Transition Move - Swing Path Problem

[ste1010]

Hi, first real post so please be gentle



I have been struggling with a fade/slice which I believe is caused by an out to in swing path.

I have read in a book called 'Swing Like A Pro' about a 'transition move' which is a lateral move towards the target as your weight shifts to the left at the start of the downswing. At the top of the backswing the arms drop before coming through on an inside path.

I believe my swing path is generally out to in, my divots point left, and the sole of my woods from tee shots show marks from the tee which indicate out to in.

Has anyone had experience of this book, or or this transition move and should I work on trying to incorporate this into my swing, or are there some other elements I should be looking at to improve my swing path.

Also any advice on this subject would be appreciated. I have had a few lessons but so far have only covered set up, tempo, alignment etc.

Any comments or advice appreciated

Cheers

Ste

[tm22721]

This book cured my over the top problems after two years of struggle.

The Transition chapter gives you the clue. Read the part about the first move and the associated diagram of the club arc. You don't just drop your hands as most say. It means that you make the clubhead drop behind you the moment just before starting your shoulder turn. This puts the club on a lower plane (less steep).

It took me a while to figure that out because their diagram shows the arc of the club but it is difficult to see (unless you study it closely) that the clubhead is actually going backwards first before swinging down.

Try it, if you are doing it right you should see the club go to a more inside path on the way down. The straight ball flight and divots are the proof.

[Fried Egg]

I haven't read the book. Remember, a slice is caused by a clubface that is open to the swing path, so fixing the path is only half the answer.

[ks8829]

How about these tips:

1) make sure your grip pressure to not too tight and that your grip pressures is with the proper fingers. Right handed players, the last three fingers of your left hand and the ring and middle fingers of your right hand and with light grip pressure.
2) If you are right handed you might be griping too tightly with your right hand and not allowing the club to closed naturally.
3) you can place an object outside the intended line of your back swing to prevent you from taking your club on an outside path.
4) Go see a pro.
5) Aim left and play your natural fade including teeing it up on the right side of the tee box for right handed players.
6) Slightly close your face at address for a bandage quick fix while you work out your swing.
7) Take your club on a more inside path.
8) Take two aspirins and e-mail someone in the morning.

[ste1010]

Thanks for the tips guys.

Fried Egg - Yeah I think I need to keep working on my release

KS8829 - Good advice, here some thoughts to them

1. I think you may be right about grip pressure and it is something that I working on. Trying to relax my arms and not grip too tightly.
2. Again I think you may be right. I have been working on the range tonight only taking 3/4 swings, concentrating on grip pressure and making sure I release and close face - slice improved greatly.
3. Not sure about this one will need to understnad more, I had been told I need to take the club back on a wide take away as opposed to coming inside too quickly
4. I have been and will be discussing this further with them
5. I do try to use my fade and it sometimes works well, although my home course seems to favor a draw on most long holes. Also when my fade turns into a slice.........
6. I do use this but as you say I would prefer to fix my swing rather than apply a fix which will eventually lead to another issue.
7. I think related to point three and will need to understand further
8. Whats your email address

Seriously, thanks for your replies. I am working on releasing the club and hence squaring the club face, and not swing on an iside path

[Chas]

Most of the big time slicers that I see start the down move by rotating their upper body and arms counter-clockwise (right-hander), rather than by first turning their hips and starting the weight shift towards the front foot like they should. If you get this sequence right, then your hands will automatically drop down a bit in the transition and you'll be more likely to be on plane through contact.

[ste1010]

Cheers Chas.

I think this is what the transition move in the book I referred to is all about. Will check this out

Cheers

Steve

[flatom]

Rushing the downswing/trying to muscle the club down instead of just allowing the natural wrist hinge to occur and uncoiling from the backswing.
Also, I like to take practice swings trying to allow the lower body to move toward the target before I complete the backswing; sort of blurring the back and down swing.
Keep those hands and arms loose and whip that club through.
Moving the lower body first will naturally drop the club down into the slot.

[Leek]

This is difficult to describe, but I feel like I am still in my backswing with my hands, arms and shoulders as I start my downsing, much like a QB is still cocking his arm as his body moves forward.

[vvrinne]

I've been completely re-working my swing for the last 5 weeks now. Been seeing a pro once a week and practicing at the range/dome every day. In my new swing the arms are passive and the club is moved by rotation of the hips and the upper body. One major problem for me with this was that during the transition I was unable to begin the downswing from the hips and thus I ended up activating my arms which lead to all sorts of bad things.

Anyways, I solved my problem by working on a drill that originates from Hogan if I am not mistaken. The idea is to do a little 1/5 of a swing by using only your hips to move the club. On the backswing the arms remain passive and the club is moved by rotating the hips (well really the hips force the torso, arms and the club to rotate). There is no left to right movement, you simply rotate around the center of gravity. You can easily generate enough power by this that the arms rotate the club and there is a little bit of wrist hinge at the "top" (remember the arms are completely passive, the wrist hinge occurs naturally). You then transition into the downswing by pushing your hips forward (they will basically then rotate backwards automatically). Again the torso, arms and club will follow the movement of the hips. It is also very easy to get a feel for how the proper weight shift should occur with this drill.

After only a few days of doing this I had basically cured my problem of not being able to transition to the downswing without activating my arms. I think Hogan recommended that you do this drill for at least 3 hours every week. I have been doing it every day and see no reason to stop as it has helped me immensely.

This might not help you if you swing the club by using your arms, but if you are doing that then you should really go see a pro and change your swing.

[ste1010]

vvrinne - Where did you see this drill. Was it described in Hogans book - 5 Fundamentals.

Cheers

Ste

[vvrinne]

No it was in a local (finnish) golf magazine. I could scan the article but all of the text is in finnish so it probably would not benefit most of the people on the forum :) I'm not 100% sure if it originates from Hogan or not but that's what I remember.

This drill combined with the idea of trying to feel the left arm pulling the club when rotating the upper body on the downswing have really been the keys for "de-activating" the arms in my swing. I still do it though, when ever I try to kill the ball but I'm sure it will get better with practice.

I should correct my earlier post a bit that even though I saw results with this drill after just a few days it's not like it was an instant fix to all my problems :) There really is no substitute for practice practice practice.

[ste1010]

OK, thanks. I have a lesson tomorrow so may ask for some drills to build this into my swing. I am practicing a lot at the moment without a ball just trying to start my downswing with hips and keep the club inside my toe line in the early part of the swing. This helps me swing more in to out.

Cheers