Little Ball Before Big Ball!

[dufferifick]

As aF golfer(term used loosely) that has for 50 something years tried to impact ball at the point of terra firma on which it sit; meaning I'd try to clip the ball from where it sit.

The last year or so, at least before I die, I am trying to learn to hit the ball before the ground.

If you change this after 50 years of the other, there's gonna be SOME CHANGES!  First there was hitting the ball 4,5 or maybe8 or 10° to the slice side of things.  Not necessarily a slice, but a push.  Hence, came the D Plane....but another topic for another day.

My question is; how do you aim at the point in which to strike?

I have been aiming about an inch in front of ball for mid irons.  when I do that, all is well.

However, my consistency for do that is fleeting.

Have you learned any tricks of the trade to maintain a constant impact?

 

[klineka]

I look at the ball and I hit the ball. I've never thought about where to strike or looked anywhere in front of the ball.

Making ball first contact is a byproduct or end result of making a decent, somewhat "technically sound" swing.

You're probably going to be better off in the long run if you work with a coach on improving your swing which will then in turn improve your contact and strike.

 

[dufferifick]

1 minute ago, klineka said:

I look at the ball and I hit the ball. I've never thought about where to strike or looked anywhere in front of the ball.

Making ball first contact is a byproduct or end result of making a decent, somewhat "technically sound" swing.

You're probably going to be better off in the long run if you work with a coach on improving your swing which will then in turn improve your contact and strike.

 

na. too old to start that.

so, you don't plan for low spot in swing?  interesting.

[Vinsk]

23 minutes ago, dufferifick said:

 

Have you learned any tricks of the trade to maintain a constant impact?

I tell ya what, placing a towel or a lie board, plastic thin cutting board, behind the ball a couple of inches ( you can start further back) and then focus on not hitting the towel/board is pretty good practice.

[klineka]

3 minutes ago, dufferifick said:

so, you don't plan for low spot in swing?  interesting.

No, I hit the ball and then my low point happens after that. I'm not really concerned if that is .25" or 1" in front of the ball. I've never thought about that once.

[ChetlovesMer]

30 minutes ago, dufferifick said:

I have been aiming about an inch in front of ball for mid irons.  when I do that, all is well.

If that works, why not just do that? 

There are of course a couple other options. 
1 - Start a MySwing thread and perhaps some of the smarter folks on this forum could help you.

2 - Start taking lessons with a qualified instructor and get to the root of the problem.

 

[dufferifick]

26 minutes ago, klineka said:

No, I hit the ball and then my low point happens after that. I'm not really concerned if that is .25" or 1" in front of the ball. I've never thought about that once.

that's just where I plan to hit.

I don't really AIM at it.  I know/see the path I want and set up for it.

I try not to think about ONE THING during swing, just try to swing intended path.

22 minutes ago, ChetlovesMer said:

If that works, why not just do that? 

There are of course a couple other options. 
1 - Start a MySwing thread and perhaps some of the smarter folks on this forum could help you.

2 - Start taking lessons with a qualified instructor and get to the root of the problem.

 

Don't have a youtube channel and not gonna start one.

I'm too old and 70 miles away from nearest instructors anyway.

It works.....a high percentage of time.  Just looking for some ideas to increase the percentage, hopefully

[klineka]

7 minutes ago, dufferifick said:

that's just where I plan to hit.

I don't really AIM at it.

You stated otherwise in your first post,

Quote

I have been aiming about an inch in front of ball for mid irons.

 

 

8 minutes ago, dufferifick said:

I'm too old and 70 miles away from nearest instructors anyway.

Those are just excuses. You can do online lessons through a site like Evolvr right from your own house.

 

There is no "magic" way to increase consistency or quality of strike, it comes as a result of improving your swing. If you aren't open to improving your swing then that will severely limit how much you will be able to improve your quality/consistency of strike. 

[dufferifick]

1 minute ago, klineka said:

You stated otherwise in your first post,

 

 

Those are just excuses. You can do online lessons through a site like Evolvr right from your own house.

 

There is no "magic" way to increase consistency or quality of strike, it comes as a result of improving your swing. If you aren't open to improving your swing then that will severely limit how much you will be able to improve your quality/consistency of strike. 

I aim to go to town.  I didn't say I was going to take the car.

When I said aim(my mistake) I meant that was my aim by the way I set up....to control where low point coincided and that's where I visualize the club going.  I don't have any cross hairs on my clubs.😀

Money is the other excuse.  want more?

I have very limited internet bandwidth; live in country and at mercy of limited services.

I worked on my swing all last summer  until I hurt my shoulder in a construction accident in October.  I worked on simulator at least  2 hours a day and increased my irons by 2 clubs and driver to 280(was 245). I'm 69 and 5'6" so easy speed don't come my way. I'm willing to work on it, but the instructors I HAVE BEEN TO want to redo from start and I AIN'T DOING THAT.

I'm just now able to swing a club good and healthy again just asking folks for some insight, kinda like what Vinsk posted.

[klineka]

1 hour ago, dufferifick said:

just asking folks for some insight, kinda like what Vinsk posted.

And the insight I'm providing is that for the specific thing you are looking to improve upon (impact/strike quality) your best bet to improve is to improve your full swing mechanics rather than look for a quick fix magic pill type solution.

That doesn't mean you have to redo your entire swing from the ground up, there could be small tweaks here and there throughout your swing that could drastically increase the quality of strike without redoing your entire swing. 

You stated you are willing to work on it but have provided numerous excuses to every long term solution that has been presented to you. 

[dufferifick]

1 hour ago, klineka said:

And the insight I'm providing is that for the specific thing you are looking to improve upon (impact/strike quality) your best bet to improve is to improve your full swing mechanics rather than look for a quick fix magic pill type solution.

That doesn't mean you have to redo your entire swing from the ground up, there could be small tweaks here and there throughout your swing that could drastically increase the quality of strike without redoing your entire swing. 

You stated you are willing to work on it but have provided numerous excuses to every long term solution that has been presented to you. 

it's not impact strike quality I'm looking for.  It's repeatability.

I am completely satisfied with my impact/strike quality when done as I want.  I am 69 now and hit the ball further than I ever have.

I am completely satisfied with ~160 yard 8 iron.  It's not tour quality but it's probably better than most weekend hackers.

I guess someone sharing/searching for others swing thoughts is a sign of incompetence.

Nevermind folks.  You guys have fun!

[klineka]

9 minutes ago, dufferifick said:

I guess someone sharing/searching for others swing thoughts is a sign of incompetence.

Show me where I said or implied anything remotely close to that. I'll wait.

You asked for insight as to how you can improve in regards to having a more consistent impact, repeatability, etc and I gave you my answer along with offering multiple suggestions to try and help you adapt to your particular situation.

Just because you don't like the answer that you were given or it isn't what you were looking for doesn't mean I'm calling you incompetent. 

[saevel25]

15 minutes ago, dufferifick said:

it's not impact strike quality I'm looking for.  It's repeatability.

I am completely satisfied with my impact/strike quality when done as I want.  I am 69 now and hit the ball further than I ever have.

I am completely satisfied with ~160 yard 8 iron.  It's not tour quality but it's probably better than most weekend hackers.

I guess someone sharing/searching for others swing thoughts is a sign of incompetence.

Nevermind folks.  You guys have fun!

You are failing to realize there is no magic bullet. If you are hitting the big ball first, you have swing faults that need serious work. Yet, you are satisfied with your strike quality when you actually hit the small ball first. The two things are not mutually exclusive. 

There is a probability on if you are going to hit it fat or hit it solid. The more specific swing faults you have, the more that probability widens. PGA Tour players hardly ever hit it fat. Amateurs hit it fat more often. It isn't like an amateur is making a drastically different swing from one versus the other. We are talking about maybe a few inches of difference in club location at impact. Good luck telling the difference in your golf swing between those two outcomes. This is what confounds people about golf. They think their bad shots must look drastically different than their good ones. 

In the end, go get lessons from a good golf instructor if you want to hit the little ball more often. 

After the discussion in the other thread, do your weight shift more properly. 

[dufferifick]

lmao.  bye folks.

[dufferifick]

sorry folks, I don't see a problem.

 

About 41 shots in session just ended.

[saevel25]

Good to see you worked it out. 

[dufferifick]

2 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Good to see you worked it out. 

there was nothing to work out. I was just asking what some swing thoughts were.

[saevel25]

To hit ball first. Get most of your weight forward way before impact. 

Get your arms and club to move in reasonable way.

Have some level of athleticism (hand eye coordination). 

as for feels, you need to figure that out on your own.