Is it my swing or my alignment?

[Captain_Black]

Hi all.
I have been plagued for a while with a slice, mainly with my driver & 3 wood, but also sometimes with a longer iron or hybrid.

Bearing in mind I am an older player & have only been playing for about 11 months, during this time I have improved immensely & managed to develop my swing, at the start of me playing I only had about a half to three-quarter swing & didn't really have a slice problem.

However, now with a full swing I developed a slice.
I have tried everything to overcome this issue, (grip - posture - ball position - etc)
nothing seemed to work.

Now when I first started played, I was told by my instructor to point the club face at the target & align my body to the left on a parallel line, so this is the way I have always played since.
The other day in desperation to get rid of my slice, I pointed the club face at the target & also aligned my body to the target, which gave me a slightly closed stance, hey presto!! the slice was gone & I began hitting it straight.

So my question is.
Do you think my swing is at fault (maybe coming out to in across the ball)
or could it be the my alignment was wrong all the time & maybe instead of me being parallel to the target, I actually had a slightly open stance?

Slightly confused.

 

[bobmac]

Tricky to know for certain without seeing your swing but....
It sounds as if you were out to in with the clubface open at impact.
Now that you aim more to the right, your swing path is still out to in to your body aim but straighter to the target. Then all you need to do is square up the club face to the target and bingo, the ball starts straight and doesn't slice.
If you are now hitting it straight where you want it to go, don't get too worried about how you do it, just enjoy it AND DONT FIX IT

 

[Captain_Black]

Excellent.
Thank you Bob.

 

[RGDave]

Parallel left or at target. It's an age-old question. (the alignment).

Many moons ago (can't think when) someone suggested standing (LINE of FEET) parallel left with mid irons, at the target for long clubs and only open for short irons.

Basically, this.... (give or take a little on the explanation )

I think I've always played this way more or less.

I bought a driver in 2010 and took it unused straight out on the course at Little Aston the next day. Every time I set up to it, I pulled my right foot back, nudged my left shoulder forward and sank well into my right hand side.

Best day for driving I can remember.....

 

[Wolfman]

Does that also promote a draw with the long irons, driver etc ?

 

[duncan mackie]

.....could it be the my alignment was wrong all the time & maybe instead of me being parallel to the target, I actually had a slightly open stance?

probably - as Bob say's the key is to enjoy it!

 

[Region3]

If it works great but.................................

Assuming you are/were lining up exactly parallel and exactly to the target, and using a 150yd 7 iron as an example, you can make a triangle between the ball, your feet and the target. I've guesstimated the distance from my feet to the ball at 1.5'.

Using trigonometry, we can work out that the difference between lining your feet up parallel and lining your feet up to the target, is 0.2°

I defy anyone to set up their shoulders relative to their feet that accurately, let alone their feet to a target 150yds away.

 

[RGDave]

If it works great but.................................

Assuming you are/were lining up exactly parallel and exactly to the target, and using a 150yd 7 iron as an example, you can make a triangle between the ball, your feet and the target. I've guesstimated the distance from my feet to the ball at 1.5'.

Using trigonometry, we can work out that the difference between lining your feet up parallel and lining your feet up to the target, is 0.2°

I defy anyone to set up their shoulders relative to their feet that accurately, let alone their feet to a target 150yds away.

Yes, this is true.

It's about intent and feeling mostly. Better to set up as square as possible and then close the feet and shoulders so you're definitely not open, if of course that's the aim.

A lot of people (incl me) get set up for the big stick believing they're all nicely square. However, as we know the truth is often different. Tweak yourself, hit better drives = enjoy!

 

[JustOne]

Assuming you are/were lining up exactly parallel and exactly to the target, and using a 150yd 7 iron as an example, you can make a triangle between the ball, your feet and the target. I've guesstimated the distance from my feet to the ball at 1.5'.

Using trigonometry, we can work out that the difference between lining your feet up parallel and lining your feet up to the target, is 0.2°

It rarely matters if you then proceed to swing the club round the back of your knees!

 

[Foxholer]

Actually, the 'parallel left' is a simple, but much mis-interpeted concept.

Classically for a straight shot, then through the impact area, the desirable club path is 'at the target' and directed the same as your feet, shoulders and hips. As the club head is about a yard away from those parts of the body, then those parts should be lined up a yard to the left(for a rightee) of the target!

 

[Captain_Black]

Very interesting & informative answers.
Thanks all.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Parallel left or at target. It's an age-old question. (the alignment).

Many moons ago (can't think when) someone suggested standing (LINE of FEET) parallel left with mid irons, at the target for long clubs and only open for short irons.

Basically, this.... (give or take a little on the explanation )

I think I've always played this way more or less.

I bought a driver in 2010 and took it unused straight out on the course at Little Aston the next day. Every time I set up to it, I pulled my right foot back, nudged my left shoulder forward and sank well into my right hand side.

Best day for driving I can remember.....

Hmmm...I certainly wouldn't advocate using that setup.

 

[RGDave]

Hmmm...I certainly wouldn't advocate using that setup.

No, you do have top be careful if you're going to try it. It's not a well designed drawing, far too exaggerated for my liking.

I think a "touch" might be more usable.

Was there a time when golf was played/taught using this principle? I do seem to remember some old, old instruction books making a big deal out of this, but obviously not as drastic as the drawing!

 

[williamalex1]

address the ball ready to swing , keep your feet in place , bend over put your club down on the ground touching both toe caps, with the grip pointing the target.you will see where you were aiming, probably not where you thought you were

 

[RGDave]

address the ball ready to swing , keep your feet in place , bend over put your club down on the ground touching both toe caps, with the grip pointing the target.you will see where you were aiming, probably not where you thought you were

Yes, one of the cheapest lessons in golf.

I bought some Mizuno irons in 2009 (?) and went and played with just the set 5-PW and a putter, which meant 5 iron off every tee. I placed the club down as you suggest and wasn't standing even close to square. Easily done, and easily rectified....