Quick On The Draw

Although with all today’s advances in measuring devices in golf, the physics and simple facts are the club today is doing the same to ball it did 100 years ago. In this Today’s Golfer feature just using three inexpensive rulers I use them to explain the all important relationships between club face and club direction.
Obviously the laws of physics are non negotiable so if you want to master ball control and learn to shape your shots you need to understand a few simple principles.

We used to say the ‘swing’ sends it (ball start direction) and ‘face’ bends it (curves the ball flight).
With launch monitor technology we now know the ball’s start direction is more heavily influenced by the club face but the key to shaping your shots is understanding the ‘differential’ or relationship between where the head is ‘travelling’ and where the face is looking!

So this simple ruler illustration is a ‘diluted view’ of how to draw a shot onto the pin.

The arc of the club through impact needs to be travelling to the right (2) of your intended target (1) with the club face (3)a ‘hair’ to the left (closed) to that path. It may be appear the face is ‘open’ which it is to the target, but not to the path of the club.

You may think how did we learn this before technology? Well, the greats throughout the ages like Jones, Hogan, Nicklaus, Jacklin, Faldo, Ballesteros and many more did it the good old fashioned way! practice, refinement and experience. A combination of tweaking your grip, your swing path and hitting a lot of balls learning the feel of these relationships and guess what? The ‘THE FLIGHT OF THE BALL REVEALS ALL!’

So hit the range heightening your awareness of these longstanding non negotiables will reward you.