Need Some Help With My Setup / Routine

[Royster1984]

Hello All,

I am having a lot of trouble with my long game at the moment and as a result I am looking at getting a regular setup routine together to help sort it out. My last visit to the local pro we was working on my left wrist at impact because I am flipping a bit still. I have just purchased "The Impact Zone" by Bobby Clampett and just started reading it, hoping it gives some help and progress.

Basically my long game which I consider anything longer than a 6i (170 yds) is killing me at the minute, my bad shots are normally hooks and often low hooks.

I normally set up as following;

1. Set club face to my target by picking a spot 2-3 inches in front of the ball.

2. Set ball position in stance by adjusting feet position. Driver inside left heel, 3w 1" further right than driver, 3H/4i 3/4 inches left of centre of stance.

3. I Set my feet and body square to the club face.

4. My tee height is consistant as I use castle tees.

5. I do a 1 or 2 practice swings then let rip.

Can anyone see any big flaws or have any tips to help out??

Thanks

Anthony

[boogielicious]

Hello All,

I am having a lot of trouble with my long game at the moment and as a result I am looking at getting a regular setup routine together to help sort it out. My last visit to the local pro we was working on my left wrist at impact because I am flipping a bit still. I have just purchased "The Impact Zone" by Bobby Clampett and just started reading it, hoping it gives some help and progress.

Basically my long game which I consider anything longer than a 6i (170 yds) is killing me at the minute, my bad shots are normally hooks and often low hooks.

I normally set up as following;

1. Set club face to my target by picking a spot 2-3 inches in front of the ball.

2. Set ball position in stance by adjusting feet position. Driver inside left heel, 3w 1" further right than driver, 3H/4i 3/4 inches left of centre of stance.

3. I Set my feet and body square to the club face.

4. My tee height is consistant as I use castle tees.

5. I do a 1 or 2 practice swings then let rip.

Can anyone see any big flaws or have any tips to help out??

Thanks

Anthony

It would help if you filmed your swing or at least took photos of your set up.  I play the ball more forward than you.  I also have my club face open to target and not square to target or my body alignment.  If I had it square, I would hook every shot.  Try opening the club face a bit with the exact same set up and see if the ball curves less to the left.  If your swing path is in to out, the face should be slightly less than the path to produce a nice draw.

[Royster1984]

It would help if you filmed your swing or at least took photos of your set up.  I play the ball more forward than you.  I also have my club face open to target and not square to target or my body alignment.  If I had it square, I would hook every shot.  Try opening the club face a bit with the exact same set up and see if the ball curves less to the left.  If your swing path is in to out, the face should be slightly less than the path to produce a nice draw.

Thanks for the reply, I will grab some video footage on Friday when I am down at my home course as I am playing away at another club on Thursday with a friend.

On my last visit to the pro he said I was swinging slightly out to in but not by a huge amount, my coach said my problem was I have a closed club face at the top of my swing. He gave me some drills to fix it but I still cant shift it and was watching a David Leadbitter video were he was saying it is sometimes easier to adjust your setup to allow for your closed club face than too try and correct it in the backswing.

I will try your open club face suggestion at the range tomorrow night, how much do you open it??

[boogielicious]

Try different amounts.  I open mine at least 10-15 degrees at address.  It closes a bit during the downswing, so it is not that at impact.

[whatwoodtigerdo]

I agree giving a shot at opening the clubface. I just fixed my hook, or more specifically a snap hook, last round by opening my face at set up. I am pretty sure I have a pretty big inside to out swing but not sure how much. I watched a video from "askgolfguru" called "how to stop hooking the ball" which talked about face angle to swing path causing it and that lead me to start a little open. I like that guys video, don't know how to post video links on my iPhone, he explains stuff well plus he is British which is just fun to listen to lol. Worked like a charm though shot my best round in months. Also how do you grip the club? Is it a strong grip because that can make it close obviously. I do but I want to keep a strong grip so I find other ways to change the ball flight. Also on the flat left wrist I usually a hit a couple balls every time to start on the range with a small back swing and not a big follow through specifically making sure I keep my left wrist flat through. I also do it if I start struggling hitting balls.

[vangator]

Wow. It sounds like you play your irons pretty far forward. It's hard to comment on it now since I switched to single length irons. I play everything from one ball position in the middle of my stance. Ball position of your irons should be determined by where the bottom of your swing is. I play a draw and the only time I have hook problems is when I try to bomb a club and don't finish the release.

[mvmac]

1. Set club face to my target by picking a spot 2-3 inches in front of the ball.

2. Set ball position in stance by adjusting feet position. Driver inside left heel, 3w 1" further right than driver, 3H/4i 3/4 inches left of centre of stance.

Wow. It sounds like you play your irons pretty far forward.

For a driver, ball is about one ball in front of the left shoulder . Standard iron shot, two balls back of the left shoulder.

[Dave2512]

I am going to try the ball a little further forward today, usually do the opposite left heel thing. My instructor has me keeping my right foot down longer and it changed something in my driver swing. But it's the opposite of what I thought would happen, I seem to be more steep than before. I've been skying it even when I tee it low. I probably didn't hit a funky pop-up 5x all of 2013 and now it's every other drive the last two times out. Then out of nowhere I catch it on the up and the ball does what I want it to do.

[vangator]

The only thing i noticed in those pics above is the right foot is flared. I keep it pretty square to get that extra torque and drive.

[Hammer 4]

I see both players having both feet flared out. Maybe I need a new rx in my glasses..?

[mvmac]

The only thing i noticed in those pics above is the right foot is flared. I keep it pretty square to get that extra torque and drive.

All the right foot being square does is limit mobility, makes it harder to turn the hips and turn them steep enough. If that feel of "torque and drive" works then stick with it but you aren't driving off your right foot/leg.

[vangator]

I flare my left foot 30* or so. I think most people do. I'll have to tell my right leg to stop driving. :)