Stopping an outside/in swing pattern with the driver. Tip from pro helped, but is it a fix or a bandaid?

[ApocG10]

Was having trouble slicing my driver and 3 wood. Swing coach said I was going a little outside, with my face square to my body, but open to the swingpath.

His fix was overly simple, worked extremely well so far, and he says my swing with the woods is looking way better.

The fix? Move my rear foot back about 2 inches (not wider, back from the ball). I drove the last two rounds better then I ever have. I was no longer scared to pull my driver out of the bag, because I knew I was playing a small fade with good contact. So, is this a legitimate way to  fix a swing problem, or is it it just masking an inherent flaw. I would much rather fix the flaws than hide them. I even matched my best ever round of 78 doing this.

So what do the teaching pro's think? Is this ok? Or is it hiding a bigger a problem? Or is that really the fix to what was a minor problem?

[EverythingGolf]

Originally Posted by ApocG10

Was having trouble slicing my driver and 3 wood. Swing coach said I was going a little outside, with my face square to my body, but open to the swingpath.

His fix was overly simple, worked extremely well so far, and he says my swing with the woods is looking way better.

The fix? Move my rear foot back about 2 inches (not wider, back from the ball). I drove the last two rounds better then I ever have. I was no longer scared to pull my driver out of the bag, because I knew I was playing a small fade with good contact. So, is this a legitimate way to  fix a swing problem, or is it it just masking an inherent flaw. I would much rather fix the flaws than hide them. I even matched my best ever round of 78 doing this.

So what do the teaching pro's think? Is this ok? Or is it hiding a bigger a problem? Or is that really the fix to what was a minor problem?

Moving the foot back will help you swing more from the inside and that is what will allow you to hit the ball straight. It helps to keep you from swinging over the top. I move mine back a little as well.

[NuclearMike]

I'll give it a try tomorrow.  Swinging inside-out is just what I've been working on and this fix is simple.  Hope it works for me as it did for you.

[GlasgowsGreen]

I was using this fix today, although I was moving my foot further back than 2".

When I do this my driver goes from being unplayable to being the most consistent club in my bag!

I'm like you, I want to do things properly but hey if it aint broke why fix it?

Personally, I'm going to use this fix on the course and work at bring my foot gradually forward on the range.

[EverythingGolf]

Originally Posted by GlasgowsGreen

I'm like you, I want to do things properly but hey if it aint broke why fix it?

Who said it was not proper? Ben Hogan did it.

[GlasgowsGreen]

Ben Hogan drove with his right foot back? No way?!

[EverythingGolf]

Originally Posted by GlasgowsGreen

Ben Hogan drove with his right foot back? No way?!

From his 5 lessons book. Ball position for each club.

[saevel25]

i think that method works best for people, because it static positions the ball. It makes sense if you get your weight forward, and you keep your head still that the low point should be the same if you vary the width of your stance.

[ApocG10]

Originally Posted by EverythingGolf

From his 5 lessons book. Ball position for each club.

I actually should have remembered this. I have put away the books and aids now that I got a swing coach on salary. He is very good (understands true ball flight laws and swing mechanics), strongly believes in hitting down hard on the ball with a strong, classic swing. He has greatly improved my game. It has been a great experience. Feels like cheating when im beating the guys I hoped to be as good as someday, just two years ago. And beating them consistently and decisively.The goal is 5hcp by the end of summer, hold that or better it, with lots of indoor instruction and practice this winter, (as well as two golf vacations)and scratch by the end of 2013.

Is that possible? I don't know. But i'll hit 500+ balls a day to get there if need be. I know an indoor net isn't like playing, but its better than not hitting balls at all.

[ApocG10]

On that note, when he first said it, it sounded crazy. To me, moving my foot back would just change my alignment and make me play more off line. Then I started thinking about it from a technical stand point. Doing so allows you to turn your hip back a bit more on the back swing, and keeps your center on a slightly closed angle to the ball, and that could even out the first part of the downswing, keeping you inside, making your clubhead square with the alignment of the swing. It might even stop a golfer from being way too open at impact, improving hip slide.

If I have that wrong, please correct me. Im just trying to figure out the possibilities without doing a structural analysis.

[Paradox]

Its not necessarily a band-aid as it is just the way some people get to an inside swing path.

I have a naturally upright swing with all clubs and from my experience..dropping the rear foot back a bit also shallows me out along with giving an inside swing path.

The only part I haven't been clear on, though...how did he have you aligning the face?  Square with the path or what?

[ApocG10]

Originally Posted by Paradox

Its not necessarily a band-aid as it is just the way some people get to an inside swing path.

I have a naturally upright swing with all clubs and from my experience..dropping the rear foot back a bit also shallows me out along with giving an inside swing path.

The only part I haven't been clear on, though...how did he have you aligning the face?  Square with the path or what?

Now I am aligning the face with the swing path. Before, I only thought I was. This was my first full driver lesson. Before now we focused a lot on short irons, grooving a swing, short game, iron contact.

But this week is all driver. Had one hour long lesson Monday, another later today, and one Saturday morning. If he is satisfied with my driving by then we will move on, if not we wont. Thats one of the great things about my coach, he wont just give me a tip and move on to the next thing. We work hard at implementing all the things he wants me to do.

[inthehole]

awesome intel - thx !     I have the same problem - used to draw everything, now I'm slicing everything & know it's an outside in swing path thing ...  Can't wait to try moving the back foot out a couple inches to get my swing path inside.

[GolfBear]

While not entirely unrelated, I noticed something during the Open last week.   Tiger seems to be hitting everything with an open stance.   I was wondering if that was Foley thing or something he's doing to preserve his knee?

I think in golf we often become obsessed with how things are supposed to look as opposed to focusing on the actual result.   If it helps me hit the ball straighter I'll stand with one leg in the air like a flamingo! :)

Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Paul Azinger, Jim Furyk, Rickey Fowler....lots of unconventional stuff out there has won tournaments.   If it works, go with it!

[Paradox]

Originally Posted by ApocG10

Now I am aligning the face with the swing path. Before, I only thought I was. This was my first full driver lesson. Before now we focused a lot on short irons, grooving a swing, short game, iron contact.

But this week is all driver. Had one hour long lesson Monday, another later today, and one Saturday morning. If he is satisfied with my driving by then we will move on, if not we wont. Thats one of the great things about my coach, he wont just give me a tip and move on to the next thing. We work hard at implementing all the things he wants me to do.

great, thanks! :)  I had always been lining it up with the target line which can end up causing some nasty duck hooks and other unsavory shots.

[AnthonyJames]

I hit a nice draw with driver when I do that -- but always thought it was too much of a bandaid, so only used it when i was having real slice issues or really needed more of a draw.  I may try that out on my driver and 3-wood, both of which occasionally suffer from too much fade occasionally (approaching slice...)

[Derek Ong]

IMO it's not a bandaid. it's actually what i think is the right way to hit a driver straight. Body closed to target. Clubface aiming where you want to ball to go.

I think if i didn't close my body to the target (body/feet aim right of target), all shots are fade/slice. At least from D-plane, i understand that much. Could be wrong tho

[Adam Young]

Originally Posted by Derek Ong

IMO it's not a bandaid. it's actually what i think is the right way to hit a driver straight. Body closed to target. Clubface aiming where you want to ball to go.

I think if i didn't close my body to the target (body/feet aim right of target), all shots are fade/slice. At least from D-plane, i understand that much. Could be wrong tho

you are right. In D-Plane terms, to hit a drive on the upswing, your swing direction should be more to the right (1 degree right for every degree up). Althoug there are many ways to do it. I personally just feel like i swing a little more underneath and to the right with a driver. This both increases the amount the club swings up on the ball, and plus moves the swing direction to the right simultaneously. With my irons, i feel like the club swings a little more left through impact - thus increasing the angle of attack and left swing direction simultaneously. But this isn't the only way. many ways to skin a cat