The "Drop"

[smooth]

Hi Brian and all...

What is the best way you have found to teach people 'the drop' of the club from the top before moving out with the right shoulder? My shoulders turn too early making me either come OTT or on a too steep plane into the ball.

If i practice in slow motion a 'drop' (on plane) then pivot seems like a very underhand motion and certainly different.... almost like a sweep into impact

Having trouble building this feel into a normal swing however

Cheers

 

[Kevin Shields]

I don't know if its the best but a feel ive had success with is having the student feel the right palm is facing away from you at the top, move your tailbone toward the target while feeling the right arm kinda straighten and putting pressure away from you on the shaft with a bent right wrist.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Feeling the drop isn't best for people who have OTT problems. Doubled has better advice. Brian's whole idea of "the drop" revolves around people who come too far inside (you need them to be more above). Most likely your issues revolve more around axis tilt and clubface issues as doubled as aluded too.

 

[birdie_man]

Now that Jim and Kevin are on the case I'm not even sure if you need my tip.....

But I'll say- when I was first learning how to do it I had some difficulty coordinating a "drop from the top" too.

I think it coulda had to do with my clubface being too open.....though I am not even really sure. (I know it was WHEN my clubface was too open anyhow) All I remember was it felt uncoordinated and jerky.

Anyhoo...I do it easily now.....

...but before it helped me to separate it into 2 separate moves:

-drop the club
-left shoulder up (this is how I "hit it" in the downswing...i.e. "wallop the ball with your pivot")

Basically a customized version of "catch the drop with your pivot."

One other thing I like to think about.........is an image of me catching a club that's actually falling from the sky.

How would you catch it and still "transfer the momentum" of the falling club onto the ball?

 

[starretj]

How would you catch it and still "transfer the momentum" of the falling club onto the ball?

I think you hit the nail on the head with that statement, Birdie.

Smooth,
It took me a long, long time to be able to do this and hit the ball with any power. As I got better at doing this, on the range I would work on trying to "catch it" later and later. It became almost impossible to "catch it" too late, but man can you wallop the ball. Stay at it, it definitely works.

Jim S.

 

[Jared Willerson]

I always try to add right elbow bend on the downswing (thanks Matt). IMO, extensor type action is the death of accumulator lag.

Notice how much more right elbow bend both Brian and Mike Finney have in their downswings, same with David Toms. Toms keeps his right elbow ben longer than anyone and I think it is because he adds right elbow bend to start the downswing, or appears to, anyway

I have to credit mrodock for noticing this in my own swing.

 

[Kevin Shields]

I always try to add right elbow bend on the downswing (thanks Matt). IMO, extensor type action is the death of accumulator lag.

Notice how much more right elbow bend both Brian and Mike Finney have in their downswings, same with David Toms. Toms keeps his right elbow ben longer than anyone and I think it is because he adds right elbow bend to start the downswing, or appears to, anyway

I have to credit mrodock for noticing this in my own swing.

Appreciated...but none of those guys started their downswings with a roundhouse right shoulder.

 

[smooth]

Feeling the drop isn't best for people who have OTT problems. Doubled has better advice. Brian's whole idea of "the drop" revolves around people who come too far inside (you need them to be more above). Most likely your issues revolve more around axis tilt and clubface issues as doubled as aluded too.

Thanks all for the responses....

I feel that i actually have both issues dependant upon timing.... I get onto my left side too quickly which also results in being under plane sometimes and 'stuck'. If i keep my hands in front of my body NHA style and drop, then pivot i'm ok. If it is pivot then drop then i'm in trouble.... i need to feel more of an on plane drop from the top before pivoting too far

 

[Jared Willerson]

Appreciated...but none of those guys started their downswings with a roundhouse right shoulder.

True, I was just commenting on something that helps me. Maybe it was the wrong time. Sorry Kev.

 

[Kevin Shields]

No, not at all. It made me think. I agree the CONSTANT effort to straighten the right arm is a deterrant sometimes to accumulator lag. But if you just press out on that shaft a little in a twistaway mode AND bump with the tailbone in the transition, it just gives you that little extra delay to start down with something other than your hands or shoulders. BTW, I always want other opinions, thats what i'm here for.

 

[Kevin Shields]

Thanks all for the responses....

I feel that i actually have both issues dependant upon timing.... I get onto my left side too quickly which also results in being under plane sometimes and 'stuck'. If i keep my hands in front of my body NHA style and drop, then pivot i'm ok. If it is pivot then drop then i'm in trouble.... i need to feel more of an on plane drop from the top before pivoting too far

Smooth, so you have problems with over the plane and steep AND underplane and stuck?

 

[smooth]

Smooth, so you have problems with over the plane and steep AND underplane and stuck?

yes sounds weird but the underplane and stuck was being caused by a too flat backswing with an even flatter downswing in a vain attempt to resolve the previous issues. so i'm trying to 'do it right' and make a more upright backswing with a more on plane downswing. my bad shots at the moment are straight pushes with irons and snap hooks with the longer clubs - before someone says clubface yes i know that but it is more the plane that is causing the issue.