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INSTRUCTION: OFF-CENTER HITS

By Eric Alpenfels

Better ‘misses’ mean better scores.

Golfers often think of the sport as a game that requires perfect swings to produce the best results. Actually, golf is best described as a game of misses. The better your misses, the better your scores. In short, poorly hit shots need to be playable. In previous articles, we discussed the initial starting direction and curve to your ball’s flight. In this issue, we will look at the contact point on the club or where impact is made with the ball.

No doubt, the more correct your clubhead path and clubface position are at impact, the more centered the contact between the clubface and ball. Yet, despite this correctness, you might find that consistently centered impacts are not always possible. The result of an off-center hit on the clubface is a shot that will fly lower and shorter than a shot that is hit in the center of the clubface.

Contact that is lower on the clubface often results in shots that lack distance and leave you with a stinging feeling after impact. Toe impacts tend to twist the club in your hands. Heel impacts also can sting and, if severe enough, can result in shanks. If golf is a game of misses, a key to more playable misses is to minimize the off-center impacts between the clubface and ball.

The first step to improving your contact with the ball is to determine where you make contact. You can accomplish this on your next trip to the driving range. First, position a piece of masking tape on the face of a 5-iron. Next, tee a ball and make as normal a swing as possible. Hit five teed balls. Follow the same procedure, using a fresh strip of tape. After a total of 10 shots with the 5-iron, follow the same procedure with a teed ball and a 3-wood. Once you are finished, you should have four strips of tape (two for the 5-iron and two for the 3-wood) that tell you exactly where contact is being made on the clubface. Odds are you will see a pattern that will help you determine if the majority of your clubface impacts with the ball are on the toe, on the heel, or simply low on the clubface. Take mental notes as to what the impacts felt like. Did the club twist in your hands? Or did impact have a little sting to it? As you learn more about your impact point on the clubface, you should learn to match the feel of the contact to the visible signs of the contact point.

(Note: Most golf pro shops will have clubfitting tape that pros use during the process of fitting golfers for clubs. As with masking tape, it can be placed on the clubface to determine the point of contact between the clubface and the ball.)

LOW CONTACT
If you’re hitting low on the clubface, contact with the ball tends to be on the first and second scoring lines of the clubface. This point of contact with the ball results in shots that tend to fly on a lower trajectory and lack the usual carry distance. Teed shots with both irons and woods tend to be more solid, yet can still be hit thin. The most severe results are topped shots that have no lift or carry.

Explanation
Because contact is being made between the clubface and the ball low on the club, you are obviously unable to extend the clubhead enough through impact. In some cases, this “too high” bottom of the swing is the result of too much lower body activity or of the arms pulling into the body through impact. The following drills will help you stabilize your lower body and develop the feel of your arms extending through impact.

CORRECTIONS

Hit-the-Tee Drill
Position a tee 6 inches in front of a teed ball. Using a 7-iron and a three-quarters swing, attempt to hit the teed ball and the tee in front of the ball. Initial swings should be slow and easy, making sure you hit both tees. Gradually you should increase the length and the speed of the overall motion, making sure that, with each attempt, both tees are hit. Once you have become comfortable with the motion, increase the distance between the teed ball and forward tee. Use longer clubs, such as a 5-iron, following the same procedure. The overall objective of this drill is for you to develop the feel of arm extension through impact. Once you have developed your individual feel of arm extension, you should re-create the same motion with your driver and fairway woods. For an ideal practice, alternate between a 7-iron and a teed ball and longer clubs hit off the ground.

Feet-Together Drill
Address a teed ball with a 7-iron. After you have addressed the ball with your usual posture, alter your stance by placing your heels and toes together. From this position, make three to four practice swings attempting to keep your balance throughout the motion. After you have become comfortable with the motion, attempt to hit the teed ball. Repeat the process 10 to 15 times. Throughout, evaluate the feel of the motion. Do you feel the stability of your lower body because of the setup? Do you feel the extension of your arms required to reach the ball? Complete the practice session by addressing and hitting every fifth ball with your usual setup.

Three-Quarters-Swing Drill
This drill uses a shorter backswing and an abbreviated follow-through to help you develop the feel of the correct arm extension through impact. Start by addressing a teed ball with correct posture and a high-lofted iron such as a 7- or 8-iron. Use practice swings to help you develop the correct feel of the motion and attempt to extend your arms in an exaggerated fashion through impact. Note the feel of this exaggerated motion. Next, try to incorporate that same exaggerated motion when hitting the teed ball. As you gradually develop the feel of your arms extending through impact, increase the speed and length of the motion. When you lose the feel of extension of your arms through impact, go back to the shorter and slower swings. As you continue to improve your motion, try this drill with longer irons, such as a 5-iron.

TOE IMPACTS
In this case, contact with the ball tends to be on the toe or far end of the clubface. This point of contact with the ball results in shots that may have adequate height but will lack the expected carry distance. The more severe the off-center hit, the more dramatic the effect on the ball’s overall distance. Teed shots with both irons and woods may be slightly easier to hit, yet still can be hit on the toe of the club. The most severe results are ones in which the club twists in your hands at contact.

Explanation
Because contact is made between the clubface and ball toward the toe of the club, you are unable to extend the club enough toward the ball through impact. In most cases, this “too narrow” bottom of the swing is the result of your arms pulling into your body through impact. The following drills are designed to assist you in improving your arm extension through impact and to help you develop the feel of the correct motion.

CORRECTIONS

Hit-the-Outside-Tee Drill
Begin by positioning a tee about an inch and a half outside a teed ball. Using a 7-iron and a three-quarters swing, hit the teed ball and the second tee. Initial swings should be slow and easy, making sure you hit both tees. Gradually increase the length and the speed of the overall motion, making sure that with each attempt both tees are hit. Notice the exaggeration required to hit the outside tee. When you are successful hitting the outside tee, you will find the contact point between the clubface and ball to be more centered. Once you have developed your individual feel of arm extension, try to duplicate this motion with your driver and fairway woods. For an ideal practice session, alternate between a 7-iron and a teed ball and longer clubs hit off the ground.

Three-Quarters-Swing Drill
Use the three-quarters-swing drill explained on the opposite page to help develop the feel of the correct arm extension through impact.

HEEL CONTACT
In this case, contact with the ball tends to be toward the heel or to the inside of the clubface. This point of contact with the ball results in shots that fly on a lower trajectory and will lack the usual carry distance. Extremely heeled shots — hit on the hosel of the club — result in a shank. Teed shots with both irons and woods tend to be more solid, yet may still lack the appropriate carry distance.

Explanation
Because contact is being made between the clubface and ball toward the heel of the club, you are placing the bottom of the swing outside the ball. In some cases, this incorrect positioning of the bottom of the swing is the result of too much body motion or, in some cases, a lack of perception as to where the club is bottoming out in relationship to the ball. The following drills are designed to assist you in stabilizing your body and developing the feel of your arms extending through impact.

CORRECTIONS

Hit-the-Inside-Tee Drill
Position a tee an inch and a half to the inside of a teed ball. Using a 7-iron and a three-quarters swing, hit the teed ball and the second tee. Initial swings should be slow and easy, making sure you hit both tees. Gradually increase the length and the speed of the overall motion, making sure that, with each attempt, both tees are hit. Notice the exaggerated motion required to hit both tees. When you are successful, the contact point between the clubface and ball will be more centered. Once you have developed a feel for this motion, try to duplicate the movement with your fairway woods and driver. An ideal practice session includes alternating between a 7-iron and a teed ball and longer clubs hit off the ground.

Miss-the-Bucket Drill
Place a bucket or headcover to the outside of a teed ball. Starting with easy swings, try to miss the object while hitting the teed ball. As you gradually develop a feel for the correct motion, increase the overall speed and length of the motion. Complete your practice session by hitting every third ball off the ground.

Feet-Together Drill
Practice the feet-together drill as explained on page 57.

POSTURE
Correct posture requires that your feet be positioned shoulder width apart and your body weight evenly distributed or slightly favoring your right side. Your arms should be relaxed and extended naturally so they are directly below your shoulders. There should be a straight line from your hips to your shoulders. Bending from the hips with a slight knee flex will allow you to reach the ball. The butt end of the club should point toward the center of your body.

POOR POSTURE

Standing Too Close to the Ball
Standing too close to the ball positions your hands to the inside of a vertical line running from your shoulders to the ground. This hand and body relationship tends to create off-center hits favoring the heel of the club. This address position also can cause you to compensate in a variety of ways through impact to help create more solid impacts between the clubface and the ball.

Standing Too Far From the Ball
Standing too far from the ball positions your hands to the outside of a vertical line running from your shoulders to the ground. This hand and body relationship tends to create off-center hits favoring the toe of the club. This address position tends to place too much of your body weight on your toes, making balance difficult to maintain through impact.

Eric Alpenfels is director of Golf Advantage and Instruction at Pinehurst in North Carolina. For more information on the Golf Advantage School, call 800-795-4653, ext. 5.