starts left and turns right @ 100 yds

[blaylock6502]

I have only been playing a few months and when I started I had a horrible slice right off the face of the club. Ive done a lot of work and now it starts left and starts to fade right at about 100 yds? I know I need lessons and had one scheduled and had to cancel for financial reasons. I am still saving but wondered if anyone had any thoughts or ideas.? Thanks!

[blaylock6502]

Is there a drill I could do to ensure my club face is squarelike concentrate on leading with my wrist where a watch would be? (If that makes any sense

[APrince]

Originally Posted by blaylock6502

I have only been playing a few months and when I started I had a horrible slice right off the face of the club. Ive done a lot of work and now it starts left and starts to fade right at about 100 yds? I know I need lessons and had one scheduled and had to cancel for financial reasons. I am still saving but wondered if anyone had any thoughts or ideas.? Thanks!

Im probably not the one for advice being im looking for some myself. However, I use to have a killer slice that was my swing. I got so use to playing it it was normal for me. to be honest i was more accurate on a consistent basis than i am now because even though the slice was there i basically knew where it was going. But, not being able to hit left sucked. When i did fix  this i noticed my distances went up drastically, since i wasnt cutting at the ball anymore and actually hitting it flush.

What i did to fix it may or may not work for you. Im not even sure how to explain it in golf terms. as a right handed golfer, my right shoulder was dropped which made my right arm play behind my left arm if that makes sense and when i swung i was naturally coming inside out big time. what i did to fix this which is a habit now and i do it every time before i set up to hit is: i basically point the club forward in the air as its a sword holding it with my grip as if i was point straight ahead from my heart in a squared stance. i almost squeeze my pec muscles together. this helps bring my right shoulder forward and squares my upperbody.

i still push the ball every now and then but nothing like having to aim 50 yards left everytime. i tend to snap hook more than i slice now.

hope that helps some

[Hacker James]

Here is something I used to do to ensure a square club face: FOR ME....

Standing in front of a mirror, take your grip with your left hand only.

Hold the club straight out in front of you and try to line the leading edge of the club with your nose.

Complete your grip with the right hand as usual.

bend from the waist with legs locked, right foot square to path, left foot splayed out at a small angle to the left, until the club head is about 10 inches or so from the floor.

Flex your knees so as to lower the club into address position (think elevator).

this should place you into good address position, square to the path.

now take the club away by turning shoulders/hips to about waist high (horizontal)

Lower back to address position, take away, lower about twenty times noting how square the club face returns to address.

Take your normal swing.

Caveat: This would be for a "conventional" swing without any shaft lean. If your normal swing is anything else, you would lean shaft and shift  your weight as appropriate, but this drill at least would place your club face in the square position. Likewise, if you want the ball position more forward or back, you could still make that adjustment with your right foot after your club is grounded square. Obviously, if you wanted an open or closed club face (relative to the swing path) you would make that adjustment before bending over.

Others may have a better method, or probably a clearer explanation,  but this has worked for me in the past and is pretty much second nature now.

[APrince]

Originally Posted by Hacker James

Here is something I used to do to ensure a square club face: FOR ME....

Standing in front of a mirror, take your grip with your left hand only.

Hold the club straight out in front of you and try to line the leading edge of the club with your nose.

Complete your grip with the right hand as usual.

bend from the waist with legs locked, right foot square to path, left foot splayed out at a small angle to the left, until the club head is about 10 inches or so from the floor.

Flex your knees so as to lower the club into address position (think elevator).

this should place you into good address position, square to the path.

now take the club away by turning shoulders/hips to about waist high (horizontal)

Lower back to address position, take away, lower about twenty times noting how square the club face returns to address.

Take your normal swing.

Caveat: This would be for a "conventional" swing without any shaft lean. If your normal swing is anything else, you would lean shaft and shift  your weight as appropriate, but this drill at least would place your club face in the square position. Likewise, if you want the ball position more forward or back, you could still make that adjustment with your right foot after your club is grounded square. Obviously, if you wanted an open or closed club face (relative to the swing path) you would make that adjustment before bending over.

Others may have a better method, or probably a clearer explanation,  but this has worked for me in the past and is pretty much second nature now.

yeah this is basically what i do at set up, just explained better. if i were to explain the actual image in my head every time before i hit a ball, i think im a samurai rasing my blade forward with the point nearing eye level before bowing and striking my opponent down.

[blaylock6502]

Thanks everyone i will def give these things a try! I feel very comfortable and natural in my iron swing but not so much with my driver would you say your torso is at roughly the same angle weather your holding an iron or driver or no?

[Hacker James]

Originally Posted by blaylock6502

Thanks everyone i will def give these things a try! I feel very comfortable and natural in my iron swing but not so much with my driver would you say your torso is at roughly the same angle weather your holding an iron or driver or no?

yah, I would say that. The shaft length will automatically determine how far out  your ball is placed as long as you maintain the same distance between your grip and body. (I use about one closed fist's length or a little longer sometimes). The irons swing will be steeper than with the driver and you will be coming down and through as opposed to a more sweeping or even swinging up on the ball motion. (although that is not always the case either).  You should also read thread on "inclination" regarding you belt line angle.

[blaylock6502]

I have been doing a little research and read a lot about an open face at the top of the backswing. I think this may stem from me feeling like my backswing does not go back far enough and breaking my wrists in an attempt to get the club back farther.? Should my wrists remain relatively straight in relationship to my arms? I start to break my wrists over in the takeaway is this a bad idea?

[Hacker James]

Originally Posted by blaylock6502

I have been doing a little research and read a lot about an open face at the top of the backswing. I think this may stem from me feeling like my backswing does not go back far enough and breaking my wrists in an attempt to get the club back farther.? Should my wrists remain relatively straight in relationship to my arms? I start to break my wrists over in the takeaway is this a bad idea?

The wrists will take care of themselves if everything else is executed properly.  "When all is said and done, Hogan is still the one".

[mvmac]

This would be a good article to read.  Understand that the ball starts where the face is pointing and curves away from the path.  So for you, the face is aimed left (of the target) at impact and the path is further to the left. http://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/ball_flight_laws

To try and get the path less across the ball I'd take a look at Key #2 drills in this thread.  Most high handicap/beginner golfer don't have enough weight forward at impact and this effects the path the club travels.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/61376/5sk-video-thread