Driver aiming point

[libero]

Hi,
I understand the aiming point concept (in front of ball) for all
full iron shots,with the ball lying on the ground..but when you strike the ball off a tee-peg with the irons or especially with the driver,where is your aiming point or,better,what is your
aiming point? (if any).
Regards

[birdie_man]

With irons off a tee it can still be out in front....

....and further back if u want a higher shot.

Depends on the iron in hand and the trajectory u want.

And u can change your setup beforehand to adjust it without adjusting your stroke too. i.e. stance width, ball position, weight distribution (they all affect where the ball is in relation to the left shoulder)

You still will want to hit down on an iron. (it may be obvious....or it may be only very slightly, and not obvious at all...especially with, say- a longer iron off a tee...)

Longer irons I USUALLY tee up a little higher (than a short iron) and make a less descending strike. (feels more "sweeping") I don't always take a divot.

...

As for drivers...

With a NORMAL, full driver....ya ur Aiming Point will be further back than if you want to crisp an iron sitting off a tight fairway.

Now if you're TRYING to hit the driver low you might shift the AP more fwd....

...even then tho.....

....I mean....myself, I just pretty much tee it down a bit more....and/or adjust my weight distribution at Address. (this serves to move the ball back...cause it IS more back in relation to the left shoulder)

Then make the same motion.

As for SHIFTING it forward mid-swing....Aiming your hands.....I guess you could do that....or do that on top of those other adjustments to hit er really low...

Depends on the player and the shot I guess.

...

BTW besides Aiming Point and where ur hands are at Impact another good way to think of all this is how much shaft lean you have at Impact.

Know when you need more or need less.

[libero]

Hi Birdie (I wish u to soon become Eagle_man)
very kind of you.
I made this enquiry because when the ball is sitting on ground
I can visually spot my AP and that facilitates my swing.
But with the ball above ground I lose that visual reference and so
didn't have any idea on how to locate the AP.
From your answer looks like a lot of calculations must be done to
find out the AP when above ground and even so,you'll never be sure u made
them right cause you don't have a visual reference point.
Do u always take into account all the items you describe prior hitting a drive?

Ciao

[comdpa]

Hi,
I understand the aiming point concept (in front of ball) for all
full iron shots,with the ball lying on the ground..but when you strike the ball off a tee-peg with the irons or especially with the driver,where is your aiming point or,better,what is your
aiming point? (if any).
Regards

libero,

If your ball position does not change, then your aiming point must change.
i.e. In front of the ball for the wedges, the ball itself for the irons and behind the ball for the driver.

This is to facilitate the different length of the shafts and the time for them to reach an in-line condition.

If your ball position varies from club to club, then your aiming point -which could be the ball itself - would be the constant.

You can however with a constant ball position vary your aiming point to hit different kinds of shots.

[libero]

Thank you Slinger,
that adds clarity to the concept of aiming point.
So can I assume that first I must find out what the lowest point of my swing is with all clubs and,
provided I always play the ball in the same position for each club,take that as my aiming point?
Thank you.
(BTW,I used to practice at the driving range near East Coast Park
when I was married to a Singaporean,many years ago)

Ciao

[birdie_man]

Hi Birdie (I wish u to soon become Eagle_man)
very kind of you.

Hey thanks...no prob.

I'm workin on the eagles BTW.

From your answer looks like a lot of calculations must be done to find out the AP when above ground and even so, you'll never be sure u made them right cause you don't have a visual reference point.
Do u always take into account all the items you describe prior hitting a drive?

Ciao

I don't know that I'm 100% sure what you mean by visual ref. pt....

U mean where the club strikes a divot?

...

Ya....for a driver or longer clubs don't worry about it so much unless you're really trying for that extra downward strike (for a low trajectory shot)....

Usually for those clubs the blow is not as desceding....just make a motion man.

Alter setup and/or aim the hands SOMEWHERE more forward when you need to. (as I outlined below)

...

It's really not that hard to DO....IF your hands are trained (I can see how it could be tricky to understand all this at once tho)...

You might need to let this all "incubate" in your noggin for a while...

...

But to simplify further...

Bacically there are 2 ways to alter the amount of shaft lean, the Aiming Point, where your hands are at Impact (they are all basically the same thing) I think:

1. adjust setup (with ball location relating to l. shoulder in mind)...i.e. ball position, weight distribution, stance width...this is easier than #2 obviously....you take care of it beforehand

2. aim hands mid swing

Hope that helps.

[birdie_man]

libero,

If your ball position does not change, then your aiming point must change.

Ball position in relation to left shoulder, correct?

[comdpa]

Thank you Slinger,
that adds clarity to the concept of aiming point.
So can I assume that first I must find out what the lowest point of my swing is with all clubs and,
provided I always play the ball in the same position for each club,take that as my aiming point?
Thank you.
(BTW,I used to practice at the driving range near East Coast Park
when I was married to a Singaporean,many years ago)

Ciao

libero,

The lowest point of the swing is always opposite the left shoulder. Check out this diagram courtesy of Rob Noel, GSEM.



Therefore, to answer your question, you need not find your lowest point for all clubs, its there already - opposite the left shoulder with all clubs.

Notice that the low point of the swing is UNDERGROUND, below the impact plane line.

Per 1-L-13, "The Clubhead travels Down-and-Out until it reaches "Low-Point"."

As mentioned in my previous post, if you have the same position for all the clubs, i.e. 1 inch inside the left heel, you have to change your aiming point for every club.

Aiming point is a point where you direct Thrust.

That driving range is called Parkland Driving Range. If you are ever back to visit, just drop me a PM. We can go hit balls together.

[comdpa]

Ball position in relation to left shoulder, correct?

birdie_man,

It depends on who taught you...

[birdie_man]

Not sure what you mean.

All I mean I guess it that even if the ball position stays the same in relation to your feet it can still be changed in relation to your left shoulder by altering stance width and weight distribution.

So basically my thinking is that ball postition in relation to the left shoulder is the most important part of ball position.

...

I know you know this I was just clarifying for the sake of this thread. (and Mr. libero here)