Advice on a 'push fade'

Hi, I have just signed up after reading some of the great tips you guys give.

I am a 16 handicap golfer whom generally hits the ball cleanly and solidly.

Problem being that my stock shot is a straight shot that always fades right. My bad shot is a mild slice or striong fade.

I am quite aware of my swing and it's good / bad points, one of them being my cupped hands at teh top of my swing. I can flatten this a little by haviong passive wrists, and although this feels restricive it doesn't help straighten my shots.

My grip tends to be strong with my left hand, and weak with my right, but even upon turning my right hand to the right and strenghtening it, this also doesn';t help me return the clubface to square at impact.

After playing 18 today, I tried another fix. that was to really drill through the ball and have a big follow through, again this also did not work - although must say I started hittig 300 yards with driver so i think i will keep that

All in all, I have tried everything that I know of to close my clubface at impact and it doesn't work. Even flipping my wrists severly doesn't seem to help.

I do allow my right arm to rollover my left after impact but again it still fades right.

Any help very much appreciated. I have a big competition at Woburn comming up and being straight off the tea (even better a nice draw) will be perfect!

Thanks in advance

Jon

Further to this post, perhaps I stand too close to the ball. Could that hinder me returning the clubface square at impact?

When i settle my clubs in the floor they lie flush, on of partners likes to have the toe off the ground..is this corect?

The 2 cures for a slice/fade I know of is to hood the club closed at address, and close your stance a touch.

I wouldn't advise changing stance and clubface, for this is promoting a bad swing... Perhaps look at your shoulder turn throughout your swing. Usually the push fade comes from the hands being too quick for your shoulder turn.

Played 18 today and although I sure was too close to the ball, it did nothing for the open face.

Nemo,

Welcome to the forum.

I think you have answered your own question, If you do indeed stand to close to the ball then you will no doubt take the club back on the inside therefore return it on the outside.

You should stand tall, arm straight out in front of you and just bend from the hips untill your clubhead touches the floor(this is the correct distance from the ball).
Now take the club back with the club head outside the hands the feeling should be completley opposite to what you are used too.

work on outside going back and inside going through!!!!!!

Hope this helps.

Ian.

Thanks Ian


Howver as my ball flight starts of very staight that wouyld mean my swing path is correct, would it not?

I agree I was standing a little too close, but it has not helped my straight to right shot. I presume it's in my hands but have no idea how to fix.

Nemo,
When you stand to close to the ball you tend to get yourhips out of the way quicker, this however leads to inconsistancy.

When you move away from the ball (only inches in most cases) this will definatley stop any type of slice. This is because you take the club back on the outside and return on the inside.

You may push a few at first because you are probably used to getting you hips out of the way to quickley from your previous problem of standing to close to the ball.

If you work hard at this you will find your swing speed may slow down but not loose any distance. i.e more consistant less agressive swing.


Most pros look like they are not putting alot of effort in.

Hope this helps

Ian.

Hi Ian

Thanks again but I am not slicing it per se. My ball doesn't start left and bannan right, it goes straight down the target line and then trickles right. So i presume I am coming down the line on the inside, not the outside?

I know I am not closing my hands at impact on time. Which is leaving the club open a couple of degrees.

Even if i stand as far back as possible, my hands are still open.

My left wrist is also bowed at the top, but I can stop this by not breaking my wrists.

Again thanks for any help, this is driving me nuts! I want a draw so bad!!

Hey nemo,
I still believe it is mostly due to your shoulders, the shoulder rotation should start just before you down swing. Make sure you are timing the ball, not trying to kill it, and follow through to your target.

You should be able to feel the swing, a cut and draw feel like you are hitting around the ball, the straight shot should also be a feeling of hitting through the ball

Finally tried something that worked.

My right hand grip is stroing and my left hand grip is stronger (very strong in fact)
All the books say to strengthen hands for a draw etc, but for me at leats, this doesn't work.

I got into thinking that my left wrist (I am right handed) was so strong that it was cupped at address, so i played around with it and turned it way way to the left into a veryweak position.

With my left thumb sliding down the right of the shaft, and my right hand thumb sliding down the left of the shaft this feels a very bonded yet flexible grip.

My shots were striaght and draws, and I can now snap hook etc just by moving my feet (something I always wanted to do)

The odd fade returns, but at least it's not every single shot.

Playing at Woburn on Friday (Dukes and Marquess) so will let you know how I got on with teh new grip.

Cheers

NEMO, making a quick fix by doing something wrong will cause you a lot more trouble in the long run. If you are too close to the ball your swing will be coming from the outside. Because your ball is starting straight just means the club is coming straight down the line. When you are coming from the outside you will find that the club face will more likely be open at impact putting the fade\ slice into your shot. The more from the outside you come the more slice you will have.

Nemo,

It sounds like you are swinging outside-in. Try this drill for your backswing:

1. using just your arms, bring your club to parallel to your target line
2. bend your wrists
3. rotate your shoulders to 90* of target line.

This will get you to the proper position in your backswing. As you start your downswing with your legs, drop your elbows to your hips. This will get you keep you on the inside.

Best thing that ever happened to me was this swing trainer. I hit the same shots...slight fade or a bad shot was a strong fade/slice. I came over the top and knew it, just couldn't fix it. Turning my wrists more just made me pull the ball left because the swing was still "over the top".

I'm not at all into gimmicks, but many of the top schools (e.g., John Jacobs) use this. It provides muscle memory in keeping the swing on plane. Makes a world of difference.

http://www.superswingtrainer.com/about2.htm

The same guy sells them on Ebay a lot cheaper.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3694492239