have switched to the manzella/doyle method (via the excellent "over and out" video) of hitting bunker shots. take my normal grip (ssa-ish - or, the "fist flat" grip in soft draw) and then open the face. i have had a lot of success with this shot and my confidence in greenside bunkers has increased dramatically. i much prefer this to the "open and then grip" method i once used.

once i got the hang of this, i started using this sda (i think it is sda because when i cock my left wrist, the right wrist bends, which doesn't happen with the "fist flat" grip) type of grip with a square face to hit different shots.

i can hit a really cool pitch shot with this grip: mid sole impact; flies low and checks like crazy.

i can also hit pretty damn solid iron shots with this grip...even some nice fades. i know that one of the reasons this occurs is because i am not flipping the club (as brian said, you can only uncock the wrist so much). but once i get to my 3 wood and driver, the ball starts hooking like mad.

any ideas as to why i would hook the woods and not the irons?
what percentage of students do those of you in the manzella academy recommend to use this strong of a grip?

(for those of you not familiar, think "duval" or "couples" strong. left hand practically laying on the plane at address.)

thanks!

 

[ssssc]

hey danny,

hoping someone chimes in here on your post ... i too have gone to what you are calling an sda ... i also have some shaft lean at address, and i am compressing the ball better than ever ... i am hitting wedges so close to the pins its scary ...

now i am working on the proper sequence to hit my longer irons and woods with this same sort of action ... one thing that i have noticed is the more "rotation" i have in my swing with the woods the less hook action i have ...

i guess time will tell ...

duane

 

[dannyc]

i am hitting wedges so close to the pins its scary ...

yeah, this grip seems to work really well for the shorter shots/clubs...
i know there must be a reason for this, but not sure what it is. i guess it could be that we are used to using less "roll" or forearm rotation through the ball, which may also explain the difficulties with longer clubs? i dunno...

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Danny, with the longer clubs FEEL LIKE you flip after impact; you are more than likely not "resisting" the roll of the face as you are with the other irons. You need more of a "gather up the marbles" type swivel.

Make sense?

 

[GPM1985]

Danny, with the longer clubs FEEL LIKE you flip after impact; you are more than likely not "resisting" the roll of the face as you are with the other irons.

Is this what Sergio does? I happened to see the Taylormade commercial where he's hitting a driver in slow-mo as the camera rotates and you can see that his left elbow points out rather than in toward his left ribs as the club comes into the ball. It seems that he rolls the club, or flips it up, well after the ball is gone.

 

[dannyc]

Make sense?

yes, makes perfect sense. need more of a vertical to angled type of release.
not sure if i will use this type of grip much; it's just something i noticed while tinkering...

 

[ssssc]

another day of "sdag" practice, and another day of sucess ...

not sure if it is good or bad but i have picked up major distance on the irons, and expect to do the same with my driver when i get my body rotation in order ...

zack johnson type rotation im guessing ...

roflmbo

 

[dannyc]

ss,

did you have a problem with flipping before? just wondering because a lot of people with a little flip notice a different feel/compression using this grip.

 

[ssssc]

hey danny ...

yea, i do play with a little flip in my game with a weak grip ... that is how i stumbled across the sdag with the ball played slightly back in my stance ... im not going to state my yardage gains for obvious reasons, but the distance gain along with the ball compression is unquestionably better ...

im not sure where this is going to lead me, but for now im going with it ...

Duane

 

[dannyc]

im not sure where this is going to lead me, but for now im going with it ...

Duane

i am thinking this sdag is a really good way to feel the left wrist uncocking on its way to low point, but whether that feel could translate later (without too much bend) with a slightly weaker grip and a little roll is another question, i guess.