I’ve just started golfing, any tips for contact when I’m using a driver, or any club! haha?
Filed in Golf Talk on Jun.03, 2011
I’m working at the driving range for my contact issues, BTW I’m a big, muscular guy, with long arms and I’m about 6’3 does that have a lot to do with it?
June 4th, 2011 at 12:01 am
You need to try and make contact with the ball at the bottom of your swing for irons and just at the start of your up swing on the driver. You should read The Five Fundamentals of the Modern Golf Swing by Ben Hogan, it’s a very inexpensive book but it will help you get off on the right foot. Size doesn’t matter anymore because there are many golfers in the PGA over 6′ that are well built and hitting the ball solid every time. You need to make sure you are building a repeatable swing that you will have confidence in while your on the course. The practice range is great for working out the bugs but the courses offer different challenges one shot at a time. Good luck
June 4th, 2011 at 12:54 am
When I first read your question I though maybe I had wrote it and forgot because you decribed myself. 6’3″ and muscular. I haven’t been playing long but a few things I have learned that worked for me were 1. Tee the ball up high for your driver 2. With the driver tee the ball even with your front foot (with irons you can place the ball either in the middle or slightly in front of the back foot 3. Most important tip I learned was keep your front shoulder in as long as possible. This last one helped me get rid of my slice completly. Try these and just keep going to the range and playing and you will work it out.
June 4th, 2011 at 1:07 am
first and foremost you simply need to “make” the contact. Don’t try to swing as hard as you can…at least not yet. make sure you keep your head down until you actually hit the ball. When you lift your head up before you make contact you will almost always mis-hit, be it a slice hook, top the ball, sky the ball, hit it off the toe or heel etc. etc. I was always taught that in order to get the right form down to go to the driving range, and take a towel. I’m left handed so I would put a towel under my left arm and hold it against my body (in other words, use your arm to pin the towel against your body) then start hitting some balls. The towel should not drop from your arm. this helps you develop the habit of keeping your elbow in which can greatly help when you’re trying to prevent a slice or hook or whatever. I always try to keep my front foot flat on the ground through the whole backswing. I’ve noticed a lot of my friends I golf with take a sort of baseball step while in their back swing and most of the time they do not make good contact with the ball…so if you’re right handed, put the towel under your right arm and hold it against your body, and try to keep your left foot flat on the ground through your follow through, and keep your head down until you actually hear the club hit the ball. When I’m using my irons, I also like to take a few practice swings and make sure that my club is grazing the ground. After taking a few practice swings, i take a step to address the ball and make sure the club is in the EXACT same distance between my feet and away from me as it was when I was taking my practice swings, then hit it.
that’s a very basic strategy that helped me when I first started. You will make bad contact every once in a while. it’s part of the game, but if you do this you can reduce the occurance greatly!
Good Luck!
June 4th, 2011 at 1:43 am
I agree with Chuck P’s answer. Ben Hogan’s book is helpful. It is what Jack Nicklaus studied.
I would add this: When on the range just don’t hit balls. Have a purpose for every swing. Whether you are on the range or on the course, have a purpose to each swing. Thoughtlessly pounding hundreds of balls only gives you blisters; it does not help your game and may harm your game by ingraining bad technique.
As for videos, I like David Leadbetter’s instructional videos. That is mostly a matter of taste. I understand what he says. Jack Nicklaus’s book, Golf My Way, is also a worthwhile read.
If you master proper grip, proper stance and correct take away, you have most of what you need.
Good Luck