Wedge shot going left -- HELP --

[axw]

I have developed an alignment or swing problem lately. 9 iron - lob wedge shorts are consistently going left of target. I checked the aligment of my club face and shoulder, it appear both are in line with the target. However, when I place a club alone my feet line, I have a tendency to point right of the target.

How do I correct this problem ??

Any drill or ideal of how I can insure my club face, shoulder, and feet line are correct ? I always pick a point a few feet ahead of my club head to align with the target. Should I pick an other point infront of my feet to align my body (should and feet)?

Thanks

[chiefs88]

Re: Wedge shot going left -- HELP --

You might be pulling a bit too strongly with your left arm/shoulder at impact. My left arm tends to get a bit weak and when I initially concentrate on it, the ball goes left until I tweak it back a bit. Hope this makes sense. Concentrate on your left arm/shoulder and maybe back off a bit.

Also, another drill that has really helped my iron play - try to touch your left shoulder to your chin on backswing and your right shoulder to your chin on follow-thru. This is a bit exaggerated at first, but really helps me keep my swing on plane.

good luck.

[james.welsh]

Re: Wedge shot going left -- HELP --

Initial ball direction is determined by the club face and the spin by the movement of the shaft (along the swing path out-to-in or in-to out). So if your ball is initially going left, you have a closed face at impact. If it slices right after that your shaft is moving out-to-in. Why that happens is something you'd have to examine with the help of a video camera.

I am back at golf school and my latest lesson was pretty interesting and I think could help you too.

This drill shows how the club face and shaft effect ball direction. Using a putter on a practice putting surface (taking club loft out of the drill makes to make things simpler to understand).

Place a small round object (I use a small club head cover but a small Styrofoam cup would work too) about a shoulder's width behind your golf ball. Now take your normal golfing stance at the golf ball (not a putting stance). Draw the putter back but go to the outside and around the back of the club cover and then back inside to strike the ball. You should be coming into contact with the ball with a "glancing" blow and continue your follow-through well to the right of the target-line. Almost on a 30 to 45 degree angle. This is just to probe a point. You can move through this drill fairly slowly so you can observe the movement of your hands.

The point is to demonstrate that it's the club face that makes the ball in a certain direction. If your putter is slightly open at impact the ball will push to the right of the target-line. If you manipulate the club face to be closed at impact, the ball will pull to the left of the target-line. Try to get the ball to go straight even with the swing going from well inside to well outside the target line. You also see the side spin put on the ball from the shaft moving along the in to out swing path.

Once you have a feel for the putter face, you can graduate to trying the same thing with all your other clubs. You'll find you can work the ball from one side to the other. Start with a "chipping" strength shot. Bit by bit work to a longer and longer back swing and extend the "loop" longer and longer. As you move to the longer back swing you will not use the exaggerated out to in loop but the same fundamental concept applies and you will learn the movements required to make the ball go straight.

[pnearn]

Re: Wedge shot going left -- HELP --

One thing to check is the club face at address. With a wedge it's easy to set up with a closed club face as the face angle is so acute and it 'looks' open compared to say a 6 or 7i. Try and feel like you are almost opening it a little at address and see how you go. Remember to make sure the lines on the face point directly in front of you

[Ian Hancock]

Re: Wedge shot going left -- HELP --

Axw,

You have answered your own question, the club along your feet line says your feet are aiming to the right of the target(closed stance), with a wedge in hand your stance should not only be square but in fact slightly open to the target.

There is probably nothing wrong with your swing, or at least set up correctly before attempting to change anything.

When you stand behind your ball during your pre-shot routine, not only pick the flag out but pick a target for you feet to aim at, it is very easy to pick out two targets with every shot not just you wedge.


Try this first................



Ian.