Ballflight Troubleshooting

[delav]

I went out for what might have been the final round of the season out here in the midwest, but it was a poor round to end on. I hit 8 fairways, 7 greens, 2 water balls, 2 greenside bunkers and was able to scramble my way to an 80. Not pretty at all, even with 25 putts. I was totally incompetent with almost any approach shot.

I felt a bit lost with my swing, and can't seem to put a finger on where things were going wrong. My shots had more draw than normal, and longer clubs lacked the distance and trajectory that is normal for me. Hit quite a few driver and hybrid shots off the tee that started right of target, only to overdraw into the left side of the fairway about 80% of normal distance with each club. Ugly looking stuff.

Approach shots with wedges and short irons were either right of target or well left with too much draw. Hit very few shots at the flag.

Nothing felt too solid, and without seeing my swing it felt like I was getting stuck inside and really having to flip through impact. My assumption is that in working on my takeaway and positions in the backswing recently, I've wound up losing my proper lateral slide and impact position, resulting in a spin with the hips and a weak stuck inside smothering draw. Taking a few shots at the range revealed that my alignment was well right of target too. What a mess.

Anyone else fall into similar slump? Any thoughts or tips that have helped people struggling with a similar shot shape?

[canadianpro]

Well, if your shots started right of the target, we know the clubface was aimed right at impact. The fact that many hooked, then it was closed too much to the path which sounds like too much "inside out"....I would work on more hip slide and a straighter right leg before impact....hopefully, you will get nother practice session in.....hit some half "punch" shots

Just my thoughts
PB

[delav]

Thanks canadian pro. Good tips too, I remember my instructor was having me hit quite a few shots with my right heel release delayed at our last range session, and I bet this encourages exactly what you are getting at.

On the course yesterday, I kept blindly trying to hold off my release however I didn't work on swingpath. Stepping back and thinking about ball flight laws might have saved me a few strokes :)

Fingers crossed that the snow waits long enough for a redemption round.

[mdl]

OP and canadianpro are both much better than me, but my thoughts on reading the original post were exactly candianpro's. I fight bursty hip spin instead of slide from years of college baseball, and when I do that I either get stuck inside and instinctually flip to get the club face close, hitting straight shots way right or hit huge hooks that start a bit right and go way left, or spin so much I come OTT, usually resulting in a slight pull with medium to big draw. Your problem sounds similar.

I'm interested in the right leg straighter at impact drill for the range. Is that supposed to restrict over-rotation of the hips, and thus encourage more of a slide?

[delav]

I either get stuck inside and instinctually flip to get the club face close, hitting straight shots way right or hit huge hooks that start a bit right and go way left.

Yep, hit quite a few of those... you hit the nail on the head.

The 'right leg straighter at impact'/'right heel down' helps promote hip slide be delaying hip release. Gotta fix my lazy hips.

[se7en]

I would seek more specific game plan rather than mechanical tips on the swing. If it's stats you're looking for when you walk off 18th green, what's the allowance per each hole? Before I start my round, I'd like to set allowance on entire 18th then concentrate on each hole, then take my stats against that. Not focusing on what's my fairway hit, GIR, putts, etc.. focusing on what was my miss, whether or not it was common miss, if it was common miss, was it right/left/long/short.
By tackling my weakest, I'm one step closer to overcome that slump. I know I can't be Sergio nor Mcilroy, IMHO game of golf comes down to numbers at the end of the day.

[delav]

I would seek more specific game plan rather than mechanical tips on the swing. If it's stats you're looking for when you walk off 18th green, what's the allowance per each hole? Before I start my round, I'd like to set allowance on entire 18th then concentrate on each hole, then take my stats against that. Not focusing on what's my fairway hit, GIR, putts, etc.. focusing on what was my miss, whether or not it was common miss, if it was common miss, was it right/left/long/short.

I think this is good advice when analyzing a round where ballstriking and shot shape weren't too far out of the norm, and I do appreciate it. That was certainly not the case here however.

I originally started the thread because I knew something was out of whack mechanically and I couldn't seem to wrap my head around it. If it weren't for abnormally strong putting, this round could have been 10 strokes above my scoring average for the season; hitting almost half the fairways and greens of my season average.

[delav]

-Update-

Was able to get out to the range this morning and work a few things out. In focusing on other things over the last month, it looks like my alignment began to creep well right of target. Normally I'll use a club for alignment when practicing, but I haven't had adequate practice/playing time recently.

Setting a club down and opening my stance back up to properly alignment with the target felt pretty odd at first, so I know something has been wrong for quite some time.

Began working on proper hip slide and impact position with a club for my feet slightly left of my target line, and trajectory, contact and shot shape improved fast.

I think having a setup that was closed at address was causing me to hold back with my hips, getting stuck and really flipping to get through the ball.

Played 9 this morning after the range session. 5/7 fairways, 6/9 greens and decent putting led to a 37. Swing felt great and things really set in on the course. Not too bad for 25 degrees F at noon :)