slice due to shaft flex or bad swing mechanics

**golfnuub** · August 7, 2009

so i have been out working on my swing at the local park using the birdie ball product. i feel like my swing is really starting to come together but i notice that if i really put some power into my shots that all my balls are slicing. if i back off and refrain from blasting the ball they seem to go straight or have a slight push, pull to them. could the slicing be due to my swing mechanics or more because of my shaft flex on my clubs? currently i have the taylor made burner plus combo set (hybrids are regular graphite flex, irons are regular steel shafts). i have heard that if you have the wrong shaft flex, particularly too soft and you put too much power into your swing that you are more than likely going to slice the heck out of it, so the resolution are to restrict/reduce your swing speed, or reshaft.

any help would be great in this matter......

**powermatt99** · August 7, 2009

It possible that the shafts are to blame but much more likely that your mechanics get off when you add more power. Without knowing your swing speed, it is hard to say for sure.

**NativeTxn** · August 7, 2009

I'd venture a guess to say that it is a 99%+ chance that as you try to apply more "power", your swing mechanics are getting off some and that is what is causing the slice. I experience the same thing at times - you start grooving and hitting some nice balls and get some confidence rolling, and then you try to kill it and the ball is 25 yards to the right of your target.

As powermatt said though, without knowing your swing speed it is hard to say if the shaft is playing into it. Even if the shaft is playing a part, I'd be willing to bet it is still 75% mechanics/25% shaft at best.

Heimer · August 7, 2009

How much twist does your shaft allow? I was using an alien driver with a regular shaft. he shat was maybe a touch on the stiff side, but boy did it allow a ton of twist. I compared it to a quality shaft and the difference was huge, even though the shaft i was comparing it to was a soft flex. Flex is one thing, twist is another.

I bought a new driver with a stiff shaft, and it barely gives at all when I grab the head and grip and try to twist it. My slice is also gone as well! I have to really be ripping ater the ball to get a slice now, and even then it's a very small slice. Mostly now I'm fighting a hook, which has never been a problem until now.

If the shaft doesn't twist in your hand, I'd say swing mechanics, but if you can twist it an 1/8th of a turn I'd def look into getting it reshafted.

**shades9323** · August 7, 2009

, so the resolution are to restrict/reduce your swing speed, or reshaft.

Reducing your swing speed would be cheaper!

And probably more beneficial to your game.

**golfnuub** · August 7, 2009

if i were to reshaft my irons with the same steel metal shaft from Taylor Made just in the stiff version, what is the ballpark figure i can expect to reshaft? ive seen about $250 for steel and $350 depending on the brand of the shaft and grip.

im planning on going into an Edwin watts today and do the performance fitting as they call it on their website. are they pretty good at doing club fittings? ive heard they charge around $35 for the fitting.

my hybrids and irons currently have the following shafts:
3 & 4 hybrids Superfast Graphite shaft, Regular flex, 60 grams
5-PW Burner 85 Superfast Steel shaft, Regular flex

nhpace · August 7, 2009

I had similar issues and also thought it was my shaft. I have been experimenting with a stronger grip - which has worked out for me. Doubt its the shaft.

**golfnuub** · August 7, 2009

i went to edwin watts just a little while ago and was swinging away with the new taylor made burner driver with a regular flex and 10.5 loft. my swing speed averaged around 89mph but i wasnt swinging as hard as i normally would since i was all over the screen with my shots, so i pulled the reins back a little and things got a little better, but it appears to be more about my mechanics or lack their of than the flex, although he had me try a stiff flex driver i was still all over the screen but it felt better especially at impact. i was able to rachet off several good fairway hits with the stiff flex driver. when i did connect with it it was a sweet feeling. since i have read that most drivers are pretty long and choking up can help improve accuracy i decided to choke up to see if that improved my accuracy and it did a little, but i just think my swing at this moment in time looks very similar to an unfolding lawn chair. so gotta get that part figured out first before i worry about shaft flex. at least thats what im thinking. please let me know your thoughts.

**NativeTxn** · August 7, 2009

. . . but i just think my swing at this moment in time looks very similar to an unfolding lawn chair. so gotta get that part figured out first before i worry about shaft flex. at least thats what im thinking. please let me know your thoughts.

I think this is correct - the part about getting your swing figured out first, that is. I haven't seen you swing, so I cannot comment as to its similarity to a lawn chair. ;)

**indacup** · August 8, 2009

so i have been out working on my swing at the local park using the birdie ball product. i feel like my swing is really starting to come together but i notice that if i really put some power into my shots that all my balls are slicing. if i back off and refrain from blasting the ball they seem to go straight or have a slight push, pull to them. could the slicing be due to my swing mechanics or more because of my shaft flex on my clubs? currently i have the taylor made burner plus combo set (hybrids are regular graphite flex, irons are regular steel shafts). i have heard that if you have the wrong shaft flex, particularly too soft and you put too much power into your swing that you are more than likely going to slice the heck out of it, so the resolution are to restrict/reduce your swing speed, or reshaft.

Without seeing and being able to put you in front of our launch monitor, I can assume you are experiencing the normal effects of so many.

Look, when you swing smoothly, you're hitting balls nice...so we KNOW it is not equipment related problem. The problem most likely is, when people try to hit hard, they "muscle up"...and that tension actually SLOWS DOWN your swing speed...now you are slicing. Relax....swing smooth, build confidence and enjoy.

**flopdarock** · August 8, 2009

i dont think its the shaft flex... usually for me a more bendy shaft tends to balloon and a more stiff shaft tends to line drive...
even a shaft with different torques wouldnt create a noticable difference when hitting 3/4 to full swings...
before upgrading any equipment you have... always improve your swing...

a friend of mine dumped alot of money on custom fit clubs... the fitter told him blah blah blah and he went and got them and they worked for the swing he had at the time of the fitting... then he took lessons!!!
now the lie angle is off and he needs a stiffer flex set because his swing is nothing like it was when he was fitted

**indacup** · August 8, 2009

a friend of mine dumped alot of money on custom fit clubs... the fitter told him blah blah blah and he went and got them and they worked for the swing he had at the time of the fitting... then he took lessons!!!

Don't blame the club fitter for that......

A club fitter dials in clubs to the swing of the player.......the fact that the player here decided to change his swing later on is not the fitters problem. Do you blame the clothes fitter for pants he made after you decided to loose 4 inches off the waist?

**flopdarock** · August 10, 2009

Don't blame the club fitter for that......

not blaming the fitter at all... its just an example of lessons before fitting should be a good idea... fix the swing... then get the gear...

would you really go out and get a totally new wardrobe before starting a diet? usually you buy the new clothes to show off your new physique not while youre unsatisfied with you chubby body... unless youre trying to hide something before you diet... same goes for golf... are you buying that draw driver and the super GI irons to mask your bad swing mechanics because you believe what all the ads say?

**whit53** · August 10, 2009

so i have been out working on my swing at the local park using the birdie ball product. i feel like my swing is really starting to come together but i notice that if i really put some power into my shots that all my balls are slicing. if i back off and refrain from blasting the ball they seem to go straight or have a slight push, pull to them. could the slicing be due to my swing mechanics or more because of my shaft flex on my clubs? currently i have the taylor made burner plus combo set (hybrids are regular graphite flex, irons are regular steel shafts). i have heard that if you have the wrong shaft flex, particularly too soft and you put too much power into your swing that you are more than likely going to slice the heck out of it, so the resolution are to restrict/reduce your swing speed, or reshaft.

Given proper swing mechanics..... the most common errant shots caused by a shaft that is too weak, would be high left (for a right handed player). Conversely, a shaft that was too firm would low right..... not slicing to the right, but simply blocked low and right of the target.

Sounds like you problem is in your mechanics...... most likely trying to muscle the ball using your shoulders and arms. Good luck,

**enduro** · August 10, 2009

A thread blaming a slice on the swing or the equipment? Hmmmm, I'm going to go with the swing without seeing the club or the swing.

**golfnuub** · August 10, 2009

im going with the swing too.... :) ill repost when i have ironed out the kinks/glitches in my swing.

**ted dibiase** · August 10, 2009

you probably aren't finishing your swing. Make sure that in your follow through pose your right elbow and shoulder are the closest things to the target. That is a pretty good indicator that you have actually gotten your torso through the impact zone.

**mhodar13** · August 10, 2009

Well, from what I know, there are many different factors that make a slice happen. Too much or too little shaft flex, over the top and/or outside swing plane, striking the ball off-center, hitting it off of the toe, opening the club too much at address, opening it at impact. So, as you see, there are many different factors involed and even if you only do one of these wrong, you will most likely slice until everything comes together nicely as one. I had a 10.5 regular flex driver, and hit it good for a bit until I really started improving. The flex was too much for my swing so it made me slice. I was also a bit outside/over the top. So I got the same driver in 9.5 degrees stiff and worked on bringing my swing more inside, and now I can hit as hard or soft as I need to and it either goes dead straight or a very slight fade. The wind is another factor, even a light breeze can sometimes pull your ball OB if you're unlucky. So, I'd say to work on your swing until you're dead sure it's just right and if you are still battling a slight slice than maybe look into a stiffer shft and possibly also lower lofted driver and see how you're doing. Too high a loft can give the ball too much hangtime and more room for it to go astray. Trying a low spin ball like the e6+ or NXT might help a bit too. But don't buy anything until you're absolutely positive it is the equipment working against you and not your swing. Hope I helped.

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slice due to shaft flex or bad swing mechanics

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