DRIVER DIRECTION ISSUES EXPLAINED
Over the past year, students that have come to the Studio for help with their Driver typically fall into one of five categories as show below. The help they require to improve their Driving performance depends not only which issue they are concerned with, but the reason behind their below average performance. In this article, we are going to focus on Driver Direction issues.
PERFECT CUT SHOT
TRACKMAN FACTS:
CLUB FACE: right of path, left of target
CLUB PATH: left of target (out to in)
BALL DIRECTION: starts left, falls right
DISCUSSION:
Playing a cut shot (ball falls to the right) is a geat way to play golf.....just ask 2014 US Open Champion Martin Kaymer who stood on virtually every tee, aimed down the left side and hit a baby cut. Beautiful.
KEY POINT:
To successfully play the perfect cut shot off the tee, it is critical to get the clubface (AT IMPACT) pointed midway between the path the clubhead is traveling and the ultimate target line.
WHY CUT SHOTS FAIL
UNDERCUT/OVERCUT
TRACKMAN FACTS:
CLUB FACE: right of path, left of target
CLUB PATH: left of target (out to in)
BALL DIRECTION: starts left, falls right
DISCUSSION:
As you can see on the picture to the far left, this tee shot started left of the target as planned but did not curve enough, thus leaving the ball in the left rough or left desert. And you can also see in the other picture that this ball started left of the target as planned, but curved too much leaving the ball in the right rough or perhaps right desert.
KEY POINT:
The exact direction the clubface is pointed at impact directly affects the final outcome for each tee shot. If the clubface is aimed nearly the same direction as the clubpath is traveling, the ball with end up too far to the left of the indended target. If the clubface is aimed nearly the same direction as the target line, the ball will end up too far to the right of the intended target.
PRIMARY FACTORS AFFECTING DIRECTION
FACE ANGLE is the direction the club face is pointed (right or left) at impact. Face angle is the most important factor when determining the starting direction of the golf ball. The ball will launch very closely to the direction of the club face (face angle) at impact.
CLUB PATH is the direction the club head is moving (right or left) at impact. The club path is part of what influences the curvature of the shot as well as the starting direction of the ball. An "in to out" club path is necessary to hit a draw and an "out to in" club path is necessary to hit a fade.