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Fix My Slice Part 3ish - with video!

Splendorlex

Splendorlex

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Joined
Jul 13, 2013
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Location
Northern Illinois
Handicap
40+
Here I am again, your favorite high handicapper. The guy who can't help but record his swing at the range. What I put together for your perusal today is a sort of "good cop, bad cop" short video. It shows me hitting what I judged to be a BAD shot in slow mo, as well as what I judged to be a GOOD shot in slow mo, back to back a couple of times.

[video=youtube;_XjHtfhh-dQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XjHtfhh-dQ[/video]

My take on what I see, is that for whatever reason (and I don't know WHAT the reason), I'm at least not coming over the top QUITE as much on the good shot. Now granted I have approximately 1.1 million flaws in my swing, but what I most want to continue to work on now is how to eliminate that ugly, slicing ball flight you see in the "Bad Shot" here. The reason I'm a high handicapper is that's what MOST of my shots do. Sadly, the good shot is the exception. Here are some of the things I've tried to focus on in this process:

  • Getting behind the ball more
  • Standing a bit more upright than I was before
  • Less "slide" and more "turn" in the downswing
  • Getting my hips moving first
  • Wrist pronation
  • Grip changes
I've looked at all of these things for possible "fixes" to my problem, but none has seemed to "stick." I have also had one lesson,and plan to get another in the next couple of weeks, when I have time.
 
One thing I saw in another thread was about creating "lag" in the swing. I think my arms and body are all out of whack, and I need to find a way to orchestrate them properly. I just ordered an orange whip (well, the Walmart variant of it anyway) to try to help with that issue.
 
You take the club so far inside on your takeaway that you almost can't help but come over the top (outside in) on your way through the ball.

The swings look exactly the same except in your "good swing" you seem to manage to close the club face a bit so the ball doesn't start right.
 
jlukes said:
You take the club so far inside on your takeaway that you almost can't help but come over the top (outside in) on your way through the ball.

The swings look exactly the same except in your "good swing" you seem to manage to close the club face a bit so the ball doesn't start right.
Click to expand...

This!!
 
I will agree with Jlukes here.

Work on trying to start your backswing out much more straight back as opposed to sucking the club inside immediately.

Try placing a golf ball 6 inches or so behind the ball you are trying to hit and make sure you are pushing that ball straight back to start your downswing. Think low slow and straight back.

This will get you in a much better place to attack the ball from the inside.
 
Also, you seem to wrap the arms around your body with your follow through - try to exaggerate the feeling of throwing the club and hands towards the target (straight out) so that you finish higher. You won't be able to finish like this if you are coming outside-in, so you'll start pulling the club from the inside.

The last little drill, if you are familiar with baseball, is hit the ball to second base. line up parrallel to the 2nd base bag, but try to hit the ball to where the 2nd baseman usually plays. This drill is another one that will exaggerate the inside-out swing and will improve your swing plane.
 
I'm kind of happy to see the feedback because when I watched the video I thought the swings were nearly the same and the different results may have been the result of better timing.

I agree with the others about that inside swing path. Someone once said that we should pretend there is someone standing behind the ball then try to shake hands with your left hand.
 
I concor, although more than the takeaway I think the biggest problem is clubface control. In the badshot the club is just so far open it scoops it to the right.
 
This is kinda funny. I've KNOWN that I'm coming over the top, and that I'm not coming from the inside on the downswing. When we looked at my swing path during my lesson with video, I could clearly see this. This whole time, however, I've been thinking about and trying to correct it during the downswing. So you're saying I'm actually pulling inside from the very start? That would make it hard to get any more inside on the downswing I guess!
 
Splendorlex said:
This is kinda funny. I've KNOWN that I'm coming over the top, and that I'm not coming from the inside on the downswing. When we looked at my swing path during my lesson with video, I could clearly see this. This whole time, however, I've been thinking about and trying to correct it during the downswing. So you're saying I'm actually pulling inside from the very start? That would make it hard to get any more inside on the downswing I guess!
Click to expand...

You pull the club hard to the inside at the start of your swing, then you lift the club up to get it into the position where it is at the top of the backswing. However, because you lift it up in an attempt to get back onto the correct plane, it results in you going over the top on the downswing.

TexasHacker has a good drill for you to take the club more straight back instead of inside and around your body. Another thing you can do: make a bunch of practice swings before you hit each ball on the range, aka 5 practice swings before 1 real swing. What you need to do on the practice swings is to try to feel the complete opposite of what you are doing right now, almost a Jim Furyk type of swing: feel like you're taking it much more upright than you do right now on the backswing, then try to feel like you are much flatter on the downswing.

One other thing: your ball is always going to start off where the clubface is aimed. On the bad shot you posted above, the clubface was wide open so the ball started off well to the right. Strengthen your grip (aka turn your hands to the right) and get the ball started down the line or even left of your target by having the clubface more square or even closed at impact.
 
Play softball or baseball? This is the first thing i had to change once i got done with college baseball. The guys on here are dead on, you've got to come straight back with the backswing.
 
Thanks so much everyone, I think I have a single, solid thing to work on...which is what I was hoping for! :)
 
That left foot lift is not helping anything. has to mean your weight is shifting a good bit.

Us high HC guys don't need a power swing, just a smooth one that gets the ball straight downrange.

try keeping that left foot flatter, don't over rotate the left knee.
 
I agree with the others you need to bring the club back straighter, and keep that left foot planted, lppks like you have lots of head movement due to your left shoulder not sliding under your chin.
 
What people are saying here is correct. A drill you can do to take it more 'outside' is what Rory Mcilroy did at the beginning of the season. Before every swing he practice his takeaway that would help him get it on plane better. After awhile the feeling will be ingrained in your head and it will start to get better.
 
I think it's going to feel very weird. I'm not sure where I got my takeaway, I seem to recall reading about it in a magazine a long time ago. :)
 
Learning swing fixes....it is easy to let your eyes follow the club head back, when they need to stay focused on the back of the ball :)
 
I got to the range today to try this 2 ball drill out. It clearly showed me how badly I pull the club inside on the backswing. Even though I was trying very hard to take it straight back, I'd say 60% or more of the time the 2nd ball ended up right behind me at the end.

I think part of my problem is I'm trying to do the flat, steady backswing. It's a tip I picked up long ago that I think is hurting me at this point. I'm trying very smoothly and WIDELY take the club back. I need to find a way to break that habit. Should I feel more like I'm "picking the club up" rather than sweeping it backwards? Anyone have any good advice for fixing that backswing?
 
Holy crap, is this true? This tip says that you aren't really pulling your arms back at all, you're hinging them up while turning your body and shoulders. [video=youtube;_JES-8I-VAk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JES-8I-VAk[/video]
 
Be careful not to start over thinking it. Your shoulder turn doesn't look too bad, I wouldn't start thinking about too much. Focus on what people have already said. Come back straighter on your takeaway and work on club face control. Your inside takeaway and club face being way open at impact look like two of your biggest issues.

Give it a little tappy, tap tap taparoo!
 
Yeah, I'm just trying to focus on that takeaway right now. I'm feeling better about it and will hopefully have some new video soon. :)
 
Splendorlex said:
Yeah, I'm just trying to focus on that takeaway right now. I'm feeling better about it and will hopefully have some new video soon. :)
Click to expand...

The video you posted is correct, and that's a great way to present it. Also, TexasHacker had a great tip too. When hitting your irons place a ball almost directly behind the ball your hitting. As you take the club away from the ball you will push the second ball straight back as well as down the target line away from the ball your hitting. This will allow you to feel the correct way taking the club away from you

Another great tip that I have used for a LONG time when working on my take away. You can do this tip inside you house. All you need is an iron, any iron at all.

1) Address you imaginary ball with your club. Now start choking down on your club until the butt of you club is in your stomach, belly button area. Your club face will look just as it should as you address your ball to hit.
2) You will now notice that you arms make a perfect triangle with you shoulders and the shaft and butt of you club is in your belly button....As you are still leaning over "your shot".
3) Start making your turn to the top of your swing keeping the butt of you club in your belly button, this is so you get the feel of the one piece take away.
4) Keep practicing this until it feels normal.
5) If you want to take the club to the top of you swing that's fine...you'll do this once you club is parallel with the ground and you have loaded your weight to your right side. You'll want to feel as though you have loaded your weight to the inside of your right knee, very much the same as a pitcher is starting to move forward with his throwing motion.

Should look like this... Sorry they are sideways. I'll fix that in a little bit. Fixed!





 
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Your swing looks similar to how mine was a couple of months ago when I was coming over the top.

For me, I don't think there is too much wrong with the takeaway. The main damage to me would be caused by what is happening when you come back down again. However in the takeaway, similar to what the video says above, let your body be the part to take your club away from the ball. Keep the V in your arm shape whilst turning around your spine to half way, then take your arms up.

Try, at the top of your swing, getting the feeling of pulling your right elbow in behind your back and letting your hands drop (almost pulling them to towards the ground) at the same time before you begin to turn your body again for the downswing. Really feel as though you are exaggerating it too and I expect, like me, you will hardly even notice it again when looking at a recording of your swing. It will promote far more of an in to out strike rather than out to in which is causing that slice you have at the moment.
 
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I'll just add, when I was given the exercise I was told not to worry about smacking the mat well behind the ball the first few times and that it might be worth doing the above and deliberately hitting the mat way behind the ball a few times first so you can see you're coming from the inside.
 
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