Alright, buckle up folks, because today we’re diving deep into something I’ve been messing around with on the range: shaft lean at address. Now, I ain’t no pro, just a regular golfer trying to shave a few strokes off my game, so this is all from my own experiences.
It all started when I was slicing the ball like it was my job. Seriously, every other shot was heading straight for the trees. I was watching some videos online, trying to diagnose the problem, and kept hearing about shaft lean. I didn’t really pay much attention to it before, I just sort of set up and whacked the ball.
So, the first thing I did was grab my 7-iron and head to the driving range. I started by just setting up like I normally would, and then I tried exaggerating the shaft lean forward, towards the target. Like, really exaggerating it. I wanted to feel the difference.
And man, did I feel a difference! The first few shots with the exaggerated lean were awful. Low, thin, and sprayed all over the place. I quickly realized that more isn’t always better. I needed to find the right amount.
Next, I tried the opposite. I set up with the shaft perfectly vertical, maybe even leaning back a little bit. These shots felt weak and high, like I was scooping the ball. Definitely not what I was going for.
That’s when I started experimenting more precisely. I started with the shaft vertical and then gradually leaned it forward until it felt…right. This is where it gets subjective, folks. There’s no magic number. It’s all about feel and what works for your swing.
What I found was that a slight lean forward, just a little bit, helped me compress the ball better. I could feel myself hitting down on the ball more, which led to a more solid strike and a better ball flight.
I started noticing that my divots were more in front of the ball, which is what you want. Before, they were all over the place, sometimes even behind the ball! That explained a lot of my thin shots.
I also realized that shaft lean at address affects my ball position. With more shaft lean, I needed to move the ball slightly further back in my stance. This helped me maintain a good angle of attack.
I spent a few range sessions just working on this, tweaking the amount of shaft lean and adjusting my ball position until I found something that felt comfortable and produced consistent results. I even took some videos of my swing to see what it looked like from a different perspective.
Now, am I hitting every shot perfectly? Of course not! But focusing on shaft lean at address has definitely helped me improve my ball striking and reduce my slice. It’s something I’m still working on, but I’m seeing progress.
Here’s a quick recap of what I learned:
- Experiment with different amounts of shaft lean. Don’t be afraid to exaggerate to feel the difference.
- Adjust your ball position. More shaft lean usually means moving the ball slightly back in your stance.
- Pay attention to your divots. They should be in front of the ball.
- Focus on feel. There’s no magic number, so find what works for you.
This isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, but if you’re struggling with your ball striking, it might be worth checking out. Give it a try on the range and see if it makes a difference for you. Good luck, and happy golfing!