Learning to hit down on the ball

[benjaaz]

Michael,

As you can probably tell from watching my videos, I don't hit down on the ball. Is there a way to accomplish this? I think my swing suffers from picking the ball all the time. If my timing is off I hit the ball fat or thin. The last time I tried hitting down on the ball I would come into the ball down the line to hit down on it. That seemed to ruin my swing a little so I gave up on it. I even have caught myself pulling my arms in at times, I can actually feel it.

Jim

[trickyric]

try the "throw the drunk" drill. it moves your aiming point forward. imagine a drunk leaning on your left shoulder and throwing him off by raising your left shoulder upward and back it also goes with the right shoulder going down, out and forward. don't forget to feel the push off the ground with your feet like you were flinging the heavy drunk. your hit spot should be moved forward and your divots should be past the ball and down!
Ric

[benjaaz]

Thanks Ric,

I am aware of the concept as i think it's shown near the end of Brian Manzella's Building Blocks video. I would think it would be a part of the body pivot which I don't really use because of my bad knees. I might be able to work it in as long as I can keep it from getting violent. lol

From your description it sounds like moving the swing center forward of the ball and if the right shoulder is driving down the logical result would be a downward strike. Somehow my subconcious reels in my arms or has me straighten up to prevent doing that. I can take a divot with a small pitch or chip but that has less consequences I guess, for my mind at least.

I will give it a try. This last weekend I found myself hitting the ball either fat or thin which is why I feel if I can hit down on the ball I would improve my ball striking.

Jim

[trickyric]

make sure you feel the pressure against the ground. I don't think the knees will hurt because it isn't torquing the Miniscus. The key for me is to remember that the left shoulder is pulling up the plane as the right is pushing down the plane.
remeber down, out and FORWARD.
Hope it works for you.
Ric

[Michael Jacobs]

Ben,

The more elevation you get with the arms, hands, and club on the backswing the more of an opportunity they will have to be able to thrust down.

Each video you have posted has has a lowish backswing which makes the goal of a downward angle of attack almost impossible. Keep mastering the backswing, it has gotten better from what I see, but more elevation will help and downward attack angle

[benjaaz]

Michael,

Thanks for the visual.

I went to the range after work and hit some balls and I didn't worry about my position at the top of the backswing I just went as high as I could. I didn't do a video because I felt I needed to work on it some first. I hit a lot of great shots, the ball was going high and straight and sounded and felt real solid and I even took a divot now and then. Tomorrow I have a city greens committee meeting so I'll have to wait until Thursday to hit balls again. I will video my swing then. I just hope I have the same feeling. lol

Jim

[Michael Jacobs]

Michael,

Thanks for the visual.

I went to the range after work and hit some balls and I didn't worry about my position at the top of the backswing I just went as high as I could. I didn't do a video because I felt I needed to work on it some first. I hit a lot of great shots, the ball was going high and straight and sounded and felt real solid and I even took a divot now and then. Tomorrow I have a city greens committee meeting so I'll have to wait until Thursday to hit balls again. I will video my swing then. I just hope I have the same feeling. lol

Jim

Excellent Jim.... you are on the right track! Keep us posted

[benjaaz]

I went to the range tonight and was mad the battery on my camera was dead. When i took it out of my computer case it was on so it might have been on all day.

I hit my 8 and 4 irons and the preowned Mizuno MX-500 driver I picked up and I was hitting the ball great. I don't know how it looks yet but I feel like I'm going high and crashing down into the ball. The ball feels solid and I rarely hit a bad shot so I guess it's working. Still not much of a divot but hey can't have everything.

When swinging this way I feel very centered, left and right and front to back. I don't seem to lose my balance at all. I did move up on the ball some, closer to it which makes the shaft a little more verticle. I felt I had to do that to swing that way. Can't wait to see it on video.

Jim

[Michael Jacobs]

I went to the range tonight and was mad the battery on my camera was dead. When i took it out of my computer case it was on so it might have been on all day.

I hit my 8 and 4 irons and the preowned Mizuno MX-500 driver I picked up and I was hitting the ball great. I don't know how it looks yet but I feel like I'm going high and crashing down into the ball. The ball feels solid and I rarely hit a bad shot so I guess it's working. Still not much of a divot but hey can't have everything.

When swinging this way I feel very centered, left and right and front to back. I don't seem to lose my balance at all. I did move up on the ball some, closer to it which makes the shaft a little more verticle. I felt I had to do that to swing that way. Can't wait to see it on video.

Jim

Jim,

It sounds very good! Always carry spare camera batteries to the driving range. I learned that lesson quickly, I use tons of batteries!

[benjaaz]

OK, got the battery charged and a backup. I lied. I thought I was going up better but I'm still to the inside but I think I'm higher. I do know I was hitting the ball better, everything from the wedge through the driver. I was hitting it farther then I ever have.

here's from the back...
YouTube - jim13.avi

Here's from the front...
YouTube - jim14.avi

I was able to record in high speed mode so it's playing in slow mo. If it means anything the club is between my arms once I start the downswing. I just wish I could get my backswing to look as good as my downswing.

Jim