Impact Question

[carrera]

How close can you put something to the ball and avoid hitting it?

Playing around on the range last night (hitting off mats) I put an old broken tee down to the right of the ball, with the tee perpendicular to the target line. I wanted to see how close I could put the tee to the ball without hitting it, assuming solid contact on the ball (ball first).



How close to the ball should I be able to put the tee (or better, something else, since contact with the tee could send it flying through the air and put an eye out as my Mom used to say) to the ball with solid ball-first contact? At some point, which I'm not sure where it is, hitting the tee indicates flipping or other poor impact technique.

I want to be able to challenge myself to do it to the closest position possible assuming good club movement through impact.

[Pauly567]

Anyone? I'd also like to know to the answer to this question. I've heard this will help you learn to hit down on the ball.

[HackerPratt]

I would do it on actual turf, not hitting mat.

 

I am not saying I can do this, but in theory you should be able to put it almost below the site line of the ball. I know this seems impossible, but true impact you hit down on the ball first and the divot should start 2" from the front of the ball.

 

I am going to head out and try that today and see how it goes.

 

Great question and great mental image for me. Thanks.

[darpar]

An easy way to tell using mats,sprinkle some sand on the mat,place the ball

on top of the sand with a tee or marker just above the back of the ball.

Your club will leave a mark in the sand/mat similar to a divot.

It's a good way to ch. path too.

[mplee]

i've never actually done this drill but i don't think i'd hit the tee even at just a couple centimeters if it were directly adjacent to the ball. However, the tee would probably get in my head and i'd hit it poorly =)

 

Typically, i have a descending stroke into the ball and my divot doesn't start for a centimeter or two after i make contact (when i'm striking it well). I believe the bottom of your actual swing should be at your left shoulder, which should correspond with the deepest part of your divot.

 

So long story short...if you're not coming over the top... you can probably get the tee pretty darn close.

 

-mike

[carrera]

I am going to head out and try that today and see how it goes.

 

Did you get a chance to try it? I used a piece of yarn last night (again, the tee could be dangerous if you hit it and it flies up) and putting it close to the ball is not as easy as it sounds! Sort of like when someone says "close your eyes and balance on one foot for a minute"...sounds easy but at 10 seconds you probably start wobbling!