Watching some random golf videos and saw some instruction that seems to indicate a different swing for driver and irons?

[Lihu]

Is this correct?

Never really gave it much though before seeing this video. I don't consciously swing any differently between iron and driver. The only thing I do is change my setup and try to transfer weight just like any other shot. However, I'm not sure if I am getting the "maximum" out of my driver and woods doing this or not? I seem to get plenty of distance as it is. However, it struck me as odd that other than setup the swing thoughts should be different?

I chose these videos because the instructor is kind of cute, there are other examples showing more or less the same instruction.

Thoughts?

 

 

[saevel25]

It probably depends on what results you want. If the goal is to hit up on the ball then a golfer can make just some set up changes. Move the ball forward a bit more, add a bit of upper body spine tilt away from the target. This will produce a slight pull fade to straight fade. If they want a push draw, and hit up then they probably need to focus more on swinging out, or getting the club to come from the inside more in the downswing. Moving the ball forward naturally shifts the path more inward.

[iacas]

The driver and iron swings are different.

The ball is in the air.

The tool is different.

Goals are different.

So setup is different, and the swing itself is a bit different.

For one, Key #2 can be done very differently.

[NM Golf]

2 hours ago, iacas said:

The driver and iron swings are different.

The ball is in the air.

The tool is different.

Goals are different.

So setup is different, and the swing itself is a bit different.

For one, Key #2 can be done very differently.

Man, I am glad to hear someone say that. Been told all my life to try and swing everything the same and lord knows I don't. Another BS golf myth busted.

[Lihu]

Tried this out on the range, of course it's going to take time to learn better. But other than hitting a slight pull, the balls went really high and pretty far after I teed up very high. Not sure if it's longer than my normal drive, as I hadn't tried it on the course yet.

The general principle seems to work!?!

[Hacker James]

I personally liked the video, and not only because she is kinda cute, she is a bit more than kinda...

What I took from it was more or less what I do intuitively, but never really paid much attention to the why. Ami brought a really nice explanation. I used to just focus on the back of the ball, more weight on trail foot than with irons. I liked her matter-of-fact explanation of what was happening. As stated, they are definitely two different swings.  In the second video, pausing at the top really gives one the feeling of power and throwing the club (not casting, mind you), and focusing on the swoosh rather than the contact. The idea of having less tension in the upper arms, rather than the hands, helps a lot. 

The only thing I might disagree with is her stating  "You need to tee the ball really high". That is a relative term and will vary from golfer to golfer. In fact, some of the pro's hit very slightly down on the ball, but there are other reasons for that than stated here.

[Buckeyebowman]

13 hours ago, iacas said:

The driver and iron swings are different.

The ball is in the air.

The tool is different.

Goals are different.

So setup is different, and the swing itself is a bit different.

For one, Key #2 can be done very differently.

Huzzah! My thinking is verified!

I've been saying for years that the Driver swing is a different swing from any other,

[Antneye]

11 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Huzzah! My thinking is verified!

I've been saying for years that the Driver swing is a different swing from any other,

Which is probably why I never hit both well on the same day.

[mcanadiens]

Maybe that's why the driver and the irons are never both good on the same day.

[Lihu]

59 minutes ago, Antneye said:

Which is probably why I never hit both well on the same day.

 

33 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

Maybe that's why the driver and the irons are never both good on the same day.

Hah, yes!

There's a section in LSW that covers this.

It's not like a night and day difference in distance, but I'm guessing that the spin is a lot lower now which is why the balls seem to land closer together on the driving range.  Anyway, I'm still checking things out.

[Hacker James]

I looked up the URL golfwithaimee.com and found it to be very helpful. She has a very simplistic way to explain what she is demonstrating that is easy to follow. Words matter. For example when demonstrating body rotation in her hitting hybrids pure video she uses the term "lower body separation" as it applies to longer clubs.  Other instructors say things like "hip bump, lead with the hips e.t.c." which are often misconstrued leading to all sorts of problems.  Then it is easy to see when she demonstrates.  Not to mention, I would rather watch her in hot pants than somebody like Martin Chuck.. 

 

note: I had to edit the URL as the first time it did not work. Its a good website, free from advertisements, and Aimee Cho does not seem to be selling anything from what I've noticed. I read she was on the LPGA tour for ten years, but retired owing to injuries and now coaches, and conducts clinics. She has been golfing since the age of six.   anyway....'nuff said..end of endorsement.

Edited September 27, 2017 by Hacker James

[nevets88]

One thing you can see on video is there is more axis tilt (SAT) at impact, a lot of power hitters, you'll see the head back AWAY from the ball to get more leverage, power, whatever. This is JT, fortunate enough to find two videos from same source similar angles. See how much his upper body is behind the ball. Less "stacked". I would guess the line through his shoulders for his driver is a tad steeper (driver - 44", 6I - 37", guess that's enough to see slight difference, bet you'd see more if there were a SW (35") video). A lot more airborne too because of the speed. I would guess you could get away with lunging forward with shorter clubs, but that's a death move for the driver, my observations. Heel shanks off the driver head are the worst. Trust me on this.

 

 

[cutchemist42]

Will watch when I get home, thanks for the links.

BTW, is Justin Thomas almost jumping/hopping in his driver swing??

Edited September 28, 2017 by cutchemist42

[Buckeyebowman]

On 9/27/2017 at 11:21 AM, nevets88 said:

One thing you can see on video is there is more axis tilt (SAT) at impact, a lot of power hitters, you'll see the head back AWAY from the ball to get more leverage, power, whatever. This is JT, fortunate enough to find two videos from same source similar angles. See how much his upper body is behind the ball. Less "stacked". I would guess the line through his shoulders for his driver is a tad steeper (driver - 44", 6I - 37", guess that's enough to see slight difference, bet you'd see more if there were a SW (35") video). A lot more airborne too because of the speed. I would guess you could get away with lunging forward with shorter clubs, but that's a death move for the driver, my observations. Heel shanks off the driver head are the worst. Trust me on this.

 

 

This is a very interesting post! Thanks,nevets! There are a couple of references I will post, and both are old school!

One is from Harvey Penick's Little Red Book. He talked about one of his pupils who happened to luck into playing 9 with Lee Trevino. A few holes into the 9, playing a par 3, the student hit a shot to the green that hit about 20 feet short of the hole. Trevino teed up another ball for him and told him NOT to move his head toward the target on his downswing. Keep it behind the ball. He hit a shot to 3 feet!

Another instance was when Freddie Couples was all that on Tour. The TV showed a close up study of the motion of Couples' head during a swing. His head moved slightly away from the target on the backswing, slightly toward the target at the initiation of the downswing, and again AWAY from the target at impact, then moving forward again in the follow through and finish.

Couples' swing was described as a "double pendulum", with the clubhead as the bottom and his head as the top.

7 hours ago, cutchemist42 said:

Will watch when I get home, thanks for the links.

BTW, is Justin Thomas almost jumping/hopping in his driver swing??

This is kind of a newer development. We see guys standing up on the balls of their feet these days. But that's because they are pushing on the ground so hard! I've also seen guys spinning on their left heel shoving the toe of the left foot toward the target. I've felt that myself! Makes me think that golf shoes should come with no spikes on the heel of the target foot!

[cutchemist42]

So just wondering....was there ever a time before 460cc drivers, that the swing wasn't considered too different from your iron/wood swing? Did the switch to bigger drivers cause the different swing?

[iacas]

24 minutes ago, cutchemist42 said:

So just wondering....was there ever a time before 460cc drivers, that the swing wasn't considered too different from your iron/wood swing? Did the switch to bigger drivers cause the different swing?

Not that I know of.

But possibly.

[nevets88]

Don't remember as much emphasis on swinging up when driver heads like the 200(ish)cc Big Bertha were considered huge, yeah it was mentioned but not to the degree of TaylorMade's advertising blitz but then radar wasn't around. Also remember playing with not a few people teeing the ball down for drivers, like we would for a 3 wood today, guessing they wanted to put more of an iron swing on it. They were occasionally taking divots with drivers. Look at the Golf Channel's old archives of playing with the pros. Stewart Appleby was big on teeing the ball low for the driver.

Kind of a miracle we made consistent contact with those tiny driver heads back then, should pull out the tiny Big Bertha and see what ensues, but those clubs are basically 3 woods of today with a little less loft.

[Jack Watson]

14 clubs.  One basic swing.

Modern drivers/fw woods are too long.  43-44 inches is perfect for driver.  Teeing way high is great for spraying the ball.

The changes you see when slo mo analyzing are a result of the players intent with the clubhead going through. 

If you're gonna argue that driver is a diff swing why not be consistent and say now you need 14 swings not just one.  All the clubs are diff.

Driver is a tough club to consistently manipulate ones swing and do well.  Driver is one where you need a good swing and you need to let physics take place.  You can't guide the thing and be good.

jmo.