when things go bad all of the sudden..

[ezra76]

That was good though. I think both of us picked it up a bit when we competed out back. I know I did, like all the sudden I wasn't thinking about anything but putting it closer to the hole than you. We had some really awesome shots. How bout on that short par 4, before 18.... dang those shots were close. It was all or nothing trying to clear that hazard from like 230 with 3W after having nothing out of that junk left. I had all I could do to just put the head of my hybrid on the ball to get to the fairway. Not a good spot to double cross a fade, on the tiebreaking hole, 455yds. uphill all the way.

I'll be back!!

 

[warbirdlover]

Okay, since we're being serious, I've found that if I "start" the downswing too fast (assuming relaxed grip and correct hand position) I slice. If I start it slow and just go through it good at the end it's straight. And shaft flex doesn't seem to matter like I thought it did. Shaft "weight" (heavier) seems to help me. I'm still learning.

 

[cypressperch]

999,999 out of every one million

people that start playing competitively at any level will have a problem with SWINGING TOO QUICKLY.

A common result of this is a slice. First, the faster you swing, the harder it is to get the club face back to square with the target line by impact time. Second, we tend not to finish the back-swing and now we do not have enough space and time to get the club face back to square. Thirdly, when we swing too quickly, we tend to want to attack the ball from the top since we are in so much a hurry with our swing that we do not give time for the lower body to clear out of the way first. So, we get the over-the-top, outside-in club path that cuts across the target line giving us lots of slice-producing side-spin. Finally, when we decide to play the slice by aiming left, the sub-conscious invariably is still committed to the original target line, and now we really cut across the target line producing a gargantuan slice that really impresses Pantagruelle. (Rabalais)

Tempo is a great place to look for the cure to all of this. The book TOUR TEMPO along with the CD can teach you a tempo that is ideal for you. When this tempo becomes part of you, all you have to do to swing as you usually do, is to swing to that tempo. If we try to figure out a problem in our swing, 99% of the time, there really is no problem. We are swinging like we always do, only much too fast. Get the tempo right, the "problem" is gone (it was not really there in the first place.).

In addition, the big muscles operate under pressure more than the twitchy small ones which react to nerves and produce the overly quick swing in the first place. Therefore, try getting the left shoulder over the right knee by the end of your back-swing. Now we are coiling our big muscles, the core, and we will probably have to move slower. Add smoothness, and you got it.

Some will get quick and hit fat shots and/or thinned shots. Get the tempo right, and these problems disappear as well.

Best of luck. Sincerely, Cypressperch