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How to Hit a Driver (Hit it Further and Stop Slicing!)


mvmac
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I guess my question in general is, does a higher AoA with most everything else remaining constant increase distance? ( Say DJ going from +1 to +3 ).

"On paper", yes he could hit it farther.

Mike McLoughlin

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As your club head reaches the ball on your downswing should you maintain the wrist hinge or release it through impact?  In the Poulter video he appears to maintain the hinge at impact but I've been told that some release it at impact for additional yardage.

Joe Paradiso

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As your club head reaches the ball on your downswing should you maintain the wrist hinge or release it through impact?

For me neither, impact just happens because of the culmination of all the good technique preceding it. I'd say the club head is inline with the hands and leading shoulder in a ideal situation. I believe some good golfers can also have a tad of forward hands at impact.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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For me neither, impact just happens because of the culmination of all the good technique preceding it.

I'd say the club head is inline with the hands and leading shoulder in a ideal situation. I believe some good golfers can also have a tad of forward hands at impact.

I had been maintaining the hinge but in an attempt to add more yards with my driver I tried releasing at impact.  When I time it right, I do seem to get additional distance but it also results in more snap hooks.  I'm not sure if I should continue to work on timing or just maintain the hinge and work on improving my core and faster hip turn to get the additional distance.

Joe Paradiso

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As your club head reaches the ball on your downswing should you maintain the wrist hinge or release it through impact?  In the Poulter video he appears to maintain the hinge at impact but I've been told that some release it at impact for additional yardage.

It's not something you need to be thinking about. Two reasons:

- Lag happens, the release happens.

- The last point in the swing where you can possibly change something from happening is A4.5/A5.

I would also bet a lot of money that Poulter isn't trying to maintain or hold anything, especially with a driver.

I had been maintaining the hinge but in an attempt to add more yards with my driver I tried releasing at impact.  When I time it right, I do seem to get additional distance but it also results in more snap hooks.  I'm not sure if I should continue to work on timing or just maintain the hinge and work on improving my core and faster hip turn to get the additional distance.

Yeah if you want to create more lag, clean up or fix the pieces that are causing you to release the club too early.

Mike McLoughlin

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It's not something you need to be thinking about. Two reasons:

- Lag happens, the release happens.

- The last point in the swing where you can possibly change something from happening is A4.5/A5.

I would also bet a lot of money that Poulter isn't trying to maintain or hold anything, especially with a driver.

Yeah if you want to create more lag, clean up or fix the pieces that are causing you to release the club too early.

I'm sorry for not being more detailed in my question.  When I swing normally, my wrists are hinged at impact and release happens naturally as the club comes around.

In an attempt to gain more yardage, I was told to try to time the release of the wrists as an additional power lever, similar to the snapping of the wrists a baseball player uses to add additional speed when throwing a baseball.

Joe Paradiso

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I'm sorry for not being more detailed in my question.  When I swing normally, my wrists are hinged at impact and release happens naturally as the club comes around.

In an attempt to gain more yardage, I was told to try to time the release of the wrists as an additional power lever, similar to the snapping of the wrists a baseball player uses to add additional speed when throwing a baseball.


Take this the right way, please… As a 23, I doubt your wrists are still hinged like you think they may be. Unless we're defining "hinged" differently, of course, but in the two main ways I can think of it I doubt your wrists are still hinged and that you haven't already thrown out the hinge.

I think the best players can throw out the hinge (particularly if you're talking about this: ), but amateurs get into issues in trying to do this.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
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I've been fighting a block right a lot lately, getting stuck I think, so I'll be trying a narrower stance, I think going wide is the issue, it's hard to clear the hips when the legs are so far apart, I like a narrow slightly open stance with almost all my clubs so why not driver? I think about 22" apart is the average pro stance for driver so I'll be checking that and will try keeping my toes right under my shoulders, not outside.

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Take this the right way, please… As a 23, I doubt your wrists are still hinged like you think they may be. Unless we're defining "hinged" differently, of course, but in the two main ways I can think of it I doubt your wrists are still hinged and that you haven't already thrown out the hinge.

I think the best players can throw out the hinge (particularly if you're talking about this: ​ ), but amateurs get into issues in trying to do this.

Thanks, you never have to worry about hurting my feelings with regards to my golfing ability, I have no delusions about where I am.  My reference to hinge is similar to the position I see Poulters wrists in at impact.

My wrists may not be hinged every time, but the reason why it was suggested I try to use what you identified as the 5th Power Accumulator is because in the video my instructor took, my wrists looked similar to Poulters.  On the simulator I'm averaging about 97-98 mph club head speed (with a few over 100mph) and he was trying to get me some additional yardage off the tee.

Joe Paradiso

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Thanks, you never have to worry about hurting my feelings with regards to my golfing ability, I have no delusions about where I am.  My reference to hinge is similar to the position I see Poulters wrists in at impact. My wrists may not be hinged every time, but the reason why it was suggested I try to use what you identified as the 5th Power Accumulator is because in the video my instructor took, my wrists looked similar to Poulters.  On the simulator I'm averaging about 97-98 mph club head speed (with a few over 100mph) and he was trying to get me some additional yardage off the tee.

Instead of trying to increase your club head speed try to get the most out of your current club head speed. Next time you go to the range take some foot spray or a dry erase marker and see how consistent you hit the middle of your driver. Im sure you'll be surprised how often you miss the center. You will gain extra distance if your start hitting out of the middle more

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Thanks, you never have to worry about hurting my feelings with regards to my golfing ability, I have no delusions about where I am.  My reference to hinge is similar to the position I see Poulters wrists in at impact.

I'm not sure what Poulter picture you're talking about.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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I'm not sure what Poulter picture you're talking about.

This one, his right wrist is bowed at and just past impact.   This is how my left wrist appears at impact.

Joe Paradiso

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My reference to hinge is similar to the position I see Poulters wrists in at impact.

My wrists may not be hinged every time, but the reason why it was suggested I try to use what you identified as the 5th Power Accumulator is because in the video my instructor took, my wrists looked similar to Poulters.

You look like the left pic? Anyway you can post a pic or a video?

Like @iacas said I doubt you're as hinged as you think you are, it's just not an issue with bogey golfers.

EDIT: posted before I saw the other Poulter pic.

Mike McLoughlin

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This one, his right wrist is bowed at and just past impact.   This is how my left wrist appears at impact.

Yea Poulter has a flat left wrist at impact. Not much bowing going on there.

Now this is bowed ;) Of course DJ has a very strong grip and basically maintains that bowed left wrist from A4 to A7.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

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Yea Poulter has a flat left wrist at impact. Not much bowing going on there.

Now this is bowed ;) Of course DJ has a very strong grip and basically maintains that bowed left wrist from A4 to A7.

I'm left handed which is why I was pointing out Poulters right wrist in comparison to my left.

Here is Poulter pre-impact, similar point in swing to DJ but notice how Poulters right wrist is bent back while DJ's is straight.

Joe Paradiso

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I'm left handed which is why I was pointing out Poulters right wrist in comparison to my left.

Here is Poulter pre-impact, similar point in swing to DJ but notice how Poulters right wrist is bent back while DJ's is straight.

You mean post-impact. The ball has left the tee in that image ;)

that's more because Poulter has a weaker grip. Doesn't matter because he gets a flat left wrist at impact.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
 fasdfa dfdsaf 

What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

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You mean post-impact. The ball has left the tee in that image ;)

that's more because Poulter has a weaker grip. Doesn't matter because he gets a flat left wrist at impact.

Sorry inserted the wrong picture into my post, I replaced it with pre-impact picture.

Joe Paradiso

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Do you know for a fact that your trail wrist is like this? Or is this your feel?

Again, with your handicap level, I'm calling it unlikely. Maybe you do, though. I'm not saying it's impossible, just unlikely.

Inline impact… that's where you want to be. Depending on grip strength, ball position, etc. that will have the trail wrist in a few different conditions. But ideally it's awfully close to inline at impact.

For the purposes of this mini discussion here, too, it's also inline only for a moment. It's fleeting. It goes from lined up ahead of the shoulder to behind the shoulder very quickly.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Note: This thread is 1110 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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