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Pure Contact in an Hour

Use the image of a clock face to find the sweet spot and control your shots


Published: August 01, 2007

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This story is for you if...
• Your shots never feel solid
• You want to shape shots right or left on purpose
• You want to stop unintended

The problem

You're curving the ball all over the place, hitting a lot of weak fades and vicious duck hooks.

The solution

For a single range session, forget mechanics and use the image of a clock face to guide your club and clubface into perfect position to hit straight shots or curve them when you want.

SLICE FIX
Swing from 7:00 to 1:00

Picture a clock on the ground, with your feet straddling the "9" at 9:00 and the ball sitting in the center of the clock face. Deliver the clubhead on a path that swipes across the 7, travels through the ball in the center of the clock and exits the hitting area over the 1. That's a perfect inside-out path. (If you slice, your swing travels from 5:00 to 11:00. On the same path, if you shut the clubface, you hit a snap hook.)

HIT THE SWEET SPOT

Swing the shaft to 2:00
Imagine a clock off to your right with the center of the face even with your shoulders. Make a full backswing, hold it and check what part of the clock the shaft crosses. Click here for more details

SHAPE SHOTS

Change times to shape shots
Picture the same clock as above, but this time it's off to your left. Try to swing your hands up to 10:30. From this position you can control the curve of your shots by changing the angle of the clubface. Click here for more details