Focus on area in front of ball?

[scv76]

Hi everyone, I seem to remember reading about this topic somewhere here, but can not find it in a search.

Basically instead of aiming at the ball on the downswing, try concentrating at an area a few inches in front of the ball.

I think it was a tip intended for people who have trouble getting the club through the ball..and most likely hitting the ground behind the ball.....maybe also helps lessen a slice?

Any one got a link or any comments as to whether this is a valid tip?

[mdl]

This is personal preference kind of thing IMO.  But yeah, it's definitely valid in that if works really well for some people.  I don't know where the thread is either, but there was a thread linking to an article about how someone actually found a bunch of different spots around the ball, but never actually a part of the ball itself, to look at for different shots.

I've never tried that myself, but I did start making slightly more consistent divots in front of the ball when I started looking at the front of the ball instead of the back of the ball.

[marcv68]

Saw this in either Golf Digest or Golf Magazine I,ve tried it and i find it tough to not focus on the ball.But I hit my best 3wood shot of the year when I did focus in front and to the right a few inches

[Zeph]

It is definitely a valid drill. Exactly what longtime effect it has, I'm not so sure about. For me, it was more a way to find the feeling of hitting the ball first. At some point, you'll may have to look at components in the swing and get them fixed to avoid hitting it fat. This drill might help finding a feeling where you don't try to help the ball in the air or flip at it. There are many other things that can cause you to flip, which might be more constructive to look into. I used it as a drill, but don't like looking in front of the ball normally. I hit the ball better when looking two inches in front of it, but when I went back to looking at the ball, I went back to my old pattern again. After working on my swing for some time, I got rid of the fat shots.

[CoryMartin]

I like to look a inch or two ahead of the ball when hitting an iron and especially my higher irons (8, 9, PW, 56*) to help me hit down and really "pinch" the ball on the ground. I have noticed it gives me a good amount of launch and helps with a higher trajectory!

It also is what I do when I want to put more spin on the ball! I might have to try to looking to righ or left or such and see if it helps produce different shaped shots? Seems like it could be a valid observation.

[rustyredcab]

I've started looking at a point on the front of the ball when chipping with great improvement in striking.

[sebsmash]

I suggested this to my instructor and he said that is one way to do it.

The other way that works (better for me) is to really try and focus on hitting down on the ball and then feel the club hit in front.

[scv76]

Thanks everyone, sounds like there may be some validity to the tip.

I tried it today at the range (on all clubs) and the results were pretty favorable for me; the ball launched well and went pretty darn straight, considering I usually hit strong fade to slice.

Tried going back and forth between looking at the ball (resulting in a slice) and looking ahead of ball (straight flight) several times and the results were pretty repeatable.

Distance was quite a bit longer as well (on all clubs). Wish I had some video to see if the flip was lessened with this technique.

[Missouri Swede]

Originally Posted by scv76

Any one got a link or any comments as to whether this is a valid tip?

Bobby Clampett, The Impact Zone . He calls it the aiming point technique, and discusses it in his chipping chapter. Part of it reads: "...[You] simply want to cultivate the mental awareness of directing the hands to a point in front of the ball and not at the ball itself."

Good stuff. Further discussion at http://thesandtrap.com/t/15211/the-impact-zone-by-bobby-clampett

[scv76]

Thank you so much for the link!! now gotta find my reading glasses lol