New Antislice Drill

[ezra76]

I "invented" a new drill to stop slicing and start drawing. At least I've never heard of it before and it came out of my own head.

The basic idea is the think of your swing though the ball like a clock lying face up on the ground. 12:00 is straight through the ball, 11 is a fade, 1 is a draw. Now grab a plastic range bucket. Place this bucket in line with what would be 1:00 about 5 or 6 feet out in front of you on the grass or whatever. Set up to hit down the line, dead on noontime with your stance and the clubface, might actually feel like the face is closed to us slice prone players. Just take a normal swing but take the club down inline with that bucket at 1:00. I guarantee if you get this correct you will start hitting it straighter and a draw once the correct release is applied.

[TheWOAT]

If I read it correctly, this is to swing inside out (like swinging towards the gap between 2nd base and the secondbaseman)? I like this idea.
So do your arms fully extend towards the bucket as well?

[Eracer]

That's a good sounding drill. I have been trying really hard to hit the inside quadrant of the ball, sending it off towards the 1:00 position. Something in my brain refuses to get it right. I keep coming over the top (even if just a little) and pulling the ball. My shoulders just seem to want to follow my hips. I get a good X-factor at the top (85*/45*) and I try to rotate my hips first, but my shoulders just rotate with them.

What about setting a tee at the 1:00 position, but just ahead of the tee with the ball. Try to knock over the 1:00 tee. Would that be the same kind of thing?

[ezra76]

I've actually done the tee thing with a rubber range tee. The actual bucket seemed to help more, it's much more noticible.

The clock reference came from my boss. He said "I need to hit this thing at 1'oclock to get it turned over" I inquired and thought it was a pretty good reference.

As far as extending your arms, they should just follow your body around... That was in lessson #1 Staying connected I've been focusing on that for the last month or so.

[flomarilius]

How hard of a draw are we talking about ez? Im wondering because then in this case the same thing can be called upon for a fade if its a managable distance and not a 15-30 yard change in direction. I am guessing if you hit toward 11 you would hit a nice high soft fade. Course for the next tourny kinda deals with both and you have to be able to work the ball with the driver (that is whats killing me).

[ezra76]

I actually tried at 11 and hit the fade. That's my natural shot so I don't need a lot of thought on that one. If the hole plays L to R I always hit driver and don't hold much back. I guess give it a shot at the range. I just found it to be a good thought for getting the alingment/swingpath for the change in shotshape.

[VtDivot]

EZ - I went to the "gasp" range today and was fighting the OTT move, and I've been hitting a pull/fade cut shot so far all season. When I am not hitting the pull cut, I am hitting the high block.

I need to try this drill. I guessing a little flip at the end will accentuate the draw? I think this is much easier to do with a 3W than a driver.

[clemsonhacker]

sounds like a great drill

[extremeVFT03]

nice sounding drill ill be trying it at the range tomorrow. at first i thought the drill was going to be go to the range and leave the clubs at home. LOL

[ezra76]

Originally Posted by extremeVFT03

nice sounding drill ill be trying it at the range tomorrow. at first i thought the drill was going to be go to the range and leave the clubs at home. LOL

Would I do that?

Thanks for all the responses guys. Looking forward to seeing if this actually helps someone.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by ezra76

I've actually done the tee thing with a rubber range tee. The actual bucket seemed to help more, it's much more noticible.

The clock reference came from my boss. He said "I need to hit this thing at 1'oclock to get it turned over" I inquired and thought it was a pretty good reference.

As far as extending your arms, they should just follow your body around... That was in lessson #1 Staying connected I've been focusing on that for the last month or so.

The problem is the right shoulder. It wants to go "around" and not "down". The arms just follow the shoulder over the top. And if I get my right shoulder "down" and through, but don't get my weight back to the left side, well...let's just say - not very pretty.

Maybe I can use the bucket as a target for my right shoulder.

[Ravenous Bugblatter Beast]

Originally Posted by Eracer

The problem is the right shoulder. It wants to go "around" and not "down". The arms just follow the shoulder over the top. And if I get my right shoulder "down" and through, but don't get my weight back to the left side, well...let's just say - not very pretty.

Maybe I can use the bucket as a target for my right shoulder.

Perhaps you need a thought like dropping your elbow back into your body? If you get your right elbow firing into your body, your shoulder will have to follow.

This might be just me, but if you want a crazy drill to help teach about keeping the arms in close to the body, get a 6 or 8-lb sledgehammer, take it back on the plane of the shoulders, and swing it into a tire or something soft enough to slam against down low on the ground. Not only will it help build strength, the weight of it helps teach finding the slot for your arms to go and the sledgehammer to follow.

[$2 Nassau]

Nice drill. I like it's simplicity. I'm all about keeping things simple these days, and it seems to be working.

I took a lesson a couple years ago, when battling the OTT move big time. I had a "lazy lead shoulder" as the pro put it (left shoulder for me as I am a rightie). Basically my shoulder was open at address.

He had me address the ball in a "square" fashion with my hips, toes, knees etc pointing down the target line, but had me close my left shoulder a bit. Basically just act like you are shrugging your left shoulder, that action raises it a bit and pushes a little forward (forward meaning out in front of you, not forward towards the target). It helps greatly with starting the backswing out on an inside track (towards 7 oclock) and then swinging out (towards 1 oclock). Flattens out your swing plane a little which is what I greatly needed.

Whenever that OTT move comes back, I just concentrate on shrugging and closing that left shoulder a bit, keeps you connected as well.

I think Sergio does this quite noticeably.

[TheWOAT]

SPeaking of shoulders... at impact, my shoulders are usually open (1 Oclock to 1:30 for me (LH), 10:30 to 11 oclock for righties)... Ive read from a couple sources that shoulders should be close to square at impact. Should I be addressing this? Or, since I battle OTT, I have bigger issues concerning my swing flaws?

[Coach]

Here's a drill that works for me:
"The Rectangle"
With your golf ball in position on the ground, take six tees, place two tees (or masking tape if hitting off a mat) -- one 3 inches above the ball (away from your body) and one 3 inches below the ball(nearer your body). Extend an imaginary line 12 inches behind the ball (parallel to your target line) from both 'center' tees, and place two more tees to form one side of the rectangle. Do the same imaginery line ahead of the 'center' tees. This completes your 2' x 6" rectangle.
Now, placing a ball between the center tees, take a 7 iron and swing so that the club head enters the rectangle from the lower right corner, strikes the ball, and exits from the upper left hand corner. Use short swings first and graduate to full swings. When you perfect the 7 iron, move to longer and shorter clubs -- using the same inside swing path.
For me this was a better way to instantly visualize my swing path from the inside. This smaller frame of reference lets me focus on and hit the ball while easily seeing the rectangle entrance and exit points with my peripheral vision. I do not have to look too far ahead or behind for my points of reference. This drill has helped me two ways -- first teaching me to come from inside and second, improved my ball striking.
"Try it you'll like it."
Let me know if it works for you.
Coach