Looking for someone that has suffered from taking the club too far inside and is now cured

[The_Pharaoh]

How did you manage to correct this error? I've tried every drill out there but nothing seems to stick. I'm a good player and can still hit the ball from a poor top of the back swing position, but obviously struggle with pulls and pushes when my timing is off as my down swing is either under or over the ideal plane. I want to become a better ball striker and know I need to correct my takeaway in order to do so. Thanks!

[senorchipotle]

post your swing. if you don't want to do that, place a few sticks in the ground behind you an angle representing your swing plane. if you swing under plane, or take the club back to far, you're going to hit the stick.

[CuppedTin]

I like using a small round wooden stick about 6' long. Lay it on the ground about 1' behind the ball and follow your club path down the stick on the back swing...

[iacas]

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

I like using a small round wooden stick about 6' long. Lay it on the ground about 1' behind the ball and follow your club path down the stick on the back swing...

Clarify that. The clubhead stays over the shaft (no good I'd say) or the shaft stays pointing at it (much better).

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by iacas

Clarify that. The clubhead stays over the shaft (no good I'd say) or the shaft stays pointing at it (much better).

I agree, I am trying to swing the club to the inside (S&T) but seem to be overdoing it and getting the club trapped behind me. I think I am unable to hinge my wrists correctly or I do it too late. Please recommend the best way to upload a video.

[The_Pharaoh]

Thanks for the ideas seniorchipotle and CuppedTin. I can do it without the ball but seem incapable of doing it correctly when I go to hit it.

[iacas]

BTW, a good drill for someone who rolls #3 accumulator too quickly and gets the club well inside and under is to put a traffic cone on your toe line and just where the clubhead would hit it on the backswing if you roll it inside. Hands in, clubhead above/outside the traffic cone... then swing down.

[CuppedTin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CuppedTin

I like using a small round wooden stick about 6' long. Lay it on the ground about 1' behind the ball and follow your club path down the stick on the back swing...

Clarify that. The clubhead stays over the shaft (no good I'd say) or the shaft stays pointing at it (much better).

Sorry guys, the shaft stays pointing at it... Hey, I brought this up in another thread regarding Olin Browne and watching The Greenbrier Classic I've noticed a lot of players doing practice swings where they really aggsagerate the outside/in swing path...

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by iacas

BTW, a good drill for someone who rolls #3 accumulator too quickly and gets the club well inside and under is to put a traffic cone on your toe line and just where the clubhead would hit it on the backswing if you roll it inside. Hands in, clubhead above/outside the traffic cone... then swing down.

Thanks Erik, I'll give that a try...if I can get my hands on a traffic cone! I may have to make do with a couple of baskets.

[delav]

Practice taking a slow backswing with your butt 6-8" away from a wall or a fence.  You should be able to take a normal backswing without sending the clubhead into the surface behind you.

In particular, I've working on feeling the left wrist hinge "up" earlier in the backswing, which helps keep the clubhead outside the hands.  In doing so, a good thought is to keep the butt of the grip pointing at your belt on the takeaway.  Working with those together should help get the clubhead moving on plane rather than back inside.

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by delav

Practice taking a slow backswing with your butt 6-8" away from a wall or a fence.  You should be able to take a normal backswing without sending the clubhead into the surface behind you.

In particular, I've working on feeling the left wrist hinge "up" earlier in the backswing, which helps keep the clubhead outside the hands.  In doing so, a good thought is to keep the butt of the grip pointing at your belt on the takeaway.  Working with those together should help get the clubhead moving on plane rather than back inside.

The wall drill is great but useless for actually hitting balls. I like the left wrist hinge up earlier concept as that is what I'm lacking. It feels awkward (I'm here in my living room with a 7 iron!) as it feels similar to a bunker shot.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by The_Pharaoh

The wall drill is great but useless for actually hitting balls. I like the left wrist hinge up earlier concept as that is what I'm lacking. It feels awkward (I'm here in my living room with a 7 iron!) as it feels similar to a bunker shot.

I'd just caution you to not take your hands out as well. Keep them on their plane.

You may just think "Ricky Fowler's takeaway." It'll probably have to feel that extreme for awhile.

[parbreaker]

Originally Posted by iacas

I'd just caution you to not take your hands out as well. Keep them on their plane.

You may just think "Ricky Fowler's takeaway." It'll probably have to feel that extreme for awhile.

A few years ago, my largest problem was exactly what you are dealing with. I have to admit I think it was the single hardest thing I ever had to do to my golf swing. For some reason adjusting the club path like that was near impossible for the longest time. The above advice is pretty much what I was left to doing. I didn't think "ricky fowler" though (I don't think he was even on the radar when I was fighting my problem). I actually thought more about Jim Furyk's swing... yea, that extreme. It took me quite some time and a lot of work, but finally I was where I needed to be.

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by parbreaker

A few years ago, my largest problem was exactly what you are dealing with. I have to admit I think it was the single hardest thing I ever had to do to my golf swing. For some reason adjusting the club path like that was near impossible for the longest time. The above advice is pretty much what I was left to doing. I didn't think "ricky fowler" though (I don't think he was even on the radar when I was fighting my problem). I actually thought more about Jim Furyk's swing... yea, that extreme. It took me quite some time and a lot of work, but finally I was where I needed to be.

Happy to hear you can get through this! I have the same issue and agree that it is very hard to target. In my case, the wrist break that starts the roll under plane is actually the trigger of my whole swing, so it's deeply ingrained.

Pharoah, the feels that I've worked with may or may not help you, but here they are:

-- Exaggerated counter-clockwise rotation of wrists at takeaway. "Turning off car key" with right hand or pointing back of left hand/flap of glove at ground/ball.

-- Exaggerated wrist hinge at takeaway. "Thumbs up to nose", left wrist cups early.

-- Trigger backswing with #4 pressure point. Feel tight connection in left armpit. Dead hands, left arm pushes straight back against left pec.

Good luck!

PS: Semi-related. Very nice, recent Ricky analysis here.

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by Stretch

In my case, the wrist break that starts the roll under plane is actually the trigger of my whole swing, so it's deeply ingrained.

This is exactly the problem I have! The error is so ingrained that I've already rolled under the plane before I know it. It triggers my swing and it is killing my consistency. Suggestions #1 and #3 above don't work for me, as I still roll the wrists under the plane at some point in the back swing. I think suggestion #2 is the way to go as I need a new trigger for my hands. Thanks!

Interesting Rickie Fowler analysis.

[The_Pharaoh]

I agree, I have been able to change so many things in my game over the years without too many problems yet I seem incapable of changing this one error.

Originally Posted by parbreaker

A few years ago, my largest problem was exactly what you are dealing with. I have to admit I think it was the single hardest thing I ever had to do to my golf swing.

[Stretch]

On the plus side, one of the best ball strikers of the past few decades (and owner of probably the best performance to practice ratio of any golfer in history) was way inside on the backswing. Maybe we all make the perfect the enemy of the good?

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by Stretch

On the plus side, one of the best ball strikers of the past few decades (and owner of probably the best performance to practice ratio of any golfer in history) was way inside on the backswing. Maybe we all make the perfect the enemy of the good?

I wouldn't care about my back swing if I could hit the ball like Lietzke! Unfortunately, my ball striking is all over the place.