Post by imperfectgolfer on Apr 10, 2011 10:13:54 GMT -5
Many professional golfers can work the ball left-and-right to bypass trees etc. They can selectively/consistently produce pull-fades and push-draws at will - despite aiming their clubface at the target at address. How do they accomplish that goal (where their mind is focused on the principles enunciated by the "old" ball flight laws)?
I gained insight into this issue by watching my brother (1 handicap golfer) selectively, and consistently, hit pull-fades and push-draws around tree obstacles. He starts off by aiming his clubface at the target. Then, if he wants to hit a pull-fade, he swings left of the target by a certain amount. What actually happens in his swing, is that the swing process of "swinging left" actually causes his clubface to face more leftwards during his swing action, so that the clubface is facing left-of-the-obstacle at impact, but it is open to the clubhead path. In his mind, he thinks that his clubface is still facing the target at impact, but that doesn't happen in reality. The swing motion of "swinging left" reorients his clubface to face more leftwards during the swing motion.
The same phenomenon happens when he produces a push-draw to bypass an obstacle. He aims his clubface at the target at address, but during his swing motion (when he swings to the right-of-the-target) his clubface gets reoriented slightly rightwards, so that it is facing slightly right-of-the-target at impact, even though it is still closed to the clubhead path. He is unaware that this is happening. I can see it happening because I have stood directly behind him while he is repeatedly hitting controllable push-draw shots around tree obstacles.
I suspect that this unconscious phenomenon happens in all professional golfers who use the "old" ball flight laws to selectively hit pull-fades and push-draws. It again proves the fact that "feel" and "real" are not the same thing.
Jeff.
I gained insight into this issue by watching my brother (1 handicap golfer) selectively, and consistently, hit pull-fades and push-draws around tree obstacles. He starts off by aiming his clubface at the target. Then, if he wants to hit a pull-fade, he swings left of the target by a certain amount. What actually happens in his swing, is that the swing process of "swinging left" actually causes his clubface to face more leftwards during his swing action, so that the clubface is facing left-of-the-obstacle at impact, but it is open to the clubhead path. In his mind, he thinks that his clubface is still facing the target at impact, but that doesn't happen in reality. The swing motion of "swinging left" reorients his clubface to face more leftwards during the swing motion.
The same phenomenon happens when he produces a push-draw to bypass an obstacle. He aims his clubface at the target at address, but during his swing motion (when he swings to the right-of-the-target) his clubface gets reoriented slightly rightwards, so that it is facing slightly right-of-the-target at impact, even though it is still closed to the clubhead path. He is unaware that this is happening. I can see it happening because I have stood directly behind him while he is repeatedly hitting controllable push-draw shots around tree obstacles.
I suspect that this unconscious phenomenon happens in all professional golfers who use the "old" ball flight laws to selectively hit pull-fades and push-draws. It again proves the fact that "feel" and "real" are not the same thing.
Jeff.