Can't clear my left hip fast enough..new stiff shafts...is that why I'm hitting everything right?

[BrokeLoser]

I've gone to stiff shaft irons after playing regular flex for years and suddenly I'm hitting everything to the right; even my short irons. I played-around with my swing at the range after my round on Sunday and it seemed like the faster I transferred my weight and cleared my left side the better and straighter I hit the ball..obviously getting the club face square at impact. I'm assuming the stiff shaft has caught up with my hands..etc and now my whole swing tempo must adjust. Am I right? This must be common when going from regular flex to stiff anything?

I know I need to take lessons to be sure but I really don't have the time right now....any suggestions?

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by BrokeLoser

I know I need to take lessons to be sure but I really don't have the time right now....any suggestions?

Check this thread out http://thesandtrap.com/t/29616/the-biggest-secret-slide-your-hips

[BrokeLoser]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Check this thread out http://thesandtrap.com/t/29616/the-biggest-secret-slide-your-hips

Holy crap...great thread!

Didn't have time to read through the whole thing this morning.

So, if you were 'sliding' your left hip clear just in time with a regular flex shaft you would need to 'slide' faster with a stiff shaft thus changing the overall swing tempo....correct?

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by BrokeLoser

Holy crap...great thread!

Didn't have time to read through the whole thing this morning.

So, if you were 'sliding' your left hip clear just in time with a regular flex shaft you would need to 'slide' faster with a stiff shaft thus changing the overall swing tempo....correct?

Not really sliding faster but using the ground, getting the hips forward, really pressing into the ground with the left foot, to create more speed that just rotating.  It's about doing both, rotation and having the lower center forward.

[BrokeLoser]

Not really sliding faster but using the ground, getting the hips forward, really pressing into the ground with the left foot, to create more speed that just rotating.  It's about doing both, rotation and having the lower center forward.

Okay, I think I understand....haha Bottom line though; the tempo of my swing has to change to accommodate the stiffer shafts...right?

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by BrokeLoser

Okay, I think I understand....haha

Bottom line though; the tempo of my swing has to change to accommodate the stiffer shafts...right?

Not necessarily just the club head speed

[GaijinGolfer]

Stiff shafts would make it more likely for you to hit a push because the shaft will unload sooner than your reg shafts did.  As for how to fix it, Id be interested to hear if this, "sliding the hips" thing works for you because I struggle with the exact same thing with my swing.  My bad shots are almost always a push.

[drglew]

surprised no one has suggested reshafting yet, as reg flex could be better suited to your swing. I'd be curious whether you've lost any distance or height as well. my 2 cents: if your new misses with the new shafts are much more consistent (but right), then stick with the stiffs and work on your swing. If your misses are just as wild/erratic as before, AND now everything is right, i'd ditch the stiff shafts, esp if you're not getting the ball in ther air either.

[WUTiger]

Originally Posted by BrokeLoser

... I'm assuming the stiff shaft has caught up with my hands..etc and now my whole swing tempo must adjust. Am I right? This must be common when going from regular flex to stiff anything?

I know I need to take lessons to be sure but I really don't have the time right now....any suggestions?

Years ago, I went from regular to stiff shafts after a tour in the Marine Corps. I put on 20 lbs. during the experience, and had begun hooking the ball with the R-flex. One thing I found out quickly was that I had to "hit the ball" with the stiffs. I couldn't baby a shot and still get good action through the ball.

Also, remember that this is the spring time. If you work on your full shots, your swing muscles will get back into shape, and I think you'll do fine with stiff shafts. I wouldn't worry too much about  tempo - just let it happen. You can grow into the stiffs.

Also, make sure you are not leaving the clubface open at address. If you have square tile floors at home, check out your clubface angle at address. When you go from one set of irons to another, you may have to retrain you eye as to what 'square" looks like.

[BrokeLoser]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

Stiff shafts would make it more likely for you to hit a push because the shaft will unload sooner than your reg shafts did.  As for how to fix it, Id be interested to hear if this, "sliding the hips" thing works for you because I struggle with the exact same thing with my swing.  My bad shots are almost always a push.

I only played with "sliding my hips" after the round I played on Sunday and it seemed to really work.

If I took my normal swing I would block almost every shot to the right...If I really focused on my weight shift or 'hip slide' I'd hit the ball longer and straighter.

I can't wait to get back to the range and goof with it some more...hopefully I'm on to my fix.

I'm really trying to adapt and stick with the stiff shafts.

[BrokeLoser]

Originally Posted by drglew

surprised no one has suggested reshafting yet, as reg flex could be better suited to your swing. I'd be curious whether you've lost any distance or height as well.

my 2 cents: if your new misses with the new shafts are much more consistent (but right), then stick with the stiffs and work on your swing. If your misses are just as wild/erratic as before, AND now everything is right, i'd ditch the stiff shafts, esp if you're not getting the ball in ther air either.

That's the million dollar question I keep asking myself. Do I stick with the stiffs, adapt and learn them or do I sell these new clubs and go back to the regular flex shafts? I'm wondering if I really need the stiffs.

I've always been a pretty good ball striker and very capable of hitting the ball on line with my old regular shaft clubs. To answer your question; yes my mis-hits with these new stiff shaft clubs seems to be very consistent...way off line to the right. I am however having no trouble getting the ball in the air, I've always been a high ball hitter.

[GaijinGolfer]

Ok, so now heres another question: why did you go with stiffs?  Unless your miss was a hook or a pull with your old clubs, there was no reason to go with stiffs.  If your normal swing is too slow for stiffs, the only way to adjust with them would be to either swing harder or to hit the gym and beef up your core muscles.

[BrokeLoser]

Ok, so now heres another question: why did you go with stiffs?  Unless your miss was a hook or a pull with your old clubs, there was no reason to go with stiffs.  If your normal swing is too slow for stiffs, the only way to adjust with them would be to either swing harder or to hit the gym and beef up your core muscles.

I was at the range and the club pro asked me what irons I was hitting. I told him (regular shaft) and he said I was probably holding my swing back in order to hit them. He suggested I try stiffs; said I'd probably get another club lengths distance out of each club. I'm 6 foot 2 and 240 ish pounds.

[dmnoland]

For some people (like me) it takes some time to adapt to new irons. When I went from soft regular to regular flex it took 6 months of both play and practice to get comfortable with the new shafts. I was doubting my decision so much that I put my old irons back into play every other session/round until it became quite clear that my swing, shot shape, score and distance now dictated that I had indeed made the correct change to stiffer shafts.