Dealing with blocking right or strong draw

[Roenie]

My swing path is in to out, which is odd for a beginner but I've been watching too many Crossfield videos. I think that's the reason for the trouble: half the time I get a ball that starts up the right and draws to left of target further than I want. The other half of the time the ball starts right and stays right. This I expect must be due to mild variation in the clubface - if it squares up to target I get the over-draw, and if it only squares up to the swing path the ball stays right. Slices don't really happen with me.

My conclusion is that I am not yet able to control the clubface well enough to handle this much in to outness.

I might have a solution but this is one of those situations where I have to concede that asking for insight from more experienced players would be a great idea.

What I will do unless advised otherwise is rotate my hips more which should cause me to swing more left and calm down the in to out path to be more neutral. Would it be better to learn how to swing more "over the top" with my hands and arms instead? Rotating the hips more can add power, so I think that's the better way to go? (Easier for me to execute too.) Or should I learn how to more accurately control how much the clubface squares up? It's such a small difference in degrees I find that quite tricky.

I also noticed that my lead arm is kind of low across the chest at the end of my backswing, pretty pictures would have it a little more up toward the shoulder. Don't know what difference that makes. (Maybe one factor in causing the in to out path. I tried raising it, and still swung in to out...)

Any advice very much appreciated. Thanks.
Even if you think I'm spot on here about adding more hip rotation, that's good to know too. :)
 

Edited April 26, 2017 by Roenie

[Roenie]

Please let me know if there are any other reasons why someone would struggle with blocking it to the right (no curvature) half the time and drawing (almost hooking) it back the other half of the time. The only reason I can think of is having a swing path that is too much in to out.

During a lesson (which focused on other things) I was told I swing in to out, so I'm just putting one and two together here.

Edited April 26, 2017 by Roenie

[lastings]

51 minutes ago, Roenie said:

Would it be better to learn how to swing more "over the top"

Read more  

no.  you've saved yourself years of practice by skipping the part of the game where you have to get rid of the over-the-top swing.  don't introduce that death blow to your swing and potentially set your self back.  

of course, as is always mentioned, get yourself on video and post to the member swing thread.  

at first thought, you may want to look at grip and setup.  make sure they are consistent swing-to-swing, club-to-club.   I have a similar issue to you and working to make my setup more consistent has created some improvements in that department.    

 

 

[Roenie]

Oops. I just noticed it says "strong fade" in the title, that was supposed to be "strong draw". I can't edit the title anymore, so I hope it's clear from the explanation in the first post...sorry.

@Lastings: I did not mean trying to actually swing over the top - I wouldn't be doing that, even if it would feel like it to me, I probably wouldn't come close. That said, it makes sense to stay away from that swing thought. Thanks. I'll consider making a swing video. Think I have a camera somewhere.

Getting the setup and grip exactly the same each time isn't easy. I'll keep an eye on it. I do currently struggle with the grip because I need midsize grips instead of standard. I pay a lot of special attention to the grip before I swing, to make sure neither hand is strong or weak, and the clubface is square to target at address. Seems more likely that I just dynamically don't get it squared the same amount at impact. (With my swing path, I need it to be very slightly open to target yet closed to the swing path, at impact, every time...)

Edited April 26, 2017 by Roenie

[billchao]

@Roenie you should start a member thread. Sounds to me like you swing too far out. The academic answer is you need to neutralize that path, but the practical answer as it pertains to your swing requires actually seeing your swing. There are a number of ways to swing too far out d you need to address specifically what you are doing.

[Buckeyebowman]

Roenie, I would rather have your problem than what I had when I started. I had a slice that would start right and cross 2 fairways! I could hit the ball a country mile, but the wrong way.

I'd say stick with what you're doing but try to "refine" it. I can't get any more technical than this. When you hit the big hook, you're too "handsy". When you hit the push, you aren't "handsy" enough. I don't know if it's the grip, but that is kind of vital. I'm thinking it may be the timing of your release. I don't know how long you've been playing, but stick with it.