Push Slice Fix?

[patnyc]

Hi Everyone,


So I've come to understand that my current slice (w/Drivers/Hybrids/Long Irons) is caused by my arms getting ahead of my body. The ball comes out somewhat straight and then begins to turn late in the shot. This is becoming a big problem now that i'm breaking 100. In the past, it wasn't that big of an issue because it taught me how to punch out of the trees and also punch through a tree line. But now, it is costing me strokes. I shot a 98 the other day but i can say that I had at least 10 layup/punch shot caused by me being in/over a tree line.

Does anyone have a specific drill I can do to help me with this problem?

[JetFan1983]

When I was fighting a consistent push-slice at the range the other day, I put the ball 2-4 inches forward in my stance and started hitting them straight again. You could try that.

In the end, it's all guesswork without actually seeing your swing. Film and post it to get legitimate feedback and drill suggestions.

Filming Your Swing: http://thesandtrap.com/playing_tips/filming_your_swing

[injury]

I feel ya I fight it all the time. In my search I've learned there are about as many causes for slices as there are fixes for each one. Vid helps those guys that know how to breakdown the swing and spot flaws (I'm not one of them, I'm just a beginner trying to get better). But I know how frustrating not having some idea of something to try can be so I'll mention some things I've found lately.

Push slice would be going away from you initially then slicing. If the ballflight is straight initially like you said I believe that would just be a good ole fashioned slice.

Had the best session with my driver tonight after a friend worked with me on my takeaway. I'm a chronic push slicer and the the longer the club gets the worse it is. Apparently taking the hands back too straight and not enough in was causing me to come out to in, combined with an open club face = push slice. Once I got those hands in tonight surprise surprise I actually started pulling the ball at times. If I was to describe the feeling of me working on it I would say it was nearly the feeling of pulling the hands in almost 45 degrees to behind my back hips as they were working back about when the clubhead got to my back foot. Remember feel isn't real, but that's how it felt to me as I was doing it. http://thesandtrap.com/forum/entries...ands-Explained explains the concept. So you don't do what I did when I had first read about it months ago hands get deeps and draws the clubhead back, not the other way around.

Per your initial concern about hands and body timing, lots of drills for that. Think of a pause at the top and starting down with the body. Feet together is good if you don't cheat, need to feel that space at the top as the club is changing directions where it's almost weightless and use that as a key to start from the feet up to pull it back through. My wife was struggling with same thing Sunday doing the 3 to 9 drill and I came up with a drill for her that got that body motion first idea through crystal clear but it takes 2 people. If you got someone with you take club back to 9 o'clock, have them hold the clubhead, then leaving your arms as the last to move pull that clubhead out of their hand starting from the legs up. I grabbed her club and said, "alright kick that front knee towards target and turn your hips", was the best iron contact she's had.

[Zeph]

Only way to hit a slice is with an open club face or an out-to-in swing path (over the top). Get yourself on video and post it here. Throwing out random tips and fixes likely won't help a whole lot.

[patnyc]

Thanks all! This is what I'm trying tonight these are two nice visual drills. I hope this helps. I'm playing a executive course that has a few very challenging holes. I'll let you know how i do.

[JetFan1983]

Unfortunately that first video is pretty bad. He's right that the wrists can roll, but that move he keeps making at around 1:09 is basically 99% of the time going to get interpreted the wrong way. It will result in a flip. A better way to state this is that one should be mantaining their flying wedge throughout the golf swing as much as they can.

Instructor Martin Hall better explains what the guy in your first video is trying to say.




Just to make sure we're on the same page, a push-slice is a ball flight that starts to the right (for right handed golfers) and then fades or slices off even further to the right. The only way you can hit this shot is by coming from inside to out with a club-face that is slightly open to the club path.

If a person's ball is starting straight and then slicing off, it's because you came over the top. Your club face is actually square to your target at impact, but since the club-path is outside-in, you're putting right side spin on the ball, so it will begin to slice (and sometimes mega-slice) off to the right.

Please take this as constructively as possible, but the second video that you provided is even worse. He's further ingraining a flip into his students. That drill creates waaaay too much club head ascension, and you'll never be able to hit your longer clubs. Hopefully Nick Clearwater can clear this topic up a bit:

[injury]

Martin Hall...I was trying to find that guys name and those videos two weeks ago to look at the hinge one. Searched everything I could for hinges on youtube and the golf channels website. Thanks Jefffan

[JetFan1983]

A better way to state this is that one should be mantaining their flying wedge throughout the golf swing as much as they can.

Sorry, what I meant to say here was that "a better way to state this is that one should be maintaining their flying wedge throughout the downswing and through swing as much as they can."

Just to make sure we're on the same page, a push-slice is a ball flight that starts to the right (for right handed golfers) and then fades or slices off even further to the right. The only way you can hit this shot is by coming from inside to out with a club-face that

Sorry, that's for a small push-fade. With a push-slice, the club face is very open relative to the club path.

Martin Hall...I was trying to find that guys name and those videos two weeks ago to look at the hinge one. Searched everything I could for hinges on youtube and the golf channels website. Thanks Jefffan

Anytime.

[iacas]

Just to make sure we're on the same page, a push-slice is a ball flight that starts to the right (for right handed golfers) and then fades or slices off even further to the right. The only way you can hit this shot is by coming from inside to out with a club-face that is slightly open to the club path.

That's not necessarily correct...

You can swing two degrees outside in with a clubface six degrees open. Blammo - push-slice. All we know is that the clubface is open to the target (push part) and the swing path is outside-in relative to the clubface (anywhere from five degrees inside out to quite a lot outside in).

[JetFan1983]

That's not necessarily correct...

Ahh, great point, iacas. Thanks for the correction.

[ks8829]

If you practice with your wedges until you can hit your wedge shot straight or little right to left for right hander. try keeping your hands closer to your body (this might help prevent the push shot) and set the shaft down the line, with the toe pointing up and the back of your left hand facing perpendicular to the target line with your wedge, the face of the wedge should be pointing away from you. Then, return the club to the ball and the hands should automatically turn over so that the back of your right hand after impact should be facing perpendicular to the target line at about hip high, the goal is to make sure that you turn your hands over on your backswing and after impact, the face of the wedge should be pointing to your left. if you are slicing you are leaving the club face open at and after impact.

Many times griping too tightly with your right hand will prevent your hands from automatically turning over freely, so keep a light grip pressure. Grip of your left hand should be only your last three finger, middle, ring and pinky. grip on your right hand should be mainly the middle and ring fingers, again for right handers.

[LottaBalata]

One of my favorite drills when I get the pushes a lot is the "Right foot drop-back" (if you're a righty).

You take your stance, then drop the right foot back at least a foot, maybe more if you have decent balance.

Some days I'll do this drill and hit the ball 30 yards further than my regular stance shots. I've almost done it during a round, but felt a little silly.

[patnyc]

Hey everyone,

Thanks for all the responses but I'm still struggling at the range and at the course. I played a round on Saturday and I shot a 95. I could have easily taken away 6 strokes for horrible drivers/lost balls. I ended up bagging the Driver in the back 9 and going with my 3Hybrid/4Iron off the tee. I was hitting them fairly straight so I decided to keep the driver in the bag. My game this year has come a long way but man this is frustrating.

I'll try to video tape my swing but its kind of hard at my range since its SUPER packed all the time. I might end up doing it at my parents house in the backyard with a wiffle ball.