Happy with scores but not how i am getting them (super long but please i need help)

[dagolfer]

My last couple rounds of 9 holes have been all sub 45 (43,40,43) which for me is really good at this time of the year considering my goal was to shoot those entering july. Anyway, I am happy with getting those scores but not happy with how they are coming. I am lucky to hit 1-3 actually fairways per round. Most drives are in the rough and i still have an open shot or they are slices from one side of the fairway to the other. I went to the range and worked on it by laying two clubs down and swinging down the line but then i developed a low ball flight which i thought was due to the fact that i have really worked on my iron swing and i was still hitting down on the ball instead of swooping. Now that i am straight i wanted elevation on my drives so back to the range i go. On this trip i was lights out perfect. Drives up into the air and about 270 in distance. I probably had like 2 bad drives out of 20. Alas i come home and go find some old balls in the woods and hit them back up into the woods. And they are all slices. What key element am i missing that i can't consistently get a high straight drive. When i step up to the drive i have had three thoughts, swing down the line, have a higher finish to get the ball up, and keep you head down.

Since i really work on doing these things could i be moving my lower body too fast and getting my hips foreward too quickly and that makes the club late to the ball with an open face? It is gonna be bad weather for about the next week so i won't really get to practice or play for a while but it just bothers me that i could probaby be breaking 40 with more drives in the fairway. I think there is some mental issue here too. Even before the ball i am thinking just don't be so far right that i don't have a play. How do i get around all these things?

[powerfader]

There are about a million different "cures" for the swing plane problem slicers have, but the crux of it is set-up related. Check your: grip pressure (I'd be willing to bet you've got too firm a hold on the club), your alignment and finally (because its the most awkward to adjust) check that your stance is correct. My problem was always crowding the ball; standing too close and generally having a shoddy stance (I think this is very common). If you don't leave enough room for your arms to come to the impact position from the inside, or at worst slightly from the outside then the harder you try and hit it the worse the slice will be.

If you think all of these aspects are textbook then the problem is most likely rooted in the hips. Make sure that the start of the downswing is commenced by a lateral shift (ie not a turning rather a shifting sideways) of the hips in order to move the weight onto the left foot. This "move" corrects an auful lot of flaws. You should feel like the hip turn is later than you're used to, so that you're almost hitting the ball with your chest.

Hope some of this is helpful.......

in the bag:

R7 Draw 12.5 degree
Big Bertha (04) 15 degree
F-50 18 degree
NVG Mactec 21 degree hybrid
MP-60 4-PW
Tour Style 54 and 60
Bobby Grace DCT Response
Ball: pro v1x or HX tour in the winter

[HSip]

My last couple rounds of 9 holes have been all sub 45 (43,40,43) which for me is really good at this time of the year considering my goal was to shoot those entering july. Anyway, I am happy with getting those scores but not happy with how they are coming. I am lucky to hit 1-3 actually fairways per round. Most drives are in the rough and i still have an open shot or they are slices from one side of the fairway to the other. I went to the range and worked on it by laying two clubs down and swinging down the line but then i developed a low ball flight which i thought was due to the fact that i have really worked on my iron swing and i was still hitting down on the ball instead of swooping. Now that i am straight i wanted elevation on my drives so back to the range i go. On this trip i was lights out perfect. Drives up into the air and about 270 in distance. I probably had like 2 bad drives out of 20. Alas i come home and go find some old balls in the woods and hit them back up into the woods. And they are all slices.

Sounds like you're working hard on your game but perhaps thinking about it a bit too much while playing your round. Besides when you find that key element "

What key element am i missing that i can't consistently get a high straight drive. " - Please post it! Good luck

[Grndslmhttr3]

One suggestion I could make is that if you have access to a video camera, you could record your swing from a few different angles (side, behind, etc.), and maybe post it here for others to see. I'm no expert and probably couldn't tell you anything too useful, but I'm sure there are quite a few members who could give you some tips.