Pure Ball Striker Training Aid

[AndrewPI]

Got to use it for the first time last week on the practice field and found it especially good with the pitching. Was taking a much better divot which when moving onto the irons was giving me a much better strike and flight.

Had a lesson afterwards and was working on deeper hands with my pro and then also getting the feeling in PP3 through the swing. I got him to try out the PBS and he really liked the concept so I gave him the spare to try out. Will report back with his thoughts.

[The_Pharaoh]

I know this is annoying some people, but for those of you wondering whether to buy or not, GO FOR IT!!! I live in Spain and received mine (both!) in just one week.

Will report back next week once I've used it. The short game results without it have been phenomenal so far...

[TheGeekGolfer]

I just got mine a couple of days ago.  Pretty fast shipping and they are still doing the '2 for 1' deal for SandTrap customers .

My only issue is that it seems to fly off the grip rather easily.  I know you're supposed to keep pressure on it and that's what it's trying to teach or ingrain, but it flew off twice in about 15 swings.  The times it didn't fly off, it felt good. Maybe the creator could design it with a 'removable strap', so when you're just starting out with it you could avoid the rather embarrassing walk out into the range to retrieve the 'little orange thing' that just flew off your club.

I'll see how it goes next time.

[canadianpro]

A small piece of double-coated tape should do the trick

[TheGeekGolfer]

Originally Posted by canadianpro

A small piece of double-coated tape should do the trick

Yeah...I'm going to try that with one of them.  I taped the other one to a training club I have, so I can practice with that around the house.

[The_Pharaoh]

Here's my assessment of the PBS after a week or so of practice.

In a nutshell, I found it excellent for the short game but detrimental to my long game. For chipping, pitching and getting out of bunkers it was phenomenal. I was hitting the ball in the sweet spot pretty much every time regardless of the swing. I've always kept my hands firm for short shots and the PBS was proof I was on the right lines. I was able to be aggressive knowing I was going to pure it and get the stop I needed on the greens. I am now using the PBS with my students and they are liking the new sensations they are getting when they don't flip their right hand at the ball! I am transforming poor chippers into excellent chippers overnight.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the long game. I can swing without the PBS detaching from the grip but I just can't seem to generate any club head speed. I start off OK with the SW, GW and PW but it quickly goes downhill after that. I simply lose too much distance. The strike is good, the trajectory lower but distance is down a good 15-20% and the tendency if for the ball to start off on line and then spin right. I am probably doing something wrong as I can't keep my swing going passed shoulder height on the follow through. I seem to stop there as if I'm playing a big punch with every club in order to keep the handle ahead of the club head. As you can imagine, I can't hit any woods with the PBS on the grip as I can't get them airborne and the driver only goes about 200 yards in the air. When I just swing uninhibited I can carry my driver 250 yards with ease. I understand what lag is all about and what I need to do, but I seem incapable of doing it properly as I lose my natural, loose swing doing it. I really feel as if I'm not releasing the club. Is it possible I am overdoing the lag?

I think I'll read this thread again tonight and see if I can find the solution. I'm not giving up yet!

PS I can't use it on my putter as I have the 2-thumbs grip.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by The_Pharaoh

Is it possible I am overdoing the lag?

Yes. Any chance you've got video of your swing? I'm sure you do, and if you want to share it with me privately I'd be happy to take a look.

[Gioguy21]

Jeff, I ordered a pure ball striker...can't wait to start using it...btw, would it fit the grip found on an orange whip trainer? (i am purchasing one of these shortly as well) I figured using both would help a great deal...

[Rebel_Golfer]

Took my PBS to the range for the first time today and my reaction is, well, mixed. Part of that is my fault, trying to run before walking so to speak. I should have taken it slow and just hit a bunch of pitch/chip shots the way Jeff explained in his videos. But, I wanted to throw it on some longer clubs and fire away. So, that is on me. But I did go back and put it on the wedge and hit a few shots and I COULD feel the pressure on the "trigger" finger. That coupled with some ideas from Utley's short game book and I was definitely striking some pure short shots.

One thing I noticed on the longer shots, after 2 or 3 swings the PBS would be twisted around towards the back of the grip and I would have to realign it. Is this just a normal thing or does it indicate a clear flaw in my swing? If the latter, what is it that I am doing?

I will take it back with me again and next time I will start off with an extended period of shorter shots with the wedge...

[TourSpoon]

If you experience twisting, it indicates a flaw.  The goal is to have no twisting.  It took me 2-3 range sessions to get the hang of it, but the "Aha moment" came when I started thinking of my trigger finger trailing through impact.  After that realization, it became easier to replicate that feeling in practice and on the course.

[walk18]

Well I didn't really expect much when I ordered it, but this thing is really an amazing little invention. In my opinion it does 3 good things: 1: It creates lag, it's a lot harder to flip at impact while your finger is on the PBS. 2: It promotes a good swing path, because if you're rolling your wrists and flaring the club at all, your finger will come off the PBS. 3: It keeps you from overswinging, you really want a smooth swing when the PBS is on.

Took about 10 days to get to me, definitely worth the price. I recommend it.

[Hoselrockets]

Originally Posted by TourSpoon

If you experience twisting, it indicates a flaw.  The goal is to have no twisting.  It took me 2-3 range sessions to get the hang of it, but the "Aha moment" came when I started thinking of my trigger finger trailing through impact.  After that realization, it became easier to replicate that feeling in practice and on the course.

I'm still looking for that "Aha moment" I have had 2 solid sessions on the range and I still can't figure it out.  At first the PBS was flying off but at least I've solved that issue. I have only been able to hit solide chips with the PBS? Any time I try to move up to a 7 or 8 iron I don't see/feel any positive results?   What exactly is your thought with the trigger finger?  Any other little hints would be appricecitaed too, thanks!!

[iacas]

I recommend that everyone start with short swings. Take a 7-iron, hit the ball 50 yards, max, in the air. Heck, start with 10 yarders... then gradually work up. As soon as you lose the feeling of driving pressure, go back a step.

[Hoselrockets]

I'm still missing it? I should be applying more pressure with my trigger finger? Correct??

[Zeph]

No, not really. The pressure should occur because the clubhead is lagging behind. Imagine throwing the lure with a fishing rod. The rod is flexible and the lure in the end is heavy. When you take the rod back, you create a distance at which you can cast the lure, like our backswing. Once you are all loaded back, the rod is not flexed, everything is neutral. Once you start throwing your hands forward, the rod picks up speed, but because it is flexible and you've got a heavy lure in the end, it will bend and the lure will lag behind. In the middle of the throw, there must be a driving pressure on the backside of the rod handle to keep the speed up and prevent the lure from catching up. If the lure catch up with the rod prematurely, you will lose speed to throw it as far as possible. It's the same way with a golf club. The clubhead should lag behind all the way into impact. If the clubhead is prematurely thrown out, you will lose the flex and a lot of speed. Practicing with a fishing rod or something similar flexible can be very useful to find the proper feeling. You are not pushing the club with the trigger finger, pressure occurs because the hands are driving forward and the clubhead is lagging behind. It is a lot easier with a fishing rod, because the rod is longer and more flexible, which require less speed. Senior, childrens or womens golf shafts can also make it easier since they are more flexible. [IMG]http://i54.tinypic.com/wio8pj.jpg[/IMG] I've drawn some circles on the picture to show where the pressure point would be when throwing the rod. That point is where our trigger finger is on the club. It is the part of our hand that is closest to the clubhead, or lure. As long as the shaft or rod is flexed, this point will have to drive forward, creating lag and pressure. If you throw away the flex too early, you will lose speed and the peak speed will happen before you hit the ball. This point will always have more pressure than the rest of the hand. When creating speed and motion with a lever, there will always be a point like this with pressure.

The Pure Ball Striker is designed to help find this pressure. You don't want to throw the club out by pushing the trigger finger into the PBS or club, but the pressure happens because the clubhead lags behind. Once you find this feeling, you will probably start striking the ball better and farther. Like Erik, I would advice taking it in small steps, don't start out with a full swing. After hitting golf balls for years, our body is programmed to do the same over and over, by taking it in smaller steps it is easier to control the development and make sure you really do something different. You can keep the flex and lag just as well with a shorter swing. Grabbing down on the grip and trying to hit more of a punch shot is also something that can help find the feeling. Once you found it, remember it and always keep working on maintaining it, especially when moving up to a full swing. [IMG]http://i54.tinypic.com/ofog3m.jpg[/IMG] Imagine this is a golf club and the three circles is three of your fingers. Red circle is trigger finger, the next is middle finger, third is the ring finger. The shaft is flexible and you swing the hands fast, the clubhead lags behind. The point where you can feel most of the pressure is on the trigger finger, because it is closest to the clubhead. I can only imagine that the PBS will make you more aware of the trigger finger and easier to feel the pressure on it. I thought about a similar training aid the other day which involved a board pin of some sort with a spring. Without pressure, the pin would be forced by the spring into the trigger finger. With a bit of pressure, the pin would be forced away from the finger. This would give you instant feedback. with the right pressure, you would feel no pain, without the pressure, the pin would pierce your skin. Sounds easier in theory than practice I guess, but I'm sure it would be possible to make something that makes feeling the lack of pressure easier.

[Gioguy21]

I ordered mine on January 15th, recieved confirmation of my order and payment and still have yet to recieve my PBS's...i ordered one and put in the code for a free second one for mentioning that i was a member on here...anyone know if they're backed up or, do they  really take a long time to ship?

[iacas]

It's funny that you're using a fishing rod to illustrate how to use a training aid that helps to eliminate casting... ;-)

Completely appropriate the way you described it, but still kind of amusing.

Originally Posted by Zeph

You are not pushing the club with the trigger finger, pressure occurs because the hands are driving forward and the clubhead is lagging behind.

That's the best thing you say. And, unlike with fishing, you want to maintain that driving pressure long after impact. In tossing a fishing lure there is a flipping of the wrists. Heck, you can cast under docks and things going for bass by just flicking or flipping your wrists. The bigger the lure and rod, the more you'll use a driving pressure early (but then still flip late).

Originally Posted by Zeph

You don't want to throw the club out by pushing the trigger finger into the PBS or club, but the pressure happens because the clubhead lags behind.

Second best thing you said. :-)

[Hoselrockets]

Thanks for the quick input, I will give these thoughts some serious thought the next time I on the range.  Thanks again!