I Hit all my Clubs the Same Distance

Dear Jitterbug,

I hit all my clubs, seven-iron and longer, the same distance. Whether swinging a seven-iron, three-iron, or driver, the ball goes somewhere between 80 and 110 yards. Have you ever heard of a problem like mine? Do you know of a cure?

Nicole Chrystal

Jitterbug Gang Fan

Jitterbug:

Oh, I’ve heard of it. It’s common. But, before deciding on the cure, let’s talk about the cause.

Simply put, you’re casting the club. To cast the club is to allow your angle of wrist cock to open very early in the downswing. This action, of course, steals power by spending stored energy before it’s useful.

Severe casters of the club suffer your problem of hitting all the longer clubs the same distance. The reason for this is that while longer clubs carry the potential for longer shots, they also afford the caster more opportunity to cast. Said another way, casters of the club cast incrementally more as the club gets longer, and as a result, wash away the promise of more distance.

All that said, teaching someone to not cast after they’ve ingrained the habit of it is hard to do on paper, so I recommend you get with your pro.

Mr. Vaughn:

Casting comes in different degrees. Someone who casts less severely might hit his seven-iron 150 yards, but hit his two-, three-, and four-irons all the same distances, all around 185 yards. It’s the same trouble you have, just not quite as obvious.

Like Jitterbug suggested, get with a pro to help. In the mean time, work on your hand and forearm strength. I’ve found over the years that it’s a whole lot easier to teach strong-handed people to maintain wrist cock than it is anybody else.

Lord Berry:

If you’re unwilling to enlist help from your pro, I suggest you simply take every club longer than a seven-iron out of your bag. After all, if they all go the same distance, you might as well familiarize yourself with just a few clubs instead of trying to work them all in.

Myself, I prefer a lighter bag anyway.

Ask Jitterbug - Golf Advice Column by Bobby Steiner

About the Author

The following are a list of golf teaching columns generously donated to us by teaching professional and author Bobby Steiner. Bobby teaches golf at The Practice Tee in East Asheville during the summer months, and at The Westin Mission Hills Resort during the winter.

You can reach Bobby at: www.bobbysteiner.com or bobbysteiner@msn.com