Ball goes dead straight then swings violently right

[Harry666]

Hi, I'm fairly new to playing regular golf, I have had 6 lessons from the course pro, but I still have the same problem, The ball goes dead straight for 100yds then in mid flight it turns to the right by what looks like 90% and whizzes off sideways. I spent 5 buckets on the driving range this morning. Im using a Ping SF Tech club and alternated between Senior and Regular shafts with no difference. I tried open and closed faces, strong and weak grip, but the flight still stayed the same, I would say 90% of the balls turned in mid air and about 10% went as straight as a dye all the way. Can anyone help before I slit my wrists ?

Thanks

[billchao]

32 minutes ago, Harry666 said:

Hi, I'm fairly new to playing regular golf, I have had 6 lessons from the course pro, but I still have the same problem, The ball goes dead straight for 100yds then in mid flight it turns to the right by what looks like 90% and whizzes off sideways. I spent 5 buckets on the driving range this morning. Im using a Ping SF Tech club and alternated between Senior and Regular shafts with no difference. I tried open and closed faces, strong and weak grip, but the flight still stayed the same, I would say 90% of the balls turned in mid air and about 10% went as straight as a dye all the way. Can anyone help before I slit my wrists ?

Thanks

It's your swing. You're swinging over the top and to the left. Try to swing the club more towards 1st base (baseball reference) instead of pulling it down and across your body.

How is your instructor? Have the lessons helped? You can also film your swing and start a swing thread here on the Member Swings section.

[Harry666]

Hi Billchao

Many thanks for the advice, I have found quite a few vids on tube on that very subject. Ill see if I can get down to the range tomorrow and practice.

 

[Shindig]

13 minutes ago, Harry666 said:

Hi Billchao

Many thanks for the advice, I have found quite a few vids on tube on that very subject. Ill see if I can get down to the range tomorrow and practice.

 

What are you intending to do at practice?  You say you went through five buckets today.  What were you working on?

[awmgolfer]

I would try the advice mentioned above, even put down a visual on the ground just outside of your swing path. I used to have the same problem, it would go out about 150 yards and then take a hard right for about another 80 yards. It is not your face as it starts straight, that means your club face is square. It is your swing path as mentioned above and thinking about swinging towards 1st is a great swing thought. I tend to be visual so I had to put down a stick pointing just to the right. After learning to control my swing path I can now, more often then not..lol, hit a draw or a cut. The biggest way I learned to get rid of my slice was to learn how to draw the ball, that's what helped me.

[nabzi]

Are you able to video your swing and post in the swing thread? Would be easier to identify what you are doing wrong for some of the experts in here.

[saevel25]

22 hours ago, Harry666 said:

 Im using a Ping SF Tech club and alternated between Senior and Regular shafts with no difference.

This wouldn't matter

1 hour ago, nabzi said:

Are you able to video your swing and post in the swing thread? Would be easier to identify what you are doing wrong for some of the experts in here.

I agree. Posting a video would make it much easier to see what is going on. 

[Harry666]

Hi Everyone, I thank you for all your replies and useful tips.

I played a round with a friend of mine in a Match play competition yesterday, he was far more experienced than myself, and after watching my T shots whizz off to the right he suggested that after I line up for the shot that I then place my left foot two or three inches in front of the right. (I am right handed) So I tried it and every shot went straight, some even veered off slightly to the left. I am really not sure what changed except that all the shots went straight.

So what has actually changed in technical terms ?

Edited July 22, 2016 by Harry666

[Piz]

Imagine you are standing on a railroad track and the ball is teed on the other.  Looking to the left you see the two tracks stretching out to the horizon and converging.  That cannot, of course, be true; but that is what it looks like.  If you swing thru to the "vanishing point" the club path has to be slightly outside to inside.  If the face is square to the path you will pull the ball left; toward the vanishing point.  If the face is square to the tracks; the slightly open orientation relative to the path will produce a cut spin.  A closed face will produce draw spin.  If your feet are equidistant from the other track; you are set up square to the ball.  If your back foot is closer; you are open to the target line.  Your friend positioned you closed to the line i.e. your back foot further away.  All else being equal; that shifted your club path nearer to parallel with the target line/other track.

[IanW]

4 hours ago, Harry666 said:

Hi Everyone, I thank you for all your replies and useful tips.

I played a round with a friend of mine in a Match play competition yesterday, he was far more experienced than myself, and after watching my T shots whizz off to the right he suggested that after I line up for the shot that I then place my left foot two or three inches in front of the right. (I am right handed) So I tried it and every shot went straight, some even veered off slightly to the left. I am really not sure what changed except that all the shots went straight.

So what has actually changed in technical terms ?

Your clubpath has changed relative to your target line. Your face is still pointed at the target at impact, but the path of your club comes from behind and left of the ball (on the ones that turned a bit left) instead of from behind and way right of the ball.

The secret is now to figure out to do that when you are aimed at your target :)

Edited July 22, 2016 by IanW

[tshapiro]

Braced right leg at address, leisurely transition, downswing that starts with a shift onto your left foot combined with a hip twist followed by a relaxed swing. Do this with the ball setup aligned your left armpit (or inside your left heel) - this creates room for your weight shift. 

Until you learn to begin your downswing swing with your lower body you will struggle because leading with your lower body creates an inside out swing path - not anything you do with your arms. 

It is true that it is possible to create an inside out swing path by controlling the angles of your left arm and wrist (while maintaining a relaxed right arm).  This will give you a good short game. But, you will endlessly struggle with your long game until you get your lower body into the mix. So print the first 2 paragraphs of this post and take it to the range year after year until you get it right because this is the answer you are searching for.