A prerequisite to good ball striking ?

[Goober]

I’ve been working with a well known online instructor.Attended 2 of his academies and saw one of his staff members for 2 separate in person lessons.During our talks a few weeks back.One of the areas that they are seeing what makes someone a good ball striker.Versus someone who is streaky or always finding compensations.Was the ability to be flexible enough to make two arms work as one unit.I’ve always been thick cheated with very broad shoulders.So the feeling of both arms acting like one just isn’t in the cards for me. Aka.. why I developed a massive inside out hook biased hands flipping swing back in the day.My body found a way to get distance and accuracy as best as it could with what it had to work with. Anyway.. this is the pic I’m referencing too.Being flexible enough where the elbows can feel like they are touching for the whole swing.Kinda like the picture Ben Hogan had in his 5 lessons.There is no physical way in the world I can do this.But I do see it’s advantages… and of my teacher’s training aids utilizes this theory. But I can see how 2 arms working as one would be so ideal for great ball striking 

thoughts? I really love the in-depth feedback I always get on this forum.so thank you beforehand 

Edited October 10, 2023 by Goober

[cksurfdude]

I can't speak to that specifically, but my first thought / opinion is that a good instructor should be able to adapt their teaching to suit the student's body type plus physical capabilities .. or lack thereof...

I understand the goal of achieving the "ideal position" but it doesn't matter if the student just cannot get anywhere near there..?

[Goober]

2 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

I can't speak to that specifically, but my first thought / opinion is that a good instructor should be able to adapt their teaching to suit the student's body type plus physical capabilities .. or lack thereof...

I understand the goal of achieving the "ideal position" but it doesn't matter if the student just cannot get anywhere near there..?

Agree there.I told his staff member during the one on one lesson…”that look will never happen with me in this lifetime or the next”.But i do agree with their analysis why it would be so helpful if I could.Maybe the top strikers of the ball are truly this flexible?Why I’m a weekend warrior I guess . Hahah 

[Goober]

[RickyBobby_PR]

47 minutes ago, Goober said:

I’ve been working with a well known online instructor.Attended 2 of his academies and saw one of his staff members for 2 separate in person lessons.During our talks a few weeks back.One of the areas that they are seeing what makes someone a good ball striker.Versus someone who is streaky or always finding compensations.Was the ability to be flexible enough to make two arms work as one unit.I’ve always been thick cheated with very broad shoulders.So the feeling of both arms acting like one just isn’t in the cards for me. Aka.. why I developed a massive inside out hook biased hands flipping swing back in the day.My body found a way to get distance and accuracy as best as it could with what it had to work with. Anyway.. this is the pic I’m referencing too.Being flexible enough where the elbows can feel like they are touching for the whole swing.Kinda like the picture Ben Hogan had in his 5 lessons.There is no physical way in the world I can do this.But I do see it’s advantages… and of my teacher’s training aids utilizes this theory. But I can see how 2 arms working as one would be so ideal for great ball striking 

thoughts? I really love the in-depth feedback I always get on this forum.so thank you beforehand 

It is harder for those with thicker bodies or bigger chests to achieve this look, but it doesn’t prevent them from being good ball strikers. I have a friend who is about 6’3 and pushing 270 that his the ball well throughout the bag and carries a 3hdcp. One of the guys I talk to at my local range is similar build to my friend but maybe 2” taller. He hits the ball extremely well with irons. When I first started playing several guys I worked with and played golf with when I first were sub 5 hdcps and 2 of the 3 were thick chested guys who worked out a lot. All hit their irons pretty well and drove the ball consistently.

all these guys have god fundamentals 

[Goober]

Also agree Ricky.Some people are almost double jointed 

[cksurfdude]

3 hours ago, Goober said:

Agree there.I told his staff member during the one on one lesson…”that look will never happen with me in this lifetime or the next”.But i do agree with their analysis why it would be so helpful if I could.Maybe the top strikers of the ball are truly this flexible?Why I’m a weekend warrior I guess . Hahah 

Maybe you've seen or heard of the Tour Striker Smart Ball? I believe there's another one called the Impact Ball, or something like that, it's round but with two indents to fit your forearms onto.

Anyway, FYI, they're training aids designed to give you that connected arms feel while practicing.

[cnosil]

58 minutes ago, cksurfdude said:

Maybe you've seen or heard of the Tour Striker Smart Ball? I believe there's another one called the Impact Ball, or something like that, it's round but with two indents to fit your forearms onto.

Anyway, FYI, they're training aids designed to give you that connected arms feel while practicing.

Of course he has, the school he has been too was Martin Chucks TourStriker Academy and he mentioned smart ball in his first post but didn’t use the name.    

[Goober]

On 10/10/2023 at 12:09 PM, cnosil said:

Of course he has, the school he has been too was Martin Chucks TourStriker Academy and he mentioned smart ball in his first post but didn’t use the name.    

I agree with 80% of what they promote. Which 80% is well into the positive side of the bell curve. Hahah 

[SteddyGolf]

There are a lot of different swing types at the top of the back swing but the great ball strikers all share one thing in common.  That thing being the position of their hands at the bottom of the swing.  When they make contact they are have a flat lead wrist and bent trail wrist.  If you drill this phenomenon with say your pitching wedge or 9 iron, in time your ball striking will improve significantly.   

[cnosil]

1 hour ago, SteddyGolf said:

When they make contact they are have a flat lead wrist and bent trail wrist.  

Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say flat to bowed lead wrist?   Probably better to state that you shouldn’t have a cupped lead wrist at impact?

[SteddyGolf]

15 minutes ago, cnosil said:

Wouldn’t it be more accurate to say flat to bowed lead wrist?   Probably better to state that you shouldn’t have a cupped lead wrist at impact?

That’s just another way of saying the same thing. If it’s easier to understand as stated in your example I’m all for it.  

[RickyBobby_PR]

All of that comes from having the proper pressure shifts and hip rotation. Where the hands end up is a byproduct of multiple correct  things happening in the swing before p6 and usually by p5