Your "Fallback Flaws"

[iacas]

I have three flaws that seem to cycle their way through my game. When I'm playing well, I don't have any, but most often I kind of cycle gently from one to the other throughout the year. They've diminished in their intensity lately, so that's good, and knowing what they are has helped me. I can fix things on the course without having to actually think of anything mechanical over the ball - I just "realize" which flaw it is and I can self-correct without getting out of my target focus...

But I call them my "fallback flaws" because they're the flaws I fall back on if I don't pay attention. My fallback flaws are:

1. My head changes height throughout my swing. Oftentimes it'll go down on the backswing (in a bass-ackwards attempt to get my hands "higher" above my shoulder) and up in the follow-through, but when I try to hit the ball harder sometimes it'll go up on the backswing and down through impact. Keeping my head a consistent height is, thus, the solution to this flaw.
2. My swing gets flat. This has been one of the biggest things I've worked on this year. I used to worry about being laid off (shaft pointing left), but this year I'm working on swinging much more up than around, especially with the longer clubs.
3. My back isn't straight. My last fallback flaw is to get a rounded back. Standing up straighter not only helps my swing get more upright (see above) and avoid moving my head up and down (above, again), but also to make a lot more consistent contact.

Of course, I check my setup, grip, alignment, etc. regularly, so they never really have a chance to get too far out of whack.

Now that I've shared mine, I'll ask you: what are your "fallback flaws"?

[SheriffBooth]

Ha, you sound a lot like me. I don't bob my head but instead I slide and get a little ahead of the ball and either hit it skinny or right. I also get flat and hit big sweeping hooks - since I started using the Momentus flat isn't really a problem as much as it has been in seasons past, but it's let other flaws creep in like a closed face on takeaway and not clearing my hips.

But sliding into the ball (and leaving it way out to the right) I'd have to say is my "fallback". I'm pretty thin with a controlled backswing so my power comes from rotation and timing, and the default mistake is sliding, especially with the driver and fairways.

[muskegman]

Good question. I've got more than three, but I'll stick to major flaws that I am starting to identify and deal with:

1. Swing plane: Anyone who saw my swing in Erik's Swing Check column noticed that I get laid off in the backswing. So, like Erik, I need to keep the club on plane going back. I have to feel that I'm bringing the clubhead "higher" in the backswing. A proper downswing emerges on it's own when I do this and my swing doesn't become too flat also.
2. Proper release: This is totally related to the first item, swing plane. I need to ensure that I'm following through on Hogan's swing plane and my swing is much more solid. I have to feel that I'm staying in the swing for a long time.
3. Sliding hips: My hips slide forward and open up too much, too early, and I lose balls to the right. When this happens I suffer from an open clubface and an outside-in swingpath can easily develop. I hate this the most.
4. Diving at the ball: Its my aggressive nature at work, but I tend to try to muscle the ball off the turf. I end up hitting way too many fat shots, particularly in the fairway. Fixing this is priority one.

Basically all of these problems stem from the fact that I learned to quit half way through the swing. I was stabbing at the ball instead of practicing a full backswing, downswing, and followthrough. I'm very excited now that I am understanding this a little more and implementing it on the course.

I am having way fewer blow up holes. The first year and a half I'd post 3-5 8's per round. As long as I stay relaxed and stick with what I'm learning I don't suffer from 8's on the golf course much. As much as I think I haven't made enough progress, I really am doing better in many areas.

[NCGolfer]

Good stuff. Here are mine:

1. Loopy swing: For the longest time I took the club outside on the takeaway and dropped it in on the downswing. It isn't a terrible thing to have, but it is hard to repeat. It creeps back into my swing from time to time.
2. Bad posture: Similar to what Erik says about his back, I often don't have the nice hard angle from my legs to my back. I have to reinforce this many times over the year to keep my posture correct.
3. Keeping the weight back (balance): This is odd, but I often have issues setting up with weight on my toes. Through the swing it rocks back to my heels and then back again to my toes. I'll often lose my balance and have to take a step forward (towards where the ball was) to catch myself. If I fix my posture correctly, this usually is not an issue.

Basically, I've worked on my setup and getting the weight on the balls of my feet. I didn't know how important balance was to a swing until last year...truly. If you don't have balance it is nearly impossible to return the club back to the position it was at address.

I have a pre-shot routine where I take the club about 3/4 the way back on the correct plane I want to make sure I'm not taking it outside. That's helped me in the past year or so to keep the loop out...

[Finn07]

Good question here are mine:

1. Too flat of a backswing. Every since I started taking lessons I was told to swing the club around my spine like a baseball player. I played college baseball so I didnt think this would be difficult. It has resulted in me hitting horrible hooks when I do this.

2. Proper weight shift. I tend to leave some of my weight on my back foot, not ending up on my toe (right foot, Im right handed), which ends up in a major power leak.

3. Too strong of a grip. When my grip gets too strong I notice the hooks starting to come out. I have to remind myself to get more neutral so I can straighten things out.

Im sure there are more but for the most part when I start hooking the ball I know it could be a potentially long day, or a day where I have to scramble my ass off.

[allin]

I seem to always find ways to invent new flaws, usually by taking a tip and exagerating it to the point it is a flaw. But I have 3 that make an annual appearance.

1. I try to over rotate my back swing turn, this makes my turn too flat, causing the club to lay off badly.

2. Trying to compensate for my lack of distance, I will get quick at the top. If I manage to stay inside this results in a hook, otherwise a pull.

3. I will slide forward if I try to swing to hard and either hit it thin or push it badly, the thin comes when I am so out of whack I start losing my balance from this fault. This used to end up in sh****, but fortunately it never gets that bad now.

[realed]

My major fallback flaw has to do with bringing my club way inside the target line on my backswing. I end up rerouting my club and end up with an outside/in swing making me look like i have never played golf before. When this occurs I can usually fix it by (this might sound bad) taking my eye off the ball for a split second to check on my backswing to ensure my club is still on line.

[ragontona]

I've got five major flaws that pop up everytime I play.

1. Address
2. Backswing
3. Downswing
4. Impact
5. Followthrough

I just need to get those things fixed, and I'll feel good about my game.

[LarryK]

Way Too Quick. Rushing both the backswing and downswing and destroying any semblance of tempo.
Swinging the hands and arms rather than rotating the shoulders. No width and chokes off the follow through. Vicious pull hooks result.
Timid putting. "Never up, never in" If I hear that one more time....

[BigAl5150]

Wanted to get this down on paper:

1. Putting - Taking the putter back too far and then decelerating as I hit the ball. Nothing worse than putting from twenty feet and still having an eight foot putt left. Need to continue to work on a shorter backswing.
2. Too strong of a grip/right hand - I let my right hand open too much and have the V point outside my shoulder. Flips the club face closed and its left all day.
3. Sliding insteading of rotating.
4. Taking the club too far inside on backswing - Need to get back to the Mike Weir/Chris Dimarco pre shot routine with taking the club back to hip level to check this.
5. Taking too aggressive of a swing. Need to focus on better contact.

Need to spend time daily on the basics: grip, posture and alignment.

[Rafcin]

...making sure I turn my clubhead slightly in before the swing

good idea to prevent from going back well inside of the swing plane - it's much harder to do with your wrists turned a bit

making sure I'm coming straight up on my follow-through.

I'm working on it myself - always thinking of Montgomery's finish. It definitely helps to square at impact.

[Rafcin]

Wanted to get this down on paper:

I think you're half-way to have "Golf 10 Commandments"

All of these apply to most people (me definitelly!). I'd add one more: Commit to EVERY shot, every shot counts - never hit the ball angry, distracted or not ready

[HanesOnU]

My flaws come out as either a pull hook or a push slice. But usually it only happens once when I feel the pressure then I'm good.

[LarryK]

never hit the ball angry, distracted or not ready

You mean I have to wait 'til I'm

calm ?? I think my four hour forty-five minute round just went to 5:25.

[iacas]

But I call them my "fallback flaws" because they're the flaws I fall back on if I don't pay attention. My fallback flaws are:

Incidentally, I've largely stopped worrying about the first item. The last item is still there, and the middle one has become less prominent. It may be on its way out, too.

But I can add one to the list: sway. A few times this year I've gone into little slumps because I sway off the ball too much. Basically, an exaggerated weight transfer. I need to trust that I've set my weight properly at address, coil, then go forward. Instead, I find myself swaying back off the ball and then trying to time everything going forward through the ball. Rarely does everything sync up.

[Xt1ncT]

This is easy for me..!!!

My "Fallback Flaw" is that I take the club outside the target line, which ends up with me coming over the top and either pulling an iron straight left, or a big high cut with a wood.

To stop this I have a couple of drills. The Mike Weir/Chris DiMarco drill is always a good one. Plus I have a swing thought of swinging along the lines of my feet.

I spend as much time as I can at home practising my takeaway and getting in the correct position halfway up. Once that's ingrained my golf should improve heaps. I noticed on Sunday when I really concentrated on this I hit some really solid irons shots.

The other main thing I work on is tempo, I sometimes get a bit too quick so try to slow it down a bit.

[georgep]

When things are going wrong it's usually one of 3-5 things:

(Plane-1) I get too vertical with driver, which exacerbates not finishing my backswing before starting down (tempo-2) which gives me an over the top move and a hard fade. With the short clubs I start taking them back too far inside (path-3). And with all the clubs I try to hit the little white ball too dang hard (4), which screws up everything.

Oh, and I sometimes get a little loop in my putting stroke. I'm the Jim Furyk of putting.

[zebrasinamerica]

for me it is "the sway" or lateral movement with my hips, I don't know how I got it in the first place or what makes it come back when it does but I really really really hate it so if anyone has any drills to help with the elimination of the problem I would love to read them.

ZEBRA