I think setup is one of the main reason golfers struggle with fairway woods off the ground. Here is an easy fix!
The lowest point of the golf swing arc is directly below your front shoulder. So, now that you know that, we do not want to drive the golf ball down into the ground, so you must start by dropping the concept that the ball position will ever be in the middle (*never). You want to impact the ball, right at the bottom of the swing arc while you are turning. You will move the ball with your body rotation, not by throwing the club head at the ball. Impact must be a straight line of the shaft in line with the front arm and a square face!
Follow this new setup:
This setup for your Hybrids and Woods will make hitting off the fairway a breeze. My method starts by always imagining a straight line from your Front Foot to the Club Head. This straight line, will always be 90° to the target line.
Once you learn your new setup, just follow my 3 magic words Hold, Shoulders, Hips. Hold your back knee, while you wind your Shoulders around your spine, then start the downswing from ground up, using your Hips and unwinding all the way to the finish. It is essential that you keep the shaft in line with the front arm as you turn and trap the ball. If you flip or throw the club head you’ll pull or hook or top it.
* Playing the ball in the middle, is for a golf swing that hits at the ball with hands. Not athletic, not powerful, not repeatable.
9 Comments
It depends on what the loft is, but in general… at the bottom of the swing arc (about just inside front foot). It depends on what result you want… experiment. Also tee up the hybrid almost at the ground for hight lofted and a bit higher for less.
Hi Ross
How much would you tee a wood / hybrid up in a tee short…? And is the ball placed in same spot …?
Your teaching seem to fit me like a glove. I have tried many different theories from Ernest Jones hands/arms to Jimmy Ballard connection. I am 68 years old and play to a 10 handicap. You have isolated the moments to a simple back and thru concept. Thanks…Larry
THE BIG KEY… SLIGHTLY OPEN STANCE. This is what offsets an open shoulder alignment. You want to be perfectly aligned with your body parts… toes, hips, shoulders and shaft in line front arm, and let the arms hang… if you then use your feet, to line up the club face to your target, (keeping the relationship of the club head and front toe in line), you will be perfectly balanced, all your body parts parallel, in line, and slightly open to the target (a very good thing for turning). This position is perfect for hitting a very solid effortless golf shot when you unwind your body, and (not a good position when you use your hands). Nothing happens at impact… you are just turning thru to the finish. Really, the easiest thing to do, is just go setup like my diagram, take some shots and enjoy!! If the ball goes left, or it’s difficult to make contact, IT IS A DIFFERENT PROBLEM, NOT SETUP… It means you are not turning and you are trying to hit with your hands… Ross
Hi Ross, WOW, your “set-up” diagram blew me away ! I’ve never seen the ball played “outside” of the left foot with the clubhead aligned off the toe of that foot. Isn’t that a sure fire way to create an open shoulder alignment at address and a lunging forward on the swing in an effort to make contact ? Shouldn’t the placement of the ball for all normal shots be opposite the left instep or left heel ? Please clarify .
Yes. Keeping most of your weight on the front foot … take very short 30 yd. shots thinking you will keep your arms straight with no hands … use a short takeaway (being pushed from front shoulder)… then use the hips to unwind and you still want your arms straight out in front of you, when you finish at about 9:00…(kind of a 3:00 – 9:00 drill with straight arms and no hands). When finished, there should be NO FLIPPED WRISTS and NO BENT ELBOWS. Also when finished, you should have the weight on the outside of your front foot, knees touching and totally up on back toe. You will be amazed how the large muscles will take over when they know the hands are going to be passive. This uses Large Muscles keeping the hands, wrists and elbows quiet. Thanks, Patrick… I’ve been meaning to add this drill to a post and I will make a video soon to back it up… Ross
I agree. I am also using your tip on keeping the shaft in line with my front (right) arm. I have to work on keeping my hands from flipping. Any good drills to take the hands out of the swing?
Thanks,
Patrick
Hello Patrick
Thanks for the confidence in becoming a member. I suspect the “Low” aspect of your comment is a slight flip with the hands, that would slightly deloft the club face. Make sure the shaft is setup already in line with the front arm, with your wrists relaxed (slightly bent down) and your will see plenty of loft and if anything a slight cut. The big key here is to learn to trust turning into the ball and knowing it will come up without any help using the hands… thanks again, keep in touch… Ross
I practiced this setup on the range with good results. The first time I tried it on the course, it was low draw. I continue to use the setup and I am hitting my hybrids much better.
Thanks,