Weight Transfer Problem
 

I was wondering if you guys could give me some advice on this. If I set up to hit my tee shot with my weight evenly distributed I can hit the shot pretty straight most of the time.

The problem though is I don't get that great of distance. I can hit my drives about 230-250 yards this way.

If I put about 70% of my weight on my back foot, I get more distance hitting the ball about 260-280. The problem is that I hit the ball right. It's not a slice but the ball will start off right and continue down the right side usually ending up close to tree lines or in them.

Is there anything I can do to stop pushing the ball to the right? I think my club face might be slightly open at contact.

I want to go to the range and try some different things to be able to hit it straighter and am looking for some things to try.

Any suggestions?


This is my first year of trying to get better at golf even though I've probably played my first time about 8 years ago. But when I played it was maybe once or twice a year.

Thanks for any help.

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

Yea, you're weight is staying on your right side during your downswing. You can do 2 things from that position

1. Hit a block
2. Flip at the bottom and hit a hook

Make sure you're coming to a solid balanced finish with all the weight on your left side.

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

You could try holding the club lighter/looser to promote more hand action which should help you close the clubface a bit quicker.

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

Where do you play the ball in your stance for a driver?

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

Sorry but this is gonna be a little long.

I took limitgod's suggestion and looked at how my weight came through the ball. Like he said I was keeping my weight on my right side and hitting a block. I went to the range and worked on it and made sure I had a good finish and my body was almost upright with my all my weight on my left foot at the end.

I played today at the hardest course I've ever played.

Brag: I hit 2 drives of 290+.
Beat: I shot 105.
Double Beat: I shot a 10 on a par 3.


Anyways, I wanted to ask this here because I didn't want to make a new thread and clutter the forum.

When I started to play I didn't understand how to aim. So I ended up aiming my shoulders at my target and closing my club face a little to account for the way I was aimed.

I would play with my friends and they couldn't understand how I hit the way I did. It would look like I was aiming way right of my target but my ball would go straight at the pin.

So today my friend got fed up with it and started aiming me. The problem was I was still keeping the club face closed and I would hit hooks.

I can hit the ball dead straight to my target if I do two things.

1) Take a club and put it at line with my target and then put my feet up right next to it

2) Keep my club face not open or closed but I guess in a neutral state.

The problem is that takes some time to do. So I was wondering if you guys could give me some tips on how to align myself up with my target better.

Thanks again.

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

I am no pro, but I have a hard time believing anyone that shoots in the 100's can drive the ball 290+, even one time.

Maybe I am just ignorant.

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

Railroad tracks.

Target, intermediate target, ball, square club face on the right track. (A square iron will appear to be closed; a square wood will appear to be open.)

Your feet, hips, shoulders on the left track, parallel to your target, not at it.

Even the pros struggle with alignment. Put two clubs on the ground to represent the tracks on the practice tee. Have your best buddy check you periodically on the course. You're going to feel as if you are aimed WAY left. Have faith you aren't. Then swing at the ball as if you're hitting a high fly to right field.

Take it easy. If you're hitting it crooked, 290 yards crooked is REALLY crooked...

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

Jdeane,

Both those drives for me were downhill. I can't chip, I can't putt and I can't hit a green on a par 3 to save my life. So even when I drive the ball to 100 yards from the green on a par 4 I'm usually not going to make par and sometimes blow up for a triple or double bogey.

I have a friend who was an offensive linemen in college and I've seen him drive the ball 300-330 and shoot 115.

Sandycove,

Thanks for the advice. Now that I know what to look for I think I just need to practice it a bit till it gets to be a natural thing for me.

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

[ QUOTE ]
I am no pro, but I have a hard time believing anyone that shoots in the 100's can drive the ball 290+, even one time.

Maybe I am just ignorant.

[/ QUOTE ]
*raises hand*

(I'm in the 90s more often than the 100s.)

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

From an elevated tee area, hitting the ball downhill, on dry conditions you think its hard to hit a ball 290? Thats like an extra 40-50 yards of carry because of the elevation.

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

I meant that I fit the description, not that I find it hard to believe.

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

I didn't think it was that uncommon. My friend drove a downhill par 4 that played about 315 and only came away with par. Hitting the ball far doesn't mean you are good. I can out drive my dad almost every time and he will beat me by 15 - 20 strokes.

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

[ QUOTE ]
I am no pro, but I have a hard time believing anyone that shoots in the 100's can drive the ball 290+, even one time.

Maybe I am just ignorant.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm about a 25, and wildly inconsistent. My very best driving day was on Father's Day about 4 years ago at Canyon Springs in San Antonio. I crushed drive after drive. They were going right where I aimed them. And long long long. I had 8 par 4s with a PW or less as my approach. I had 9I in for my 2nd on a par 5 where I cut the corner and flew the green right over the flag. The only fairway I missed was one I played 4I off the tee and shanked it. And after the 2nd hole (the par 5 I flew in 2 with driver, 9 iron), I shanked every goddamn iron I hit, and shot 106.

I have also had rounds of 38-55; 42-58; 57-41; etc. I have shot 84 and 120 within 6 weeks of each other.

lol variance

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

just to follow up my above point:

Saturday shot 52-68 for a 120.
Tuesday shot 46-39 for an 85. Similarly rated courses. The course Tue was longer but a par 70.

Doubled 18 on Tuesday. Needed a par for my low round ever. 372 yd par 4. Had 75 in for my 2nd shot and freakin take 5 from there. [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

Re: Weight Transfer Problem
 

Holy standard deviation, Batman.