Tag: P5

Lead Arm in the Downswing

Bryan Pate

Let’s talk about the downswing and your lead arm.  A good reference point is to have the lead arm inside the target line around 20* at lead arm parallel (P5) in the downswing.  Little more inward could help be more of a draw pattern where more outward could help with a cut pattern.  Here is a good drill to give you a visual and feeling. YouTube Link

If you don’t have someone to hold an allotment rod or club just outside your trail shoulder use a shaft with an alignment rod in it or two alignment rods taped together.  When using the alignment rods place the rod outside the ball line and have it go through your trail shoulder like on the featured image above.

Now that you know how to set it up let’s take a look at what it does.  If your lead arm moves out too fast it will run into the stick.  The alignment rod also gives you a spacial reference of where the lead arm and hands have room to operate.  Start off with small shots and success then speed up the swing.  Below is an image keeping the lead arm in on the left and one where the lead arm worked out too fast on the right.

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Click here for the YouTube Link or copy and paste this link in a browser window:  https://youtu.be/JxdhnZSRqEA

 

Swing Direction Plus Launch Angle with Driver

Bryan Pate

Want to cover two topics here.  The first topic is Swing Direction.  Here is the YouTube Video.  In the above video I placed an alignment on the ball line a driver distance behind and in front matching the shaft plane.  The goal is to give you the ability to get the club to travel from under the one behind and over the one in front, over the one behind and under in front, or under and under.  With this you can get feedback where the club is coming from and going to.  Below I am showing a swing direction that could go under and over.

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Now let’s chat about swing direction and attack angle.  As a golfer it is hard to have a swing that is going out to in to and an upward attack angle so as we get the swing more from under to over there is a better chance.  Here is another drill to keep the swing coming from the inside and now get the attack angle under control.  I placed an alignment rod on the target line at an angle that put it a grip above the ball and rolled up a towel and placed that a foot in front off the ball.

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This will set up a path that the club can come from inside low and go above the ball.  See the below images showing this movement.  I hit some balls with this setup and it got the path right 6-8* and attack up 3-5*.  Great way to maximize your driver for the most distance.  With solid strikes it will produce a high launching low spinning ball.  Click Here for the YouTube video.

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Use these videos and drills to help get your swing shape where you want it and get that driver maximized.

Over Under Video Video: https://youtu.be/f5sIiQz5Eiw

Driver Attack Angle Video: https://youtu.be/0v_oHpB_i2c

Elbow Plane Line

Bryan Pate

Let’s talk about the Elbow Plane Line (Click for YouTube Video).  This line is not the fix all line but is a good reference point.  If you are looking for exact you will need to line up your camera in the correct spot where the camera is hand height and perpendicular to the target line.  I use it as a good enough line because my preference is to film at chest high just in front of the toe line.

Let’s take a look how I add the line.  You can see in the above photo how I take the swing to impact then draw a line up form the hosel and out the back of the shaft.  The reason for impact shaft line is the shaft rises from setup and the dynamic movements of the swing.  When taken back to setup the line roughly goes through the right elbow (7iron pictured).  I tend to have low hands at setup and always working on getting them higher and when focusing on it feel like they are on this line.  Looks like I need to work on some setup pieces.

Screen Shot 2019-01-15 at 6.48.27 PM.pngThis is a general reference line that we can use to see if the club from the top is working towards the line or away form the line.  Below photo I added a dot to where the club head was at the top of the swing then where it went to in transition.  The left photo moved towards the line and down where the right moved away and across the ball. screen shot 2019-01-15 at 6.29.22 pm

Here they are at at P6 or shaft parallel.  Left going down the line and right staying above.Screen Shot 2019-01-15 at 6.44.30 PM.png

Here is just after impact you can see the club stay on the line on the left and the right where it came from above it went left and under the line.Screen Shot 2019-01-15 at 6.46.08 PM.png

A club that is traveling more along the line will usually have a stronger impact than one that is working too much form under or above.  Those clubs will be producing more of a glancing blow.

For the direct link to the YouTube channel click below:

Rotate to Balance

Bryan Pate

Balance is key in golf.  Turn on the tv and you will not see players moving all over the place, falling forward, back, and around at the finish.  The reason for this is it keeps the swing direction and impact more predictable.  If you are falling back that can move the swing direction more left and land the club too far behind the ball.  Click Here for the YouTube clip on this blog.

Here is a good drill I learned from Martin Chuck at the TourStriker Academy located at the Raven in Phoenix, AZ.  Place your club across your thigh and put some pressure into both legs.  Keep this pressure constant into the finish.  See the above photo for the start and finish.

In the below are to finishes for comparison.  The left photo we see often with the golfer finishing with too much pressure on their trail foot.  This keeps the center over the ball and the low point back too far.  What we want to see if on the right.  The golfer is standing on their left foot, 95% of their pressure is on the target side of the ball line, and there is just enough pressure on the back foot so they don’t fall over.  Can also see that the back of the rear is on the ball line.  This is a good check point to hold and assess where you are, how it feels, and how it looks.

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Start small and grow your swing.  For the YouTube video direct link click below: