How To Hit it Straight

20 09 2011

Hitting the ball straight is one of the biggest challenges facing every golfer.  There are so many variables that go into hitting it straight that it is a wonder we ever hit the ball straight at all.  In fact most tour players prefer to curve the ball in order to get it to the target.  Jack Nicklaus liked to fade the ball while Tom Watson likes to draw the ball.  Very few tour players try to hit the ball perfectly straight once they are hitting clubs longer than an eight iron.  Today’s equipment makes hitting the ball straight more feasible, nevertheless, it is a challenge.  I believe every golfer should know what it takes to hit it straight. The closer you get, the less curve you will get on your ball and your direction control will improve.

So what does it take to hit the ball straight?  Correct aim, a square clubface, and a centered hit are all part of the equation.  The last variable is club path and that may be the least understood by the average player.  The reason is that the swing is an inclined circle, like slightly tilted a hula hoop.  This means that as you hit down on a ball you will be striking the ball earlier on the circle which means your path will moving to the right at impact.  Conversely, when you hit up on the ball, the later you are hitting on the circle and the more left your path is moving at impact.  In short, the attack angle directly affects the path.  My video on how to hit it straight illustrates the adjustments necessary to neutralize your club path with different attack angles.

The one thing to remember is that every ball struck from the ground requires a downward strike to hit it solidly and straight.  Hitting up on a ball that is on the ground will result in a miss-hit.  When you tee the ball up, it is to your advantage to hit up on the ball as it will minimize the spin rate and give you more distance.  Although you can get away with hitting down on your driver I do not recommend it as it will increase your spin rate and cost you distance.

Just like it is difficult to learn the golf swing from a book, I will leave the aforementioned formula for hitting it straight to your local PGA teaching professional.  But remember that just working on aim, face and center hits will help, but understanding the concept of path as it relates to attack angle will be the final piece in the puzzle.

Josh Zander


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The One-Plane Backswing

16 06 2011

By now you have probably heard the term “One-Plane Swing.”  The term was coined by my mentor Jim Hardy and has become part of the golf vernacular.  In the past, the one plane swing has been described as a flat swing.  Ben Hogan is the most famous example of this type of swing.   In his book, “Five Lessons, the Modern Fundamentals of Golf”, Hogan showed us that great image of the pane of glass.  At the top of his backswing, he shows how his left arm is on the same plane as his shoulders.  In his book, Ben Hogan stated: “At the top of his backswing, his (the golfer’s) left arm should be extended at the same angle as the glass.  Actually, his left arm would brush against the glass.”  This is what Jim Hardy describes as the One-Plane Backswing.  In other words, the left arm and shoulders are all on “one plane” at the top of the backswing.

In my video, I have demonstrated how to build a one-plane swing.  How do you know if this style of swing is correct for you?  Get in front of a mirror and look at your profile as you are hitting away from the mirror.  Make a backswing and hold it at the top.  Now look back at the mirror.  If your left arm is online with your shoulders, you are a one-planer.  If your left arm is higher than your shoulders you are a two-planer.  If you are one-planer, you should study this video in order to make your motion more fundamentally sound.

One of the best methods of learning is watching great players.  These days, the internet provides us with countless videos that we can use as models.  My favorite modern day one planers are Hunter Mahan, Sergio Garcia, and Trevor Immelman.  Tiger Woods is a great one planer when he hits his famous “stinger”.  The one-plane swing seems to be a trend on the tour these days.  This does not mean it is the only way to be successful; it is just one way to play golf.  As a teacher, I make sure my students stick to the fundamentals of a one-plane swing if they are one-planers.  There is a lot of confusing information out there.  Some of it is right for one-planers and some of it is correct for two-planers.  Figuring out which one you are will help you keep things simple and enjoy great golf.

Josh Zander

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddz-Pxj5WTU


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Categories : ball flight, full swing, game improvement, golf, golf instruction, video

Sequence, The Key to Power

15 11 2009

I have been teaching golf for 15 years and I can’t remember a student who has not asked me for more distance. The Titleist Performance Institute has studied hundreds of touring professionals and the best ball-strikers all have the same downswing “signature” (downswing sequence) to maximize their distance. The proper sequence in the downswing is hips, torso, lead arm and then the golf club. If you look at a computer reading of Jim Furyk and Ernie Els’ downswing sequence, you will not be able to tell the difference between the players. Obviously Els’ frame can produce more power that Furyk’s but they both maximize their power in the same way.

The sequence is the same in any sport where you are looking to hit or throw something with power. If you look at a baseball hitter, baseball pitcher, hockey player or tennis player, you will see the same sequence of motion. The chain reaction as one part of the body transfers the energy to the next leads to efficiency and power. When you see a great ball-striker just prior to impact, you see a significant “lag” where the handle of the club is well ahead of the clubhead. This angle is produced by the proper sequence in the downswing. When an instructor talks about delaying the hit, holding the angle or creating lag, please understand that you cannot achieve this unless your body is firing in the proper sequence.

So how do you learn the proper sequence? If you are late to golf and have played other sports, tap into that sequence. Your brain has stored the sequence as you learned the other sport and tapping into this is invaluable. If you are involved with juniors or have a kid who plays golf, keep them involved in other sports as they will gain more strength and learn the sequence there as well.  I have seen Michelle Wie hitting golf balls with a baseball bat as her Dad pitched them in to her about waist high. Her tall strong frame coupled with the correct sequence is a great recipe for power. A good drill to learn the proper sequence is to start with your feet together, take the club half way back, then step towards the target as you complete the backswing and swing through.

We all laugh at Happy Gilmore hitting a golf ball but running up and hitting a golf ball is the correct sequence not to mention a great way to train hand eye coordination. I’m not saying do this on the first tee next time you play, but it would be really cool if you did and pulled it off. If you hit it solidly, you will see distance you never saw before. -jz


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