question about left elbow in downswing...

[senorchipotle]

after receiving what i think to be some excellent advice, i decided to quit thinking about squaring the clubface in terms of wrist action, and focus on turning my left elbow instead. which, as it turns out, allows me to keep some killer lag and pretty much makes hitting shots fat obsolete. only one problem, my ball is drawing like crazy. i've weakened my grip to one knuckle and it's still drawing substantially, and it's impossible to fade the ball unless i open up the face 30* past neutral, which feels really strange.

any swing thoughts/ideas/practice tips are greatly appreciated.

[iacas]

after receiving what i think to be some excellent advice, i decided to quit thinking about squaring the clubface in terms of wrist action, and focus on turning my left elbow instead. which, as it turns out, allows me to keep some killer lag and pretty much makes hitting shots fat obsolete. only one problem, my ball is drawing like crazy. i've weakened my grip to one knuckle and it's still drawing substantially, and it's impossible to fade the ball unless i open up the face 30* past neutral, which feels really strange.

I just wanted to use that picture... You're listed as a 5.9. Why on earth are you rolling anything? That advice almost never works, and the people it does work for either a) hit 1000 balls a day, every day, or b) have really bad days fairly often. Quite likely you have some path issues going on, and it should strike you as odd that you can't hit a fade unless you open the face thirty degrees more than normal. Also, how are you opening the face - before or after taking your grip? Look, best thing I could tell you at this time is this:

• Take a neutral grip and a neutral stance.
• Limit or remove as much "wrist rolling" as possible.
• Make slow-motion swings - doesn't matter if the ball goes 10 yards in the air - and really feel that you're not rolling your wrists at all.
• Slowly work your way up to half speed and then 3/4 and then full speed swings. You can't go to slowly in working your way up.

I'm curious who gave you the advice, if only so that I know never to take advice from them.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I try not to roll either, I hit killer snap hooks when i do. Rolling is kind of like a forced release. If i get a good body move through the ball, the face will square up on its own.

[senorchipotle]

there's a fella who practices at the same place i do. he's a + handicap; not sure how many balls he hits a day though. thanks for the advice, i'll try it this afternoon.