Pulling The Ball

[Lohnro]

I have a problem pulling the ball left of target. It doesn't bend, just travels left in a straight line, and pretty high. Using a clock face analogy, I suppose I am swinging from 5 - 11. Whenever I manage to straighten up my swing path, I could get anything from a nice draw, to a wicked hook and close the face.

Any advice?

Thanks.

[pnearn]

Re: Pulling The Ball

I have a problem pulling the ball left of target. It doesn't bend, just travels left in a straight line, and pretty high. Using a clock face analogy, I suppose I am swinging from 5 - 11. Whenever I manage to straighten up my swing path, I could get anything from a nice draw, to a wicked hook and close the face.

Any advice?

Thanks.

I've struggled with this too. As has been said its an OTT move - in reality you are swinging flat around yourself with too much right hand/forearm rotation

Some things to try

1. Put the ball forward in your stance a little
2. Try and feel the club handle getting pulled more out to the right as you turn
3. Feel you swing a little more up and out than around

[AussieGolfBoy]

Re: Pulling The Ball

sounds to me like your setup is correct, but your turning your hips too early which is resulting in the pull... out to in swing path.

slow things down, let your arms come through the ball first before you turn your hips to face the target.

[Lohnro]

Re: Pulling The Ball

There are numerous causes for swinging over the top, e.g. heaving shoulders, right arm/hand hit, forcing a square club face at impact, etc., but for the most part all the reasons are "manipulation". In most every single case of manipulation the golfer simply does not [yet] understand the physics of the swing. If you deliver the swing directly into the ball on the correct path, with the golf club on a correct plane, absolutely no manipulation of the golf club is necessary...and if there is any manipulation it damages the swing with loss of lag, an out-to-in swing, and mishits on the club face.

This is so true Go Low, that is a very good pick up. I have tried to manipulated my swing in so many ways it is almost embarrassing. Good advice mate!

[Lohnro]

Re: Pulling The Ball

I've struggled with this too. As has been said its an OTT move - in reality you are swinging flat around yourself with too much right hand/forearm rotation

Some things to try

1. Put the ball forward in your stance a little

If I have the ball too far forward, I am prone to hitting it fat

2. Try and feel the club handle getting pulled more out to the right as you turn
3. Feel you swing a little more up and out than around

Thanks mate, I will give them a try.

[pnearn]

Re: Pulling The Ball

If I have the ball too far forward, I am prone to hitting it fat

That may be because you are coming OTT. The further back in the stance it is the more you will be prone to coming OTT if you are a puller. If you get it forward you can really feel that pull of the handle out to the right and give the clubface time to square as your arms extend - will be more of a sweep and a 'pick' than a real thump down with a closed cllubface (which may be why you hit it so high)

If you lay a club in front of the ball at a 30 - 45 degree angle to the right of the target and try to feel your turn pulls the club handle along that line and out - with the ball up in the stance you'll see the clubhead will square up naturally - you'll also see to get the club to go this way you cant rotate the foreaerms as Golow has said

As always lots of half swings first to feel the new swing path

[Lohnro]

Re: Pulling The Ball

hard to tell what you are doing w/o a video. If you are hitting OTT i would look to greg's RHD http://mysite.verizon.net/gregjwillis/LESSON1.htm

if you are getting pretty good distances (250 yds drive) then chances are you are not coming OTT as that is a huge power leak. if you are not coming OTT i would suggest this video, it has helped me a lot with my weight shifting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CSHq...own-swing.html

Distance is not really a problem, I generally hit the driver 240-260 meters (not sure what that is in yards). It only becomes a problem when I go TOO FAR into the trees...lol.

That 1st video will take some getting use to? The pro that I saw was trying to get me to roll my wrists?

[bertelsen]

Re: Pulling The Ball

sounds to me like your setup is correct, but your turning your hips too early which is resulting in the pull... out to in swing path.

slow things down, let your arms come through the ball first before you turn your hips to face the target.

Yes.

To make the ball go straight left without any curve you have done 2 things.

1 Strike the ball out to in.
2 Closed clubface, (wich is perpendicular to your out to in swing path)

I agree with AussieGolfBoy, that you shold slow things down. By trying to muscle the club you could be forcing it out of the plane that it was started on.

Try to focus on what the CLUB should do instead of your bodymovements.

Using this thought.. to make a straight shot you would want the entire clubshaft moving towards the target at impact. Combine this with a square clubhead and there you go!

[pnearn]

Re: Pulling The Ball

If you lay a club in front of the ball at a 30 - 45 degree angle to the right of the target and try to feel your turn pulls the club handle along that line and out - with the ball up in the stance you'll see the clubhead will square up naturally - you'll also see to get the club to go this way you cant rotate the foreaerms as Golow has said

Heres a good article which explains this better

http://www.classicswing.com/newsletter/apr-07.htm

[BrianW]

Re: Pulling The Ball

Free yourself from many these complicated swing thoughts and focus on the ball and clubface only. The ball does not care what your hips, shoulders, wrists, arms etc do, it only takes notice of the clubface.

Create a sound setup that is in balance with a neutral grip, then concentrate when you practice on the clubface approaching the ball on an inside to square to inside path, make the clubface descend to the ball correctly creating ball then ground contact, except with the driver where the face needs to have a shallow approach. Think less on what your body is doing and more on the clubface and ball.

Oh! also purchase the 3Skills book which will explain this method of training and the associated imagery that will simplify the journey.