Hitting vs. Swinging in Golf (TGM)

[picrig]

Just took my first lesson w/my new pro and as he was watching me hit my first few balls (after checking lie angle on my clubs), he started asking me how right hand dominant I was (e.g. would I starve if I broke my right arm). I grew up playing baseball, throwing right handed, hitting right handed, etc.

So, he related a story from right after he became a head pro at his first club. Mark Calcavecchia was there (this was the year after he won the British Open) working with a sports psychologist. My pro went out and asked if he could just watch the session, and after Mark had hit a few more shots, he turned and asked my pro, "What am I doing wrong?" It led to a conversation about Mark playing best when he really just unloaded with his right side. All very much in the vein of Fred Shoemaker.

He had me try hitting instead of swinging...wow...it's the first time I've ever felt like I really released the clubhead well. Normally I'm a pull-slicer w/the longer clubs and a slight pull w/shorter irons. With the feel of "throwing the club," I turned into a straight/slight draw hitter. W/a little wind at my back I was hitting some baby draws w/my 7I that went in the 170 range (up from my normal 145-150). Now, there were bad shots mixed in, but I was surprised at how quickly and easily the "hitting" came to me.

Obviously, it's not for everybody, but what do y'all think of hitting vs. swinging, and what are you yourself?

[Fourputt]

When I hit with the right side I come over the top and either pull hook, or straight pull, or I come out of the shot and even reverse pivot. I have to swing and lead with my left side or I'm in trouble.

[Razorhog]

I'm a swinger. If I concentrate on hitting the ball, bad things happen. Swing through the ball and throw momentum towards the target is how I think about it. Of course I'm new to the game...

[picrig]

Another analogy that worked (maybe even better than baseball analogies) for me was a tennis one. Hitting with the right side (to get that nice draw shape) is similar to hitting an inside-out forehand in tennis (ala Roger Federer). I was afraid I would come badly over the top when thinking about hitting, but in at least this one session, that wasn't the case. We'll see how it plays out.

[I <3 Titleist]

I always try to swing through the ball. Whenever I hit the ball I slice.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I have never quite heard of this analogy...arent they one in the same?

[mm6840]

Hi,

hitting(swinging?) or throwing (with a right hand) is Oneplane basic . For One plane swing they said is right side/hand/arm dominating for the most golfers. For TwoPlane swing is left side/arm/shoulder/hand) dominating method.



regards,

[picrig]

I'm not overly familiar with the details of Hardy's one vs. two plane swing, but my pro, who is also a hitter himself is a two planer, and I would consider myself a two planer also.

DFB, the "hitting" vs. "swinging" analogy stems from what side of the body is dominating, or leading the swing. A swinger uses the left side of his body/left arm to pull the club through the hitting zone (closest analogy I could think of would be a tennis backhand). A hitter uses the right side to move the club (imagine skipping a stone on water, throwing a baseball sidearm, hammering a nail, throwing a bunch w/your right hand). Both want the same result (inside/square/inside swingpath, square clubhead at impact), but the feel for each type of player is different.

[Stuart]

I guess I'm right side dominant, but more importantly I start my downswing by firing my hips. My hands are just along for the ride. You've got to control your swing with your big muscles or else you will not be consistent.

[ForePutt]

I agree with Razor, I think of swinging "through" the ball, rather than aiming at it. I tend to have an abbreviated followthrough if i try to focus on hitting the ball, rather than making a complete swing. One of the lessons I learned in Tae Kwon Do many moons ago was to visualize driving with your hips and striking through your target with a punch, rather than aiming at the person's chest. This created a driving punch into your opponent with much more power than a simple punch to the surface.

[picrig]

Let me clarify that by hitting, I didn't mean the mental image of concentrating on and hitting the ball. I was using hitting as a term to mean using your right side as the dominant side of your swing (do you think of throwing a ball/skipping a rock when you swing or do you think of a backhanded slap w/your left hand?). I certainly don't advocate hitting AT the ball. Even as a "hitter," I want to hit THROUGH the ball and AT the target.

[Stacey_E]

Let me clarify that by hitting, I didn't mean the mental image of concentrating on and hitting the ball. I was using hitting as a term to mean using your right side as the dominant side of your swing (do you think of throwing a ball/skipping a rock when you swing or do you think of a backhanded slap w/your left hand?). I certainly don't advocate hitting AT the ball. Even as a "hitter," I want to hit THROUGH the ball and AT the target.

I knew what you meant because I am a self confessed hitter. I don't hit AT the ball, and I do swing through the ball. But I am right side dominant for sure in my swing. I liked the tennis analogy someone mentioned earlier. To me it is kinda the same as do you prefer to hit forehands or backhands? I won't take that analogy any further to include mechanics and such.

[maelkoth]

Here's an extremely detailed thesis on hitters vs swingers...

http://perfectgolfswingreview.net/power.htm

In its most basic form, swingers power the swing with pulling of the left arm, hitters power it with a pushing of the right arm.

[imtomtomim]

I'm a hitter, I use that right hand a lot for my release, lets me whip the club out, effortless distance

[DavidFehertysBike]

Here's an extremely detailed thesis on hitters vs swingers...

lol....90% of the stuff in that link is info most of us shouldnt really know about..

[DiverDown]

I started out as a hitter, and turned myself into a swinger. As a hitter I had a weak push/slice. As a swinger I have a straight shot or draw with better distance for sure.

[wachesawgolfer]

Per the Tutelman site:

A swinger is a golfer who depends exclusively on centrifugal force for clubhead speed and adds no wrist torque during the downswing except that needed to hold a 90 degree wrist cock.

A hitter is a golfer who depends to some extewnt on torque applied to the club's grip via the hands and the wrists.

In the golf physics link.

[Topper]

I read swinging vs hitting posts on this forum and the information made sense. I'm a hitter. No doubt about it. And I like to keep my club face square to the club path with a shorter back swing. Every drive yesterday and today was on the fairway and I haven't used the driver on the golf course until the last couple of weeks. If I hit the sweet spot, I got 250-275 without trying to over swing. Miss hits still went 200+ yards and in the fairway. I can live with that. Now I just have to figure out how to stop topping my irons. I might even continue this game next spring if this keeps up.

I will add that my golf instructors have clearly emphasized swinging which might partially explain why I didn't make any real improvements in my game over the summer despite taking lessons and practicing. I guess it's like trying to "pound a square peg into a round hole" kind of thing.