Range session blew my mind

[Slingblade61]

Last week I had some real trouble off the tee so yesterday I went to the range and tried a few things.

My normal flight path is a fade/slice. The slice has pretty much gone away but it crops up from time to time.

I found that by just shifting my right thumb (I'm a righty) to the left (from center) I can draw/hook the ball.

I did it today. I found that a shift of only 1/2 inch changes my flight path dramatically left. When I do this I can definitely feel a change in the way my wrists hinge at the top of my back swing.

It's an experiment that means nothing in the big picture but it's news to me and I'll be working on that some more.

[15andlife]

nice sling just make sure that your draw/hook doesnt turn into a snap hook or a duck hook. Good Job.

[JEFF4i]

Interesting.

The draw is ideal. How far left did you move your thumb?

[jskd82]

I also find that by moving my right thumb to the left of the grip helps me draw the ball easier and it feels more comfortable for me.

[Slingblade61]

1/2 an inch Jeff.

that 1/2 inch does a lot, for me at least.

[JEFF4i]

That makes sense. I was just wondering, I mean, if it was crossing your other thumb...

That's pretty sweet though Sling, and as I said...interesting.

Doh! Just re-read your original post, hehe

[Eracer]

I had a similar experience. I put a midsize grip on my driver and my ball flight seemed to get much lower. Could be a fluke, but I think the bigger grip causes my hands to rotate a bit more and de-loft the club. We'll see.

Amazing how a small change can really alter your ballflight.

[fore142]

Originally Posted by Eracer

I had a similar experience. I put a midsize grip on my driver and my ball flight seemed to get much lower. Could be a fluke, but I think the bigger grip causes my hands to rotate a bit more and de-loft the club. We'll see.

Amazing how a small change can really alter your ballflight.

um a bigger grip slows down the rotation of hands and causes a fade...

at least thats what i was told.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by fore142

um a bigger grip slows down the rotation of hands and causes a fade...

at least thats what i was told.

Hmmm. Well then I guess we'll see what happens down the road. Funny, but I hit the first two intentional draws I've hit in years. My driver will usually fade, pull, snap hook, or go straight. But I can never draw the ball on command. Maybe my lessons are starting to pay off...I have been working hard on my release. Maybe that explains the lower ball flight too.

[warbirdlover]

I found that by just shifting my right thumb (I'm a righty) to the left (from center) I can draw/hook the ball.

Slingblade61

That's where it's supposed to be. NOT down the shaft. Now try a weaker grip and then a stronger grip (right hand) and see what happens.

[Sean]

Funny you brought this up. At the end of last year I was hitting the ball pretty straight with a little bias to the draw side. After coming through the winter I was hitting it straight with a slight bias to the fade side and it sllowly turned in to a constant fade with a slice bias

So I was trying to figure something out myself and not paying a hguy to do it and I re-read Ben Hogans 5 rules book and the position of my thumb really stuck out to me, so I tucked it in there and it helped quite a bit, got me back to straight/fade with some slicing.

To further it later in the book I realized I had stopped turning my lead foot out has heldped even more and now I'm hitting draws again.

[lamebums]

I should try this. Normally hit a long draw, but it turned into a fade, then a power fade, now, a vicious slice that's three fairways over. What I don't get is the scuff marks on my driver - it tells me I'm coming across the ball, but I'm certainly not doing that on my swings, unless something else has gone horribly wrong...

[Adam Pettman]

Originally Posted by fore142

um a bigger grip slows down the rotation of hands and causes a fade...
at least thats what i was told.

Me too.

Originally Posted by Eracer

Funny, but I hit the first two intentional draws I've hit in years.

Might bea mental thing because you thought the grip would allow you to hit a draw you relaxed and turned the club head over through impact.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by Adam Pettman

Me too.


Might bea mental thing because you thought the grip would allow you to hit a draw you relaxed and turned the club head over through impact.

Now that I know the facts I foresee some vicious slices in my future.

Thanks guys...just kidding!

[$2 Nassau]

Originally Posted by fore142

um a bigger grip slows down the rotation of hands and causes a fade...

at least thats what i was told.

True, but from what I understand, if the mid-size grip is actually the correct grip for you (i.e. your hands are larger than average) than it could very well lead to more control...hence how he mentioned he hit 2 "intentional" draws. Small grip in large hands could lead to tight grip pressure and a whole bunch of pour shots, including a weak fade/slice.

That's what I was told anyway. I went to a midsize grip on driver and 3wood. I'm a 6'3" lanky guy and my hands are a little larger than average, borderline "big."


So the larger grip allowed to me actually grip the club correctly and hit the intended shot. I'm considering the midsize grips on all my clubs.