Tips for positive angle of attack w/Driver

[Eagleputt2008]

Working on some slight swing changes for 2020, really wanting to improve my launch conditions with the driver. Latest launch monitor numbers had my driver swing delivery consistently showing 3 degrees down and 1/2 degree out to in. Don’t mind the out to in so much because I like playing a cut, but wondering if anybody has some simple drills to work on to get that angle of attack on the positive side? Thanks in advance

 

 

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[Eric D.]

I'm working on hitting up on my drivers. Here's a tip from GolfTec:

 

1. Tee up your driver like usual and place another peg into the ground about four inches in front of it along the target line about the same height as your teed-up ball.
2. Place a third tee about two inches behind the teed-up ball along the target line, this one laid flat on the ground.
3. Hit shots repeatedly in this fashion and try to miss both the front and back tees.

---

Diagnosis

If you miss the forward tee but hit the back tee (shown at left below) … your body is likely moving too far away from the target or ball, or that your wrists have started to “release” too early, which can create too much dynamic loft at impact and even make you hit the ground behind the ball, neither of which are good for long, consistent drives.

If you miss the back tee but hit the forward tee with these shots (shown center below) … your angle of approach is descending too much, which means your upper body has likely moved too far toward the target or ball, and that you have inconsistent contact, “ballooned” shots with too much spin, and varying trajectory patterns from swing to swing.

If you miss both tees (shown at right below)  … nice job! You’re likely now within a desirable range for angle of approach with your driver (generally anywhere from 2–5 degrees moving UP into the ball for most amateurs is ideal, although many variables determine this), and your face contact, spin rates and ball speed are closer to being maximized for long, towering drives!

[RickyBobby_PR]

General tips are to have a slight spine angle tilt away from target. Swing from the inside (yes a cut can still be played from an inside to out swing). Stay behind the ball (not lean back).

 

[silver & black]

Yea..... you guys are describing why I can't hit my driver this year...lol. I'm still going to change the shaft on my TS3 from HZRDUS Smoke to Aldila R.I.P Phenom. I hit this shaft wonderfully in my Titleist 913 D3. We'll see how it works with the TS3.

Edited May 1, 2020 by silver & black

[RickyBobby_PR]

2 hours ago, silver & black said:

Yea..... you guys are describing why I can't hit my driver this year...lol. I'm still going to change the shaft on my TS3 from HZRDUS Smoke to Aldila R.I.P Phenom. I hit this shaft wonderfully in my Titleist 913 D3. We'll see how it works with the TS3.

Which smoke do you have?  Which weight do you have in the phenom?

[Wondergiulio]

I am working a lot on this and I found that the ‘vertical drop’ is the key.

has been showed very well from Moe Norman even if he is difficult to decider when he tried to explain the mechanics.

but I feel that his idea of sending the butt of the club up when the club drops is a good way to obtain a decent angle of attack.

 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Wondergiulio

[silver & black]

11 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Which smoke do you have?  Which weight do you have in the phenom?

The Smoke is the one that comes stock on the TS3. It's 60 and the Phenom is 70.... both S flex.

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, silver & black said:

The Smoke is the one that comes stock on the TS3. It's 60 and the Phenom is 70.... both S flex.

There are two version stock with the TS3 the yellow and the black. The color of the lettering gives away which which version it is. They are both very different from RIP Phenom.

The phenom has a soft tip where as both the smoke versions have a stiff tip. The black is a very stout shaft and has a beefy mid section. This is designed for golfers with aggressive transitions and for low spin and low launch. Usually works best for golfers with high swing speeds.  The yellow is counter balanced and is also a low launch low spin shaft but unlike the black it is counter balanced and for those with a smoother transition. I’ve seen this shaft for for golfers with swing speeds in the low 90s and up.

They also have a lower torque ratings compared to the phenom. Iirc the phenom is around 4.1 where the smoke are 3.5. Doesn’t seem like a lot but there will be a difference in feel. The original hzrdus black and yellow were 3.3 so px only softened the new version a touch.

The phenom could work for you in the ts3. In my experience I have had several shafts in titleist drivers that worked well from release to release.

[silver & black]

57 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

There are two version stock with the TS3 the yellow and the black. The color of the lettering gives away which which version it is. They are both very different from RIP Phenom.

The phenom has a soft tip where as both the smoke versions have a stiff tip. The black is a very stout shaft and has a beefy mid section. This is designed for golfers with aggressive transitions and for low spin and low launch. Usually works best for golfers with high swing speeds.  The yellow is counter balanced and is also a low launch low spin shaft but unlike the black it is counter balanced and for those with a smoother transition. I’ve seen this shaft for for golfers with swing speeds in the low 90s and up.

They also have a lower torque ratings compared to the phenom. Iirc the phenom is around 4.1 where the smoke are 3.5. Doesn’t seem like a lot but there will be a difference in feel. The original hzrdus black and yellow were 3.3 so px only softened the new version a touch.

The phenom could work for you in the ts3. In my experience I have had several shafts in titleist drivers that worked well from release to release.

Thanks. I have the black. I tried to put the Phenom on and I can't get the screw to to thread in .I have no idea why. It feels like it wants to start cross threading after a few turns. I just put the Smoke back on.... I didn't want to risk stripping anything out. I might need to take it somewhere to get it switched out.

 

I also tried to put the TS3 head on the Aldila RIP 60... same problem. I thought all Titleist heads and shafts worked with each other? My 913 head will fit both the RIP nad Phenom. I'm thinking something happened when the TS3 was originally installed and now that's just the way it is.... I think maybe both the shaft and head screw are messed up?

Edited May 2, 2020 by silver & black

[cnosil]

18 minutes ago, silver & black said:

so tried to put the TS3 head on the Aldila RIP 60... same problem. I thought all Titleist heads and shafts worked with each other? My 913 head will fit both the RIP nad Phenom. I'm thinking something happened when the TS3 was originally installed and now that's just the way it is.... I think maybe both the shaft and head screw are messed up?

Per the titlist site the driver adapters are interchangable.     https://www.titleist.com/fitting/golf-club-fitting/surefit   Below is the relevant information

• TS, 917, 915, 913 and 910 driver shafts are interchangeable.
• TS, 917, 915 and 913 fairway shafts are interchangeable.

I would try taking the screw out of the head and seeing if you can scew it in.  If not, I would lead toward something being stripped.   The next question is whether it is the screw or adapter.   The screw can be replaced easily;  the adapter takes a bit more work.  

[silver & black]

How do you get the screw out? Isn't it kept in place somehow?

[cnosil]

8 minutes ago, silver & black said:

How do you get the screw out? Isn't it kept in place somehow?

There is a washer on thread side;  this is typical of most adapter screws.   The photo below is of a an adapter screw to give you an idea;  you could probably push it out from the thread side.  The issue of getting it installed again would then be present.    The other option is to buy a screw to see if it fits in the adapter.   I am assuming that all the adapters are genuine titleist adapters and not afternarket.   Doing some more reseach indicates that Titleist OEM adapters use a 10-32 screw and some of the aftermarket using m5 x 08  metric screws....apparently close but not the same.   

 

[silver & black]

Thank you! I have 10-32 screws I'll try it and see if it's the adapter.

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, silver & black said:

Thanks. I have the black. I tried to put the Phenom on and I can't get the screw to to thread in .I have no idea why. It feels like it wants to start cross threading after a few turns. I just put the Smoke back on.... I didn't want to risk stripping anything out. I might need to take it somewhere to get it switched out.

 

I also tried to put the TS3 head on the Aldila RIP 60... same problem. I thought all Titleist heads and shafts worked with each other? My 913 head will fit both the RIP nad Phenom. I'm thinking something happened when the TS3 was originally installed and now that's just the way it is.... I think maybe both the shaft and head screw are messed up?

Cnosil got you covered already. Hope it’s just the screw 

[NotZoro]

I forgot where I saw this angle of attack drill, but it has been working fairly well for me. As I set up and take my stance, I take my right hand off the grip and place it on the outside of my right hip, and slide it down the thigh until my fingers just reach the knee joint. This tilts your spine away from the target and from there I simply slide it back onto the grip. Simply pre-sets my spine angle at address and I don't think at all about swinging up into the ball, or bottoming out way behind the ball. From what I can tell, it has helped stop my tendency to stand up during the backswing. The only other habit I also employ is setting up with the head hovering behind the teed ball, rather than laying it on the ground before taking it away. Hope these are as helpful as they were to me.

[zrumble]

Ben Hogan was well ahead of his time and seemed to have an understanding of D-plane before we had launch monitors. He talked about setting up slightly closed to the ball with a driver similar to the other drills posted above. I think the key is to work with your setup to let it happen more than changing your swing to make it happen. 
Some thoughts: 

Set up square parallel left with the ball a couple inches back from your lead foot. This is going to naturally be very close to the “bottom” of your swing where the club is going to be at the lowest point and moving relatively square to your target. This assumes you rotate and shift your weight without sliding, very important. Now keeping your aim in the same spot move the ball even with your left heel, and close your stance so your body is aimed a few degrees across the line. What you’ve effectively done, is moved the ball forward and just inside the path. If you make a swing along your body without sliding, the club will follow the D-plane through the bottom, the start to go up and left. If you did it right it’ll feel like a slightly pulled shot. A note often missed it to keep a neutral grip because you don’t want excessive face rotation after the bottom of the arc.

Any unique swing characteristics you have will require a few tweaks to the basic steps above. No swing up or pulling on grip required. Make a stock swing and hit up on it. Cheers!

[Gman24]

I have my driver set at 7.5 degrees, so I have to have an ascending swing.  I just put a little extra weight on my back leg and really focus on a relaxed swing through the ball with a 7am contact point to help with a small draw.  If I start in out to in path, I will hit a session using a small taped box sitting just outside my intended path.

If I start hitting down, I will press my left (lead) hip a little forward to help my head stay behind the ball.  Of course, everyone has their own swing "DNA".  

Does anyone else have this challenge?  When I am really striking my irons really well, I become susceptible to a hook with my driver.

 

[Chizzle]

Im sure you've checked this out already but if you havent, I think Rick Shiels complete driver guide is the easiest to understand.  I would definitely recommend video taping yourself but if you cant, bare minimum, use a full length mirror so you can see and check yourself.  Good luck and bombs away!

[Guest Delete]

There are a couple things I do that make hitting a soaring drive possible:

1. Full extension
2. Driving weight down through left heel before rotation
3. Light grip pressure
4. Rear tilt at address
5. Parallel shoulders and hips at address
6. Hitting the ball in the center or up to 1/4" above center of the club face

1. Full extension to me is a feeling of letting the club naturally float down to where it wants to hang naturally as I have it behind the ball without adding any flex in my wrist to raise it. I believe this naturally extended low point allows me to swing freely without worrying about hitting the ground. And, as long as I don't add tension then it will not top the ball either. 

2. Driving weight down through the left heel during the beginning of your down swing helps to come from the inside and add power. Also, it prevents the killer over the top move of trying to power your swing solely with your arms and shoulders. The resulting power you generate by pressing down with your left heel to force your left hip to continue to rotate will be tremendous.

3. Light grip pressure is key to allowing the club to return to the ball without a flinch, or clinch. The tight grip adds tension in the forearm that can keep the arm flexed instead of released and extended. The result is a flinch that pulls the club down to the ball and or a big miss. The freedom in a pure swing is in part to removing tension. A great check is to focus on your backswing: try not to add tension as you get to the top or as you start the downswing. Firm but not tight. 

4. Rear tilt at address is just a straight line from your lead leg up through your spine. It doesn't have to be a huge amount. 3-6 inches is plenty. This allows the bottom of the arc to be just behind the ball and a naturally ascending blow. Too aggressive of a rear tilt will hit the ground behind the ball.

5. Parallel hips and shoulders at address is huge. If you use an alignment stick (or club) then it is easier to accomplish. The big error I see all the time is people closing their stance by bringing their right shoulder in at address. This causes their right shoulder to cover the ball, over the top, out to in swing path, a loss of power, and a slice or pull. I solve this by addressing the ball with only my left hand holding the club, then rear tilt, then bring my right arm from under up to the club to keep my right shoulder from moving in towards the ball. Then I hover the club to get full extension as I baby creep my feet to get the right position while maintaining all the hip and shoulder alignment. Then I try to feel grounded and balanced before I swing. These little checks I built in help me maintain all the pieces as a whole. 

6. Impact is crucial for optimal performance. The difference can be 70 yards between a poor strike and optimal strike with ideal launch conditions (with the same swing speed). Low strikes spin more and launch low. Center strikes have moderate spin and moderate launch with highest ball speeds. Strikes are ideal about 1/8" above center where ball speed is maintained but launch is higher and spin is lower = high, piercing flight that goes far. Too high on the face looses ball speed, launches too high. I hover my club at address because it allows me to feel where I need to return the club through impact better than teeing the ball high and resting the club on the ground. I also practice hitting driver of the deck to dial in impact location - if I can hit it off the deck then I can hit it off a tee. I tend to tee the ball where about 1/3 of the ball is above the club with the club on the ground behind the ball. Some would tee it higher but that's where I do.

I don't really think of the driver swing as being different than any other swing. Just that the address is different. 

I recommend this video for every golfer: