It's all gone

[FATC1TY]

Stanters... Go and out play with your kick-wedge... I'm doing the SAME thing you are, and I'm about to the point where I'm better off throwing the ball from the tee box and kicking it down the fairway...

I'm gonna start throwing it like a basketball, when I reach the green.

I'm gonna take a lesson, and a range day, and then take a week off myself.

 

[Stanters]

No golf this week but decided to try a few things this weekend.

Played a bit of pitch and putt with someone yesterday and it was ok - short game not really a problem.

Range = big, big hooks still. Much scratching of the head and trembling of the lower lip.

Ok I thought - let's just recap this whole thing one more time, starting at the beginning....ie the grip.

Oh dear....I think I may have found the reason. As I grip a club with my left hand I can see 4 knuckles. Somehow without being conscious of doing anything different my hands has slid way over, I can see nearly the whole of the back of my hand. Now that must be why I am suddenly pull hooking everything and why it happened in a blink of an eye.

It never felt different and I guess I just shifted it a bit one day and it's stuck there. I mean, I've never had this problem before. Now does that mae sense? I can see that too strong a left hand is going to make it go left as the wrist fights to get back square and closes the face but just want to check with you guys that I am correct (was going to say "right" there instead of "correct" but had quite enough of "right" lately...)

So am I wishing on a prayer or is it a likely cause of my recent struggle?

 

[SilverUberXeno]

Stanters,

Before I read all these other posts, just in response to "hooks and blocks," I was going to say, "Check your left hand grip, brother."

When you have a grip that strong you have to play roulette, or walk a tight-rope, or however you wanna visualize it...

With your grip that strong, you need to have ABSOLUTELY dead hands, almost to the point that you are holding off EVERY shot, if you're turning your body through reasonably well. To hit a shot straight with a grip like that you virtually CAN'T release the club. If you turn through and release at all, you're pulling it, or hooking it, every time. If you don't turn through, which often leads to a rocking of the shoulders, you'll block it.

My major advice here....

Move a little farther away from the ball, and weaken your grip back to 2 knuckles. This is what I've been doing to CRUSH all my iron and hybrid shots. Get to where you MUST let the club go, where you MUST turn through the shot to square the clubface. It'll feel, at address, like you will NOT be able to close that clubface, but you will.

Moving away from the ball a little will just help you get out of your own way, in case you're getting stuck behind your right hip and blocking it from that.

But go into this with no expectations. You're at rock bottom. If you hit 100 terrible shots in a row, you're not going anywhere. Relax. You DO have complete control over yourself, and the flight of the ball. Just realize that, stay calm, and figure it out.

 

[Stanters]

Thanks very much - I'm pretty sure that must be it so am hopeful I will be ok again. But yeah, I am pretty much at rock bottom so won't be going crazy over it as you say.

Just can't believe I got into that position without realising it. I did check my grip weeks ago as I know that's where the root of many problems lies but....well...I have no answer, just couldn't see it and maybe was concentrating too much on my right hand (no cheap gags please).

But ty very much for taking the trouble to post - I'll put your advice to some good use over the next week and report back.

 

[BigJim13]

When people say you should be able to see 2 knuckles at address exactly what does that mean? Should I have a full 2 knuckles on top of the club? I never really understood this, I was always told that the V's formed by the thumb and forefinger should point to your right shoulder (for righties).

 

[SilverUberXeno]

All this V nonsense and knuckles is really not a governing dynamic, in my opinion. But if someone sees 4 knuckles at address, you can assume that is you tell them to only see 2, they'll be taking a weaker grip.

I think the grip depends on how much you rotate your forearms in the swing.

 

[Stanters]

Well I was so far over I could see my kidneys.

Jim, it's simple - how many can you see from address. 4 = bad....2=good

 

[SilverUberXeno]

Well I was so far over I could see my kidneys.

Jim, it's simple - how many can you see from address. 4 = bad....2=good

For the most part, this is correct. It's symbolic of how rotated your wrist is at address. If you want to see the effect of your grip in the swing (generally), take your normal grip, then, while gripping the club, rotate your left hand counter-clockwise. That's what'll happen when you release the club. You should notice, if you have a lot of knuckles showing, that your clubface is closing severely.

Another good way to check your grip is to hold the club up in the air; i.e., cock your wrists so it's out in front of you. I'm always shocked at how obviously closed my clubface is when I do that.

But be careful, Stant. With a more neutral grip, you're going to need to commit to your body turn. You may subconsciously hold back because of your hookiness before. Just work it out a bit. No expectations. The answer is in there somewhere.

 

[SilverUberXeno]

When people say you should be able to see 2 knuckles at address exactly what does that mean? Should I have a full 2 knuckles on top of the club? I never really understood this, I was always told that the V's formed by the thumb and forefinger should point to your right shoulder (for righties).

Just to clarify... the knuckles in question are the punchin' ones. And if you have a neutral grip you're seeing only one- the index finger knuckle. Stronger grip and you'll see the middle and ring finger knuckles. WAY strong and you're looking at the back of your hand. When you release the club with a REALLY strong grip, you're closing the clubface substantially.

 

[mddubya]

Eureka, after fighting my over active power fade forever and concentrating on rotating my forearms to correct it, I've developed the same problem. Hopefully this is my problem as well. I know I've strengthened my grip trying to assist getting the clubface closed so maybe I'm over cooking it now?

Something to try at least, thanks guys.

 

[twelvegage]

Eureka, after fighting my over active power fade forever and concentrating on rotating my forearms to correct it, I've developed the same problem. Hopefully this is my problem as well. I know I've strengthened my grip trying to assist getting the clubface closed so maybe I'm over cooking it now?

Something to try at least, thanks guys.

best. avatar. ever.

 

[Stanters]

Thank you gentlemen......my woes appear to be over - so here endeth the whining.

Left hand went back where it belongs and normal service was resumed. ie 3-4 decent shots, a duff, a scuff and that thin ok one. But they were straight!!! At last....thanks so much for the words of wisdom, calming influences, wake up calls and general tolerance beyond the realms of decency.

You cannot imagine the weight that's been lifted off my shoulders, been a bit melodramatic but sadly poor golf isn't the only crap I have to deal with at the moment so thanks for putting up with me while everything felt so bloody awful. I'm still miserable of course but at least I can escape for 3-4 hours when I fancy it now and be miserable in a happy way as I chunk, shank and block my way back to bogey golf.