Friend is in the ambulance - toe problem

[cometgolfer]

OK - I sort of hate to do this, cause I feel like the guy that calls into The Golf Channel Academy Live and asks the guest instructor to cure some particular fault even though that instructor has never seen his swing (of course that guest instructor will confidently prescribe some drill and send the "student" on his way).

But.............. I'm going to throw it out there anyway. I have a friend (a hell of a player - won a ton of high level tournaments last year, hits it solid and long) who I'm confident would be called a hitter. After a 2 week layoff we played in our usual group over the New Year weekend. For 3 straight rounds he couldn't hit if anywhere but on the toe - and not marginally on the toe - but wayyyyyyyy out there. No matter what he tried (before, during, or after the round), he simply can't find the sweetspot.

So - any suggestions on what a hitter could be doing to suddenly have impact occur only on the toe? He's tried standing closer (among other things) with no luck at all. My TGM focus has been on swinging and it's frustrating to not be able to provide more TGM based direction on how to fix his problem. Any inputs are appreciated.

[Ian Clark]

First would be to get him closer, second, check the path isnt from out to in, third make sure there is extensor action all the way into follow through(both arms straight position)if his swing radius is getting short, left arm bending too early, club will be closer to him at impact thus getting the ball off the toe.

[EdZ]

Does he have a steep plane angle? Is his plane angle steeper than it usually is?

[cometgolfer]

Ian - good points. I think the extensor action may be part of the issue. He did tell me he feels like he's "gator-arming" it and he may just be getting lazy with the right arm. I'm going to pass that on and see if it has any effect.

Edz - he does work on a pretty steep angle. He went from playing a draw to hitting mostly fades a good part of last season (when he was playing his best). To Ian's point he may be overdoing the feeling of having the clubhead move from out to in.

Thanks for the inputs.

[Burner]

Ian - good points. I think the extensor action may be part of the issue. He did tell me he feels like he's "gator-arming" it and he may just be getting lazy with the right arm. I'm going to pass that on and see if it has any effect.

Edz - he does work on a pretty steep angle. He went from playing a draw to hitting mostly fades a good part of last season (when he was playing his best). To Ian's point he may be overdoing the feeling of having the clubhead move from out to in.

Thanks for the inputs.

Au contraire mon ami. He is probably coming down too steep in his effort to ensure that he hits in to out.

[cometgolfer]

Au contraire mon ami. He is probably coming down too steep in his effort to ensure that he hits in to out.

Burner,

I don't see how trying to hit "in to out" would get you too steep. I tend to get too shallow myself, and one way for me too get steeper on the downswing is to feel as if I'm trying to make an "out to in" motion in an attempt to start it left and slide it back to the right.

[ldeit]

Look at the pivot component. If hitting, a launching pad for the Hitter's driving right arm rather than massive rotor or flywheel of the Swinger.

ldeit