problem on the tees

i started this year off hittin the ball dead straight or with a slight fade, all of a sudden, the next round, im push slicin, now im slicing still, but i will also pull it left...but it goes dead straight. i dont know if im over compensating the slice, therefor im pulling it or what, but i made an arse out of myself on the course today on the tees. anybody have any thoughts or little tips. i went to the range 2 days ago and hit seemed i had fixed it...i was hunching over the ball...but it didnt seem to help. i dont have video...but any pointers or thoughts on why i go one way then the other would be great, thanks

Slow down to 80% of your potential. Could be an element of the swing is getting over done and the others are getting out of sync. Slowing down a bit allows everything else to match up.

thanks greg, i will do that at the range tomorrow...its extremely frustrating when you swing like normal...atleast it sure feels that way... and hit it so inconsistently 90% of the round...especially when it helped tack on 10 strokes to my norm...anyway...atleast i have somewhere to start.. again... i appreciate the feedback greg

Sounds like you might have weight transfer issues.

Push Slicing - may be caused by moving your head and hands forward during the downswing. Usually caused by overcompensating for the weight transfer done during the backswing

Pulls / hooks - may be caused by keeping your weight on your back foot on the downswing.

Solution:
- Yes, I know that a lot of instrutional materials say that you should move your weight back on to your back foot during the backswing, but...

- Try to keep your weight very centered and equally distributed between both feet during the backswing. Just turn around your spine on the backswing.

- On the downswing, allow your weight to move forward on to your left foot by executing a normal and synchronized hip turn - not by lunging forward.

- At impact, try to keep your head at the same spot it was in during address.

My buddy could never hit the driver. He has an amazing swing and easily hits his 3 iron 180 yards. So I always wondered what his problem was. The other night we were playing a round and because we started a 6 pm no-one was behind us, so we took a couple of extra shots. He never trusts the driver (he doesn't even carry one) and thought he'd try a couple of swings with my driver.

So I stood in front of him and looked at his setup. He was playing the ball off his instep and the ball was about 1 inch of the ground, pretty mach textbook. He wound up and smacked the ball. The ball shot off very low and then curved up due to the spin on the ball and then it sliced off to the right. "Same old thing he said. I'll never be able to use a driver."

I got him to move his ball to the left (to him) about 4-5 inches from the side of his foot and had him tee the ball so the equator of the ball lined up with the top of the driver. Then I had him bring the club head so it rested comfortably in the middle of his stance. I said "now swing the club naturally and smoothly through the ball, just like you do with the 3 iron." I've attached a diagram of the setup. He didn't believe that his setup needed to be changed so dramatically.

Well he smacked the sweet spot perfectly (you know that lovely "ting" sound) and that ball rocketed down the fairway on a perfect 30* angle up in the air, carrying around 250 yards. His jaw dropped. He used my driver all night and yes he flubbed a couple of shots but he used that setup all evening and is now a believer in the driver.

All this to say, I firmly believe the secret to the driver is in the setup. Make sure the ball hits the sweet spot, and do not overpower your shaft. The club will do all the work.

Attached Images

Driver-swing.jpg (12.7 KB, 16 views)

well i really appreciate all the replies...im willing to try anything to be more consistent with the driver again...it was like first 12 rounds of the yr drive well...next round cant hit it straight to save my life, and it had been like that for the past couple of rounds, and it seems when i am at the range i figure out whats wrong and ill hit em well again...but on the course it all disappears...i guess its just a glitch somewhere in my swing, but anyway, i do appreciate the responses, and i will give each one some work and see if i cant get the drives going straight again.

James, you said you had him move the ball 4-5" from the side of his foot. Was that to the front or back of his stance. Seems like a lot of movement in any case. I really just want to know, don't mean to challenge. The driver is my nemesis as well and the drive left or straight and then severe fade right is most often the result of my swing. Somehow the same swing I use in the fairway want transfer to my driver. The only difference (other than club used) is the ball is to the front of my stance off my left heel which is common practice as I understand it.

Insanity- doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result. I guess I am an insane driver though it seems like I am constantly trying to adjust something to get a consistently different result.

__________________
I would suggest that any golfer who says they've never thrown a club is either a liar or a poser. To all of you "gentlemen golfers" out there, respectively..
Jim

Teevino
Moved the ball to the left towards the target (he hits right). The ball sets up to the left of the foot BEFORE you turn the foot towards the target. I know this is a bit controversial.

All I can say is it worked for me and it work for my friend -- why not try it. Just look at the diagram.

Hello James, hey I'll try anything . So you have left foot just behind the ball before turning toe out? Is that correct?

Also, what is the diagram you refer to?

I was trying it out again at the range today. Works like a charm. I just line up my body to the side of the ball using the club and shaft as a guide, standing with my feet together. Then I take my stance moving my right foot to about shoulder width. Then I waggle a bit to make sure I like my grip and feel comfortable. Then I simply take my normal swing. Pow, the ball goes nice and striaght just where I was aiming.

What you are tryin to do is figure out YOUR OWN REPEATABLE SWING setup. Try my formula or make up your own. The point is to make small adjustments until you've zoned in to your setup. Then once you've found what works, and proved to yourself that it works no matter what, you can take it to the course.

The diagram is attached to my first message. I've atached it again. It might say "attachment pending approval". Just click the link and it will open.

James, what you describe here is precisely what I started doing as well. Doing this with some other suggestions I got from pnearn and making minor adjustments to fit me I got the same result you describe on the range. When I took it to the course I lost my consistency somehow because instead of slicing I started pulling. This did not happen on the range so somehow I think I began swinging outside in. It could be what Greg is suggesting above. I forget to keep things slowed down when I'm on the course. Get hurried thinking about getting to that hole ASAP instead of just concentrating on what I need to be doing in the T box.

I agree wholeheartedly with that statement. This is exactly what I feel like I have found for the first time. I just need to go over my setup again and see what I didn't do on the course that I was doing on the range. I know what my setup and mechanics need to be now to hit em straight but it has yet to become second nature for me when I get to the course. Since I know what works for me I'm going to keep workin on it till it begins to become more automatic on the course. I did shoot my lowest score for 9 holes on the back 9 Friday (47)but went back up to my old average on Saturday. I know it's there just got to make it work for me on the course.

It still say's attachment pending approval. Can you PM me with it or send it to jjackson111@gmail.com. Thanx

__________________
I would suggest that any golfer who says they've never thrown a club is either a liar or a poser. To all of you "gentlemen golfers" out there, respectively..
Jim