When I take a practice swing, I take a nice, good divot after the spot where the ball would be. But when I put the ball down, I cannot take the same divot. It is as if I am afraid to hit down and through the ball. I almost always pick the ball up off the ground with just a smidgen of divot. It appears to me that I have some kind of unconscious reflex that keeps me from smashing the ball into the ground and taking a good divot. I am sure that this is a common problem amongst new TGMers, but I don't know how to get over my fear here. Can anyone suggest to me some drills or swing keys, or can point me to other threads discussing this,that might help me overcome this hurdle?
I do not have command of the book, but I can relay my experience from my attempts to apply its principles!
Understanding low point was a high point for me! Once I understood the basic geometry of the circle, and noticed that for every shot that is not on a tee I would have to excavate and take me a bacon strip! Understanding that is one thing but how do you overcome the "terra firma flinch?" I learned to do it without taking a divot! One day seemingly like any other, I providentially broke a dowel while punishing an impact bag! So I cut it down to about 20 inches, a mini-me dowel as it were. I used this dowel to practice bending and straightening my right arm with its faithful compadre the bent and level right wrist. Too many people take it back low and slow There are no flat spots in a circle! The sweetspot has got to come UP the plane. On the range I will put a tee 4-5 inches behind (and ever so slightly to the inside) of the ball and then put another tee at low point. I miss the tee at start up and destroy the tee at low point! I use "halfsies" for the low point tee. It also helps to think in terms of straightline delivery path of the hands. The endless belt effect is the corresponding concept to that. Every now and then I get a little too steep. When that happens I do what Yoda says to do...I start tracing the plane line with my on plane right forearm. Straightline delivery/tracing the plane line are like the bumpers at a kiddies bowling alley...either way you are going to hit some pins!
When I take a practice swing, I take a nice, good divot after the spot where the ball would be. But when I put the ball down, I cannot take the same divot. It is as if I am afraid to hit down and through the ball. I almost always pick the ball up off the ground with just a smidgen of divot. It appears to me that I have some kind of unconscious reflex that keeps me from smashing the ball into the ground and taking a good divot. I am sure that this is a common problem amongst new TGMers, but I don't know how to get over my fear here. Can anyone suggest to me some drills or swing keys, or can point me to other threads discussing this,that might help me overcome this hurdle?
Try moving your aiming point. Meaning - and this is by trial and error - move the place you are trying to hit an inch in front of the ball (say with a 5 iron)....and if that doesnt work, try 2 inches and adjust accordingly.
And dont forget, try to drive the ball - or your aiming point - into the ground.
There are no flat spots in a circle! The sweetspot has got to come UP the plane. On the range I will put a tee 4-5 inches behind (and ever so slightly to the inside) of the ball and then put another tee at low point. I miss the tee at start up and destroy the tee at low point! I use "halfsies" for the low point tee. It also helps to think in terms of straightline delivery path of the hands. The endless belt effect is the corresponding concept to that. Every now and then I get a little too steep. When that happens I do what Yoda says to do...I start tracing the plane line with my on plane right forearm. Straightline delivery/tracing the plane line are like the bumpers at a kiddies bowling alley...either way you are going to hit some pins!
Hybrid Mode
