My Swing (lmkhl)

[lmkhl]

I've been Playing Golf for: on and off past 10 years
My current handicap index or average score is: low 90's
My typical ball flight is: high fade or slice
The shot I hate or the "miss" I'm trying to reduce/eliminate is: fade/slice

So, tell me if you've heard this before - I really want to get rid of my slice and turn it into a draw. I've been playing golf on and off since college, and have always struggled with a slice when hitting my driver. I haven't had too much trouble with my irons, but when I get to the longer clubs (hybrids/driver) I really struggle with producing a straight shot. I can probably count on one hand the times I've hit a legit draw. 

I've recently got back into the game and am really trying to focus on improving my swing and getting that in to out swing that I've always dreamed of. I've taken a few lessons to really try and improve my swing, but it hasn't helped too much. The one advice that I've picked up after reading some articles on-line is to feel like I'm keeping my back to the target as long as possible on my downswing and that has helped me go from a slice to more of a high fade. I've also experimented with standing a bit further away from the ball and it's really helped with my contact. However, I'm still far from producing a draw. 

Any help you all can provide to really improve my swing would be great, or else I'm just going to stick with trying to keep my fade in play. You can hear some of my instructors comments below, and although I'm sure they are providing me good advice, it's been hard for me to actually put it into play on the course or range. I feel like I react better to "feels" so any advice on some swing feels would be beneficial.

Also, on a related note, I've been hitting a draw based driver that I cut down a bit and it has helped me. The shortened drivers feels a lot better in my hands and I think it helps with my contact. BUT, my swing speed during my lessons has been consistently around 95-100 and my instructor advised I go with a stiff shaft as I'm currently using a regular shaft. However, with the slice issues I have, I'm really hesitant to make that change. Also, I figure I'll want to cut down that shaft too and could make it even more stiffer. I have credit to buy a new driver, and I'm looking to purchase something new, but want to make sure it's the right one. Currently looking at the new M2 or the Cobra Max for the offset.

I still have a few lessons on the books, but would really appreciate any advice you guys can offer to help my swing and get to the point where I have a solid in to out swing that can get my drives straight, or better yet, a draw!

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Videos: 

 

 

[mchepp]

Hi @lmkhl and welcome to TST. I recommend that you read through this thread and post any questions you might have there. First thing to do is understand why your slicing. Then we can start working on how to fix it. 

 

[Kalnoky]

The "D Plane" my friend... This is why the driver is hard to hit

[lmkhl]

definitely know im coming over the top and having trouble closing the club face. the issue is how do i fix that lol?

 

[lmkhl]

Sorry for the dramatic title, but I really do need some help. I used to be a pretty solid iron striker and used to think it was the strongest part of my game, but I've really fallen off over the past year. I took a few lessons last year and my game really felt the best it's ever been. I was hitting my irons solidly and was getting great distance. One thing that my instructor told me I was doing though was overswinging and really got me to feel like I was making more of a half or 3/4 swing. He also got me to rotate around my body too imagining there was a pole going down through the top of my head and through my spine. My swing thought was to get my right hip around as much as possible during the backswing.

Since then, I've really tried incorporating those swing thoughts/feels but I think that over time, it's really changed my swing. I've been really struggling with hitting shanks, weak and high shots to the right, fatting it... you name it. The last time I went to the range, I pretty much shanked every ball in the bucket and it's really in my head now. I've also started getting a dramatic loss in distance with my irons and driver. I've recorded my swing a few times and noticed that my swing is verrrrry shallow and flat. It's like I'm just going around my body way to much and I get no height at the top of my backswing - meaning my hands are at or below my shoulder at the top and very off to the side.

Does anybody have any advice or some drills for me? I think I need to steepen my backswing and make it more upright, but would like to know some drills or feels to do this. The game is becoming really frustrating now and I need to fix this ASAP! 

[Kalnoky]

If you are shanking shots, maybe too much weight forward on the balls of your feet? Just an idea.

[mdl]

Start a my swing thread (search for the post on how to do it), and post the videos.  You'll get much better help that way.

[lmkhl]

2 minutes ago, Kalnoky said:

If you are shanking shots, maybe too much weight forward on the balls of your feet? Just an idea.

i thought that too and then when i try to keep my weight back, it results in kind of high weak shots to the right. i think my shanking problem comes from failing to deliver the club correctly at impact, just another one of my struggles right now...sigh.

i'm on the verge of getting lessons, but don't want to shell out the $$ at the moment.

[nevets88]

Video your swing consistently from the proper angles, this way you can establish a baseline of your current swing and go from there, compare apples to apples. There are some great instructors here who might give you pro bono advice.

https://thesandtrap.com/b/playing_tips/filming_your_swing

Start a swing thread, a journal will help you figure thing out.

https://thesandtrap.com/forums/forum/13-member-swings/

There is a vast difference in the effectiveness of instructors and good ones are hard to find. Try and vet them as much as you can.

There are many reasons you could be shanking, my experience is that the more good pieces you put in your swing, the better your sequencing, the less you will worry about them. 

[Valleygolfer]

My two cents... You could be "swaying" instead of rotating, video would help. Second sloooow your back swing way down on the range to stabilize your body and keep your weight forward. More than likely your tempo is whacked. Post a video to get better help. 

[billchao]

Update this:

It's going to be hard for anyone to give you helpful advice based on words describing what you feel.

[iacas]

3 hours ago, lmkhl said:

I used to be a pretty solid iron striker and used to think it was the strongest part of my game, but I've really fallen off over the past year.

"Used to" when? When you created the topic in 2016… you hit a slice and a high weak fade.

Also, please don't delete videos. We only want members to have one Member Swing topic for each member, and this is yours. Cultivate it, take care of it, and leave the videos in place so that you can revisit them and see the past videos, the changes you've made, the improvements, etc.