What the H....!

[Started2k3]

I have always had a slice ... so what is it about my crazy new setup that works like a dream (I almost don't want to know).

Feet - aligned 10° to 15° left of target (so lining up with the forest to the left)
Grip - arms and club extended out in front with the clubface closed 10° to 15°
Ball - normal ball position (in line with left foot arch) with equator at driver toe height
Clubface - facing target
Intented path - about 10° to 15° right of target (so lining up with the forest to the right)

RESULT - a long low push straight down the target line with very little movement left or right

Setup says "PULL" ... crazy game ... I'll just keep whatever works.

Oh, and this is only the case for the driver ... 3 wood and irons I setup normally.

Charles

[dreaded_snowman]

Interesting.... I'm no BC MIST, but I've been toying a lot lately with my swing plane and setup to observe what happens....

If you line your feet up left 15*, and then intend to swing right 15*, this will (attempt) to create a fairly inside out swing path - shouldn't be a pull, should be push (blocked) or hook-ish. The open club face should make it slice (over the top) or push (inside-out), methinks. I was a bit confused in the description by the clubface closed 10-15*, yet still facing target, when you're shoulder line is to the left?

The key thing (in my experience thus far) is the fact that you normally slice, and the 15* left line-up says that you wouldn't be surprised if it happened again.... When I set up left like that, usually my mind takes over my swing and I swing over the top to ensure a left-ward club path, leading to the very slice I'm trying to avoid. Since you're left of a straight up the fairway line, and the ball is going straight, you're probably hitting an inside out path with a blocked push (no wrist rotation), which produces a right going straight shot, but since you're lined up left, you're in the fairway. I would guess that you would block because you're swing path is too inside out and you're swinging a bit fast with tight arms, preventing a smooth wrist transition through impact.

The usual advice (which I'm taking myself ) - stop compensating, line up straight up the fairway, and go get some lessons. A compensation based swing is difficult to make repeatable/reliable unless you play constantly.

I'm livin' the same dream u are

Snowman

[Started2k3]

Attached is what I see when I setup my grip - so it should be a crazy strong grip!

I went through my personal golf diary and I found an entry from a year ago that was very close to this without the feet alignment ... hmmmm ... maybe I should re-read my entries before the start of each season.

"Lessons! ... Lessons! ... Lessons! ... we don't need no stinkin' lessons."

I read that Lee Trevino hits an intentional push off the tee, so I thought I would try it. Having hit only one hook in my life (and in that case the ball almost missed the clubface all together). I don't see the danger.

Thanks for the input.
Charles

[Chambokl]

Hey Charles, that is funny... I did the same thing...

Last week I started again to swing out to in... I thought I had it corrected but it came back. So I decided to open my stance a little bit and by magic nice straight drives with a lot more distance... no more out to in...

It is funny sometime what happens. I am also open with my irons but might adjust this. I know I hit my 4 irons alot better...

Isn't golf interesting!

[Goshawk]

It's possible that what's happening is an optical illusion too. I've had several students who thought they were aligned parallel left (for righties) of the target, but when I put a club down in front of their toes and they stepped back they saw that they were aligning directly at the target with their feet/knees/hips/shoulders. All it takes is to put a club down while at the range to get an idea what the proper alignment is supposed to "feel" like. I'm not saying this is what's happening to you specifically, just a possible option.

[Started2k3]

I have worked on my alignment for a while - I can get very square with my feet alignment - checked with three clubs - feet - target path - one to check how parallel the two clubs are - so I am very certain that I am pointing very left.

Thanks for the input.