pulling left

[bobby]

• on my last thread, Ian H mentioned that I was flipping my hands to artificially turn the clubface over into a draw
• so, I stopped the flipping, but my slice started to re-appear
• to try and fix the problem, I then tried to turn more strongly through the ball to ensure a good finish
• it worked well except that most of my shots now pull to the left (this has always been the case with my medium irons (about 40%), but even my short irons and 3W and 5w off the tee are now going left)
• these are my standard ball positions - woods "off the tee"/around 3 to 4 inches inside my left heel - medium and short irons/near the centre of my stance
• my grip is slightly on the strong side
• HOW CAN I CORRECT THIS MASSIVE PULL?

[LowPost42]

Re: pulling left

Just a refresher:

Shots that don't bend (fade/slice or draw/hook) were hit with a clubface square to swing path. Fades and slices are faces open relative to swing path, and draws and hooks are faces closed relative to swing path.

Shot direction is directly affected by swing path. A pull is outside in, a push is inside out, and straight is, well, straight.

So your pull is an outside in swing path, and the clubface is square to that swing path. Alternatively, if your swing path was straight, you'd hit a draw/hook.

So to check the pull, you need to start swinging inside out. I'm curious as to what you're doing to 'turn stronger' through the ball. I don't understand this phrasing.

If you mean turn faster (ie speed up your swing), you may be starting to hit from the top, casting, or any other move that shows up when you're trying to move faster and tense up. If this is the case, you may be 'chopping' across the ball. It's tough to analyse without video.

[bobby]

Re: pulling left

thanks LowPost 42

I am saying that I sometimes get a bit lazy turning fully through the ball into a "facing the target" finish.
with this in mind and believing that it will help fix my slice, I am working on turning through the ball aggressively to finish in the belt buckle facing the target yes, I too believe that I have to keep working on bringing the club from the inside - I belive this is my main issue.....but ever so hard to fix!!!!!!!!!!

[gord962]

Re: pulling left

What ususaly causes a pull is that you turn the upper body to quickly through the impact zone, causing you to come outside-in with your swing path. Work on attacking the ball from the inside to solve your pulled shots.

[LowPost42]

Re: pulling left

To add to Gord - lead with those hips - it's hard to come outside if your hips have cleared nicely (not impossible, but more difficult). Try feeling your weight in the middle of your feet (or nearer your heels). If you start with your weight over your toes, you'll fall over even MORE with an agressive swing.

[rahul]

Re: pulling left

i havethis problem of pulling and i know it is because i come over the top.

why i come over the top is the one i am finding difficulty figuring out

my backswing is little too inside and around and as a result in the middleof my backswing i cant go any more inside and i just pick upmy arms vertically.

can that cause and over the top swing????

do u think i need to make my swing more fromthe outside????

[pgmetcalf]

Re: pulling left

I would check your alignment - club, feet, knees, and shoulders and check to see if your swing is within the target line, (in-straight-in.) It maybe that your swinging in line with your body alignment (in- straight-out or out-straight-in.) If you're pulling it will probably be out-straight-in. For me, alignment is the one I have most trouble with. Closing or opening the stance can encroach very slowly so it is almost undetectable.

Another common mistake of a typically out-to-in swing path is that the right arm straightens way before the impact zone. Players who tend to use the arms to generate power do this. While it feels powerful it is counter productive. When you next practice, swing to the top and notice the angle of the right elbow and the distance between the right shoulder and the right wrist. Try and get the angle and distance to remain the same in the downswing. Forget about hitting with your upper body but rather turn the lower half towards and left of the target line. If you maintain the angle in the right arm you should feel your swing path return inside the line. If you make a few mistakes early on, so what? Just continue and you will see the benfit.

[prowlsta]

Re: pulling left

Gord and Lowpost- I've been told that I have that exact problem- in trying to keep the ball low playing links golf my lower half has become too stable- any drills to work on speeding it up- I'm a relatively big hitter (about 300 average) and is it true by speeding up I'll add distance?

[LowPost42]

Re: pulling left

If you speed up AND your quality of contact remains equal or better than your current quality, yes, you'll realize more distance.

The pump 'n' go drill that was introduced to me seems to be something you might consider.

The idea is that it helps to create more lag (by firing the hips first).

How it works is like this:

Take your backswing back. When you feel as though you're at about 90 or 95 percent of your backswing, fire the hips and let the arms follow.

DON'T SWING THROUGH YET.

Repeat the above - backswing to 90 or 95 percent, then fire the hips and let the arms drop. Don't swing through yet. (again). Feel the lag.

Repeat one more time, but this time swing through.

It's a nice little drill that virtually eliminates getting stuck with closed hips, and works well for those with quicker arms.

[sevesteve]

Re: pulling left

OK Guys, Here is my downswing question of the day, which I am sure can contribute to a pull left (or push right) if not done correctly...What exactly does "firing the hips" mean, what does it feel like, and how do you do it??

Let's assume one is in a fairly sound, one-plane backswing position, with full shoulder turn, 45 degree hip turn, hands and club in sound position at top. What the heck do you do with the hips? I get very confused about "rotate" vs "turn" vs "lateral movement" and all that stuff. Much is written and said about this "start with" or "firing" the hips, but I can honestly say I have very little confidence that I am "doing it correctly" or what it feels like. Thanks.

[LowPost42]

Re: pulling left

'Firing the hips' refers to turning the hips towards target first to start the downswing.

A lot of teachers say the downswing starts from the ground up - shifting the weight from back to front, starting at the legs (some people have a feeling of driving their lead knee towards target), then hips, then shoulders, then arms.

The pump 'n' go drill is a good one for feeling the hips moving first (as your arms haven't had a chance to come down yet).

[sevesteve]

Re: pulling left

Lowpost42

Could you clarify one thing..."turning the hips towards target first to start the downswing", does this mean turning the hips in the exact opposite way that they were "turned back" in the backswing? In other words, do the left and right hip turn back to center, and then turn forward to face the target, within the same vertical space they took up at address (I guess this would require the spine to stay fairly vertical from its address position with the hips rotating around the spine's axis)? Or is there supposed to be some lateral movement forward with the left hip as well a rotation (which I guess would require that the spine move toward the target as well)?


I am quite certain I slide, or move my hips laterally, as well as rotating back to parallel with target line then facing target line at finish, but I suspect this is wrong. Awfully hard to tell watching live action what the professionals do because the hips are moving so fast it's almost undetectable, at least to my eyes. Thanks.

[LowPost42]

Re: pulling left

In my own personal swing, there's a bit of lateral movement towards target (although I try to minimize it).

But yes, the hips shouldn't slide backwards during your backswing, and ideally they don't slide forward on your down and through swing.

So ideally it would look like this (if the ball was 0*, and 180* was directly behind you): Your hips would go from 0* (address) to 45* (top of backswing) and through 0* to 315* (facing target).

This should all be done (again, ideally) with your hips staying still. There shouldn't be any sliding of the hips at all (although it looks like the hips slide because of the pivot).

[sevesteve]

Re: pulling left

lowpost42

Thanks for the reply...it is very helpful and gives me something to work on.

[bobby]

Re: pulling left

Gord

You're probably right, I was probably swinging too quickly on the day ( trying to avoid a slice) I have tried and tried for an inside path and even when I think I am achieving it, my divots still face left? It drives me nuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!