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new member needs advice

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Yuzo

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Joined
Jul 29, 2009
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just started playing golf and have purchased a contract at my local golf club so i can go and play any time for free.

i am currently finishing on around the 102 mark (not so good).

i have just has my first pro lesson and he has given me some advice (see below).

my main problem is slicing the ball from the tee, the ball starts right and finishes even further right. the pro told me this is because of pointer number 3 below.

-------------

points to work on:

50/50 weight on stance before all swings.

Do not lean into the swing, just move the hips (keep head behind ball on impact).

Keep same height throughout the swing (this height problem may be because i am 6"3)

Follow through the whole swing.

-------------

i weant onto the course the next day and still had the horrible slice, and was having problems trying to carry out the correct swing as the pro instructed me.

would leaning into the ball on the down swing cause the slice then? ... he told me my club is getting left slightly behind when i do this "leaning".

what would be the best way to stop me doing this? ... and also stop me changing height on my swing, as i am having problems implementing these changes.
 
Being 'new' to the game means only one thing - practise practise practise.....

There is no quick cures, keep having lessons, keep trying to work on things, and slowly, things well groove into a reliable-ish swing.
Some peeps 'get it' quicker than others, some peeps never, you just have to work on it and try, and keep having the lessons.

Welcome to the ever so frustrating world of Golf :D
 
virtually all golfers start hitting a slice when learning the game,you have to give your body time to adjust to everything that goes on in a golf swing and learn timing of the swing. It will come slowly, and before you know it you will have turned the slice into a fade then fade into straight or draw.Keep swinging don't get frustrated it will come.
Welcome to our game, and remember for every good day there's usually a bad un. :D
 
If the ball starts right then it's a 'push slice' and you've hit it out that way to start with... probably with an open clubface which makes it spin off even further right.

Where do you position the ball when hitting your driver?
Have you got a vid (phone clip) of your swing that you can post?

regards...
 
Stick with it as it does get better with time. My advice would be not to worry too much about the technique on the course but go to the rabge and work on what the pro has shown you. Did he give you any drills to work on. If so keep working on these at the range and if it is still a problem nip back and have a quick 5 minute chat. Most pros I know will happily go over the points (albeit very briefly) again.
 
I had the same problem and it was due to coming over the top. What ever the reason the cause is the same in that the clubhead is putting side spin on the ball due to an out to in swing. Ie clubhead goes further away from you than the ball and then cuts across the ball at impact as you bring it back to the ball. You need to ensure that your swing always keeps the clubhead between you and the ball. easier said than done and can then lead to a push or a hook but one step at a time
 
If the ball starts right then it's a 'push slice' and you've hit it out that way to start with... probably with an open clubface which makes it spin off even further right.

Where do you position the ball when hitting your driver?
Have you got a vid (phone clip) of your swing that you can post?

regards...
Click to expand...

i position the ball on my left heel using the driver.

i dont really have a phone clip as my phone isnt the best quality, i will see what i can do though.
 
i have come up with a theory by watching some videos on youtube.

i think i am hitting accross the ball as the previous post mentioned, with an open club face which may be causing my slice.

apparrently the best way to close the club face on impact is to sort out your grip, it seems that i am gripping my club slightly wrong.

the V between the thumb and finger of my left hand when gripping the club is pointing to my chin, and i need it to point to my right shoulder, by holding the club more in my fingers and bringing my hand more around the club.

what are your theorys on this? .. or would it not make much difference?

i will try this out when next on the range.
 
You can work of strengthening your grip as described which may help in the short term but if I was you I would stcik to the basics and get guidance from a professional rather than guessing from yourtube.

You are actually much luckier than most on here as you are new to the game and so haven't developed and ingrained numerous bad habits over the years. Get the fundamentals correct with help from your pro and then keep checking them regularly. If your set up is correct to start with you have a better chance of making a good swing
 
I had the same problem and it was due to coming over the top. What ever the reason the cause is the same in that the clubhead is putting side spin on the ball due to an out to in swing. Ie clubhead goes further away from you than the ball and then cuts across the ball at impact as you bring it back to the ball. You need to ensure that your swing always keeps the clubhead between you and the ball. easier said than done and can then lead to a push or a hook but one step at a time
Click to expand...

what would be the first step to fixing this then?

would compensating by either standing further from the ball or moving the ball in your stance sort this problem out?

so say the club is too far out in the swing,.. an extra shuffle back would bring it back inline with the ball?

or is it more of a case using a steeper or wider backswing?

i know i should be asking the pro, but all he said is stop leaning into the ball, and keep the same height throughout the swing... and i dont know the best way to go about changing this.
 
another bit of advice i have heard to stop the outside to inside swing is to put a headcover just by the side of your ball, dont know if anyone has tried this drill, cant really see how this would work.
 
Without really seeing what you are doing its hard to give specific answers I'm sure Bobmac and others are better placed to offer more useful advice but I would reiterate that trying to fix the problem yourself and looking for a quick homemade solution will lead to more and more confusion and compounding errors. I know its not what you want to hear and want to be able to get out and swing well but take it from one who has struggled with numerous swing faults in recent years, its better to get a professional viewpoint and some drills than trying to sort it out on your own. If your pro won't help, try going to a different pro. Not every pro will suit in the way they teach (although they should be good enough to work to your limits and understanding) and try one that will give you things to work on to help you understand the correct technique
 
Just to add my 2 cents...

When I started playing years and years ago, I never had a lesson. I got to an ok standard but suffered with a huge slice. Not all the time because that would let you aim left, but maybe 25% of the time, and moreso when trying to give it a bit extra.

The must be literally hundreds of 'quick-fix' tips on curing a slice, but the problem is that any one of a number of faults can cause it. If you find a tip that works it might not necessarily be fixing your particular fault but rather just forcing another compensation on your swing to compound the fault that's already there.

Now the point - and the light at the end of my particular tunnel.
Since I started playing again I've had 2 lessons. In the first the pro got me to change my grip slightly because I had both thumbs pointing straight down the grip. I was told that the v in your left hand should be pointing towards your right shoulder, which should allow you to see 2 or 3 knuckles on your left hand at address.
This small change helped with the general fade shape of my longer shots, but the occasional huge banana-ball was still there.

The next lesson I had, the pro decided a video lesson would be a good idea as he thought my actual swing wasn't too bad and could do with closer inspection.
I couldn't believe it when I saw myself. I was swaying to the right on my backswing (and almost standing up straight!) then lunging to the left on the downswing and through impact.
That was (is) causing my slice, and it's what I'm working on correcting when I practice/play now.

I'll try and explain why it will make you slice the ball, as you don't seem convinced that this could be the reason.

Address the ball with your driver. This, in theory, is where everything (more or less) should be after you've swung the club back and brought it back down again to hit the ball.
Now move your hips to the left (ie leaning into it) without changing the position of your arms, but leave the clubhead addressing the ball ("leaving it behind").
If you now look at where the clubface is pointing, it should explain why your ball behaves as it does (if I've explained it well).

If you just had an out to in swing but with a square clubface, the ball would fade/slice, but it wouldn't start out to the right as yours does (unless you're aiming right without knowing it, but the pro would have pointed that out).

Different things work for different people, but I'm finding it helps to a) concentrate on keeping the slight bend in my knees, and b) think about my body rotating about my spine, rather than pulling the club away with my arms.

I hope it all works out for you, but it's still a gloriously frustrating game now matter how good you get :p
 
I couldn't believe it when I saw myself. I was swaying to the right on my backswing (and almost standing up straight!) then lunging to the left on the downswing and through impact.
Click to expand...

A perfect description of 99% of amateur golfers swings :D
 
Yuzo, as JustoneUK said, you have a push slice and from what you have said its almost definately your grip.
Your left hand is wrong if the V is pointing at your chin, and as you said, it needs to point at your right ear/shoulder area. This WILL make a huge difference to your clubface at impact and should cure your problem.
Dont worry about changing anything else until you've tried the new grip.
HTH :)
 
thanks for all advice :)

i have booked a lesson with another pro for tomorrow, this place has a special training area that records your swing on video... so should get more accurate advice about my swing.

going to go and hit some balls on the range now with my new grip.

will let you know how everything goes :)
 
well the new grip didnt fix my horrible slice, managed to hit about 1 straight from 2 baskets with my driver and 5 wood.

will see what the pro says tomorrow as something must be seriously wrong.

i will keep the new grip though, atleast i know i am now doing that correctly.
 
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