TGM Shortcomings in Driving??

[jamnet]

My first post and just wondering, does anyone else have issues when it comes to driving the ball? Does TGM work really well for Iron play, but not so good for Drivers?
Before I got into TGM, about a year ago, I was a 10 handicap struggling with golf my 7 iron went about 150 yards, now I’m a 6 handicap payer with a 7 iron flying 165 to 170, and it’s all to do with compression and lag and a flat left wrist, so I agree 100% that using TGM for iron play (and actually putting) woks really well.
However, I cannot keep my driver on the golf course, it sprays all over the place, my really low scores come only when I employ “course management” which is another phrase for being too scared to hit a driver of the tee I use a 3 wood or hybrid or iron, which is no fun at all. Is there anyone else having Driver issues, can anyone point us in the right direction?
Thanks

[SECGolf]

The best answer, I believe to part of the question, is another question:

Do the laws of geometry and physics apply completely to iron play and not so completely to driver play?

Flaws will be magnified with longer clubs.

It is easier to compensate with shorter clubs.

And these statements in no way contradict the fact that one may certainly be improving (or that one may have seen significant improvement).

[Bagger Lance]

My first post and just wondering, does anyone else have issues when it comes to driving the ball? Does TGM work really well for Iron play, but not so good for Drivers?
Thanks

Jamnet,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the first post.
The principles of a sound geometric swing apply to all clubs.
You probably need a good pair of eyes on your driver swing to diagnose what is happening.

Ted Fort has some Long Drive guys that see him. All of our Pro Contributors hit'em pretty darn straight.

Then there's this 900 year old green fellow who hangs out here that can whollop it with pin seeking accuracy.
He knows a little TGM as well.

[jamnet]

Thanks for the replies and I do believe that TGM is an incredible powerful method to describe all swing motions and how to employ the best swing patterns, to maximize your particular golf swing following the laws of geometry and physics. However, when I read quotes like "sustain lag pressure as it drives down to China" that, to my young TGM ears, is saying drive the pressure point down so that the club squeezes the ball against turf, I can do this with an iron or wood or anything of the deck, however, I don’t know how to do the same thing with a driver when the ball is sitting on a tee a couple of inches off the turf. Any help?? I am seeing an AI maybe once a month and credit him and TGM for getting me where I am now, but I just need more and more information.

Thanks,

[Bagger Lance]

However, when I read quotes like "sustain lag pressure as it drives down to China" that, to my young TGM ears, is saying drive the pressure point down so that the club squeezes the ball against turf, I can do this with an iron or wood or anything of the deck, however, I don’t know how to do the same thing with a driver when the ball is sitting on a tee a couple of inches off the turf. Any help?? I am seeing an AI maybe once a month and credit him and TGM for getting me where I am now, but I just need more and more information.

Thanks,

Rarely if ever does a ball get squeezed between the clubface and turf. It does get severely compressed (pancaked) against the clubface though and is usually gone before the face is taking up turf. It's a good swing thought because a decending blow is what you want with all clubs, even a teed up driver.

I've seen several TOUR players as recently as last week taking divots with teed up three woods. The descent for a Driver is much shallower than an iron, but it should be contacting the ball during it's downward descent just before low point.

You might try hitting your driver off the deck as a drill. Once you get a nice trajectory out of it and flying straight, take that same swing from a tee. Hover your clubhead if you need to.

Keep in mind that just about anything can be overdone. The trick with each TGM component is finding the right one for you and then learning its tolerances.

You'll find a ton of good information here to supplement your learning. Last time I checked we had over 40,000 posts. Most of them TGM related except for the rantings of a few crazy members.

[xyzgolfAZ]

Bagger,
Absolutely correct for irons and woods!!!

[nuke99]

The more we understand TGM.

Powerless Effort---> Effortless Power.

And the secret to TGM is on how to apply it.

[golfgnome]

My first post and just wondering, does anyone else have issues when it comes to driving the ball? Does TGM work really well for Iron play, but not so good for Drivers?
Before I got into TGM, about a year ago, I was a 10 handicap struggling with golf my 7 iron went about 150 yards, now I’m a 6 handicap payer with a 7 iron flying 165 to 170, and it’s all to do with compression and lag and a flat left wrist, so I agree 100% that using TGM for iron play (and actually putting) woks really well.
However, I cannot keep my driver on the golf course, it sprays all over the place, my really low scores come only when I employ “course management” which is another phrase for being too scared to hit a driver of the tee I use a 3 wood or hybrid or iron, which is no fun at all. Is there anyone else having Driver issues, can anyone point us in the right direction?
Thanks

TGM is absolutely correct with EVERY CLUB IN THE BAG THAT IS CORRECTLY FIT!!!.. I say this because I have found in teaching and fitting people, loft is especially useful. Think of it this way, it is easy to explain shaft lean with a wedge or even a seven iron because if the shaft leans forward, you still have loft. However, most people play with too little loft with the driver, and when you create the proper geometrical alignments with a driver, the ball goes low right. This is the reason that 90% of the people I teach hit a 3wood or hybrid better...they have more loft.

The average player needs to produce a minimum of 13 degrees of launch angle. If your driver has less than 10 degrees of loft, what must you do to produce the lift? Swing up? bend the left wrist? Bend the plane line? Why not just put more loft on your driver and produce the same alignments that you produce with your other clubs.

I recently worked with a Hooter's Tour Player and convinced him he needed at least 11.5 degrees of loft on his driver compared to the 9 degrees he was using. The first week he put it in play he finished 3rd and said it was the most consistent he had hit is driver for 4 rounds ever and that he actually felt like he was making the same swing throughout the bag and not compenstating for the Driver. He no longer "fell back behind the ball" and maintained a steady head DOWN PLANE.

Remember what Trevino said, "give me loft, I'll take it off".

[Bagger Lance]

Great post Mr. Professional Clubfitter...uhhh...Teaching Pro...uhhh...Tournament Champion...uhhh...

LBG Hall of Fame poster dude.

That's it! - We need an LBG Hall of Fame!

[KOC]

I learn the system by watching all stuffs, the Book; LBG; LBG videos...for 2 years. With hard work...my driver and iron distance both add 13%...

7-iron (stiff shaft MP32) distance is 175 yards; Driver (TM TP stiff Tour AD) is 270 yards...carry.

I am a self-taught player and never attended a lesson, how come i can achieve such a PRO distance?

Homer Kelley, TGM, Yoda, LBG...