How to Draw the Golf Ball (or How to Stop Slicing)

[colin007]

[GuamAP2]

Nice explanation! when i get tired i slice the ball and hit the ball towards the toe of my club on the woods. On the irons the divot is deeper at the toe.

[mvmac]

Nice explanation! when i get tired i slice the ball and hit the ball towards the toe of my club on the woods. On the irons the divot is deeper at the toe.

Yes that is a good indication the club is "wiping" across the ball.

[GuamAP2]

Thanks I always thought the lie was incorrect 2 degrees upright

[mvmac]

Thanks I always thought the lie was incorrect 2 degrees upright

Lie angle can contribute a little but it's probably more swing related.

[Slowcelica]

I spent all winter last year trying to fix my slice by working on rolling my wrists =( So in my back swing if I bow my left wrist, doesn't that de-loft the club? If I do this I get some really low shots.

Good advice on not setting up to far right, I do this sometimes and end up swinging towards the target instead of inside out.

[mvmac]

I spent all winter last year trying to fix my slice by working on rolling my wrists =( So in my back swing if I bow my left wrist, doesn't that de-loft the club? If I do this I get some really low shots.

Good advice on not setting up to far right, I do this sometimes and end up swinging towards the target instead of inside out.

Check that these pieces are in order (most are set-up) before you get to the wrist stuff. Give yourself the best chance to draw it. You might not even need to worry about the wrist alignments. If you're going to bow the wrist, it's better to do it on the downswing

- "Good" grip, left hand is in the fingers, heel pad on top

- Aim your body parallel left or slightly right of the target

- Feet are flared, knees are rotated out slightly

- Axis tilt due to the hips being a few inches forward with the head not moving forward

- Hips turn, left hip stays forward

- Weight is well forward at impact, allows me to achieve Key #3 Inline Impact

- "Stretching" the arm into the followthrough

[Slowcelica]

Check that these pieces are in order (most are set-up) before you get to the wrist stuff. If you're going to bow the wrist, it's better to do it on the downswing

- "Good" grip, left hand is in the fingers, heel pad on top

- Aim your body parallel left or slight right of the target

- Feet are flared, knees are rotated out slightly

- Axis tilt due to the hips being a few inches forward with the head not moving forward

- Hips turn, left hip stays forward

- Shaft points slightly outside the ball at A5 (lead arm parallel to the ground on the downswing)

- Weight is well forward at impact, allows me to achieve Key #3 Inline Impact

- "Stretching" the arm into the followthrough

Sorry I meant downswing not backswing.  I actually have been hitting a lot of fat and thin shots, so i'm trying to not flip through impact so I am working on flat left wrist at impact that is why i have been bowing my wrist in the downswing because if I don't I hit a straight push, and bowing the wrist kind of squares the face  towards the target some. Stretching the arm int the follow through you mean both arms? or just the right arm?

[mvmac]

Sorry I meant downswing not backswing.  I actually have been hitting a lot of fat and thin shots, so i'm trying to not flip through impact so I am working on flat left wrist at impact that is why i have been bowing my wrist in the downswing because if I don't I hit a straight push, and bowing the wrist kind of squares the face  towards the target some. Stretching the arm int the follow through you mean both arms? or just the right arm?

Both arms.

Rather than trying not to flip by bowing the wrist, I would recommend working on the pieces that allow you to achieve Key #3. "Lag happens".

[Slowcelica]

Both arms.

Rather than trying not to flip by bowing the wrist, I would recommend working on the pieces that allow you to achieve Key #3. "Lag happens".

So if my weight is forward enough then key #3 should by a bi-product of this? I think I'm going to try and get some video of my swing tonight and sign up for some lessons from evolvr.

[No Mulligans]

Great thread, thanks Mike.

I get a bit confused when I see a conflict between what my instructor is telling me and what I see here.  I'm sure they can be reconciled.

I've just taken my third lesson (I bet you know my instructor seeing that you're in San Diego), and at A1 he wants me to have the end to the club lined up with my belly button.  He thought I had my hands to far forward at address.  He explained that having my club pointing at my belly button will help me get my shoulders and hips squared up to the target.  (Perhaps I could start that way and then do Hogan's forward press?).

I think my instructor has done a great job at identifying my biggest faults and focusing on those first.  Overall, it feels like we are working through a complete rebuild of what was a very flawed swing.

Thoughts?

P.S. I'm going to keep coming back to these pictures and descriptions that you have here.  This all looks so helpful.

Perhaps you'll recognize his voice.  :)

[mvmac]

So if my weight is forward enough then key #3 should by a bi-product of this? I think I'm going to try and get some video of my swing tonight and sign up for some lessons from evolvr.

Yes.

Inline Impact (Key #3) often comes as part of improvement or "owning" Keys 1 or 2. It doesn't make sense, in terms of prioritization, to work on Key#3 if your head moves a foot forward on the downswing or the weight isn't forward at impact

[golffitnessguru]

Great job Mike with this post on how to draw vs slice the ball.  How much do feel a golfer's address posture and overall physical capabilities impact their swing path and slicing versus drawing the ball?  As a physical therapist working with golfers, I have evaluated many golfers to have physical restrictions and/or imbalances that interfere with their ability to address the ball properly and the compensations that they make during their full swing contribute to their swing path.  Just interested in your thoughts.

[mvmac]

Great job Mike with this post on how to draw vs slice the ball.

Thanks.

How much do feel a golfer's address posture and overall physical capabilities impact their swing path and slicing versus drawing the ball?  As a physical therapist working with golfers, I have evaluated many golfers to have physical restrictions and/or imbalances that interfere with their ability to address the ball properly and the compensations that they make during their full swing contribute to their swing path.

I think the posture can be important, I even started a thread on it In terms of physical abilities, I don't it takes much talent or physical skill to set-up to the golf ball (or grip it) properly.

Top 3 reasons I feel golfers slice the ball:

- Grip is palmy

- Don't turn enough on the backswing, don't create enough depth with the arms and hip turn

- Weight doesn't get forward enough on the downswing, don't create enough axis tilt

I think physical ability can play a role with the list above but more importantly, by far, golfers that learn HOW to do those 3 things will be able to draw the ball/lessen their slice. Unfortunately golfers are taught to "resist" their hip turn, make a level turn, take the club straight back and roll the club/hands to draw it.

[David in FL]

One key you've mentioned before that has stuck with me is to ensure that the handle doesn't get too low.  Generally pointed at the belt buckle, rather than towards the middle of the zipper as I have a tendency to do when I'm paying attention.....

Helps me get my hands a little deeper and also helps with my tendency to keep my shoulders too flat.

[mvmac]

One key you've mentioned before that has stuck with me is to ensure that the handle doesn't get too low.  Generally pointed at the belt buckle, rather than towards the middle of the zipper as I have a tendency to do when I'm paying attention.....

Helps me get my hands a little deeper and also helps with my tendency to keep my shoulders too flat.

Good!

[Jameson]

Here are my two cents: I usually go off the tee in every hole using my 3 wood. Yesterday, however, I went with my driver instead (because of the last instruccions I´ve read here... I did it well, or at least acceptable. Not going too far, 180 m. but, on the fairway. It´s good the idea of hit it going up, and the point of pointing at the belt buckle is gold for me, don´t know why. I also have to think about my biggest issue: avoid coming over the top.

[mvmac]

I also have to think about my biggest issue: avoid coming over the top.

Yes, coming over-the-top is a problem but it's a result of other pieces being off. Most likely a Key #1 and/or #2 problem. If you stick with what I recommend on the "draw list" your over-the-top move will be gone or greatly reduced.

I would check two things if you want to stop swinging across the ball

- That you are making a full turn with the left hip staying forward

- That the weight is transferring forward on the downswing with a Steady Head