How far do you hit your clubs?

[skillzwhogolfs]

Driver - 270-300 (300-310 drive the other day)

3w - 230

4h - 210

5i - 200

6i - 190

7i - 185

8i - 175

9i - 160

PW - 150

SW - 100-125

64° - don't use for full shots

[mmoan2]

I don't know what got into me today, but I hit a 6-iron tee shot 225 yards dead straight and it plopped in the rough over the green so it had zero roll. I used to figure 175 for that club. Also hit a 375 yard drive after a few big bounces off the cart path. It's amazing what eliminating sidespin and an over-the-top plane can do for your distance.

[Lihu]

Progressing: On the course with 5 swings average. 260 yard driver left handed 235 yard 3 wood left handed 225 3 hybrid left handed 200 5 wood 175 yard 4 hybrid left handed, hitting really high with this one, like a wedge 185 yard 4 hybrid left handed, hitting lower but need to practice this more to be more consistent with this shot. 3 iron blade left handed (finally can hit at least 3/4 swing) 175, really low shots. Not normal use. 4 iron blade left handed 165 5 iron blade 155 6 iron blade 145 7 iron blade 135 8 iron blade 125, duff at least 1/3 of shots 9 iron blade 110, I hit this one too lightly no confidence with higher lofts Pw blade 100, no confidence with higher lofts 56 hit too high and light 60 hit too high and light Getting much better, at least I can hit some greens. Shoulder is completely healed from injury. Need to gain some confidence hitting the wedges and 9 iron. Need to get rid of 2 clubs anyway. Probably will toss the 5 wood and the 60 degree.

[ChrisGSZ]

I thought maybe a short contribution about maximising distance (and minimising effort) might be appropriate.

Three skills combine to produce effortless power in the downswing.

1. A coordinated biokinetic chain (muscles working in sequence from the ground up

This maximises the energy input to body rotation

2. A tight initial downswing swing radius

This minimises resistance to rotation so the rotational energy is converted to rotational speed

3. A passive wrist release

This ensures we transfer maximum rotational speed into clubhead speed using the powerful forces of our arm-club lever system - which works as a double pendulum

Sounds a little complicated (but science of ten is complicated...) But in short it means we should::

Work from the ground up

Hold the clubhead close

Allow the wrists to release 'when they want'

That's it.....  These three elements have been proven repeatedly to be the elements of effortless power.

I'm happy to expand on on any of this....

[Valleygolfer]

Club head close or hands?

[Datsyuk]

Club head close or hands?

Close or closed?

[Lihu]

I thought maybe a short contribution about maximising distance (and minimising effort) might be appropriate. Three skills combine to produce effortless power in the downswing.  1. A coordinated biokinetic chain (muscles working in sequence from the ground up       This maximises the energy input to body rotation 2. A tight initial downswing swing radius       This minimises resistance to rotation so the rotational energy is converted to rotational speed 3. A passive wrist release       This ensures we transfer maximum rotational speed into clubhead speed using the powerful forces of our arm-club lever system - which works as a double pendulum Sounds a little complicated (but science of ten is complicated...) But in short it means we should:: Work from the ground up Hold the clubhead close Allow the wrists to release 'when they want' That's it.....  These three elements have been proven repeatedly to be the elements of effortless power. I'm happy to expand on on any of this....

Just tried this this morning. Wrists totally passive, close the club face to normal position (previously, I had to open all the club faces 5 degrees or more). Consciously turned the hips first. Works really well. I can hit my short irons with much more confidence. I don't know how this works yet, but it does. The short irons are just so deceptively shallow. Now I just have to be able to repeat this, and keep that relaxed feeling while on the approach. Thanks.

[ChrisGSZ]

Great that it 'worked'.... There may be a small misunderstanding though. Keep the clubhead close , not closed . Keeping the clubhead close to the body reduces swing radius - which reduces rotational resistance and maximises rotational speed. Easy.....

In answer to valleygolfer - keep the clubhead close, because this is the most likely to 'escape'. Keeping the hands close is also a good idea but it's 'fixed', because we keep our left arm straight. So the key is to keep the clubhead close (by keeping the wrists fully hinged - lagging the clubhead) until late in the downswing.

Then - relax the wrists passively - don't hit - and you're there....

[Datsyuk]

Originally Posted by ChrisGSZ

Great that it 'worked'.... There may be a small misunderstanding though. Keep the clubhead close, not closed. Keeping the clubhead close to the body reduces swing radius - which reduces rotational resistance and maximises rotational speed. Easy.....

In answer to valleygolfer - keep the clubhead close, because this is the most likely to 'escape'. Keeping the hands close is also a good idea but it's 'fixed', because we keep our left arm straight. So the key is to keep the clubhead close (by keeping the wrists fully hinged - lagging the clubhead) until late in the downswing.

Then - relax the wrists passively - don't hit - and you're there....

It has to look that way, but actively lagging the clubhead (consciously) is a recipe for weak flares.

[Lihu]

Great that it 'worked'.... There may be a small misunderstanding though. Keep the clubhead close , not closed . Keeping the clubhead close to the body reduces swing radius - which reduces rotational resistance and maximises rotational speed. Easy..... In answer to valleygolfer - keep the clubhead close, because this is the most likely to 'escape'. Keeping the hands close is also a good idea but it's 'fixed', because we keep our left arm straight. So the key is to keep the clubhead close (by keeping the wrists fully hinged - lagging the clubhead) until late in the downswing. Then - relax the wrists passively - don't hit - and you're there....

Understood. I setup with the club about a hand width from my body, anyway. The passive wrists allowed me to close the club face to a normal open position, where previously my club face was really open at address. The thing I don't know is how it works, yet. A few thousand swings more, and I should feel comfortable with this.

[slodsm]

Originally Posted by SpringBokVol

I am curious to see how far everyone hits their clubs on a normal full swing.

Here is my breakdown:

Driver: 250

3 Wood: 225

19* Hybrid: 200

4: 190

5: 180

6: 170

7: 160

8: 150

9: 140

P: 130

56*: 105

60*: 75

Mine are quite similar to yours, my driver I "can" get more out of but I tend to not know if it will be straight or a slice when I get after it so I swing it a bit easy and usually see 240.

3w 205 off the fairway, a bit more off the tee.

19*, 190 off the fairway, NEVER got a good tee shot with this one, miss on the toe every stinkin time so I stopped trying.

All others, take about 5 yards off and on my good days thats where I swing.

[Lihu]

Understood. I setup with the club about a hand width from my body, anyway. The passive wrists allowed me to close the club face to a normal open position, where previously my club face was really open at address. The thing I don't know is how it works, yet. A few thousand swings more, and I should feel comfortable with this.

I finally used some impact tape. On all the high lofted clubs I hit almost at the top of the club face. On the 7 iron to 3 I hit lower, but still about 1/2" from the top edge of the club. It seems like I am hitting on the thin part of the club face, and not the muscle back part. What is the optimum location of impact for blades, and are there any drills to help me hit lower on the club face?

[HackerUpNorth]

Is it just me or is your 3w compared to you driver really short, and your PW compared to your 3w really long?

[HackerUpNorth]

Originally Posted by HackerUpNorth

Is it just me or is your 3w compared to you driver really short, and your PW compared to your 3w really long?

Sorry that was to Skillzwhogolfs

[wadesworld]

Quote:

In answer to valleygolfer - keep the clubhead close, because this is the most likely to 'escape'. Keeping the hands close is also a good idea but it's 'fixed', because we keep our left arm straight. So the key is to keep the clubhead close (by keeping the wrists fully hinged - lagging the clubhead) until late in the downswing.

Then - relax the wrists passively - don't hit - and you're there..

Or as Shawn Clement would say, "It's not your job to hit the ball.  The ball is simply an obstacle in the path of your gravity and momentum based, effortless swing.  Deliver the momentum to the target."

Lihu and valleygolfer, Shawn already has more than 200 videos available for free on YouTube describing the concepts Chris is talking about if you're interested.  They've done marvelous things for my game.

[Valleygolfer]

My iron distances have been crazy lately. Hitting everything too far when I hit it flush. The only thing I have changed is that I am using soft feel or cheap balls like Pinnacle golds instead of my normal prov's. Odd since it is colder weather.

[Lihu]

Originally Posted by Mfed

Lihu...in a nut shell, the reason you hit the ball high on the club face is because you're hitting the ground behind the ball and the club is starting to dig into the ground before making contact with the ball. Ideally, you'd like your divot to start in front of the ball. The bottom of your swing should actually be about 3 - 4 inches in front of the ball. Practice trying to hit the ball first. When I used to teach, we had a saying regarding the ball and the ground it sat on..."hit the little ball before you hit the big ball". ChrisGSZ is correct about the swing worknig from the ground up and how important the timing is. If you're interested, visit this golf tips page on one of my websites, I think you might find some helpful information there.

Hi Mfed, Thanks for the response. I failed to mention that I usually don't take deep divots, and they start about the bottom of the ball to 2" to 3" after the ball. Is this correct, or should it be even further out? I think I am struggling with the wrist turn during release. What seems to be happening is that I release before my wrists/arms turn over. So, the club hits high on the face. If I slow down my swing, I notice that everything is good (however, I can't hit far, as can be seen by my iron short distances). When I try to be more aggressive, this happens. Do you have any specific drills to improve the timing of the release?

Thanks,

Lihu

[ChrisGSZ]

Originally Posted by Lihu

Understood. I setup with the club about a hand width from my body, anyway. The passive wrists allowed me to close the club face to a normal open position, where previously my club face was really open at address.

The thing I don't know is how it works, yet. A few thousand swings more, and I should feel comfortable with this.

It's pure physics/biomechanics:

1. Working from the ground up ensures muscles work in the right way at the right time - we accumulate energy through legs/trunk/arms and pass from link to link down the muscular chain ensuring we inject maximum energy into body rotation.

2. Keeping the clubhead close reduces resistance to body rotation hence maximising rotational speed. A tightrope walker rotates (overbalances) slowly - and stays on the wire - if he carries a long pole. We also rotate slowly if we allow our long pole - the club - to stick out. We need to keep it close (tight swing radius) to rotate faster... It's like driving a car - there's an accelerator (muscular chain) and a brake (swing tight radius). We need to press the accelerator and stay off the brake...

3. Passive release works through a 'double pendulum' action - it's too complicated to explain here but it's the reason why 'rhythm' is so crucial.  See this link to see a double pendulum in action:

http://www.myphysicslab.com/dbl_pendulum.html

That's how we get effortless power.... Hope it helps.