Tour Striker - Ross - Working the ball

"Martin,

I've used the Tour Striker for about two weeks and I think this is one of the best golf training aids ever. It requires no set-up, you actually get to hit golf shots and you get instant feed back, fantastic training club.

Before using the Tour Striker I noticed the impact mark on my 8 iron was pretty low on the face, after practicing with the TS the impact spot on my 8 iron has moved up to about the 5th score line, and I feel like I’m hitting the ball really solid.

My question is, is it OK to practice different shot shapes with the Tour Striker, for example; fades, draws, high shots, low shots, is the club shaft forward lean the same for all these shots?

Thanks again,

Ross"

Ross,

Thanks for the nice comments. What you've described about moving your contact point toward the "fifth groove" is exactly the goal of the Tour Striker. You are now applying some forward shaft lean during a downward strike. Congratulations!

Your questions about working the ball. The answer is ABSOLUTELY!

First, I would establish solid, repetitive contact from a consist ball location 2-3" inside your left heel. From this workable ball location, you can play around with ball flight by monitoring the amount of shaft lean applied at impact.

I don't move the ball back in my stance to hit it on a slightly lower, more boring trajectory. Through practice and feel, I lag the weight of the club against my relaxed hands and deliver more forward lean. My right shoulder feels closer to the ball at impact than a standard shot. A couple of degrees is all it takes and it's a great play around the links of Tetherow.

Granted, that is a technique brought about by experience. You could move the ball back in your stand from 1 - 3 " and discover what happens. The ball will flight lower and won't fly as far. Prepare for additional roll upon landing. This is great for "back" pins.

Fades and Draws: Side spin is a result of the face differing from the path. While the tolerance for error is low with the Tour Striker, I encourage you to experiment delivering an open and closed face to the ball. There are many ways to do this, with the simplest being to hold the club a little open or shut in your normal grip and offset the curve by adjusting your path.

A word of caution on "high" shots. Golf ball trajectory is primarily a function of speed and face angle at impact. "Trying" to hit the ball really high will often result in a breakdown of the lever (at the wrists) that we are trying to create in 99% of our shots. For effective striking we shouldn't sacrifice the lever, but you can move the ball more toward your left heel and you should be able to experience added height without breaking down. So, to hit it abnormally high (which is almost impossible with the TS, due to the design) you have to flip and breakdown during impact. You will likely "blade" a bunch of these as well, but it is still worth the effort to experience that fine line.

Good golfing and thanks for buying the Tour Striker!

Martin