looking for some insight

[toohottie]

I am having a problem with power and distance with my irons. I hit driver and fairway wood pretty well, but could use some hints on how to generate more power. I just turned 40, but I am in really good shape. I recently lost over 50 pounds and now I am having trouble getting a PW to go 100 yards. Any feedback would be helpful. maybe something to hekp increase my clubhead speed.

 

[CharlieMoy]

try increasing wrist cock, loosen your grip and shoulders, and lag that clubhead

 

[jdjanda]

I am pushing 40 as well, and also recently dropped 50 pounds as well. I felt like along with the fat loss I was loosing muscle mass. I started working weights focused on my arms and shoulders. Now that I'm over the hump I feel like I am gaining strength. With the improved conditioning I am hitting my irons better and longer.

 

[Hawk]

First of all

You may want to post this question in the "Ask the Pro" section. Andy should be able to give you some insight on gaining distance.

 

[StLCardsFan]

I don't know anything about anything, this is just my personal experience.

I the past, I have found myself over the course of a month or two I would lose distance. The biggest problem for me, was that I would get lazy and just swing the club with my arms. Once I realized what the problem was, it is easy to think about getting the proper shoulder and hip turn.

Just a thought, make sure you are properly getting a shoulder and hip turn and not just swinging with your arms. I see a lot of people who just swing irons with thier arms. It is harder to not do with the woods since they are longer clubs and it takes more to get them back.

Again, I don't know anything about anything, just something to maybe be aware of.

 

[Hanks]

try increasing wrist cock, loosen your grip and shoulders, and lag that clubhead

+1.....add more shoulder turn as well

 

[CharlieMoy]

+1.....add more shoulder turn as well

yes sir, youll gain 10 yards alone if you can turn that shoulder to point at or behind the ball

 

[Golf Chick]

There is also an "Ask the Pro" section which is extremely helpful as well. Good luck

 

[JPsuff]

I am having a problem with power and distance with my irons. I hit driver and fairway wood pretty well, but could use some hints on how to generate more power. I just turned 40, but I am in really good shape. I recently lost over 50 pounds and now I am having trouble getting a PW to go 100 yards. Any feedback would be helpful. maybe something to hekp increase my clubhead speed.

I think the weight loss is your biggest issue.

When you were 50 lbs. heavier, you probably had a wider swing (to get around yourself) and that created a wide swing arc. Couple that with your previously heavy weight and you used to have a lot of mass which created a lot of inertia which in turn provided the power.

But now that you've slimmed down, you don't have that mass anymore and your muscles have to sort of "reinvent" themselves. But even when that happens, the overall mass won't be there so now you have to learn to use leverage instead of brawn.

My advice would be to learn a more compact swing and use it to generate the leverage you need to create clubhead speed. A great drill for this to go get yourself an 18 to 24-inch long cloth-faced bungee cord and practice with it wrapped around your upper arms and upper body (a cloth-faced cord is more comfortable than a rubber one).

This will remind you (if not actually force you) to keep both arms tight to your body which will in turn teach you a more compact swing. I'll bet that if you do this with that PW, you'll be getting more yardage out of it in no time because once you "strap yourself in", what happens next is almost completely intuitive and you'll "know" what this will accomplish.

I use this drill from time to time when I feel that my arms are moving too far from my center. An alternate drill is the old glove, towel, headcover under both armpits, but the bungee does the same thing without the restriction (and distraction) of trying to keep those things from falling (plus there's nothing to pick up and reposition after each shot).

You're still the same person that you were 50 lbs. ago, you just have to retool a few things to accommodate your now smaller framework and to be able to create power using leverage as opposed to sheer size and mass.


Oh and if anyone giggles when they see you rigged up like that, they'll stop as soon as they see the results and some may actually ask you how you thought of that!

(Just tell them it came to you in a dream)


-JP