I've never seen the course from here...

[Eisenstein]

Prior to a couple of lessons, I used to slice my driver. I changed a few things including strengthening my grip. This helped all my clubs, however recently I am pulling things to the left. (I'm right handed) Even short irons.

I have weakened my grip somewhat to see if it would help, but it hasn't. I'm trying to be mindful that my clubface isn't closed at address.

What else causes this? I'm tired of playing from the left rough.

[BrianW]

Re: I've never seen the course from here...

I can only surmise that your problem is an out to in swing path and your attempts to close the clubface is resulting in a hook.

You will need to work on getting the clubface coming from an inside path to the ball.

[Eisenstein]

Re: I've never seen the course from here...

I can only surmise that your problem is an out to in swing path and your attempts to close the clubface is resulting in a hook.

You will need to work on getting the clubface coming from an inside path to the ball.

I think my swing is a bit upright. Would that encourage the outside/ in path? Any suggestions or drills to get me to swing more from the inside would be appreciated!

[oldwease]

Re: I've never seen the course from here...

I think my swing is a bit upright. Would that encourage the outside/ in path? Any suggestions or drills to get me to swing more from the inside would be appreciated!

The upright swing can result in an out to in path, particularly as most people do move the right shoulder forwards at the start of the downswing (too much, and you're well 'over the top'). There are lots of drills for the takeaway. To get the feel of a better path, you can try the one-piece takeaway (stops the arms from flying out from the body and your path will start to move on an arc inside the target line).

With an upright swing plane, you're probably lifting the club too much with the arms. Pros seem to say that they don't actively lift the club for a normal swing at all - the club rises naturally due to the mechanics of the swing. Seems to make sense (but I know I still lift a bit!).

Finally, another thing that can cause you to pull to the left is poor rotation through the ball, which forces your arms to basically fold around your body; you're also likely to close the clubface prematurely as a result.

Ironically, as people start to pull left, the instinct is to limit the body's rotation, trying to force more of a block to prevent the pull left. That is not the cure. To see this, try a slow swing, preventing any rotation through the ball - see what happens to the arms and the swing path. Then, take another slow swing where you make sure you fully rotate through the ball - chest and hips almost facing the target just after impact. Again, see what happens to the arms and the swing path.

[Mox]

Re: I've never seen the course from here...

Isn't it the flat swing plane that usually causes the out to in path?

I'm out-to-in, and my pro is working hard at getting my plane steeper.

[LowPost42]

Re: I've never seen the course from here...

In my (limited) understanding, out-to-in is caused by 'throwing' the right shoulder. In my own swing, it's caused by getting my arms too deep on the backswing (ie keeping them close to my body). This results in them being thrown away from my body as I swing (because they have no place else to go). This gets them across the line, and I have no choice but to either come out to in, or s***k, or miss the ball completely. When I focus on 'keeping the triangle (hands and elbows), my ballstriking quickly improves, as does my direction.

[oldwease]

Re: I've never seen the course from here...

Isn't it the flat swing plane that usually causes the out to in path?

I'm out-to-in, and my pro is working hard at getting my plane steeper.

If you're too flat, your arms are wrapping right round your body meaning that your hands are getting trapped by the body on the downswing. The only way out is to throw the right shoulder forward, coming over the top.

[Mox]

Re: I've never seen the course from here...

If you're too flat, your arms are wrapping right round your body meaning that your hands are getting trapped by the body on the downswing. The only way out is to throw the right shoulder forward, coming over the top.

Yup - sounds just about right. That's why my pro wants me to swing steeper and allow for the hips to rotate out of the way so that the arms can drop into the slot and swing through from the inside.