Cure the Flips!

[Kiwi]

Long story, but short version is that I am a "flipper". I have a tendency to let the club face pass my hands at the point of impact. Trying to find some drill, technique, etc to be able to hit down on the ball, rather than what I currently do, that is Flip the wrist (L) which results in a high, but short iron shot. The odd time I have hit it correct, I can add 30+ yards to my irons (i.e. PW 95 > 125).

[jvincent]

There are lots of people who swear by the Tour Striker.

As a supreme digger of divots, I don't have this problem, but try the following drill.

1. Put your ball on a tee like you would normally.
2. Put a second tee one (or is it two?) inch in front of the ball, i.e. closer to the target.
3. Try to hit the SECOND tee. The ball will simply get in the way of your club.

[Wknd_Warrior]

Going out on a limb here, but I'm guessing you have no real faith that the ball will get in the air from the loft of the club alone. You need to abandon the concept that you have to lift the ball up into the air.

Drill, no idea, go to the range and try to drive a whole bucket into the ground in front of the ball lol.

I'd say it takes time to change fundamentals, but I'm guessing once you start seeing that 7i carry an easy 15 yards farther and stop on a dime you won't be turning back.

[goley]

Fix your clubface it is probably too open coming into the ball and you are forced to flip the club in order to sqaure the face

[Kiwi]

Thanks for the tips and thoughts...
JV - my issue with the driver is different than with the irons. Does your tip relate to the irons, as my problem is from the turf, not the tee.
I think my problem has its roots in how I learned to golf. I had a putter and a 3i at age 10. As I got older I would play around my back yard and use the 3i to make various shots, mostly chips (city lot 50x100) so yes I did need to flip to get the loft out of that iron. I did that for many years and only bought my first set of full irons when I was 24. I have always felt I flipped (got more loft and less distance) but this year, particularly in the last half where I'm playing more it seems that I'm doing it more. I wonder too if I am not setting the ball too far back in my stance (just forward of the mid-point) and then flipping for that reason, no faith the ball will get up from there. Hope to go to the range and work on the ball position issue as well. When I take my practice swing I look at the divot, or spot where the club touches the ground, and try to set up for my shot with the ball behind the mark, hoping to hit it first, on the down swing. Thanks for the thoughts, keep 'em coming.

[jvincent]

My tip is for irons or for a fairway wood on the grass where you need to hit down on the ball.

For a driver on the tee you want to sweep the ball with no divot, so it is a different swing.

[leftylucas]

For the longest time my swing did not take a big divot but I was not really a scooper. My teacher gave me a good swing thought to feel as though my arms were fully extending just afer the ball toward my front foot and when I try it I always hit a nice clean iron shot with plenty of distance.

[Domo]

You ever watch "Feherty" on Golf Channel? Darren Clarke spoke about Tiger, when he was relatively new to the tour and even a few years into it after they became good friends. TW used to show up on the range and practice beside DC. DC said that Tiger pured every shot in the bag "lobber to three iron" and made a patch of flattened grass, not divots, about 12"x12" square. Tom Watson doesn't take a divot either. There is plenty of evidence these days from trackman etc. that shows that optimal impact conditions create, at worst, bacon strips and not pork chops for divots, if you take a divot at all.
You would be well served to listen to Goley regarding the face of the club. There are all sorts of things you could be doing in the swing that results in flipping, but it is a subconscious reaction to something else and the brain adjusting to make contact. See a pro, get on video, or even better, trackman/flightscope.

[Kiwi]

Thanks, I had not heard of trackman/flightscope so I googled it. Is there a facility/teacher in Ottawa that has that setup?

[Domo]

Artisan Golf has Trackman but Don is not an instructor and uses it for fittings. You could get data from a fitting and ask a knowledgable teacher to interpret the info, but there is a real lack of that skillset in Ottawa afaik.
Haime has Flightscope but i am not sure if they use it only for fittings or in conjunction with teaching.
Rideau View's new academy also has trackman and is open to public. I am pretty sure they use it for both fitting and instruction.
Good luck!

[Wknd_Warrior]

I used to take gig pancake sized divots with my high irons, no more. I try to more pick it clean these days with a shallow divot. Easier on the joints if nothing else.

[Kiwi]

Thanks for all the good tips. Took some to the course today and game was better, at least with the irons. Moved the ball back where it was (more forward) in my stance from mid-way. That seemed to click as I had no last minute thoughts as to whether I was going to be able to get the ball "back there". Also shortened up my club and tried to make my swing, the same tempo as my practice swing. All in all was back to hitting most of the irons the usual distance for me. Appreciate the thoughts!

[sergizmo]

Tour Striker. I've only used it once so far and noticed a difference. It's a great way to help train impact. Transferring the swing to your regular golf clubs is a cinch as well. I'm going to continue working with it with what's left of this year and into next year as well. The DVD that comes with it is 34 minutes and has some good stuff on it.