Last month, I did a daily tip titled The Proper Amount of Turn. As is often the case, this topic ignited a vigorous conversation on the blog that provided the entire Surge Nation, including me, with some great insights as to how others have successfully dealt with the issue. It's this kind of sharing that makes this blog so much more valuable than most golf instruction websites. Among the comments that day were two from Surgites Ray and Joe S. who were having the same problem. They were hitting their shorter clubs well, but when they hit their fairway woods and driver their swing went downhill. When they reached out to The Nation for help, Kevin McGarrahan, one of our more prolific contributorss was all over it!
Kevin wrote that he, too, had struggled with the same issue and he found that doing three things really straightened him out. Here is what he had to say:
"I used to consistently have the same problem, but much less so these days. I corrected it by doing 3 things:
1) Gripping down on my driver to 43 inches (corresponding amounts on other woods. All my clubs are too long at present);
2) Making sure that I set the same wrist angle with my longer clubs that I do with the shorter ones (only one swing for all the clubs. I'm sure many will disagree with this, but it works for me); and
3) making the same swing with the driver and longer woods that I do with the shorter clubs.
Gripping down and setting the same wrist angle are fairly easy. #3 can be more difficult. For that, I make a few swings with my 7-iron (my favorite club) and then try to make an identical swing with my driver. I go back and forth between the two until I am swinging both the same. I've even done this on the course, taking 2 practice swings with my 7-iron, 2 with the driver, and then swinging through the ball. In most cases (except when I have my senior moments), my drive then goes pretty straight."
I couldn't agree more with all of what Kevin had to say. As you all know, I am a big believer that all OEM club manufacturers use shafts that are too long for 98% of the people who buy their products so it is no surprise to me that Kevin found that gripping down on his woods worked wonders. And for his point #2, this is precisely what I teach--the same setup and swing for all clubs. And the reason that he finds making the same swing with each club a challenge when he gets to his woods is because he is wielding a heavier and longer club that requires greater muscle activation and a firmer grip to maintain control. This is something that the brain should automatically do when it senses that you have a driver or a 3-wood in your hand. If yours needs a bit of help, Kevin's drill of swinging his 7-iron and then his driver should produce the desired "brain training".
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
If you can't view the YouTube video above try CLICKING HERE. You must allow popups from this site for the link to work.