Push Slice

[KJT123]

I have been driving great for the past 2-3 months but the last 2 rounds I have developed a vicious push slice with the driver.

What is the likely cause of this? Could it be because I'm leaning backwards with the driver to try and achieve a positive angle of attack?

 

[nemicu]

Swing path. Club face.
My guess is that in your efforts to try to achieve a positive AoA, you are leaving the club face open in the belief you are creating more loft. Leaning backwards and trying to hit up (and consequently cutting across the ball or pushing it) is symptomatic of trying to maintain a square club face when it's far too late. You must keep the club face square to target at impact and hit the ball on the upswing before your swing makes the club pass through impact. It sounds like you're leaving it open because your natural tendency to have a negative AoA dictates the moment through impact when the club would've been square. Try keeping your ball position the same, but tee it up higher to encourage a +ve AoA - never try to lean back on the shot or try to 'add' loft at impact - a slice or push will probably result.

 

[the_coach]

I have been driving great for the past 2-3 months but the last 2 rounds I have developed a vicious push slice with the driver.

What is the likely cause of this? Could it be because I'm leaning backwards with the driver to try and achieve a positive angle of attack?

Is it a true push slice? Starting direction well right of target & moving further right?

 

[Foxholer]

Swing path. Club face.
My guess is that in your efforts to try to achieve a positive AoA, you are leaving the club face open in the belief you are creating more loft. Leaning backwards and trying to hit up (and consequently cutting across the ball or pushing it) is symptomatic of trying to maintain a square club face when it's far too late. You must keep the club face square to target at impact and hit the ball on the upswing before your swing makes the club pass through impact. It sounds like you're leaving it open because your natural tendency to have a negative AoA dictates the moment through impact when the club would've been square. Try keeping your ball position the same, but tee it up higher to encourage a +ve AoA - never try to lean back on the shot or try to 'add' loft at impact - a slice or push will probably result.

Conclusions may be pretty much correct, but there's and awful lot in the 'reasons' that seem wrong to me!

@KJ.. It's quite possibly the reason. Reverse-K is a pretty good impact position. But only if the timing of the impact is such that swing-path and face angle are in sync. And balance still has to be very much on the front/lead foot! Any leaning back onto the rear foot will almost certainly result in a slicey push!

 

[KJT123]

Is it a true push slice? Starting direction well right of target & moving further right?

Yes, normally I hit draws or straight shots with driver.

 

[MadAdey]

As the_coach said is it really a PUSH-SLICE?

That type of shot is caused by an in-out swing path with the clubface open to the swing path.

 

[KJT123]

The ball starts right of target and curves further to the right

 

[MadAdey]

The ball starts right of target and curves further to the right

Problem is it is hard for anyone to really hand advice out on here, unless you upload a video for people to see.

 

[Foxholer]

The ball starts right of target and curves further to the right

That shape could also be produced by an out-to-in swing with the face open as well. If the face is only a little open, then it might start straight or left of target, but more open and it can start right of target and go (much) further right.

Push Slice tends not to be such a 'bad slice' as Pull Slice. That's why the_coach asked whether it starts well right - as in block. A Pull Slice starting well right of target would be very difficult to do and not know what was happening!

 

[the_coach]

Given what you've said, & assuming your aim alignment & ball position in good shape, I'd wager that you either hadn't set a decent spine tilt away from target, (left shoulder higher then right) or if you had set one at address you weren't keeping it upto & through impact)
It's this spine tilt away (assuming all the other stuff is in good shape) that allows you to have an upwards AoA through impact.

Check the spine tilt is set at address & you're keeping it until you've gone through the ball, right shoulder working down & under.

Helps to think of too, as you swing that the lowest point of your swing arc being some 3 inches before club arrives to ball, rather than just thinking of swinging upwards at impact this latter feeling tends to make you lean back & thrust the hips out a tad towards ball/target line so the club is going in to out too much & the face can also be open.

Setting the spine tilt & keeping that & the rest os your posture (hip angle, butt staying back on an 'imaginary wall so hips don't travel towards the ball/target line) lets you bottom out the arc before club gets to the ball put allows you still to have your weight on your lead leg, as it should be, & not a tad on your right leaning back some.

 

[KJT123]

Thanks coach