Chunking 3 wood only

Question
QUESTION: Since my last lesson, I've basically been focusing on having a better hinge at the top of my swing for a more vertical swing (my swing is usually flat). It's supposed to help hit the ball more solid and not feel like i'm coming in flat and either hitting behind the ball or a big hook. and other things.

The only thing that still isn't working is my 3 wood off the ground. I'm still chunking it to the left sometimes... I'm wondering if it is only because of a flat swing plane... could it be because of something else?

ANSWER: Jeff:

Could be your unhinging too soon causing it to slam into the ground.  With a 3 wood, we need more of a sweeping, shallower angle of attack, not a steep one.  So if your working on getting a more vertical swing, you'll have trouble with woods.  Woods are longer and are designed more for a sweeping type motion.  I wouldn't change your swing Jeff, I would just swing the club more forward instead of down.  I call it the forward swing.  The golf swing goes backwards and forwards, not up and down.  So if you're working on a more vertical swing plane, I guess you could see a chunking type shot with a longer club.  

Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Today I went to the range (prior to reading your response) and was starting to also chunk my long irons. I decided to go back to basics and doing half swings. From there it got a lot better and I was doing shorter swings that enabled me to hit the long irons a lot better... (can this help?)

It didn't help me 3 wood, however. I'll try your method next time on the range.

ANSWER: Jeff:

What has happened?  Are you working on what I suggested yet?

Eddie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ok, I went to the range today and there was a free junior clinic for an hour, and so I sort of got it fixed. My hands were not in clubhead at impact, so that was why i was hooking my irons and chunking my wood. Do you have any drills that could help my hands be ahead of the clubhead at impact?

I worked on that today, but now with my driver I still have problems. I'm beginning to SLICE it... the contact is not very good either. I played 18 holes, and probably on 4-5 of them I had a slice or bad contact.. Should I just feel the clubhead going through the ball like usual to cure it?

Answer
Jeff:

The delivery of the club to the back of the ball is a blended action involving the arms and the hands.  I am only speaking of your arms and hands in this answer.  Obviously, your body must work in harmony with the swinging motion to make it work.  Your question now says:  Do you have any drills that could help my hands be ahead of the clubhead at impact?

Answer:  You must swing your arms (forearms) more than you use your hands.  Your hands control the clubhead and the clubface.  Your arms control the shaft and the swinging motion.  So, if you use your hands too much or incorrectly, the clubface could close causing a hook spin, or you could hit the ground first or top it or a host of other issues caused by you trying to flip the clubhead at the ball.  Vice versa, if you swing the club forward (arms) and don't use your hands enough to square the clubface at impact, you leave the face open producing a slice.  

So there is a blending of the arms swinging the club forward (not down), and the hands rotating and releasing the clubface squarely into the back of the ball, so AT IMPACT, the face is square against the ball and the club is moving forward towards the target.  It takes a lot of practice to achieve this blending action, and it all starts with your grip.  

Again, my suggestion to you is this:  Go get some good PGA instruction (private lessons) and go get some help.  It is a process to get better.  It is not a magic word or sentence or something you pick up in a free junior clinic that suddenly changes your game forever.  It is, and always will be, mastering the fundamentals, and practicing them until they become a habit.  

Eddei