Pull

Handicap 25:

I'm not sure it would be appropriate to say I've cured my slice, but I certainly don't hit more than one per round at the moment, and only then because of forgetting to do things I've worked out I need to do, which are (a) focus on getting grip set properly, club head square to target, strong left hand grip, close right hand more than I used to , and hands held firmly enough against each other to make sure they don't move, (b) push my elbows towards each other (hey, I didn't say this is textbook stuff - just that it works for me! - stops me breaking the left arm too early, and maximises my emphasis on working with left hand, not pushing through with right ) and (c) focus on taking away in a not exaggerately inside way, but at least not too steeply.

There has been a downside to this progress, and that is whilst I'm striknig the ball really well, and really not slicing, I've now developed a tendency to occasionally draw, but more usually, to hit a straight shot pulled left 20 yards. When it goes really bad, I can feel a weird pulling 'up' of my body as my shoulders come up, and there's an obvious yank to the left, but usually it's a lot more subtle, and I don't feel anything obviously wrong, I strike the ball well, it flies straight - but left.

Any thoughts?

Keep down into the shot. You will be lifting up as you strike the ball which is pulling your arms across your chest and pulling the ball left.

Keep looking at the ball until it has gone, let your right shoulder pass under your chin and pull your head round, keep your spine angle through impact and feel as though your head is on a pillow as you look down the line.

Pulls and slices are similar shots. It seems likely you are still swinging "out to in" a little. The difference is is that a pull is "out to in" but the club face is square to the swing whereas the slice is still "out to in" but the club face is more or less square to the target line.

I'm not sure why you swing "out to in" but there is a good chance your right arm is straightening too early in the downswing forcing your initial movement, at the top of the swing, outwards instead of downwards. To explain swing the club to the top with your right arm only, as you would for a normal swing, then stop. Straighten the right arm, then move it very slowly back and down as you would as if you were swinging for real. Look where the clubhead is.

When practicing try and maintain the exact distance of your right elbow from your waiste on the downsing and try and maintain the elbow position (the distance between your right forearm and right upper arm) as far into the downswing as possible. Don't try and straighten your arm, the force shouls do that for you.

as pgmetcalf said... square clubface, but your coming out-to-in.
few things i can suggest.

move the ball back an inch in your stand.
you could still have your shoulders open.
you need to square everything up.
also, rotate your shoulders on the backswing. this will help get the clubhead inside the line of the ball. use a nice big draw back of teh club when starting your backswing.. (my extent now is i actually hit a broken tee on the ground 2 1/2 feet behind where the ball is setup)

prob the biggest thing about slicing i have found personally is... slicing is all in your head. you are so worried about not hitting the ball right that you try and pull it away from the right. hense the out - to - in swing.
try and remember this..
if your feet are pointing at the target, and your shouders and clubface are square, then just swing easy through the ball... don't try and pull it. if everything is square then you will also notice more power.