Need Advice

[ezra76]

OK here is the problem, pulling the ball. I hit my driver great this afternoon whenever I just set up for a slight fade. I aim the face, set up square and the just open the stance a bit. I pick a target landing area as well as another target for the starting flight. Great results.
Now I do the same thing in reverse, which seemed to be working for a while and works with all other clubs... dead pulling the crap out of it. 80yds. if I get lucky and hit a tree. Now when I set up square I get similar results. Try to hit it straight and pull it low and left. Any suggestions as to what I am doing? Why the fade setup is producing great drives but I can't hit it straight or draw?

[JEFF4i]

Are you pulling through with your knees instead of your hips?

Are your hands turning over too fast?

Is your right shoulder moving forward higher than it should be(for an Arc Swinger).

[ezra76]

Could it have anything to do with clearing or not clearing the hips? Seems when I set up fade I am automatically clearing with the open stance. Also the right shoulder may be lifting and I may be trying to hard to close the face. I'll be hitting a few hundred at the range over the next few days.

[JEFF4i]

It could be the hips. Try a regular swing, but with just a slight want to fade it. Maybe you need to find the, "in between" area.

Also when that right shoulder leads over for an arc swinger it can be brutal, and caused by something else.

As far as the hips, begin your downswing with your knees.

[charnockpro]

Very common problem, i take it your fade is your go to shot i.e the shot you can hit under pressure.

With a draw turning to a pull you usually find that your swing will take the line of your aim (right of target, making it a slightly inside takeaway) your body is most likely telling your hands and arms to swing straight at the target on the way down instead of along the lines created at address(downswing to the right of target) resulting in a slightly closed clubbface travelling on a direct line to the pin which would create a straight left shot.

[ezra76]

Yes, the fade is my go-to shot with the driver and I am more accurate with it with irons as well. You bring up a good point. When I hit a draw off the tee with my 5iron(2 holes I always use this) I am setting face postion to the center of the fairway and shoulders to a tree well right, if I hit that shot straight, I'll definitely be in the woods. I hit this shot perfect 9/10 times and it results in a SW or GW into a 329yd. par 4, 5iron off the tee.

I have a real "fear of commitment" when it comes to the driver draw. I am so afraid of pushing it hard right I think I'm doing exactly as you say. I hit it last week on the 293yd. 1st hole and actually committed to it, swinging at a tree on the right side. I hit a towering 15yd. draw that ended up onto the fringe. I'd like to have that exact shot on a lot of holes but guess I have to really commit to it and trust it. Double-crossing a draw? I didn't think of that one.

[charnockpro]

Ball flight is always a help

Low Flight: club de lofted
straight left: closed club face on a straight line

it is easier to find your faults if you analyse the shape of your ball in flight and if applicable the line of your divot

[ezra76]

Thanks for the help. That's one thing I like about the squared, more workable driver, it kind of lets me know I screwed something up. Same with the irons more or less. I can feel where I struck it but can get away with a little less than perfect. A lot of it is probably in my preshot and setup. I'm working on just making all that second nature but you know how that goes.

[Farquod]

Check your shoulders at setup, Ez. When I'm pulling, I find my feet and hips are square to my line, but my shoulders are open. I hit a TON of Ruths and Gehrigs (read: dead yanks) when that happens.

[ezra76]

By George I think I've got it. Power went out for an hour so I pulled my old Golf Encyclopedia off the shelf. I think it's all in my grip. I have been using a strong grip for a while, which will promote that pull. When I open up a bit for the fade I am essentially squaring perfectly at impact, producing a fade but also a max distance shot. I'm off to the range in a little while to try it out. Also I'm going to try another little tip, point the club at the taget at the top. Not expecting a miracle but hopefully some improvement. Strong grip has been there since day 1 so it will take some work to adjust.

[ezra76]

Ok, no magic cure but looking better. Weakened the grip a bit and opened up the loft a bit, a few bombs. I found it easier to just set up open and then close up to square. This driver is weird though. I swear it has like 3levels of sweet spot. 1st one yields 260-265, closer yeilds 270-275 and catch it dead on the pinhead, longest damn drive you've ever seen. I thought I was hitting it on center, then hit the magic button, ridiculous. Had I been on the course it would have probably been the longest drive I'd ever hit. I always come back from the range thinking I've lost my patience. I guess I expect to hit every one 285, exactly where I want. Reality is if I could do that with this driver, I'd be on TV right now.

[JEFF4i]

These problems are always the worst. I went through a hard time a couple weeks back with everything because the hands got overreactive. As soon as I saw it on my camera, I fixed it and it started getting better.

Seriously though, just because it is in a hard spot, doesn't mean it won't get better. Just take it one step at a time, relax, and have fun. That's what I tell myself when things aren't going how I want them to.

[ezra76]

Originally Posted by JEFF4i

Seriously though, just because it is in a hard spot, doesn't mean it won't get better. Just take it one step at a time, relax, and have fun. That's what I tell myself when things aren't going how I want them to.

I just break out a different driver. If it gets really bad and I get pissed.... I just start playing back to back 6irons, even been known to take an 8iron-5iron combo (no tees) just to challenge myself and get my confidence in my game back.

[LyleG]

Stop thinking so much. Being too technical is imo the biggest problem people have. Be a kid again for a round or 2, point and swing like hell, forget about everything else. Take a deep breath, relax and just hit the ball.

[JEFF4i]

Or, just stop thinking.

Granted I'm young so it's easier for me(though Ezra isn't old), but my muscle memory is usually pretty good. If it gets to the point where nothing works, if I step back, relax, take a shorter swing based purely on muscle memory, it usually fixes hte problem.