Ugly Push Slice is ruining my game, HELP!

[chessbum]

I had been playing great until about 2 months ago. Suddenly, I developed a severe PUSH SLICE that is about the ugliest golf shot you can imagine.

I went to a Pro last week for help and he thought it was caused by sliding my hips laterally. I have been working on rotating instead of sliding but making no progress. I have worked very hard on rotating but making no progress.

Here is some background:

• I am 57 and have been playing for about 25 years but only seriously the last 3 years.
• My handicap is about 20 and I am working on lowering it. I usually have a round or two each season in the 80's. Not often though.Almost always sub 100.
• I play practically everyday.
• I take the game seriously and work on my game a lot. I video tape my swing and study it. I for the life of me can't see a whole lot wrong, especially something that would cause such drastic problems.
• I have checked to see if I am blocking but I don't think so.
• The push slice comes and goes in a spontaneous fashion. It may last for one or two shots or three or four holes. When it shows up, it is ALWAYS with the irons and never with woods, or driver. The difference between the good and bad swings feel practically the same to me EXCEPT I can certainly feel the clubhead is coming into impact way open.
• I have checked my ball position and grip and they seem to be fine.

Any suggestions would be so greatly appreciated. In my frustrastion over this whole thing, I have had fleeting thoughts of giving up the game. It's funny how adversity in this game can really play with your head.

Please, your help is really needed.

Chessbum....

[BDR444]

Re: Ugly Push Slice is ruining my game, HELP!

I'm in the same boat as you right now, except that I'm not getting a slice and the push is so bad that its only going around 40-50 yards in distance. No problems with woods though.

[jscerbo]

Re: Ugly Push Slice is ruining my game, HELP!

This is a path problem accompanied with an open face at impact. The pro may be right but there is a little more to it than that. First check your grip, be sure that it is not too weak. ( that your hands are not rotated too far to the left) this will affect the direction that you swing your club. What is causing the push slice is an in to out swing path with an open face. evaluate your grip pressure it should be a 4 or 5 on a scale of 1 to 10.

[chessbum]

Re: Ugly Push Slice is ruining my game, HELP!

Dear Jorby,

Thanks so much for your reply. I will re-evaluate the two points that you brought, grip strength and pressure. I usually try and stay on top of them but it is easy to neglect them. I will be working on these two suggestions today.

I was at the range last night working on hip rotation and seemed to do better. I just can't believe a person can "lose his swing" so easily. I guess it even happens to the pros, look at David Duvall for example.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond and make some suggestions. I really appreciate it!!

Greg...

[LowPost42]

Re: Ugly Push Slice is ruining my game, HELP!

Hi Chessbum,

I still struggle with a push - and for me, it comes from an 'unconcious' tightening of my grip on the downswing. This holds my clubface open so that the ball goes right at impact. My inside-out swingpath at impact doesn't allow my ball to go further right (slice). The other thing I've recently discovered (and I have no idea how I went this long without noticing) is that I've been using a weak grip. So I went to a 2 to 3 knuckle strong grip, and my pushes and occasional slice 'magically' disappeared.

So I'll double up on Jordy's advice - check that grip pressure, and make sure that at address, you can see at least the knuckles on your first two fingers (index, middle) and if you see the knuckle on your ring finger, it might not be too bad, either. (If you don't, it may not be a problem).