Low hooks and blocks

[threejack]

i played for the first time in 2 months today. collar bone is still broken but healing well so i felt up for it.

first off, MY SLICE IS GONE. i couldnt even hit a fade if i tried so thats the good news.

however all my misses were LOW HOOKS. went from one extreme to the other.

best news is i realized thanks to someone in my group, that i was casting and not keeping my hands in front. obviously that produced low hooks, blocks, and simply no height on the ball.

around the turn i fixed this and hit some of the best shots and drives I've ever hit in my life. however the low blocks and hooks returned by the 14th and again i couldn't get the ball in the air and it felt like i was hitting rocks, it hurt my hands and everything was hooking. i felt like i was keeping the exact same swing but apparently i wasn't.

any ideas?? much appreciated.

[james_hirshfield]

something is definitely happening too much to the extreme.

I have a feeling you need more of the extension piece in the backswing, and that you are just turning with your hips sliding forwards, causing the hand path to go too much inward, and not enough ascent.

Throw up a quick vid and I'm sure some people around here will give you some pointers ;)

James

[threejack]

so i went out again and ive figured it out. got my irons to work well and my fairway woods looked good as well. had some really nice golf shots with slight draw and plenty of loft. however the fade comes back with the driver, often times with a slice.

i play baseball so i know what a swing is supposed to feel like so i know its a little thing.

any reason why id be getting draw with everything and then a fade with a driver?? i am pretty sure its my swing path but im just looking for one piece of advice that clicks for me that will help me get that path in-to-out. im very athletic and can mimic any body movement you tell me to try so please, anything!!

Originally Posted by james_hirshfield

something is definitely happening too much to the extreme.

I have a feeling you need more of the extension piece in the backswing, and that you are just turning with your hips sliding forwards, causing the hand path to go too much inward, and not enough ascent.

Throw up a quick vid and I'm sure some people around here will give you some pointers ;)

James

[poser]

Originally Posted by threejack

so i went out again and ive figured it out. got my irons to work well and my fairway woods looked good as well. had some really nice golf shots with slight draw and plenty of loft. however the fade comes back with the driver, often times with a slice.

i play baseball so i know what a swing is supposed to feel like so i know its a little thing.

any reason why id be getting draw with everything and then a fade with a driver?? i am pretty sure its my swing path but im just looking for one piece of advice that clicks for me that will help me get that path in-to-out. im very athletic and can mimic any body movement you tell me to try so please, anything!!

That just made me laugh thanks!!!.  If thats the case pick any pro on youtube you like and swing like them.  Case solved.  See ya on TV soon.

[james_hirshfield]

HAHAHA Mike, thats funny!

The reason you can draw is still with an iron is because you are hitting down on the ball more. Won't go into too much detail, its more trackman information involved.

With the driver, aim your shoulders a little more right (closed) and for the downswing, keep the hips closed as long as possible and just slide them forward.

Let me know. Got a hunch ;)

Originally Posted by poser

That just made me laugh thanks!!!.  If thats the case pick any pro on youtube you like and swing like them.  Case solved.  See ya on TV soon.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by james_hirshfield

HAHAHA Mike, thats funny!

The reason you can draw is still with an iron is because you are hitting down on the ball more. Won't go into too much detail, its more trackman information involved.

With the driver, aim your shoulders a little more right (closed) and for the downswing, keep the hips closed as long as possible and just slide them forward.

Let me know. Got a hunch ;)

Would you say that the hips only turn after impact with the driver? That seems to be the case in a lot of high speed photos I've seen.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Would you say that the hips only turn after impact with the driver? That seems to be the case in a lot of high speed photos I've seen.

No. Quite honestly I doubt you can find any video like that from anyone below, oh, an 18 handicap (that isn't a bizarre drill).

[threejack]

alright thanks for the smart ass comment poser. i didn't mean it like I'm a pro, i just meant these movements are very natural for me.

James, thanks for the reply. When I watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldRVUIzSkds of Tiger his hips slide but not that much it seems. Could too much hip slide be a problem because when i've always been told by instructors that I slide too much, and don't turn enough. when i focus on turning and not sliding i hit my irons good and of course i still do naturally slide and post on my left. i am just having so much trouble getting a draw with the driver. I never can swing hard and naturally with my driver because when i do i hit a slice. I've seen your guys' video about releasing too early which causes the OTT path. so I've worked hard on not doing that at all and i think I've taken that to the extreme because when i do that i have literally no release and theres no compression or power at impact and i hook it. should i try finding a happy middle ground?

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by iacas

No. Quite honestly I doubt you can find any video like that from anyone below, oh, an 18 handicap (that isn't a bizarre drill).

I probably didn't articulate that very well. I meant rotate "the rest of the way" through. From the pictures posted in the start of the "BIGGEST SECRET slide you hips" thread, it looks as though the hips are square (parallel) to the target line (or maybe slightly open) at the moment of impact.

[james_hirshfield]

The hips are turning throughout the entire course of the downswing, the question is at what rate relative to the amount of slide and the handle coming down.

It is hard to give you the answer you are looking for with your swing, because I don't know what you're swing looks like.

[threejack]

ill have to check out this BIGGEST SECRET thread. but james my swing thread is out there. you can probably find it on my profile page.. unfortunately all i have is a 6i on there but my swing is the same. that damn driver just feels like a baseball bat to me haha.

[james_hirshfield]

Don't get me wrong. You have instructors here that are giving you advice, and giving it to you freely, yet you feel it okay to nonchalantly tell me to go looking for your swing...

I guess you do have me wrong....

Originally Posted by threejack

ill have to check out this BIGGEST SECRET thread. but james my swing thread is out there. you can probably find it on my profile page.. unfortunately all i have is a 6i on there but my swing is the same. that damn driver just feels like a baseball bat to me haha.

[threejack]

Sorry James I didn't realize you'd find it offensive. I didn't intend it like that I just didn't think it would be that out of the way to make a few clicks. I'm at work right now so I can't post the video right now that's why I didn't but I will when I get home.

[threejack]

alright so i went to the range yesterday. i better change the topic now because the slice is back. the way i was swinging felt awesome with my irons. i was absolutely crushing everything dead straight. i was hitting my 6i 190! but the driver was a bit sporadic. lots of pushes and slices. i think i tend to just leave the face wide open. i worked on squaring it up and i got pretty consistent toward the end. still not as consistent as i would like to be off the tee so here is a video from yesterday. both shots were push slices haha thats why I'm mad but the swing is essentially the same. anyway, please feel free to check out the video and tell me if you see anything. i see that my hips are very open like a baseball swing, can't seem to ditch my roots!

thanks guys

[saevel25]

Look at 0:12, your right foot is off the ground. I would work on keeping that back heel down and banking onto the inside of your right foot instead of flying the knee out like that. I had this problem for a long time.

I also think you stand to close to the ball. The hands should be out near the chin more, over the front of the toes. This could cause you to get stuck behind the ball, either you block it right or flip it for a nice duck hook.

Also you loose your posture in your golf downswing, your butt gets closer to the ball.

You have a very powerful looking swing, i would concentrate on not thinking about your hips. With your hip action they will go with the swing. Work that tush line, and banking onto the inside of your right foot. Honestly, everything else looks solid.

[threejack]

Hey man thanks for the thoughts. I could watch my video all day and not notice anything, always easier to let others see things. I couldn't agree with you more. That dang right foot coming up looks like Albert pujols haha. And definitely the butt and posture too. My best drives ever I feel like my butt stays back so I will focus on that stuff and see how it helps.

[JetFan1983]

Try swinging your arms down faster and keeping your elbows closer together. It looks like they're too far behind your hips on the downswing.

[threejack]

you two are geniuses. worked like a charm. never had so many golf shots in my life

Originally Posted by saevel25

Look at 0:12, your right foot is off the ground. I would work on keeping that back heel down and banking onto the inside of your right foot instead of flying the knee out like that. I had this problem for a long time.

I also think you stand to close to the ball. The hands should be out near the chin more, over the front of the toes. This could cause you to get stuck behind the ball, either you block it right or flip it for a nice duck hook.

Also you loose your posture in your golf downswing, your butt gets closer to the ball.

You have a very powerful looking swing, i would concentrate on not thinking about your hips. With your hip action they will go with the swing. Work that tush line, and banking onto the inside of your right foot. Honestly, everything else looks solid.

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Try swinging your arms down faster and keeping your elbows closer together. It looks like they're too far behind your hips on the downswing.