When you get too shallow, do what I do – try the ball forward chop move. My invention is a movement pattern I used successfully in 2001 to undo a severely over-the-top backswing set and a big draw/hook pattern. I had difficulty playing a tree-lined golf course. After a spate of thin and heeled shots yesterday, I had to make a frustration change. After hitting one ball with my FBCM, I started kicking myself for forgetting the simplicity of the change.
First, keep your stance open. The visual you need at the end of the process doesn’t change during the process. You can easily enough direct your ball to land near your target. I played nine holes yesterday on Las Colinas, and struck the ball beautifully, after only a day into the change.
Second, Move your ball position to or ahead of your lead foot along your target line. The bottom of our chop swing is well-forward of “standard”. You may strike your ball thin until your position is forward enough. Conversely, if your ball position is forward enough, you will get an indication of how much more to adapt your change to your ball position.
Third, Keep your shoulders square to the target. FBCM move is about steepening your arm-swing and shaft set. Open shoulders necessitate a shallower arm-swing – negating our FBCM efficacy. Once your impact is optimized your desired shot curvature, or lack thereof, is a more standard combination of ball position and club set at the top.
Here is where I tell you what you can anticipate, if you choose to accept it. Your impact interacts with the ground beautifully in sound and sight. The pleasure you get will sustain your adaptation. You will take your changes to your golf course and see you can actually play effective golf during your process. I enjoy the challenge. After my FBCM practice, I teed it up and was even after seven holes before running into a foursome that spoiled things.
However, on the eighth tee, which is our #1 handicap hole, I mashed a fade uphill and into a breeze that measured 295. I was obviously alerted that I am on the right track. When I square my path (Down the road), the direct force on my ball will be even greater.
Notice in the following video that my backswing length remains, so don’t worry about your ability to create power. Additionally, notice my trailing elbow position and posture at impact. Nothing has been sacrificed to make my FBCM move. Just be ready to apply your force on an oblique angle to your ball, WHICH WILL CURVE. Allow it.
John Wright – Founder
The Open Stance Academy
Ball Position With an Open Stance
Our Stance, Ball Position, and AdaptatIon Form Our Practice
How Our Feet Can Change Our Ball Position