On course quick fix required - pulling left

[TheDiablo]

For the second or third time this year I had a round where almost every approach, from 5i right through to PW, was somewhere between 10 and 30 yards left of target. I think I only hit 1 GIR this weekend, then I've been averaging 7 or 8 over the last couple of months. (16 handicap)

The strike was always good, the ball flight dead straight and the distance slightly long (I understand that a pulled shot reduces the loft so makes sense).

Looking for how to remedy this mid-round - what it a quick drill or swing thought I can go through to try and rectify. It hasnt happened consecutively yet as I normally get a range session in to fix if needed.

If it helps at all, I play my iron shots with a very gentle fade.

Approach play is normally the strongest point of my game, so struggle to score that well when it goes amiss!

 

[One Planer]

Check your grip.

Check your ball position.

Check your alignment.

 

[TheDiablo]

Check your grip.

Check your ball position.

Check your alignment.

Thanks. Alignment is the first thing I check as when I started out a couple of years back I had a natural tendency to have my shoulder very open and a shut club face.

With grip and ball position, what would I be looking for? Strong right hand grip? Ball slightly too far forward?

 

[One Planer]

Thanks. Alignment is the first thing I check as when I started out a couple of years back I had a natural tendency to have my shoulder very open and a shut club face.

With grip and ball position, what would I be looking for? Strong right hand grip? Ball slightly too far forward?

Pretty much :thup:

If your grip has moved to a strong(...er) position (Hands rotated to the right) so you can see more knuckles of your left hand, the club face will point more left at impact.

As you play a fade, your path will already be to the left with your clubface slightly open to the path as it impacts the ball. If you're grip slips a little stronger, your club face could match your left swing path and hit the ball straight left.

With your ball position (Depending on the club), the ball position may have moved a little too far forwards. The further forward the ball is positioned, the later in the swing arc contact is made. This could lead to the clubface again matching your path and hitting the ball dead-left, even with a neutral grip.

 

[the_coach]

Alignment is the first thing I check as when I started out a couple of years back I had a natural tendency to have my shoulder very open and a shut club face.

With grip and ball position, what would I be looking for? Strong right hand grip? Ball slightly too far forward?

if pretty happy with the rest of the game so the balls mostly fading to target as norm - then would be careful about altering the grip hold any - check for sure but possibly not grip

shoulder parallel to target line a real key for sure but also make sure the trail shoulder isn't being 'carried' to high way to chack this is if it is the trail forearm at set-up address will be higher than the lead - ideally you'd want someone resting a shaft against both forearms to have that shaft level some so not tilting up some from lead forearm to trail
a dtl vid view of set-up with a wedge will show clearly if the forearms are more level parallel to target line - if the trail arm/shoulder is a ways too high the left forearm would be clearly visible and be able to be seen 'under' the trail arm from the behind dtl viewpoint

general point any kind of a flip release so clubhead getting to ball before the hands is that flip will tend to point the laft and face angle left - so hit try hitting some 3/4 punch shots making sure the hands/handle get upto the ball position before the clubhead does so littleways forwards leaning shaft - not a big handle drag
and make sure the right shoulder keep turning through impact lower than the left so spine angle retained some

thing with loft is if the leading edge gets hooded any at address then with the loft on the club that's goin always to be looking leftfield - loft exaggerates this

so for sure check ball position is off the chest center as the natural swing path is goin to be out to in some so don't want the ball position creeping forwards any as that makes a later strike point with the clubhead moving further leftfield on the swings arc

goin back to the leading edge and loft at set-up - one thing that tends to get the loft looking left leading edge hooded is to do with posture if the posture gets a little ways slumped, bent over so the hands/handle is lower and then toe up at address this will point the loft and face angle leftfield

so posture-wise for sure have the spine ange and pelvic angle set good but maybes 'feel' a tad taller so the hand a little ways higher so the sole of the wedges/9i are not way toe up at address - toe a ways up hands low leading edge hooded the ball is with the normal swing direction always going to be going leftfield and because of the loft on the clubface and the back spin on the ball it won't be able to move left to right fade as the lower lofted club shots do