Release Wrists for a Draw with the Driver

[treeleaf20]

All,

New to this site and got a question. I hit my irons real well and if I have a good day with the driver I can score pretty well for only playing a couple times a year. However, I used to be able to hit a draw with my driver and anymore it's strictly a fade or slice so I want to get back to hitting the draw for obvious reasons. I know I have to go inside out with the swing but I think the part I'm really struggling with is the "releasing" of the hands through the ball. I'm so focused on hitting to the inside out that I don't think I release my wrists to produce the draw. Does anyone have any hints or drills on how to do this? Thanks in advance for any help!

[carpediem4300]

lean the shaft forward quarter inch ahead of the ball, aim slightly further left than normal

if it draws it will start slightly right of target line and come back

if it goes straight it wont be far from target line and not in trouble

[treeleaf20]

Also, I would classify my driver swing as more of a baseball swing with the club face not open at the top of my backswing compared to my irons which is the more traditional swing. When I tried that with the driver I couldn't get the club faced closed in time and was producing some nasty slices so I went to a more baseball swing and that has helped a little. Do most people have different swings for a driver and irons? Also, once again are their drills to work on getting the club face closed at impact if I go with the more traditional swing with my driver? Thanks in advance again.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Originally Posted by treeleaf20

All,

New to this site and got a question. I hit my irons real well and if I have a good day with the driver I can score pretty well for only playing a couple times a year. However, I used to be able to hit a draw with my driver and anymore it's strictly a fade or slice so I want to get back to hitting the draw for obvious reasons. I know I have to go inside out with the swing but I think the part I'm really struggling with is the "releasing" of the hands through the ball. I'm so focused on hitting to the inside out that I don't think I release my wrists to produce the draw. Does anyone have any hints or drills on how to do this? Thanks in advance for any help!

To hit a draw you don't release your wrists, you simply make sure that the club face is slightly closed to the swing path but slightly open to the target at impact. If you're having trouble closing the face I'd suggest trying one of these:

1. Set up with a slightly stronger grip than normal. That should prevent the club face from coming through as open.
2. Set up with your normal grip but add a little 'bow' (palmar flexion) to your left wrist at address. That should add a little more closure to the club. Make sure it's ONLY palmar flexion you're adding and not rotation too or it'll open the club rather than close it!

[carpediem4300]

the advice i gave is for a normal swing,

most people swing differently with their driver as its the longest club in the bag, only the good players tend to swing it like their irons (im attempting to work on this!)

dragons advice is good also,

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by carpediem4300

the advice i gave is for a normal swing,

most people swing differently with their driver as its the longest club in the bag, only the good players tend to swing it like their irons (im attempting to work on this!)

dragons advice is good also,

I would NEVER swing my driver like I swing an iron. Ever.

[carpediem4300]

Coould you elaborate on that for us? perhaps im mis-guiding someone, which wouldnt be my intention :)

Originally Posted by Kieran123

I would NEVER swing my driver like I swing an iron. Ever.

[iacas]

http://thesandtrap.com/forum/thread/30392/advice-i-hate-release-the-club

[CuppedTin]

Originally Posted by Kieran123

I would NEVER swing my driver like I swing an iron. Ever.

I swing my driver exactly like I swing my irons... I hit down on everything. The driver is a lofted club, so is it wrong to hit it like an iron? I usually have the driver in line with my lead ear.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

I swing my driver exactly like I swing my irons... I hit down on everything. The driver is a lofted club, so is it wrong to hit it like an iron? I usually have the driver in line with my lead ear.

In no way am I saying you're wrong (you know your own swing better than anyone) but are you sure you're not thinking of just the swing rather than the weight shift too?

My irons I hit down with and my driver I have the same swing mechanic except that I keep my weight from shifting forward at transition which leaves my swing center as it was at address rather than slightly further forward at impact?

[CuppedTin]

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

In no way am I saying you're wrong (you know your own swing beter than anyone) but are you sure you're not thinking of just the swing rather than the weight shift too?

My irons I hit down with and my driver I have the same swing mechanic except that I keep my weight from shifting forward at transition which leaves my swing center as it was at address rather than slightly further forward at impact?

This is where I guess that I get confused. I have a S&T swing so it is much easier to keep my weight forward with my irons. With my driver I also have my weight loaded on my front, but naturaly my arms,hands,club, etc have weight to them and they go back on the back swing so I do have a little weight that shifts back. I don't hit down into the ground with my driver, but I do feel as though I am hitting it right before the bottom of my swing arc...I'm hope this is not all wrong where I need to start over with Stack and Tilt because I have greatly reduced my spin to 7200 RPM when I was flipping down to 2600-2900 RPM now that I'm keeping my wedge and driving down through the ball...

[MiniBlueDragon]

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

This is where I guess that I get confused. I have a S&T swing so it is much easier to keep my weight forward with my irons. With my driver I also have my weight loaded on my front, but naturaly my arms,hands,club, etc have weight to them and they go back on the back swing so I do have a little weight that shifts back. I don't hit down into the ground with my driver, but I do feel as though I am hitting it right before the bottom of my swing arc...I'm hope this is not all wrong where I need to start over with Stack and Tilt because I have greatly reduced my spin to 7200 RPM when I was flipping down to 2600-2900 RPM now that I'm keeping my wedge and driving down through the ball...

My swing started out as a pure S&T swing but graduated into a one-plane swing. The best example I'd say of where mine is would be:

S&T = weight slightly forward, more forward, more forward and full forward.

My swing = Weight centered, stay centered, weight forward, full forward.

Traditional = Weight centered, weight slightly back, weight forward, full forward.

For me all of my irons are a descending blow, however the long irons I don't tend to divot; I normally skim the grass with the club. As the clubs get shorter my divots become progressively more pronounced. For my driver the sole difference for me is that my weight stays a little more centered in the "weight forward" portion above. The closest description would be that I feel like I'm pushing off the left foot less with my driver; there's less pressure down into the ground with it and that's moving my hips forward less keeping me centered more and allowing the driver to strike the ball pretty much a couple of inches after the bottom of the swing arc. More rotation and less slide.

I use the pink castle tees for my driver which are 1.5" tall and my driver face is 2" deep so it's definitely just a fraction after the low point.

[CuppedTin]

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

My swing started out as a pure S&T swing but graduated into a one-plane swing. The best example I'd say of where mine is would be:

S&T = weight slightly forward, more forward, more forward and full forward.

My swing = Weight centered, stay centered, weight forward, full forward.

Traditional = Weight centered, weight slightly back, weight forward, full forward.

For me all of my irons are a descending blow, however the long irons I don't tend to divot; I normally skim the grass with the club. As the clubs get shorter my divots become progressively more pronounced. For my driver the sole difference for me is that my weight stays a little more centered in the "weight forward" portion above. The closest description would be that I feel like I'm pushing off the left foot less with my driver; there's less pressure down into the ground with it and that's moving my hips forward less keeping me centered more and allowing the driver to strike the ball pretty much a couple of inches after the bottom of the swing arc. More rotation and less slide.

I use the pink castle tees for my driver which are 1.5" tall and my driver face is 2" deep so it's definitely just a fraction after the low point.

That was a great post and very informative because I think we are very close to the same with what you are describing. While at the driving range today I was told that my driver swing looked very similar to Gary Woodward, so naturally I pulled up his youtube videos and he appears to be S&T weight forward and One Plane...

I will try and get some videos up soon of my NEW swing. But currently I am weight forward, but I DO NOT come inside with my hands. I am already long so I prefer the Push-Fade (If that is even the right terminology).

[bunkerputt]

If you are relying on the speed of the rotation of the forearms to hit reliable draws, be prepared for some serious frustration.  Otherwise, take Johnny Millers advice.  On your downswing, as the ball is being compressed against the face, and just before it leaves, rotate your forearms either left or right to produce either a draw or a fade. My advice is to simplify your setup and swing mechanics so that you are making the minimum motions possible and see what kind of ball flight it produces.  When I do that, with my height, build, swing plane, and club lie angles, I get a nearly dead straight to very very slight fade shot.  If I want a draw, I just close the face a touch and aim slightly right of my target.  That's the best way for mere mortals to do it with a reliable quantity of curvature, IMO.

[CuppedTin]

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

If you are relying on the speed of the rotation of the forearms to hit reliable draws, be prepared for some serious frustration.  Otherwise, take Johnny Millers advice.  On your downswing, as the ball is being compressed against the face, and just before it leaves, rotate your forearms either left or right to produce either a draw or a fade.    My advice is to simplify your setup and swing mechanics so that you are making the minimum motions possible and see what kind of ball flight it produces.  When I do that, with my height, build, swing plane, and club lie angles, I get a nearly dead straight to very very slight fade shot.  If I want a draw, I just close the face a touch and aim slightly right of my target.  That's the best way for mere mortals to do it with a reliable quantity of curvature, IMO.

I agree, I would never want to rely on timing the wrist or anything for that matter to manipulate ball flight. If I want to hit a draw I simply change my swing path from straight back straight through to slightly inside to outside... It has been working great for me.

[dhanson]

for some reason i really like the videos this guy (Mark Crossfield) makes, but saw this today:

[iacas]

Originally Posted by dhanson

for some reason i really like the videos this guy (Mark Crossfield) makes, but saw this today:

Well that's unfortunate.

[bunkerputt]

Originally Posted by iacas

Well that's unfortunate.

Agreed.  The only thing I like about that video is that is that it reminded me of this:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/19309/saturday-night-live-simon