For those dead pull people like myself

[swalker]

I think 90% of my coming over the top was not clearing my hips faster/sooner. I started working on that today and wow! Straight and a lot longer. My only question is can I have consistent swing at firing my hips that fast or should they just start turning sooner?

[mvmac]

I think 90% of my coming over the top was not clearing my hips faster/sooner. I started working on that today and wow! Straight and a lot longer. My only question is can I have consistent swing at firing my hips that fast or should they just start turning sooner?

I would have to disagree, you come over the top because you spin the hips too soon.  Golfers who come over the top straighten the left leg too soon, causing the hips to spin and the path to be across the ball.  What is starting the ball left is the clubface being aimed left at impact.

Good stuff for you to check out

http://thesandtrap.com/t/61376/5sk-video-thread/90#post_836200

http://thesandtrap.com/t/61376/5sk-video-thread/90#post_846019

[swalker]

I'll check those out but was just coincidence that I quit pulling it left? Or could there have been something else I may have been doing while trying to clear my hips?

[guiseppe]

Strict guess:  the reason your thought of clearing your hips sooner and faster is helping your OTT move is that you are now initiating the swing with the lower part of your body (i.e. legs/hips) rather than your arms/shoulders.  You are thinking about your hips, so you are moving them "sooner" than you are used to. It may be that you were previously initiating your swing more with your hands/shoulders which can cause the OTT.

Again, just a guess based upon my experience with the same issue.

[rehmwa]

My recent misses (approach shots mainly) have been a straight pull about a quarter of the time.  (mid approaches had been one of the best parts of my game.  So, logically, of course, just when I've been driving and putting better than ever, this new thing crops up).

I'll take some video and see if those two drills might be it.

I'm also pretty certain that my legs are shutting down on those shots and I'm getting 'armsy'.  So clearing my hips smoother seems to help, like the top poster notes, also my stance was getting a bit wide......But I don't think it's an 'over the top' problem there (whatever that means).  It's more like the motion is off and I'm shutting the face and not getting on my front leg like I should (like the 2nd video actually in Mike's drills, maybe.  though both those drills would apply to my practice for what I'm doing lately).

Narrower stance (back to normal)

Initiating with my lower body (more returning to a proper sequence rather than trying to clear faster, or harder)

Keeping my shoulders and arms in the right sequence.

seems to help a lot, but I need to practice some drills to return this back to normal instead of having to think about it.

silly game

edit:  apparently guiseppe posted pretty much the same thing I just did....only better written

[iacas]

These kinds of things sometimes happen. Perhaps your arms were coming down in the proper sequence, but now (for one day anyway), spinning your hips more aggressively delays how quickly they come down, so you hit some pull-fades because the face wasn't pointed so far left, or your path became more left, or something.

It smells of "quick fix" and more importantly, it smells of "you traded one flaw for another." It might work for a day or a week, but it's probably a) not as different as you think, and b) not the long- or even medium-term plan for real improvement.

[rehmwa]

Quote:

It smells of "quick fix" and more importantly, it smells of "you traded one flaw for another."

One thing I like about any of these drills and good instructors.  (for me anyway)

We don't actually get instruction to 'correct' the 'issue of the day'.

It seems like most of the time, the 'problem' doesn't get addressed so much as the coach looks at the swing and just finds those things that has deviated from the basics.  And then they give drills to fix that deviation back.  Usually, the 'issue' kind of works itself out once the basics are back in the swing.  Most drills, IMO, are just defined to reinforce correct form.  But, like lesson factories, (or Golf Channel "McLessons"), they can be 'sold' to many as a fix to specific problems, but if you look at them, we're just drilling some aspect of the basics.

[kw purp]

My miss is always a pull, from straight pull to pull hook.

I've found the only thing that really prevents it is making a concious effort to swing out more to the right.  Also, at least for me, when I pull it's usually because I am trying to stretch a club a little farther distance wise instead of knocking down the next club higher. Being mindful to swing to the right on these expecially is key.

[mvmac]

My miss is always a pull, from straight pull to pull hook.

I've found the only thing that really prevents it is making a concious effort to swing out more to the right.  Also, at least for me, when I pull it's usually because I am trying to stretch a club a little farther distance wise instead of knocking down the next club higher. Being mindful to swing to the right on these expecially is key.

Again the ball is pulling or starting straight because the face is straight or aimed left.  Ball doesn't start left because you swung left.  Swinging to the right doesn't start the ball right.  You do a good job of adjusting the face, aiming it more right, when you feel you swing more out to the right.

Check out this thread

http://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/ball_flight_laws

[Brian W]

Again the ball is pulling or starting straight because the face is straight or aimed left.  Ball doesn't start left because you swung left.  Swinging to the right doesn't start the ball right.  You do a good job of adjusting the face, aiming it more right, when you feel you swing more out to the right.

Check out this thread

http://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/ball_flight_laws

Great advice

That thread is a real eye-opener to understanding more about key #4

[mvmac]

Great advice

That thread is a real eye-opener to understanding more about key #4

Awesome!