Snap hook... Fixed...

SuaSponteMn · August 16, 2012

So I'm sure I'm no different than anyone else when it comes to breaking and then fixing a golf swing. I had been hitting everything phenomenally this season, had dropped my handicap from 14 to as low as a 10.3 at one point (I'm sitting at 11.7 right now). I was mid round with a buddy a couple weeks ago, and he says, "The ball looks awful far back in your stance for a driver". We're not competitive, and are very encouraging of each other's play, so I adjusted based on his input. I made it through the round, played relatively well, and headed to the range that next Wednesday. HOOK CITY, everything longer than a 5 iron was a complete mess, but that being said, the irons a wedges were still as good as I've ever hit them. Played last weekend, shot a 91. Wasn't a great score, but considering I hit three drivers OB, and had at least 5 other holes where I was hitting a low runner out of the trees, I'm not going to complain; irons and wedges were still phenomenal. That leads me to last night. Was that the range, wedges and irons were fantastic, so I only hit about 8-10 of them, the real goal was to figure out the driver. I hit a few mediocre, then the snappers set in, and then frustration set in. I went down to 3w, same thing. Went back to irons for a few, still just fine...

So I went back to driver, started my pre-shot routine, and worried a lot less about ball position (I had been making a really conscious effort to put the ball forward in my stance). My normal pre-shot routine is very much target oriented, couple practice swings behind the ball to get the feel, line the clubface up to the target, and then take my stance while looking at my target; this has always put my feet exactly where they belong in relation to my shoulders and where I plan to send the ball. When I did that with my driver last night, PROBLEM SOLVED, I hit 4 bombs in a row, maybe a 5 yard fade (my ideal ball flight). I found it to be odd that I really didn't do anything dramatic and things were fixed, so I went through pre-shot again, and then looked down. The ball was probably 2", or about 3 balls back from where I had it before when I was making an effort to keep it forward. Did the same with my 3 wood, same thing, pured off the deck and a tee.

So what I'm wondering now is if it's bad to have it back that far? Or is it really even that far back? I play with a slightly open stance, wondering if maybe it just appeared open to my buddy and it's really just fine? Either way, just happy they're gone, it will be nice to be hitting my second shots from either the fairway, or at least close to it...

Lefthook · August 16, 2012

It is not ideal all things considered.

It will typically promote a low draw / hook.

The upside is that it is easier to hit the ball solid (IMO) with ball back in stance.

As long as it works I see no need to fix it. Unless you're looking for shots that are out of reach with the ball back.

SuaSponteMn · August 16, 2012

[quote name='Lefthook' timestamp='1345129201' post='5482462']
It is not ideal all things considered.

It will typically promote a low draw / hook.

The upside is that it is easier to hit the ball solid (IMO) with ball back in stance.

As long as it works I see no need to fix it. Unless you're looking for shots that are out of reach with the ball back.
[/quote]

Interesting, I was hitting the low hook before I moved it back...
If the only shot that's out of reach for me is a draw or hook, I will be a happy man for years to come

HitEmTrue · August 16, 2012

[quote name='SuaSponteMn' timestamp='1345127392' post='5482310']
So what I'm wondering now is if it's bad to have it back that far? Or is it really even that far back?
[/quote]

Unless I'm missing something, you never really said what your ball position was before or after. Hopefully you'll keep hitting it straight...not many things seem to get (meaning stay) fixed "quickly" in golf.

butch33611 · August 16, 2012

Congrats on getting your shot back first and foremost. I doubt any two people swing a club exactly the same way. The key to this game to me is being able to reproduce the same swing every time or as close as it can be. If you can swing the club the same way you can now make changes and adjustments to it. Sounds like your money shot just happens to be the ball being a little further back based on your swing. You obviously have the ability to make the same swing because now your hitting long with a little fade like you want to.

In short I dont give a rats a## where tiger woods puts his ball at address with his driver....Im not tiger woods. I need to figure out where it works best for Butch.If it happens to be further back and I hit it like I want too I dont care what it looks like to someone else. I only care about results and where the shot ends up.

I hope you found something that lasts a long time.