From a hook/draw to a push slice

This one is driving me crazy ! I use to hit the ball pretty straight - if anything with a slight draw. Every now and again i would pull hook - especially with my long irons/woods.

I got that nailed down to a grip problem - too many knuckles on my left hand and a strong right hand grip. Now i am comfortable swinging with that grip, i have developed a push or a push/slice - again worse with longer clubs. A lighter grip and better tempo help alot but i still have a tendency to push slice. I have been told i am not releasing my hands and my weight is not being transfered as it should - any ideas - i strike the ball good but this is driving me crazy.

Grip changes are risky. They fix your current element but can have affects were you don't expect them...balls going too high/low, tendency to overcompensate and do the other way (as you see now).

If others see you not releaseing your hands, they are just trying to help you as best they can, because I have never actually "seen" anyone actually release their hands..your are swining much too fast. What I do see is the your position of your body at impact, and the result of the ball flight. From those I know what you did.

So if you are not transferring your weight, you are in trouble. The hands and arms will have to compensate and will be prone to fail frequently. The body turning (correctly) prior to impact is your solution:

Do my impact position drill.

I agree that a change in grip is risky as it affects the basic fundamentals of the swing so much, but at the same time starting off with the wrong grip and compensating for it is a basic flaw.

I had the same basic problem, a strong grip, which meant that my swing was always fighting a natural hook. On a "good day" I would be able to compensate with my swing path so that the closed club-face was in fact square with the target and I'd hit a long, straight shot. Of course, when I actually swung on a correct swing plane I'd end up hooking the ball.

I've made the change to a neutral grip and at first all I could hit was a push because my swing plane was still "in-to-out". Yes, a lighter grip and good tempo certainly help, but they'll help almost any swing.

I'm not a pro so this is just my humble advice, but on the practice range actually attempt to hook the ball. This worked for me as I found my "in-to-out" swing plane rotated to the correct line and I started to hit sweet, straight shots with a hint of draw. You just need to groove your swing plane on to the right path so it will feel strange and indeed wrong at first.

Best of luck

I like where GregJWillis is coming from. As teachers we pick things up from years of experience you see and we pick up things most don't ... we also knowthe compleximities of 1 change results in other changes that are required.

A grip change has a huge affect on ball flight and swing path initially because your body may continue to do 'the old things' while your hands are doing the 'new things' ... you need to change the grip and at the same time get your body to follow through the change.

I agree with the body position GJW - very possible a source of the problem.

I think it could also be this:
With a strong(er) grip your club face may be slightly closed at impact giving you the draw/hook ball flight (right to left spin) and your body was sending the club inside-square(ish)-inside (giving you the draw).

Now that you have weakened the grip to around neutral, your hands are not able to turn over as much and sometimes it may leave the face open giving you slice spin. Sometime the face is square-ish and you'll push the ball. Remember, your body is still sending the club from the inside so the ball will always start to the right of target.

You need to go back to the range and work on getting old grip back, is my advice. I always take a draw/hook over a fade/slice! Or if you want to keep with the new grip, you are going to have to get the club approaching impact on a squarer swing path (ie coming in from directly the ball) which will start the ball straight at the target.

Bear in mind that you will still need to square the face up, anything open will either cut or fade, depending on the amount you leave the face open.

__________________
Golf is easy ... once you know how.
Graham Arnott, teaching professional
Kelrosa Golf Studios
www.kelrosagolf.com
Class 'A' PGA Member
Full Member: World Golf Teachers Federation (GB&I)

Just make sure your grip is allowing you to get back to square at impact. The positions of each hand will determine whether or not you can square the club face at impact. I have found that many people will have one hand in the correct position but the other hand is keeping the club from squaring at impact. Try this:

With two clubs, grip one with your right hand and one with you left with your normal grip positions. At the same time, take both clubs back slowly to the top of your backswing and bring both back down to impact. Chances are one of the clubs will not be square. Adjust your grip on the club that did not square up and repeat the procedure with both clubs.

__________________
Gord

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