After my last entry the bunker shot, I started to reflect on the similarity that it has to driving the ball. What I described was how the club head should be set out in front of the grip end. This is something that should remain throughout the downswing.
The club head, the shaft and the grip should all move the same speed through impact. On close examination of your long ball club -- the driver -- if you sole it on the ground without any manipulation of the shaft and grip end, just let the club rest in the position that the club maker designed it to have. You should notice that the shaft of the club is not resting on the forward side of the club head. It is, in truth, tilted slightly back. This puts the leading edge of your driver out in front of the grip end of the shaft.
Now why would this make such a difference?
First let's consider the idea of getting your body tilted behind the ball correctly. It is an issue that gets tougher to do with the driver because the ball position is forward in the stance and the width of the stance often gets wider to support the width of the arch we all would like to get. But with the handle tilted in the wrong direction the shoulders are open. This cuts down on back swing turn and the tilt has virtually disappeared -- at least in the correct direction.
One more error that setting up with the shaft tilted to the wrong direction very often causes, is the misconception that you should hold on to the angles that you create in your arms and wrists on the downswing.
Hitting bunker shots is not just like hitting your driver, however the similarity of how the clubs should be in set-up and how they should arrive in the downswing to impact the ball could really help you understand the principle of physics. To create the club head speed and loft that you are in search of try this set up change: Place the ball forward of the handle, spine and neck tilted back, as if you we're going to get ready to throw side arm and throw higher than normal. You wouldn't need to be a super ball player to understand how to throw high. That would make the appropriate set up for the driver.
Just remember that if the grip end is slightly behind the ball at address then it should arrive back to the ball the same. This would mean that from the top of your swing you should throw that club head so it can pass your grip in time for impact. This may go against the grain of everything that you think is correct -- the old way of teaching, holding on to your angles, is false. It is something that was taught before video equipment and high-speed photography, which can show the truth if you know what to look for. Springing the club head from the top is the way to create the speed you want. It is what the longest hitting tour pros do. Come to 7mythsofgolf.com to check out their swings.
Bill Bondaruk is a PGA Class A member. After traveling the mini tours, Bondaruk taught for a few world-renowned golf schools, including John Jacobs, Jim McLean and Scott Sackett's Resort Golf. He was Director of Instruction at Arizona National and swing instructor for the University of Arizona men's and women's golf teams. He has worked with a list of tour professionals as well as collegiate stars.
