Shaft lean by club: irons, wedges, and driver
Everyone wants the shaft to be angled toward the target at impact, just like the pros. Mark Crossfield shows that this angle varies from club to club, is set as early as the grip, and depends mainly on the orientation of the clubface. Forcing it can cost you distance.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
With a medium iron, the best players start with a specific address almost neutral: The clubface should be angled 2 to 3° toward the target. At impact, this angle increases to 8 to 12°: the iron loses loft, and the ball is compressed more effectively. With a wedge, the address position is slightly more tilted (4 to 5°), reaching 8 to 11° at impact. Tilting the club much more at address results in poor contact. With the driver, the scenario changes: from +1 to −3° at address, 1 to 5° at impact, because the goal is to add loft, not to gain any. According to him, swinging the driver like a 7-iron can cost you 20 to 30 yards.
Two practical ideas. First, grip the club with the clubface already set at the correct angle: If the handle were to fall, it would hit the inside of the front leg. Next, understand that The angle of the face determines the slope: With a closed face, you have to push your hands forward to aim straight; with an open face, you have to stay behind the ball, and the ball gets skimmed or topped. There’s no point in “holding the angles” as long as possible: good players release them sooner. And what a stationary camera shows is misleading, because the body has moved and rotated between the address and impact.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- Using a mid-iron, position the club behind the ball, facing the target.
- Position the handle so that when it falls, it touches the inside of your front leg—never near your back leg.
- Don't pick up your grip until then, with the tilt already in place.
- When using a wedge, stop at the bottom of the downswing (with the club parallel to the ground), point the clubface toward the ground, and figure out what angle sends the ball straight.
- Try it again with the front facing up, then with the front in the middle: note which version provides the best contact.
- If you're holding the club back too long, hit a few balls placed in the middle of your stance while aiming at the target: you'll need to loosen up your angles.
- If you stay back and “freak out,” hit the ball at the level of your big toe while moving your body toward it, then pull back halfway.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- Grip the stick with your right hand or with your hand tilted backward, then try to tilt the stick afterward.
- Tilting the clubface too much at the address position when using a wedge.
- Swinging the driver with the same loft as an iron: loss of distance.
- Push your hands forward to mimic a pro's shot instead of adjusting your stance.
- If you hold the wrist angles for too long, the ball will go to the right.
- Estimate its tilt based on a video taken from a fixed angle.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- Check the position of the front leg before each grip
- The Three-Angle Wedge Shot: Toward the Ground, Toward the Sky, and Somewhere in Between
- The ball will land in the center of the stance if you drag the club
- Place the ball on the ball of your big toe first if you're behind, then move to an intermediate position
Your Questions
Should you tilt the shaft toward the target when using a driver?
Very little. Mark Crossfield estimates that pros have an angle of attack ranging from +1 to −3° at address and only 1 to 5° at impact. With a driver, loft is added at impact: playing it like an iron can cost you 20 to 30 yards, according to him.
Where should you place the handle at an address using a flathead screwdriver?
A good reference point: if you were to let go of the grip, it would hit the inside of your leg first. Take your grip once the club is in this position.
Why does my pitch change from one moment to the next?
Because the clubface angle dictates it. With a closed clubface, you have to push your hands forward to aim straight; with an open clubface, you have to stay behind the ball, which results in fat shots and thin shots.
Are the hands really in front of the ball at impact?
Not quite. From the perspective of a stationary camera, yes; but the body turned and moved. Relative to the body, the hands actually returned to a position in front of the back leg, he explains, citing a video from Athletic Motion.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Mark Crossfield). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.