Where do you focus?

[Rusty2228]

For a long time I focused on the leading edge of the ball when hitting my irons, however, lately when doing that i have been hitting the ball really fat. So I altered my focus toward the center of the ball and was hitting it perfect...for one round. Now I alternate between fat and thin, and can't seem to get myself to commit to a spot because I am confused. Needless to say my iron game is suffering immensely.

Thoughts? Advice?

[Rafcin]

don't want to sound like a smartass, but with all that "point-picking-to-focus-on" sounds like you forget, that the object of the swing is.. well.. swing and hit the ball
I read tips on focusing on top, middle, back bottom, etc. Never worked for me. Could be a personal thing I guess, but for me it's like asking a bowler how many steps does he take in the approach... guaranteed trip and fall as soon as he starts thinking about it

[Rusty2228]

Well there in lies the crux...I feel like my swing is really coming around...I am hitting the ball really well off the tee, and off the deck with my fairway woods/hybrid...but with my irons I am either chunking it or skulling it. I realize that I need some serious range time to decipher it, but I was hoping to solicit some advice on other people's 'right' spot. It is just very frustrating having an iron from the fairway, and no clue what it is going to do.

[Rafcin]

there was a "your game" segment on TGC last night and the teaching instructor was talking about "chunking" and "skulling". He said that 90% of those come from players pulling the club down with his arms from the top of the backswing. He suggested the "buckle your left hip" drill to get rid of it. The way you do it is to (once you reached top of the backswing) start your downswing with "attacking" the left hip by pushing it a bit towards the target. If you do it right you should feel your hands drop a bit... That's the "connected" motion w/o using actually arm muscle to pull it down towards the ball.

[prutkows]

i dont focus on the ball at all. when im looking down at the ball/club just before i start my backswing, i focus on the sweetspot of the club. i also like to think of always making sure my divot never starts behind, but under the ball.

[Rusty2228]

i dont focus on the ball at all. when im looking down at the ball/club just before i start my backswing, i focus on the sweetspot of the club. i also like to think of always making sure my divot never starts behind, but under the ball.

Funny you should mention the sweet spot as the focus...so I was able to get to the range for the first time since my swing abandoned me...so I take out my wedges and anything above a half swing was just UGLY...so I take out my PW and decide to fix this...I try all sorts of combinations of ball placement in the stance as well as focal points on the ball itself to no avail. Needless to say I am getting very frustrated. However, I look down at my club and notice all these marks on the hosel/heel. So the quick fix for me was rather than lining the ball up at address with the center of the club...I moved it very far out towards the toe, and I was hitting perfect shots with the marks square in the middle of the clubface.

Thoughts?

[prutkows]

Funny you should mention the sweet spot as the focus...so I was able to get to the range for the first time since my swing abandoned me...so I take out my wedges and anything above a half swing was just UGLY...so I take out my PW and decide to fix this...I try all sorts of combinations of ball placement in the stance as well as focal points on the ball itself to no avail. Needless to say I am getting very frustrated. However, I look down at my club and notice all these marks on the hosel/heel. So the quick fix for me was rather than lining the ball up at address with the center of the club...I moved it very far out towards the toe, and I was hitting perfect shots with the marks square in the middle of the clubface.

i usually hit the ball on or right around the sweetspot (on my irons atleast). of course the longer the club the greater range of ballmarks on the clubface.

with my pw, i try to line the ball up with the inside of my right heel (back foot) and i put my hands quite a bit forward. i dont have my bag close to me right now but im pretty sure my hands are directly in front of the zipper on my pants. ive noticed that if my hands arent forward enough i'll misshit the ball a lot. maybe you should try that. you might also want to try thinking about hitting down on the ball, especially with your wedges and short irons. its a real basic thought but a lot of times they work for me.