Eric Alpenfels
Director of Golf Instruction /
Golf Academy at the Pinehurst Resort
The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc is privileged to
have Eric Aplenfels as one of our contributers.
Eric Alpenfels is the Director of the Pinehurst
Golf Academy and Golf Instruction at
Pinehurst Resort. He is a Class A Member
of the PGA of America and has been part
of the Pinehurst family since 1985. His
expertise has earned him recognition
from Golf Magazine as one of the “Top 100
Teachers in America,” Golf Digest as one of
“America’s 50 Greatest Teachers” and U.S.
Kids Golf as one of the “Top 50 Teachers for
Kids.” Eric’s activities beyond the fairways
of Pinehurst are extensive, and include
speaking engagements, contributions to
industry publications and participation as
an Adjunct Facility of the PGA of America
Education Department. In partnership
with Dr. Bob Christina, The Golf Academy
is conducting research to pioneer the
development of new practice techniques
and innovative drills. He recently
coauthored “Instinct Putting” with Dr. Bob
Christina and Dr. Cary Heath.
TEE TIME continued
Improving Impact, Part I
by Eric Alpenfels
Director of Instruction and Golf Academy
Pinehurst Resort & Country Club
For many avid golfers, winter brings with it a
time of reflection on their games and the areas
that are in need of some improvement or, in
some cases, major attention. Upon reflection,
are there full swing technique issues that are
of concern with your game? Is there too much
curve to the ball’s flight when hitting a driver?
Maybe shots are hit slightly heavy or thin with
irons? Or, are shots hit off center of the club
resulting in a lack of distance? Whatever the
specific ball flight that is of concern, winter is a
perfect time to determine what specific impact
issues need attention as well as to develop a
game plan for improvement prior to the start of
the 2018 season. Traditionally, golf instructors
have used five impact factors as the factors
that produce the ball’s flight. These five factors
include clubhead path, clubface position,
centeredness of contact, angle of approach and
clubhead speed. The goal of this first of four
articles is to give a basic overview of the five
impact factors that influence the ball’s flight.
Future articles in the series will individually
address three of these five factors that, in my
opinion, influence the ball’s flight the most and
tend to be the focus of most instructors when
coaching students through swing changes.
Additionally, drills, training aids and practice
techniques will be offered as ways to improve
the contact between the clubface and ball
resulting in more consistent impact.
Clubhead Path
There are three directions in which the
clubhead can be traveling at impact. The club
can be traveling out-to-in or too much to the left
which will tend to start the ball left of the target
line. The club can be traveling in-to-out or too
much to the right which will tend to start the
ball to the right of the target line. A correct and
neutral motion has the clubhead traveling down
the target line through impact. An indicator of
the club’s path at impact is the direction of the
divot in relation to the target line. Divots aiming
left of the target indicate a clubhead path that is
TEE TIME con't. next column TEE TIME con't. next column
TEE TIME continued
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too much to the left, and a divot aiming right of
the target indicates a path too much to the right.
Clubface Position
There are three clubface positions possible
at impact. An open clubface at impact will curve
the ball to the right resulting in a “fade” or “slice.”
A closed clubface at impact makes the ball
“draw” or “hook.” A square clubface at impact
will produce a ball that flies straight. Golfers
often fail to notice the amount the ball curves
with different clubs. Lower-lofted clubs tend
to curve the ball a greater amount than higherlofted
clubs. For example, when comparing the
amount of curve possible in a driver to a seveniron,
the driver will hook or slice more than a
seven-iron. In both cases, a square clubface at
impact will limit the amount of curve.
Centeredness of Contact
Centeredness of contact is the point at which
contact is made between the ball and the club.
Incorrect clubhead paths and clubface positions
are the main factors that affect this point of
contact. If these factors individually or together
are incorrect, off-center hits on the clubface will
result. As a general rule, when the clubface is
opened or closed, the ball will tend to be hit on
the heel or toe of the club. If the clubhead path is
out-to-in, contact between the clubface and ball
will tend to be either high or low on the clubface.
If the clubhead path is in-to-out, contact will
tend to be low on the clubface. Off-center hits
often will produce a twisting of the grip in your
hands as well as influence the height the ball
flies as well as the carry distance.
Angle of Approach
There are three angles of approach possible
in the downswing. The first angle of approach
is one which has the clubhead traveling too
steeply to the ball. As a result, divots will
typically point to the left of the target and
deeper than desired. Shots with irons will tend
to be heavy or thin, while teed balls can be skied
or topped. Too shallow an angle of approach
to the ball causes the downswing to bottom
out too far behind the ball, tending to produce
a motion that is swinging up on the ball, with
thin or topped shots with irons as well as fairway
woods as results. The ideal angle of approach to
the ball is one in which the bottom of the swing
is at the ball. This shallow angle of approach will
eliminate heavy and thin shots with the irons
and help eliminate skied and topped shots with
the woods.
Clubhead Speed
When the clubhead path, clubface position,
angle of approach and squareness of contact are
correct, maximum clubhead speed can create
maximum distance and height. When one or
more factors are incorrect, compensations in
the overall shape of the swing must occur to
minimize the negative result. Unfortunately,
when one compensates, maximum clubhead
speed tends to be substituted with a slower
compensating motion. Though adjustments can
be made, this slower motion eliminates one’s
potential. Once there is a more correct motion
on a consistent basis, then clubhead speed can
be used to gain greater distance and appropriate
height to the flight of the ball.
No. 129 The Pinehurst Gazette, Inc. p.9
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