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From Joe,
golfer: |
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Out of nowhere, I am starting to hit the ball off the toe of the club
with my irons, producing pulls and shots off to the right. I am also topping
the ball. I am a low handicapper and this has me baffled. This past winter
I've been using a weighted Momentus swing trainer. I've heard that this could
have started this disaster. Any help would be appreciated. |
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PGA/LPGA
TEACHING
PROFESSIONAL
RESPONSES: |
California
"Joe - I have seen this happen many times due to improper use of
a training aid without guidance from an accredited professional. Whenever
you are practice swinging and do not see the results of the swing (ball
flight) you do not realize the incorrect moves you are incorporating into
your swing. The weight of the training aid has forced you to overuse
your upper body rather than use your lower body more (as it was intended).
In the future, only use an aid like this in conjunction with hitting balls
so you don't ingrain bad habits. If you are a single digit
handicapper, chances are you have a good set of fundamentals so getting
back on track shouldn't be too difficult. Go back to your teacher or
review any notes and/or drills you have had from previous lessons. That
should get you back to pre-winter form. Good Golfing." - Kati
Biszantz, Teaching Professional |
Colorado
"Dear Joe: Sounds like your training swings have resulted in your
downswing being initiated too much with the shoulders. The result is an
out-to-in swing path through impact (as revealed by your pulled shots), an
angle of approach which has become too steep (as revealed by your topped
shots), and difficulty in releasing the club properly through impact (open
clubface producing shots curving right).
The likely fix is to emphasize the feeling of starting your downswing with
your ARMS FIRST, almost as if your shoulders do not begin turning through
until the club is halfway down. Try to visualize the club head approaching
the ball on an ARC FROM THE INSIDE. Swing the training club with your FEET
TOGETHER (feet touching - don't cheat!), if you're swinging with too much
body and not enough with your arms it will be difficult to stay in
balance!" - William
Kipp, Teaching Professional |
Connecticut
"Hi Joe: Sounds like you are coming over the top. If you are
using the Momentus make sure you allow the club to drop inside before you
turn. You may be using to much body before the club starts down. The
transition between back swing and forward swing is to quick so your upper
body gets ahead of the club swing. Good luck!" - Sherri
Keller,
Teaching
Professional |
Florida
"You are not getting behind the ball on your back swing. All of
your symptoms are consistent with this." - Joe
Sciortino, Teaching Professional |
Indiana
"Sounds like your swing is getting too upright. Upright swings
produce toe shots. Flat swings produce heel shots. Being upright would
also explain the pulling of your shots if you close the clubface at impact
and pushing your shots if you leave the clubface open at impact. I suggest
you hit balls on a side hill with the ball above your feet. It will
promote a flatter swing plane and allow you to approach the ball from
inside the target line before impact." - Jeff
Mathew, Teaching Professional |
Minnesota
"Don’t know about the swing trainer – I like the ‘fan’ - but
your problem can be fixed by allowing the clubface to rotate closed on the
followthru...You’re trying to push the face AT the target for some
reason." - Phil
Hurrle, Teaching Professional |
Minnesota
"Use the Momentus only for half or quarter swings; like chip
shots. You just want to strengthen your hands and arms in the hitting
area." - Jim
Manthis, Master Professional |
Nevada
"Dear Joe: Glad to hear you worked on adding strength training to
your swing using a Momentus trainer. The good news is that you probably
built body mass and added strength (i.e., club speed through impact). The
bad news is lost synchronization between your shoulders and hands. For a
player of your level to be hitting, bad toe impact shots, pull hooks,
blocked right hits and toped shots, your hands are lagging behind the
shoulder turn, as you hit through the ball. The result is a shorter lever
length (effective left arm and club extension length-from swing center-to
the ball). You need to get back on track with your hands and shoulders
staying linked from take away to the top, and down through impact out to
your finish position. My favorite drill is to invert a normal club and
grip the shaft with your normal grip just above the hosel. Now stand
straight upright and hold the club so the grip is parallel to the ground
and right in front of you, with hands chest high and club extended
straight out. Begin making slow swings with a swing plane that remains
parallel to the ground. slowly swing and hinge the club to the top of this
"Backswing" and through the impact zone (right in front of you)
to the "Finish Position". As you feel your shoulders and hands
become more synchronized with this drill, you can increase your swing
speed until you find a release position right out in front of your chest.
you should hear a loud wooosh at this point when you get your club speed
maximized out front and not early or late. By removing the weight of the
club with this drill, you will soon get that feeling of being synchronized
(hands and shoulders), throughout the swing back in your game. This drill
can be practiced as a warm up as you start outdoor practice sessions as
the New England spring weather allows. Make sure to hit thousands of wedge
shots this spring, particularly with 1/2 and 3/4 swing lengths to control
distance. Practicing these shots with less than a full length swing will
help you get back to swinging vs. hitting. Remember your swing will
work best when it is most efficient. Even though we watch today's tour
stars on TV hitting their irons unthinkable distance, remember to always
pull a club that your swing can control, efficiently whether its a full
distance shot or if you are taking a little off when between clubs. Avoid
the temptation to take the lesser iron all spring and you will see your
ball striking ability and consistency return. Always envision the solid
feel of a pured shot with your selected club, as part of your pre-shot
routine! Good luck and good practice and play!" - Tony
Parenti, Teaching Professional |
New York
"Are you maintaining the flex in your
knees thru the shot? And check your
address position! You are not getting a consist solid hit. Sounds like
you may have too much movement trying to hit the ball rather than
maintain and the swing and let the hit happen!" - Alex
Kirk, Teaching Professional
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North Carolina
"Joe: You
may want to take a look at how far you are standing from the ball and also
check your ball position to make sure that you don't have it to far back
in your stance. Also check yourself to make sure that you aren't doing a
reverse pivot during your swing." - Ben
Hynson, Teaching Professional
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South Carolina
"Hi Joe:
Swinging with a weighted club can change your tempo, it also strengthens
both your hands. It sounds like you are giving it a little more right hand
than needed. Try not grounding your clubs for a while. Just wait until you
feel the head weight of the club before you start your back swing.
Remember hold the club about an inch off the ground in your regular set up
position. Hope it helps."
- Sean Carey,
Teaching Professional |
South Carolina
"Joe: You are most correct in your analogy. Here you are an
athlete who has done well at every measure. First, Golf is not a hand to
eye coordination sport or you would be scratch or better. The Momentus
trainer is designed to lessen that. You damn sure cannot swing it as you
usually swing a club, you must let it drop on its own more. And, that
feels good, does it not? Gravity is the key. Gee, Joe I would like to tell
you my secret but individuals need individual attention. Go to
doctorgolf.homestead.com. You may find it there, if not call Warner
Hedrick in Groton or take the
bull by the horns and let me help." - Michael
Lucas, Teaching Professional |
Texas
"Joe: Sounds like you are
using the Momentus incorrectly. It is supposed to help you build golf
muscles which increases your ability to not have to use your hands. The
hands are the only body parts that influence the club face. So if you are
hitting tops and toes your right hand is manipulating the face at impact
causing the toe to go inside of the ball a little for the toe and lots for
the top. Use your Momentus to hit chip shots and small swings and feel
that all the hands really do is hold the club. The body provides the
power. Then with a regular club continue to rely on the body for power not
the hands. Good Luck." - Dave
Baron, Teaching Professional |
Texas
"I will assume that you are right
handed. My first guess would be that you have made a habit of rolling or
whipping the club open with your right hand, that is pulling the club
inside your swing plane almost immediately at take away. This would
certainly be the reason you would come over the top and hit everything
on the toe of the club. Probably more so with longer clubs. When you get
tired of doing that I am sure you pull up or back and then you top it.
If all that is due to swinging a weighted club I don't know. I would
practice my take away indoors preferably in a hall way where you can see
the club face looking at the target longer. Let me know if this helps.
Good Luck!"
- Wiley
Osborne, Teaching Professional
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Texas
"Joe: There are only five reasons why you could hit off the toe:
1) standing too far away. 2) clubs are too short. 3) swing is too steep.
4) arms are pulling in. 5) somehow you are leaning away from the ball.
Best of luck." - Mark
Moore, Teaching Professional
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Texas
"My friend: First, look at your posture, are you in an athletic
posture where the club hangs naturally or are you reaching for the ball?
Next, when you find posture, move to or away from the ball, don't bend or
reach for it. Momentus...great for loosening up and the added weight will strengthen
golfing muscles, but this could cause a over the top action. Use the
Momentus with a qualified PGA teaching professional who stresses creating
proper path naturally from proper "body first" usage. Can't find
one, come see me in Corpus." - Bob
Hasbrouck, Teaching Professional
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Virginia
"Being that you are a low handicapper and have been using the
Momentus Swing Trainer this past winter, leads me to believe that the club
is approaching the ball on a far too shallow path from the inside.
The toe shots result from a loss of spine angle at impact that could be
caused by getting the heavy club too far behind you. The pulled shots
occur when you over compensate with the hands in an effort to square the
clubface. A good exercise would be to take a small box or office
trash can and place it about 2 feet to the right of the middle of your
right foot. As you swing down try to feel the arms and club fall out more
in front of your body. You will feel like you are coming over the top of
the ball, but at the same time more clearing of the hips and less
"jammed up" at impact."
- Charles
Will, Teaching Professional
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Virginia
"I have had
students who have had the same problem as you, and in every case they have
set their weight on the heels instead of the balls of their feet at
address. This can cause a slight movement away from the ball as you
approach impact, make an effort to set your weight on the balls of your
feet and not on your heels and keep it there during your swing. Hope this
helps."
- Terry
Hummel, Teaching Professional
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