Why do tour pros aim left with irons and especially wedges? Divots left of pin/target too

[dlygrisse]

So I’m guessing on the short game you actually want to swing more on plane at the target so you are more shallow?

[MonteScheinblum]

Flat spot is longer in theory and you’re shallower......so yes.

[dlygrisse]

Thx Monte. You the man.

[hurley999s]

Ok don’t kill me here for this...I’m taking everything in here. Watched the video in this thread with the D plane tool showing examples and a few other videos too.

I understand with increased angle of attack the stick on the face points to the right, so plane can shift to left to provide a straight shot.

Im sitting here with a club in hand because it’s freezing outside, and was mimicking the motion of the club coming down like in that gadget, and instead of getting it square to target by shifting plane to the left, I also did it simply by closing the face.

So...

1) is this correct? just an optical illusion? Me not understanding or doing something wrong

2) if it is accurate as “another way” to do it, does this mean if you hit hooded club face wedges that you can swing straight at target? Ie, divot towards target and not pointing left?

 

[nphillips0613]

Feet alignment should be parallel to the target not at the target. Clubface and feet should be like a train track to the target.

[hurley999s]

Yeah I know that. That’s understood.

[dlygrisse]

You sure? That’s not what Hogan thought, nor what most pros actually do on a lot of shots. Not saying it’s always wrong, but it’s certainly not an absolute. Maybe for some shots with some clubs.

[Londoner]

I'm so glad I saw this. Goodness knows how many times I've hit short irons and thought "why is that divot pointing left when I'm layering the ball at the pin".

It's baffled me for ages.

?

[nphillips0613]

[JCray33]

No most D-plane articles say when hitting down you should align 5-10 yards (depending on much much down you hit) left of the target because when hitting down the path is coming in-to-out at impact thus you have to make your swing path going to the left of the target to hit a straight ball at the target

[hurley999s]

I took it as he was replying to my question asking about hooding the club on wedges - if you can be lined up with the target and he took it literally as if feet are pointing at the target, not parallel (train tracks).

[nphillips0613]

It's not an absolute but it's definitely what the majority of pros do on an average shot they are trying to hit straight. There's no right or wrong way to do anything in golf. Just whatever works for you. The way I described just puts you as square as possible to the target to start with.

 

[glk]

Good way to hit big hooks. The sweet spot is tracking the shaft plane so going down it is going to the right if you close the face at impact then depending on how much you close it and where you are on the down at impact you are setting up a draw/hook. This is what happens in the last example in the video - bottom of plane points to target, impact prior to bottom so sweet spot moving right, face closed to path (could be open to target line and if it closed to target line gonna be a big pull hook) - draw.

[Fort Worth Pro]

Y’all are all over thinking this. Most of the guys aiming left of the target are hitting a cut. If you are hitting a cut and want to start the ball to the left of the target then you better aim left.

[ksgolfcoach]

That’s assuming your swing direction is neutral. Someone with a left swing direction may get a neutral path by aiming straight or even right. At the end of the day, getting a swing path of 0* isn’t always a good thing to pursue and aim is, for the most part, an individual thing

[JCray33]

I'm assuming a neutral swing path yes. Neutral swing path to hit a straight as possible shot, one needs to aim slighty left and swing left of the target when hitting off the ground to hit straight at target.

[JCray33]

We're talking to hit as straight as possible. Obviously it's hard to do but to TRY to do it one needs to be aligned slighty left of the target to hit straight golf shots at the target. If you hit down correctly and have a negative attack angle. (hitting down on the ball.)

[JCray33]

This is a great video explaining D-plane.

[tthomasgolfer605]

So the key is to take up smoking.

[Fort Worth Pro]

Yeah. The number of tour players trying to hit the golf ball straight is almost zero