Unwanted strong draw- what's going on???

[rstyle]

After hitting the ball mostly straight most of my golf career. I suddenly started to have a strong draw that is killing me.
I had others check my stance and although aiming at the 150 flag, my ball ends up 15 to 30 yards to the left (I am right handed).
I think I am turning (rotating) my hands too quick but have no idea what made me start doing this or how to stop.
Can't see any difference in my grip
Tried to shorten my flollow through and hit something like a punch shot with maybe some improvement.

I stand on a par 3 with water on the left and .....................................................

HELP!

[TMO]

I would highly recommend uploading a video of your swing. I could just give you a list of usual suspects for this kind of problem but I would hate to have you go to the course and make it worse. If it is your hands, I would highly recommend making yourself a lag stick. It won't let your hands pass without giving you a nasty little wack on the side of your stomach. Teaches you the right way to swing pretty quick.

[ks8829]

Great video on what causing side spin on the ball

[Zeph]

I would call that a hook, but let's not quibble over terminology.

As far as I understand, the only problem you have is the clubface is shut at impact for whatever reason. I assume the ball starts out straight but end up to the left. How is your release and ball impact? Any chance you are pre-releasing and pulling the shot to the left?

I would highly recommend uploading a video of your swing. I could just give you a list of usual suspects for this kind of problem but I would hate to have you go to the course and make it worse. If it is your hands, I would highly recommend making yourself a lag stick. It won't let your hands pass without giving you a nasty little wack on the side of your stomach. Teaches you the right way to swing pretty quick.

Never heard of it before, but the term "lag stick" sounds interesting. You have any experience with this? I'm casting and getting no lag at all. If I focus on empty space down the target line I sometimes hit it really flush, almost not feeling the ball. But with the ball between my legs, I try to hit it.

[Zeph]

Searched around and found some examples. Pretty easy to make yourself and a great way to practice. I won't have a chance to practice this more than in my living room for a couple of weeks, but I will certainly give this a go.

I simply used a plastic coated clothes hanger, cut off 2-3 feet, measured the distance I needed, inserted it to the club and threw some tape around the club and wire so it didn't move.
Excellent feedback, I don't risk having the wire stuck in my side, but I notice it when I release too early. I also put some black tape on the end into a ball to prevent spearing myself. I wouldn't put tape on my good clubs, this is an older set I use for practice right now. It seems to work very well, this is my 9 iron, but I will be making something I can use on my good set of clubs and experiment with everything from wedges to the driver. This will probably be very helpful with the wedges to avoid trying to flip the ball into the air.

[rstyle]

I do wonder too when it is a strong draw or a hook. I call it a strong draw because I can still play the ball from the left side of the fairway or rough. My hooks threaten cars on side streets and people on other fairways

I know I am rotating my hands to early or quickly because on my follow thru my right hand is over my left with thumb pointing left and toe of club pointing left.
I tried the "shake hands" on the follow thru and also tried taking my right index finger off the club with some sporadic success.
I am wondering if I am opening the club on the backswing and flipping it over to be able to close at impact band then flipping over on the follow thru

Is the idea of the "lag stick" to stop the follow thru before the stick touches your side?

[Zeph]

The idea is not to release the hands too early, which is a very common problem. The idea is that when you come down, hands first, you should not release the hands until you are at the point where the stick does not touch your side. If you release too early it'll poke you in the stomach or side. By delaying the release, the hands will be so far away from the body that the stick wont be able to poke you. Releasing too early, at any point, will make the stick poke you.

I know for my part that when I release the club late, it's like the ball isn't even there. The club just pass through and happen to take the ball with it. It's the closest I have ever been to a butter feeling shot. The word "crisp" sounds strange, I like butter better, because when I hit it perfect, it's like hitting a ball of butter.

[mountaineer maniac0823]

I was having the same problem with the last few rounds I played but I figured out my problem yesterday. It was kind of a two part problem for me: 1st was hands were too close to my body at address and 2nd was my swing plane was a lot flatter than usual. I worked on this and it seems to have straightned me out now. You might want to just give this a thought and see if it works for you.

[verse214]

open your hips a little faster on the downswing and your draw will start out even more to the right and end up on target...

if you want to get rid of the draw just weaken your grip a little bit...

if you start out by weakening your grip you can actually control your fading and drawing with how quickly your clear your hips in the down swing which I think it pretty cool.

[jambalaya]

How long exactly has this been happening? If it is just a couple of rounds then don't change anything. Think only of tempo. Slow things down. You might just be rushing your swing. What could be causing you tension as of late?