Toe hits can hit the road A common cause of off-center hits on the toe is found in the downswing when the club handle remains too close to the body, instead of extending out toward the ball as it reaches impact. You have to have a baseline shot to work off of to play well. This is common for people who cross the line at the top of their backswings, and don’t get the hands very deep (behind them) in the backswing. Ugly. 1 Swing Path. Up is narrow and around is wide. Your email address will not be published. To start give yourself some room in between, no need to go Tiger style and leave little to the imagination. Accept the things that you may never have, i.e. This can cause you to slice the ball and in extreme cases it can lead to hitting the ball off the toe of the club. When the upper body moves upward, the club is pulled away from the ball, delivering … https://www.golfchannel.com/video/how-stop-hitting-toe-golf-club Dont worry, I can handle the truth! Driver heads have gotten huge, but I still see plenty of heel and toe hits. Thank you for explaining why I am struggling with this. Sometimes, you get lucky and hit a good one, and sometimes you spray it. I've been to Edwin Watts and to numerous demo days as well as a private club maker. Toe hits can also be the result of having a grip that is way too strong. This article and several others of yours are lightbulb moments for me thank you so much you seem to be able to communicate ideas brilliantly ( to me anyway) ITs amazing all your stuff makes such perfect sense. He is based at Dallas National Golf Club. Dennis now teaches at Bobby Clampett's Impact Zone Golf Indoor Performance Center in Naples, FL. Our family had a blast watching the mannerisms that Charlie displayed which brought us all back to Tiger’s heyday. If you tee it up high, you need to raise your driver head above the ground to hit it on the sweet spot because if you just return your clubhaed to the address position, you will pop the ball up. How many times have you been to the range and your ball flight shifts? So get out your journals, start tracking your game via Arccos or any game tracking app, and the data will speed up the process. No matter what, you have to have a stock shot that you know you can repeat. -- Achieved Master Professional Status (held by less than 2 percent of PGA members) The most common cause of hitting off the toe is releasing the club early, the wrists unhinging and the right arm straightening too soon on the downswing. This results in a high percentage of driver shots being hit on the heel-side of the driver's face, especially when we tee the ball higher. Its really frustrating when you only hear about the over the top move causing problems. 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Most would think to stand closer. Chuck Cook, Golf Magazine top 100 teaches gives a great tip to help fix your golf toe shots. Note: A lot of toe hooks are hit with a really strong grip, which causes the left wrist to cup, the club to get too vertical, or the face to close very early, which makes the toe dominant coming through — a hook. Many golfers fail in this regard and lose their balance while trying to swing too hard and maximize distance. The good drill is to try to hit the ball more toward the toe of your driver face on purpose. This movement out, which is also known horizontal hand path, is a real death move for all but some one-plane swingers (Click here to read more about one-plane and two-plane swings). This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. For a right-handed player, this means the ball curves moderately from right to left. There’s a good reason for this: They lower the club on plane in transition, have a vertical handpath and tumble the club outside their hands into impact. The “feet together” drill is fine but doesn’t translate to a regular setup and swing. Golf WRX is lucky to have you. SET UP. Learn how your comment data is processed. Some of these changes may or may not work for your particular swing. Your slices and hooks will be even worse with a lower lofted (8 to 10 degree) driver while more loft (10.5 to 14 degrees) means your slices and hooks will diminish and the ball will fly higher and straighter, giving you more carry and hence, more distance. Since there is more weight in the toe, could the way I swing be causing the toe to close in more causing the draw? Adding yardage to your tee shots can be done through a number of outlets, be it a lengthening of your backswing, a speeding up of your follow-through, or, in some cases, a changing of equipment. Thanks for your time today…great working with you! Your and other teachers’ swing help fail me because of my orthopedic history, as very few other golfers have had 22 orthopedic surgeries (wear and tear – no injuries). Hitting on the toe with the toe digging is a sign of early extension. Think and speak on the level of the intended audience and not in “instructor lockeroom” levels. If you tee the ball up real high when hitting your driver, it could be causing you the heel hits as well. Nearly every driver released in recent years allows for independent loft, lie and face angle adjustments by … Heelside and toe side. “We know without a doubt that in order to maximize your distance when hitting the driver, based on whatever your club head speed is, that you want to hit up on the driver.” It’s also a good way to get that putter head tracking down the line. Driving a golf ball as far as you can while maintaining accuracy is a great way to lower your score and get better as a golfer. Wish I lived closer for a lesson. Reply to this topic; Start new topic; Note: This thread is 4556 days old. The funny part is when I set up with the intent to kill the ball, I just swing and seem to hit it right, something to be said for getting in an athletic position and allowing the swing to happen. Dennis Clark is a PGA Master Professional. Exceeded expectations, in our book! Question: If I would simplify: The toe hit is the two planers mishit, and the heel hit is the one planers mishit? Get in there via FaceTime or live in the house and compete. While I have only a little less turn than I did, I can’t do two things – get my hands higher at the top or take any divot whatsoever. Toe hits Most toe hitting is the result of a the golf club coming into impact more upright or vertical than it was at address. Without an accompanying vodeo, a golfer with a basic swing problem like consistent toe strikes hasn’t the experience to understand the descriptive terms being used to help him/her. I recently was having the exact same problem, literally hitting everything off the toe of every club wedge - driver. Hitting my driver off the toe. But what was the plan? So the *theory* is that you just need to bend the clubs upright and you'll be good to go. -- PGA Merchandiser of the Year, Tri State Section PGA The shorter backswing and firmer wrists will promote a hands-leading impact position with a straight left arm. I “feel”as if I’m straightening my legs coming to impact (bi-lateral TKR), which might be me pulling out of the swing and pulling the club back, but that’s my analysis that I can’t seem to act on to fix the swing. You need to check your swing. To fix this try hitting short chip shots where you aim your feet slightly left of target and swing out to right field (feeling like you’re hitting a small push shot). Put a tee OUTSIDE the ball you’re hitting and try to hit that tee. And most of the people I teach wonder why they’re not more consistent . Nothing like creating “have to” scenarios to build confidence. Followers 0. Golf Tips & How to Hit a Draw With a Driver. Whether its thin straight, fade, draw, three quarters, whatever. The toe of the golf club refers to the far side of the club head, opposite the shaft. Although it goes out first, the very leftness of the swing path (for right-handed golfers) brings it in. If you tee the ball up real high when hitting your driver, it could be causing you the heel hits as well. I need to line the ball up near the heel/hosel to hit it dead center and if I line it up in the center I hit the toe. Golf is chess, not checkers. Last time we had fun analyzing Dustin Johnson’s toe hook and the reaction of the broadcast team at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. The body oriented flatter move is more likely to deal with heel and vice versa. Dennis, I love your articles. CHUCK COOK is ranked fifth on Golf Digest's list of America's 50 Greatest Teachers. Remember, the lie angle that matters is where the club is when you hit the ball. Too much weight on your toes at set up Essentially any move that does not have the club head centrifically rotating out can cause a toe hit. If you’re hitting great iron shots but constantly slicing it off the tee, it might be time to change your driver setup. Tee the ball higher. Is there any logic to this question, or am I completely wrong? Patrick Reed or Paige Spiranac: Who would you rather have on a GolfWRX podcast? If you are suffering with toe strikes, your first check point should be your swing path. I’ve never been a “digger” and usually barely brush the grass, even on solid hits. Sure. The toe shot is my bad shot and happens occasionally when I get too steep coming down. Every golfer knows the fundamental differences between drives and iron shots. A lie board will help you figure out if you have a flat vs. upright lie angle when you are taking a real swing and hitting a real ball. A second cause of toe hits is the body raising up before impact; in other words, failing to maintain your spine angle. How many times have you stepped on the first tee, put a peg in the ground, and just blindly smacked one. Any thoughts/suggestions (understandably limited by my text description w/out visuals) would be helpful. Distance Killers #1: Hitting Down on the Ball. Most toe hits are vertical swings, too up and down, not enough around. They bent your lies 2* upright probably because you were hitting shots towards the toe. Your email address will not be published. IF YOU WANT TO GET BETTER AND STAY BETTER….THINK, THINK, THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING…(Caps are because I’m yelling). If you watch Tiger on the greens before any round, he hits a ton of putts with his right hand to dial in his roll and release. How to Hit the Driver Longer. Lastly, toe hits can occur from our old friend, “over the top.” An out-to-in path has the club swinging IN TOWARD YOU. Oh, and about Charlie’s swing and golf game? Interesting how he said at the end to actually stand further from the ball. Stand a bit further from the ball (NOT closer), bend a little more at the waist and feel the arms swing across the chest in the backswing. This pulls the toe in (a reverse rotation of the arms caused by a left hand pronation instead of suppination), which can reduce the width of the arc, thus bringing to toe more into play. It has the largest footprint of the three models, boasts the highest MOI, is the easiest to launch, and has the most draw bias capability. Want a mat? So while it might seem like having the hands too far in front would cause a heel hit, it often is just the opposite because of the late reaction to raise the hands. For example, Charles Howell III is perceived as a great ball striker, but the stats would say differently. For your iron shots, you hit the golf ball off the ground. So let’s take a look at WHY he might have done that. I feel like I can actually learn the swing through your work! When using your driver, Kolb says the most common cause of power loss is hitting down on the ball. Focus on a Small Target I start trying to get the draw back and he asked, “What are you doing?” He said, your shot today is the fade, you are fighting yourself already, and you haven’t even teed off yet. Try to make a smoother transition with your lower body. This will give you a better sense of the horizontal component your swing lacks. If you want to get better think about what you are doing. Can’t thank you enough. The full swing can be remedied with indoor fitting bays, practice sessions, etc. Hitting my driver off the toe Sign in to follow this . This drill is good for fixing your slice as well. First simple fix for your golf toe hits. https://www.golfchannel.com/video/how-stop-hitting-toe-golf-club Click here to read about that in a previous article, Click here to read more about one-plane and two-plane swings. -- Teacher of the Year, Philadelphia Section PGA © 2020 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OUR. Hitting shots off the toe, if all other things in the swing are proper, is due to the rotation of the body through the shot and the fact that the shoulders are more open at impact than they were at address. If you look at the best players at address and then at impact, you’ll see a number of differences in their positions. Hi Dennis The goal isn’t to become Ben Hogan though, it’s to raise that weakness to a manageable point where the things he does well can shine even more. 30 putts focusing on the roll and speed to start; you make what you make. This helps you maintain the radius of the swing so you bring the club to a fully extended impact position for center-face contact. FYI, I am an 8 and can’t follow some points. What an awesome teacher! Hit balls on a side hill with the ball well above your feet to help flatten your arc. -- Junior Golf Leader, Tri State section PGA Just like it sounds. Adjust the lie if your strike is good, but your digging the heel or toe. Hitting the golf ball on the toe of the club hurts both accuracy and distance, but a few tips and a little practice will have you finding the club's "sweet spot" again. We get to the range and the ball is fading. When golfers start down steep, they have to use a bail out move to avoid a number of errors that can result at impact. Excellent article! Toe Weighted. -- Earned PGA Advanced Specialty certification in Teaching/Coaching Golf Loft is the 2nd most important aspect. The key here is that the club head needs to be facing the golf ball on the way back. Hit balls on a high tee without grounding the club for the same reason. This puts the left shoulder up, raises the hands high and makes the shaft more vertical — a recipe for a toe hit. Stop hitting shots off the toe with these four easy moves 1. Dennis…you rule! Now can he grind with his coach to dial in his ball striking? Unfortunately, there isn’t a player on tour or in top amateur golf that thinks this…not even Bryson. If the hands don’t get sufficiently behind you going back they CAN come down too vertically. The things he has always done well are wedge it, pound it, and at times make a ton of putts. What can we do to work on our stroke? If you are suffering with toe strikes, your first check point should be your swing path. I finally went back to basics and checked grip, stance, setup, ball position etc.. Long story short, my setup was jacked up. The draw is the preferred shot off the tee, because it adds distance to your drives. Clark has taught the game of golf for more than 30 years to golfers all across the country, and is recognized as one of the leading teachers in the country by all the major golf publications. Your highly descriptive and clear swing analyses are remarkably different from nearly every other golf teacher because you explain “why” with kinesiological interpretations. The goal is to get honest with yourself, pure and simple. Standing too close to the golf ball at set up. This might help you flatten your left wrist and start the club (and sweet spot) more horizontally. -- Golf Professional of the Year, Tri State Section PGA This drill gets you two different things, the feeling of a proper release (trail hand) and the feeling of a firm lead hand (lead hand). The most common cause of hitting off the toe is releasing the club early, the wrists unhinging and the right arm straightening too soon on the downswing. The best way to improve your strikes is to practice hitting punch shots with a middle iron (right). Golf Toe Hits, Why Do I Hit The Toe Of My Irons (Video) - by Pete Styles Often I work with golfers and we've worked really hard in improving their swing, and all the angles and positions and the setup looking lovely and then the ball flies off and it just flies really weak and limp and out to the right hand side. I told him a draw. They often hit the golf ball with the toe of the club; and no matter what they may try, they continue making this mistake. You may hit the ball off the toe because you have a steep downswing path that causes the clubhead to cut across the ball. The 3 swing faults that lead to heel shots. Many golfers are plagued by the frequent mis-hitting of shots, which sacrifices both distance and accuracy. It’s all done without swinging a club or input from another human being. Most golfers needing this type of help have no way to visualize “flatten wrists” and even more complex visualizations used here. Find a buddy that also has a PP Mat and go nuts. Focus on a Small Target You may hit the ball off the toe because you have a steep downswing path that causes the clubhead to cut across the ball. I messed around with lie angle (+2 upright) and continued to have the same issue. Even practice for most becomes mindless. Great article. As a teacher of human anatomy, I appreciate those details. -- Teacher of the Year, Golfers Journal In reality, the best way to maximize distance is to stay on balance and make sure you make solid contact on the center of the clubface.Good balance means keeping your center of gravity near the middle of your stance throughout the backswing, and then mo… Some have lower hands at impact and some have higher hands, but it is rare to see a great player with their hand line much further out from their body than it was at address. Rather than change your swing, instructor Jeff Ritter offers a simple solution: stand a little closer to the ball. To confirm that your driving woes stem from catching shots near the toe, spray foot powder on the face of your... 2. Essentially any move that does not have the club head centrifically rotating out can cause a toe hit. I’ve gone from an 8 hdcp to >15 (or at least play like it). Less loft is less forgiving which is evidenced by how much easier it is to hit a 9 iron than a 3 iron. Every golfer wants to hit the ball farther off the tee; distance with the driver is one of the game’s greatest attributes. This will make the golf club more vertical, raising the heel of the club and lowering the toe. When I place the weight in the fade position I get either a slight draw or straight drive, and hit the center more consistently. Some will say they do but my experience proves that give 10 golfers this explanation, they couldn’t reconstruct the totality of what is intended. All rights reserved. Players who do that hit a lot of fat shots, so they learn to yank the club upward either by standing up or bending their left elbow. Wedges: Misses are off the toe: Shaft is too short, butt section and/or tip section is too stiff, or shaft is too light. Yet another way of hitting the toe is because of a very closed face at the top of the swing, followed by a late attempt to open the face coming down. As you swing the driver down toward impact, focus on keeping your left heel down flat on the ground (for a right handed player). I present with complications that have the same result – toe pull hooks. Ive been hitting the toe consistently on my new irons and was wondering if getting a slightly longer shaft 1/2 to 1 might help me hit the sweet spot. If you feel like you are hitting it toward the toe of your driver face, then try to hit it on the sweet spot. Most amateurs start down with a shaft plane that is much too steep (Click here to read about that in a previous article). When I went to see him, he asked what my shot was. When I hit the ball the toe of my club hits first. If golfers with a horizontal hand path didn’t stand it the club up or raise the hands, they would contact the hosel and hit a shank. For example: When Tiger plays the Masters, his whole week is centered around his plan. This time lose the gate around the putter and create a narrow path with golf balls down the line. Golf 101: If you could only pick one wedge loft to use, what would it be? Wunder: If I could build the perfect 2021 bag…it would be…. This explains a lot of what is going on with my swing. It forces them to “stand the club up” as they approach impact in order to avoid a shank. Claude Harmon III told me this one. If you are one of these unfortunate people, take heart because there are a few things you can do to hit the ball on the so-called “sweet spot.” The most overlooked tool in modern drivers is the adjustable hosel. So what about a hybrid: one plane backswing with two plane follow through? If you tee it up high, you need to raise your driver head above the ground to hit it on the sweet spot because if you just return your clubhaed to the address position, you will pop the ball up. This will give you a sense of extending your arms AWAY from you into impact. The problem is, both moves pull the club toward the body, closer than it was at address, which causes contact off the toe. distance, magical touch, etc., and slowly work on them with the idea that they will only enhance your real strengths, not become the benchmark of your game. If the hand line does not move OUT to compensate for this new arrangement, here comes the toe. Many fixes tend to focus only on the very beginners. But in a very general sense, yes! Get a mat. To stop toe hits, you have to get your arms back in front of your body sooner. Do it from 5 feet to start. Get to the core of who you are as a player. I agree, I would love taking lessong from you Dennis. Once again start realistically. I tried a shortened backswing with less wrist cock (Steve Stricker?) The golfers that don’t have these problems are playing golf for a living. In a very GENERAL sense, thx. The point is the “it” is what you wake up with. It’s not a recipe of hit balls, work on the short game, or even video work with a great coach. When manufacturers place a biased amount of weight in the toe, the club is referred to as "toe weighted." Lastly, toe hits can occur from our old friend, “over the top.” An out-to-in path has the club swinging IN TOWARD YOU. The Swing in Pictures: The Set-Up (Part 1). Protect what you do well and get the sore spots manageable. Again, thanks for the article! Required fields are marked *. Move the ball closer to your lead foot (just inside the heel) Lower your trail shoulder so your spine angle is pointing to the sky a little more. SPRAY. -- Served on Tri State PGA Board of Directors. Off center hits occur for a number of reasons, and I’m going to list a few of them. Another reaction to starting down too steep is to “back up” the upper body in an effort to shallow out the steepness-right shoulder down.

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