Long and Wrong - Gaining Control

wofat · June 7, 2008

YAY. Finally can create a post, which is the whole reason I've sought out a knowledgable community... but I digress.

I've been playing golf since I was 5. I have a very natural swing with an extremely aggressive turn and wrist move at the bottom of my swing that generates a lot of power... or so I am told. I hit a very long ball, but very often to my detriment. Much of my time is spend hunting for wayward drives.

My scoring definately suffers due to my distance. In any given round I can easily lose 4 - 6 balls due to errant drives or long iron shots that get away from me. I've tried slowing my swing down which is very helpful and, when I can maintain it, keeps me more in control. However, I'm looking for key's on tempo and ways to back off on my swing without my timing getting totally screwy. Everytime I try to slow way down and give an 80% swing, either my wrists are rushing ahead or falling way behind and I spray even worst than at full power.

This issue has been driving me nuts. People who play with me and see me hit the ball well can't understand why I'm a 12. But around the corner at the next hole is a disaster in waiting. I just want some control.

If i get the chance, I'll take some video and post it. It seems that you folks understand a heck of a lot more about the golf swing than I do.

**CG031** · June 7, 2008

It's not always that great hitting it 230 down the middle of the fairway. Sometimes I wish I had more distance and I'd be willing to sacrifice control. When I go to really long courses, it's hard for me to compete hitting my 6 iron as my 150 club.

wofat · June 7, 2008

I guess I'm looking for a happy medium. :)

**golf_junkie27** · June 7, 2008

.

What are your misses like? Also, what shafts are you playing with? Do you think that you may benefit from using a heavier shaft or changing the swingweight of the club?

If tempo is part of your problem, where are you rushing? Are you having too many moving body parts at once?

wofat · June 7, 2008

Typical misses are smother hook (mostly) and huge high fade or slice (every once in a while, though more lately).

Yes, I would say I've got a lot of moving body parts. I suppose you'd need some video to make this easier. I'll see what I can do about that.

I use a Taylor Made R7 425 with a stiff shaft (stock) off the tee. I have stiff steel on all of my irons. Clubhead speed (as of last year when I last had it measured) was 116.

**mikelz** · June 7, 2008

YAY. Finally can create a post, which is the whole reason I've sought out a knowledgable community... but I digress.

In the meantime, grab your 3 wood.

If you hit the ball long, you won't miss the driver much.

**TinCupTampa** · June 7, 2008

High fades are typical results of an overswing. The smother hook could be you over compensating and just jerking it left. I say slow your swing and get it straight... then increase your power.

**Lange** · June 7, 2008

One thing that could really help you with control with such a power swing is stiff shaft clubs. Expecially with your driver that can eliminate one nasty slice.

**lolzzlolzz** · June 7, 2008

Sounds like you are getting very "handsy" at the bottom of your swing. You shouldn't have any conscious hand action in the swing at all.

Does this sound like your problem?

If it does, I suggest you check your grip. It sounds very simple and boring but a wrong grip will force you to make compensations at the last moment, and even the pros can't do this all the time.

And I wouldn't say slowing your swing speed is a good idea. Ben Hogan tells the beginner to swing at the ball hard all the time. The body works together better and is more free to move when you don't hold back.

wofat · June 7, 2008

I don't actually feel what's going on with my hands. I'm just *told* that I have a very aggressive wrist action through impact.

And I wouldn't say slowing your swing speed is a good idea. Ben Hogan tells the beginner to swing at the ball hard all the time. The body works together better and is more free to move when you don't hold back.

This is EXACTLY what I try to explain to other people. When I try to go slow and smooth, everything seems to get disjointed and my timing gets all out of whack. Everyone, however, seems to think that I am swinging too hard and that slowing down will allow me to be more accurate. Unfortunately, I haven't found that to be the case due to the above.

One thing I thought of today is that my driver ALWAYS seems like it's too long to me. I'm only 5'10" and I use the stock R7 425 which I believe is 45". I wonder if shortening it 1" to 1.5" would help some as well? Unfortunately, the 3 wood isn't much (if any) more consistent. :(

**Dent** · June 7, 2008

I have the same problem, There are days when I can hit it dead straight, and then the next day Ill usually hook or slice.

For me Slowing down your swing is the first step, but since you have a stiff shaft, slowing down the swing can result in slicing or hooking. When you slow down the swing with a stiff shaft, the speed is not enough for the shaft and bad things happen. I find when I hook I am always thinking about slicing, so 1) coming down towards the ball I do a slight wrist turn, slight enough to close the clubface. To make it even worse, I don't finish at my target, My hips overturn at the end and my whole body ends up going left, resulting in a hook. I find when I drive straight, as soon as I hit the ball, I am almost throwing my whole body out towards the target.

When I slice its a combination of elbows, arms and wrists (and the shaft) When I come down it feels almost as if Im hacking with an axe, my arms come up way too high and my body goes before my arms do. When I do that, my wrists open the clubface and its all downhill from there.

Check to see if you tend to do some of this. Its basic.

**golf_junkie27** · June 8, 2008

Wofat,

Next time you're on the range, try relaxing a little bit, have clear thoughts and bang out some balls. A few things that I do when I'm struggling a bit:

1) I go through my swing routine without the club. I will actually watch my hands and wrists during my backswing, making sure they pass my right leg before I start my shoulder turn. I'll then stop at the top and look where my body is Am I bending my left knee, where are my feet positioned, are they almost shoulder-width apart. Also, where are my hands at this point. Moreso, am I feeling comfortable. I'll repeat this for my follow through, too.

2) I'll take practice swings with my 8 Iron. It's my favorite scoring club, the club that gives me confidence. By swinging this club, it puts me in the right frame of mind. I'll then go through my entire bag, repeating the first process with all the clubs and then taking swings.

This should enable you to see everything and where you are during each point of the swing. You can make corrections, then and there, and fix your results.

FWIW, by trimming your driver, you'll get some more accuracy.

**nlowplacez** · June 8, 2008

wofat i used to have the same problem. man i could smoke the hell out of the ball but it could go anywhere. now i still smoke the ball, and it still rarely goes exactly where i want it to, but there is a range of how far and in what direction i miss. my miss (you have one) was a block push to the right or a hook. i don't hook anymore but i still push, and i dont mind a bit when i do. i changed to playing a fade a while back and it did two things. the hook is gone because i'm always coming into the ball with an open face, and the push is always playable becasue i am aimed left of my target ( i actually push or swing in to out a little on purpose im a push fader). so if hooking or pushing is your problem you might give it a try, and if its pulling or slicing youre obviously coming over the top and may want to try the opposite(close your stance and make a draw your go to) most people that hit a lot of erratic shots are trying to hit straight balls all the time and aim right at the target. thats fine if your a ten times better ball striker than any player on tour. find a shot, fade or draw, that makes the most sense with your current swing and misses, and play it. for a while play nothing but that shot to get it ingrained and get consistent with it, and as you get better change it up from time to time just to make sure you have the opposite shot if you need it. hope this helps, it might not but its what worked for me and a few of the people ive taught.

Drew

**JackieTreehorn** · June 8, 2008

I have struggled with swinging too hard too. My problem was the lower body. To get more control, I want to slow my legs and hips down - a good drill is to try to think about keeping your right foot on the ground all the way to impact. It forces you to swing in control. You can see a pic of what I mean in this thread (though I am still working on it): http://thesandtrap.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12972

**Garthmo** · June 8, 2008

Probobly like most I can have a wicked slice or a push right. Somedays it seems like whatever I do it wont get better. But some days it feels good and it goes straight with maybe a little fade. Today I fixed it with changing my grip and really trying to remember to releasing my wrists at impact and not after. If your anything like me when you try to hit it with power you maybe are a little too fast with the hands and the clubface gets left behind and that directs it or slices it right?

wofat · June 10, 2008

Thank you all for the great input. I have lots of stuff to try out! I'm trying to get in to my clubfitter tomorrow to see about the driver trimming, and maybe then go off to the range for a bit. :)

I do tend to feel like I'm very inconsistent with my swing plane with the driver, as I constantly search for the right one. Hopefully I'll get to post a swing video at some point.

wofat · June 13, 2008

So, I went to my fitter tonight and did a swing analysis. I took one swing and he said he already knew what the issue was, but to keep swinging... so I did.

So, my avg clubhead speed was 117. He says that the standard TaylorMade Fuji shaft that came with my R7 is a LOT of the problem. I kept smotherhooking the ball and the swing monitor sort of showed the same thing. Obviously part of it is my swing, but what it also showed was a consistent adjustment that I was making. My "opened-closed" clubface made a sweet christmas tree pattern. I apparently keep overadjusting on every swing for what is going on, which make a HELL of a lot of sense given my recent "huge hook / big slice / hook / slice" performances.

So, my question to you all....

He's going to research shafts and is looking for something between 70 - 80 grams, X-stiff, with a stiffer tip that fits my swing characteristics. My tempo came out at 1.10 on avg and his fancy club to monitor torque or something read 13, which he said was very smooth for that swingspeed, but to be honest I didn't really follow what that was about.

Does any of this mean anything to any of you? Is there anything I should be concerned about? He had me hit a R580 8.5deg with a Fuji 90 gram Xstiff and I was hitting the hell out of it, but I'm not going to buy a new driver. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Oh, and almost forgot, he's cutting it down to 44" from 45". We considered 43.5, but decided on 44.

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Long and Wrong - Gaining Control

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