"Slot" thoughts...

As I build my swing, I've tried to apply the concepts of starting the downswing with hips and swinging with passive arms that are dropping into the slot. I'm slowly working these principles through, but I'm having trouble with constant heavy contact.

What is the correct right shoulder action through the downswing? As I initiate the downward path with my lower body, I believe that my arms are slotting pretty well, but again, the contact it not very often pure. I manage to square the face, as I can tell from the contact grass mark on the face afterward. Sometimes the ball flight is high and perhaps at bit shorter than I'd like. Sometimes the flight is pretty bad, with a low fat blast that goes way right.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

curious on your thoughts about Hogan's book and the picture of the body builder with the huge right arm!!! I have heard it said so often that the right gives a lot of the power in a well hit shot.

99 percent of amenturer start the downswing thinking they are using the hips, but in fact turn both the hips and shoulders, fat or pull or both usually results. Here is another thought to use, think of the starting the down swing by increasing the angle between the arms and shoulders, usually this makes you use the hips and arms and leaving the shoulders back for just a split second, as it should be, which will get you into the slot.

To give you a better visual of what I am saying ..from the front on view, facing you, 90 degree from the ball/target line, at the top of your swing when your shoulder are at 90 degrees, if I drew a line through the shoulders it would look vertical, straight up/down 12 o'clock, and the left arm would be around 10 or 11 o'clock, start down by moving the arms to 9 o'clock, before the shoulders move, this gives the arms and hips a head start, and puts you in the slot. From there you can pretty much swing as hard as you like too.

It is interesting to see how different people start the downswing.

I think C Mays, is correct, it is when you use the right hand that is critical.

I know myself I think I can fire too early with the right side from top, which can result in too much right hand which can have various effects.

I had this feeling on shots when praticising last night- my right side and hand where not firing at the right time. They were overly dominant in the early stages, so I was very inconsitent particularly with the long irons.

I have found a great way of stopping "rushing" / "powering" the transition, by making left hand only swings. I find it releives tension, and gives you more whip through the ball and straighter shots.

Here's a good tip from Jim Flick

http://http://www.golfdigest.com/ins...0311flick.html

David Blair also uses the left hand only swing - albeit in a slightly different format from Jim- as well.

http://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/we...emagicmove.pdf

Thats a drill i've been working on lately too with good results. Feeling like the left hand pulls the butt end of the club through the ball (to right field) and then rolling the right hand over the left through impact. Done with light grip pressure you cannot come OTT this way as the left hand would pull the butt end down the target line or left, the only way you can pull it through the ball (hitting the inside quadrant) is by keeping the shoulders closed and moving the hips crossline a little

There are some interesting comments in the original post.

If you are shifting the weight correctly to the left at the start of the downswing, your arms / shoulders should automatically drop into position - there need be no conscious movement of the arms.

With regard to some of your mis-hits, sounds to me as if you're actually sliding the body & probably head too far to the left, getting way ahead and therefore coming in too steep or hitting weak blocks.

When you start the downswing with your left shift, don't let the head shift as well. The delay in moving the head will keep the core of the body behind the ball. Ultimately, your head can move to the left for the finish.

This part is harder to explain, but here goes. From my backswing, I feel as if I am keeping my body weight ahead of the arms for as long as possible on the downswing. I'm obviously not looking to let my body get way ahead of the ball but, basically, I'm well turned by the time the arms, hands come into the ball. I get good weight shift to the left and finish with my weight right over the left leg.

Because my core has basically led the arms for a good distance while the weight has also transferred, I get a very natural release of the clubhead and extension.

I've put in other posts that, in my view, the weight shift to the left is THE most important element of a good golf swing. Factors such as release, (not) flipping, moving into 'the slot' are all helped or taken care of with the correct weight shift.