I am pretty much dialed in on a 2-10 yard draw and whenever I try to go outside that cone the precision is very low.
It sees to be a hand-eye coordination thing or a computer thing. Everything I do has a tendency to gravitate towards a small draw. I really need to overdo things a lot to turn the ball the other way or to hit a really strong draw.
Question is how do I get to a place where I can hit a 2-10 yard fade with similar precision and also put some big curves on the ball both ways and keep the ball in play.
A consistent little draw is a great thing. Knowing you wont double cross yourself is a great great advantage. Id say go with the draw especially if you really have to overdo things to hit a big draw. Thats amazing.
But to answer your question there is but one answer ....... Divergence. Ball flight laws work.
That said , when I see guys adjust the plane line and face angle for a curve ball I always see a little "helping hand" or Release manipulation in there too. Hold off for a fade etc. Science and art combined. In the end we're artists, ideally Id say. The #3pp is our brush the Visual Equivalent is our canvas. You can paint the curved arc or a straighter angle intuitively by feel but it helps to be set up appropriately. Really helps. Like an artist drawing in perspective needing his horizon line, vanishing points etc. Art yes but within the frame work of proper geometry. Underneath the final work there are pencil lines which are no longer visible.
To me, it's a lot of trusting it. I think what happens is on the range most people don't work on working the golf ball. They just get up, hit it, get another ball and hit it. Then when you get on the course and need to work one, you know how to work it...but since you haven't practice it fear sets in and you don't quite trust it and you don't hit the shot you wanted to hit.
Training it and trusting it... I think I've cheated in both departments. I haven't trained it, and out on the course I have a big issue trusting it enough to aim the face towards the "wrong" side of the target.
But now I've started to work the ball all the time on the range.
To me, it's a lot of trusting it. I think what happens is on the range most people don't work on working the golf ball. They just get up, hit it, get another ball and hit it. Then when you get on the course and need to work one, you know how to work it...but since you haven't practice it fear sets in and you don't quite trust it and you don't hit the shot you wanted to hit.
One thing that I do hear a lot of on the course is 'I was hitting it great on the range, but I can't bring it to the course!'
I think that's another case of not practicing it. From what I observe, golfers usually do 1 of 2 things on the range:
1. blindly hit balls with no specific target in mind
2. they have a specific target that they are hitting to, but it's from the same spot on the range and they hit to that particular target on every single shot.
I think we have heard #1 as being a bad way to practice. But #2 I think is just as important.
IIRC, Lee Trevino said that the range is essentially the golfer's scientific 'laboratory' and that the problem that most golfers have is that their lab is usually sterile and on the golf course it's a completely different story.
I agree wholeheartedly. That's why I may find one target to hit at in order to get into a rhythm and warmed up, but once that has been established, I'll aim at different targets after *each* shot.
I'll aim at the stick on the right side of the range, then on the next shot aim at another flag that is 60 yards left of that. Then another flag 30 yards right of the last one. And to get real 'crazy', I'll hit a shot with a 7-iron, then the next shot grab my 5-iron, then grab a driver, then a PW. All to different targets.
With my 'computer', I'm always trying to feel comfortable with my mechanics and alignments, and I'm *not* trying to get comfortable with a target on the range. That's a big reason why I think we see those golfers who tear up their home course, but can't play a lick anywhere else. Too comfortable with targets, not comfortable as they think they are with mechanics and alignments.
Good post 3Jack. Ben Doyle yelled at me when I would rake another ball over from the pile. He stressed - new grip, new stance and insisted on standing out of reach of the ball pile. Recently when I go to the range I make sure my alignment sticks are move a number of times pointing in different directions. I used to be proud of a confluent divot patch all pointing the same way. Now when I leave the range I want a grouping of divot patches all pointing different ways. I also take breaks on the range to get out of the groove I am in.
Some serious good driving range advice her. Thanks 3Jack. I'll try some of that on my next session.
Today I had another go, and today it was even harder to turn the ball the other way in a controlled manner. I took an hour on the putting green too, and I couldn't hole a thing outside 8 feet. I was fighting a hook "flip" on the green.
In hindsight I think I was hitting balls from a flawed address posture in both places. Hank Haney says that hitting different shapes on the range will reveal your swing issues. I think I'm beginning to understand what he means.
On our Saturday game I could only hit fades during the warm up on the range. So on the 1.st tee I aimed left. Of course I hit my usual draw and found the rough....
Most people struggle to take their stroke from the range to the course, but I struggle to take my stroke from the course to the range. I guess that's the second best alternative. But if I hit the three balls first balls on the range with a rock solid impact during warm-up I know I am in for a day of good ball striking.
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