Recent Playing Observations - Two Questions

[bmartin461]

I've been mentally reviewing my rounds of late and have two general observations that I would like to ask about.

Observation 1: I caught the last 2 minutes of the Golf Fix a month or so ago and he was talking about Jordan Speith's thought of pushing down on the right heel during the backswing (I did not get the full context of the tip) but I decided to try it and it has vastly improved my contact, aside from slow back, it's my only swing thought now.

Observation 2: On par 3s, when I have, for example, a 150 yard shot I will almost always hook the ball, but when I have 150 from the fairway, I hit a nice staight shot with a very small draw to it.   I do tee the ball very slightly on the tee box.  Why would I tend to overdraw?

Appreciate any comments in return.

Brad

[DaveP043]

Observation 1:  I caught the last 2 minutes of the Golf Fix a month or so ago and he was talking about Jordan Speith's thought of pushing down on the right heel during the backswing (I did not get the full context of the tip) but I decided to try it and it has vastly improved my contact, aside from slow back, it's my only swing thought now.

I had a similar epiphany when someone told me that Jack Nicklaus used to try to "load the right heel."  I think most of us grew up playing games where we wanted our weight a little forward, on our toes or the balls of our feet.  For me at least, that leads to an imbalance during the golf swing.  Now I try to start with noticeable weight on my heels, and have my weight remain centered in the heel-to-toe direction during my swing.  Speith's image sounds like the same thing that Jack did.

[Tat14]

Re: Observation 2

Forgive me if I fail to paint this picture well, but I think there are two differences (for me) between 150yds out and the tee box of a ~150yd par three.

150yds out, odds are that I'm on the right side fairway or light rough. This gives me plenty of comfortable room to hit a natural little draw.

My home par three tees are set up awkwardly for this same shot. I feel that a push to the right, or perhaps an offset stance is required. Call it OCD or feng shui, but I get weird if I start aiming too much on the tee. This is why I am striving to learn how to start the ball right from a square stance.

I also want to rip it from the tee sometimes, or take too little club - this leads to hooks.

[Parker0065]

Observation 1: Funny you brought this up. I was going through and throwing out some old Golf magazines the other day and came across a 2012 Davis Love article where he said he loaded into his back(right) heel on the back swing and his front(left) heel on the downswing. There was a little more to it than that but it was a pretty decent article for "magazine instruction" lol!

Observation 2: As Tat14 said you may be swinging at it too hard but one thing I would be very observant of is "alignment"! Most tee boxes are built in some rectangular fashion and people tend to want to line up along the mow lines of the tee box. The problem is the tee box may not line up properly to where you "think" your aiming. Stand at the back of the tee box and see where in relation to the green it is really pointing. When you setup and aim properly you may feel like your pointing off in some weird direction because your not lined up with the mow line but trust it and hit the shot. It just sounds like an alignment problem unless your not taking enough club and swinging too hard.

Another thing is if your trying to play a draw you should be teeing it up close to the left hand tee marker which will help you set up aiming more to the right allowing room for the ball to draw back to the target.

[rkim291968]

Observation 2: On par 3s, when I have, for example, a 150 yard shot I will almost always hook the ball, but when I have 150 from the fairway, I hit a nice staight shot with a very small draw to it.   I do tee the ball very slightly on the tee box.  Why would I tend to overdraw?

Is it possible that your club is hitting ground first on fairway hit, and lifting it clean at tee box?

[GolfLug]

Observation 2: On par 3s, when I have, for example, a 150 yard shot I will almost always hook the ball, but when I have 150 from the fairway, I hit a nice staight shot with a very small draw to it.   I do tee the ball very slightly on the tee box.  Why would I tend to overdraw?

Appreciate any comments in return.

Brad

You tend to full release when teed up subconsciously because of lack of fear of hitting the ground which will allow it to draw (not duck hook). When on ground/fairway you tend to well, not release as much especially if you are not used to taking divots and also won't go as far.

[Missouri Swede]

I've been mentally reviewing my rounds of late and have two general observations that I would like to ask about.

Observation 1:  I caught the last 2 minutes of the Golf Fix a month or so ago and he was talking about Jordan Speith's thought of pushing down on the right heel during the backswing (I did not get the full context of the tip) but I decided to try it and it has vastly improved my contact, aside from slow back, it's my only swing thought now.

I had a similar epiphany when someone told me that Jack Nicklaus used to try to "load the right heel."  I think most of us grew up playing games where we wanted our weight a little forward, on our toes or the balls of our feet.  For me at least, that leads to an imbalance during the golf swing.  Now I try to start with noticeable weight on my heels, and have my weight remain centered in the heel-to-toe direction during my swing.  Speith's image sounds like the same thing that Jack did.

Observation 1: Funny you brought this up. I was going through and throwing out some old Golf magazines the other day and came across a 2012 Davis Love article where he said he loaded into his back(right) heel on the back swing and his front(left) heel on the downswing. There was a little more to it than that but it was a pretty decent article for "magazine instruction" lol!

IIRC, Greg Norman uses a thought of "Right Pocket Back" on the backswing, which sounds like it could have a similar effect.

[bmartin461]

Observation 2: As Tat14 said you may be swinging at it too hard but one thing I would be very observant of is "alignment"! Most tee boxes are built in some rectangular fashion and people tend to want to line up along the mow lines of the tee box. The problem is the tee box may not line up properly to where you "think" your aiming. Stand at the back of the tee box and see where in relation to the green it is really pointing. When you setup and aim properly you may feel like your pointing off in some weird direction because your not lined up with the mow line but trust it and hit the shot. It just sounds like an alignment problem unless your not taking enough club and swinging too hard.

Another thing is if your trying to play a draw you should be teeing it up close to the left hand tee marker which will help you set up aiming more to the right allowing room for the ball to draw back to the target.

Thanks (to @Tat14 too), I think that might have some to do with it, both alignment and probably a little more nerves which lead to an overswing.  I have been experimenting with taking one more club than I think so I can 3/4 punch for more accuracy, still not 100% comfortable with that option yet.

[bmartin461]

You tend to full release when teed up subconsciously because of lack of fear of hitting the ground which will allow it to draw (not duck hook). When on ground/fairway you tend to well, not release as much especially if you are not used to taking divots and also won't go as far.

Yeah, this could be part of it, but I see the same result at times with a 3W and 4i, which don't take much divot to begin with.

[bmartin461]

Is it possible that your club is hitting ground first on fairway hit, and lifting it clean at tee box?

I don't feel this is the case, I make good contact from the fairway and distances are pretty equal between tee shots and fairway shots.

[GolfLug]

Yeah, this could be part of it, but I see the same result at times with a 3W and 4i, which don't take much divot to begin with.

Right, you are not used to taking divots with ANY of your clubs when on fairway. Woods long irons even less so. Not unusual for mid handicappers (myself included) who are still getting used to the idea of ripping through the fairway (after striking the ball, of course) without hesitation. Makes full release a little less of a probability from the fairway - i.e., won't draw as much.

Not as much a problem when it is teed up a bit because ground not as much a factor and you subconsciously allow yourself to release a bit more. One way to see if that is happening is if you end up fully or more on your left foot (you righty right?) with a full finish off the tee compared to the fairway.

This is often, my personal experience anyway.

[bmartin461]

Right, you are not used to taking divots with ANY of your clubs when on fairway. Woods long irons even less so. Not unusual for mid handicappers (myself included) who are still getting used to the idea of ripping through the fairway (after striking the ball, of course) without hesitation. Makes full release a little less of a probability from the fairway - i.e., won't draw as much.

Not as much a problem when it is teed up a bit because ground not as much a factor and you subconsciously allow yourself to release a bit more. One way to see if that is happening is if you end up fully or more on your left foot (you righty right?) with a full finish off the tee compared to the fairway.

This is often, my personal experience anyway.

Ok, so a temporary fix would be not to tee it up on the tee box, then I can predict better the results. I do take good divots with 7-wedges, but I get your point.

Thanks for the comments.