Return from a layoff

[bunkerputt]

So I'm returning to golf after a layoff from having my second child. I was surprised to find a lot of weird issues in my swing. For one, I can't keep the clubface from flying open on my downswing. It's really tough to keep blowing shots that start right and end up right-er. My swing path is also extremely from the inside. What can cause the clubface to open radically on the downswing? I don't know if this is what people mean, but it feels like I get "stuck" and have to flip the club at the ball at the last minute to get the face square.

[zenchili]

So I'm returning to golf after a layoff from having my second child. I was surprised to find a lot of weird issues in my swing. For one, I can't keep the clubface from flying open on my downswing. It's really tough to keep blowing shots that start right and end up right-er. My swing path is also extremely from the inside. What can cause the clubface to open radically on the downswing? I don't know if this is what people mean, but it feels like I get "stuck" and have to flip the club at the ball at the last minute to get the face square.

It definitely sounds like you are getting stuck, which is easy to do if you are coming in too much from the inside. One of the possibilities is that your lower body is outracing your arms and chest. If anything, work on keeping the swing sychronized so that when your shoulders stop turning, the arms stop. Then bring it all down together. It will feel like your swing is shorter, but you should be able to make more consistent solid contact this way.

[bunkerputt]

I was out hitting some balls yesterday and noticed that my weight tended to end up somewhat on the ball of my left foot in my finish instead of my heel. I did a quick test and tried to lift the toes of my left foot off the ground through impact and it was pretty tough. I think my weight in the transition was moving out towards my left big toe instead of to the target. This made it really tough to rotate because it required another weight shift back toward my heel on the downswing in order to square the clubface. I worked a bit on getting my weight moving more straight at the target and somewhat flat footed into my left foot, so that rotation would leave the weight on my left heel in my finish. This seems to have eliminated the "stuck" feeling. It feels like the club is a lot more in front of me now instead of behind and to the right of me. I've started getting the ball drawing much easier now.

It's weird what kinds of things show up in your swing after a layoff. I'm focusing on trying to get the basics solid again and it feels like the swing is coming back slowly.