Help with a big slice

[FenderStrat62]

Thanks for the link.

I went outside and swung at those practice balls until I couldn't stand the heat anymore.

Here's what I think I found: My backswing was too "wide" if that makes any sense. My backswing felt like it was so far away from me that I was forced to swing back over the top to hit the ball squarely. I started keeping my backswing tighter--closer to me. I finally started hitting some drives straight and long, and even hit a power draw or two.

I'm going to spend some time on the range before my next round of golf (Tuesday) and try to commit this new swing to muscle memory.

[JML22]

You probably sway back, and dont get your weight forward enough thus hitting too far off your back foot, this opening up the shoulders relative to your hands/hip etc

[rdwoody]

My recommendation is not to play with or listen to that Rhett Woody fella. He's full of bad advice and even worse golf skills. That will probably help your game more than anything.

[Scott_K]

FenderStrat62, I know what you mean by the backswing feeling "too wide". When this happens to me, I notice my weight gets over the outter edge of my right foot by the time I reach the top. This leads to a sway and poor weight transfer JML22 is referring to.

A couple of drills that work for me sometimes:
Try putting a headcover under your right armpit. This helps keep the right arm tucked in closer to your body and helps eliminate the "too wide" feeling on the backswing. It promotes more of a turning action into the backswing and puts you in a position at the top to put an in to out downswing motion like in Zeph's pic.

Also try putting a headcover under the outter right edge of you right foot. This helps keep your weight on the inner portion of your right foot during the backswing.
I do one or the other once in a while. I can't do both at the same time, I feel too locked in.

[StricklandPropane]

No, can't say I agree at all.

So what he said doesn't cause a slice? Or did you miss when he said "most of MY slice issues"?

[newtogolf]

So what he said doesn't cause a slice? Or did you miss when he said "most of MY slice issues"?

I wasn't going to bother responding even though this wasn't a self-assessment, it was my instructors feedback on my swing mechanics.

[FenderStrat62]

I went to the driving range today, with less than satisfactory results.

I felt like I was really getting somewhere last night, but I kept slicing balls into the woods today. I couldn't get it to go away, no matter what I tried.

So, I guess I'm back to square one. Mr. rdwoody filmed my original swing on his crackberry, so I'll try to get those posted in here later. By original swing, I mean I was not focusing on keeping my backswing from being too wide. I was just letting it rip, like normal. I'll see what you guys think.

[og512]

I had the exact same problem... I was told by observers on the course that I was leaving the face open at impact... there were 3 things that I did to fix my issue:

1. My grip... I had to do some experimenting at the range to find what was comfortable for me (i.e. place of club in left hand and loosening up the right hand. I was gripping it way too tight.

2. I choked up on the grip and moved a little closer to the ball. this was a big help espcially considering the length of these drivers these days the fact that Im only 5' 6".

3. I shortened my back swing for while. This helped me stay in better position on the downswing and at impact and it helped me develop a consistent tempo.

4. Leave my ego in the clubhouse... hitting it a mile doesn't do much if i'm hitting my second shot from the wrong fairway. I focused more on tempo and constitent impact and stopped tensing up to try to crush it off the tee.

I did lose some distance, about 20 yards. But i would much rather do that and have a longer iron into the into green from my own fairway rather than trying to recover from a neighboring fairway.

Good luck.

[FenderStrat62]

I had the exact same problem... I was told by observers on the course that I was leaving the face open at impact... there were 3 things that I did to fix my issue:

Interesting points.

1. I mentioned to my friend after hitting about half my balls that my left hand was tired, and that I might be gripping too tightly. This is something to look into. 2. I'm 6'4", but I'm guessing this could still apply to me. Again, something to look into. 3. I tried this. It worked, sometimes. It was wildly inconsistent, though. It was just such an awkward motion for me, that I was flat out missing the ball sometimes. This one would take a lot of practice. 4. No ego in the way, here. I do swing too hard a lot out of habit, but I'd be much less embarrassed by a playable drive than by hitting it in the woods every time. I tried slowing my swing down, etc, and I was still slicing it, just not quite as far. Videos upcoming!

[FenderStrat62]

From the side:

From behind:

Don't hold back!




Just in case this isn't obvious, they are two separate swings, that both ended up down the right side of the range just in or near the tree line. First swing was from behind, second swing was from the side. Let me know what you guys think. You won't hurt my feelings, I promise.

One thing that jumped out to me, maybe it's a problem, maybe it's not--too much sway?