First approach shot = slap slice

[ChipNRun]

I try to draw the ball for irons and woods,, can usually do it. My normal miss is a slight push (off tee = first-cut rough).

But four of the past five rounds, my first first approach has peeled off as a slap slice. This is not a shank - it pushes out to the right about 60 yards and then turns 45* right at the top, not as high as it should be. And the club is usually a 5i or 6i, which I hit OK later on.

This has lead to a ball in an unplayable lie, in a parallel water hazard, and a couple of blind wedge shots from a shaggy sidehill lie over a greenside bunker.

This is sketchy info, and I don't have it on video clip. But, any ideas on what's going wrong? On following holes the draw on irons usually returns.

I would settle for a sloppy safety shot than dribbles up 20 yards short of green, and I try for up-and-down on the opener. Starting with a double-bogey is bad for morale and score.

[cadoipi]

Let's assume you are sufficiently warmed up, since otherwise that would be the obvious first explanation.

Swing wise sounds like you are coming into impact in-to-out (as is standard for you) with the face wide open. Perhaps you are worried about it happening and are tensing up you arms in an attempt to steer the clubface, which throws off the timing of your release? Maybe take a half-swing with a longer club with the explicit goal of being in the vicinity of the green?

[ChipNRun]

Half swing with a longer club might work. I do something similar during round with three-quarters swing for control shots out of rough.

Always starting with a double bogey is a dagger in the heart. Will let you know how it goes.

[SNIPERBBB]

Did you warm up?

[RobertBaron]

If it’s only the first approach shot and everything else is fine (by golf standards) after that then it’s probably just a fear of properly releasing. Basically stiffness (if you didn’t warm up) or tension in the body because it’s the first stressful shot (which assumes you’re pretty comfortable teeing off).

[ChipNRun]

Yes, I did. That what makes it so enraging.
I turn 70 in November, and have an arthritic right hip. A physical therapist helped me increase strength and flexibility in hip and thigh, and I now wear a thigh compression sleeve. This has pretty much eliminated pain and stiffness during the round.
So, I need to warm up so I don't injure myself. I do some dynamic stretches, chip and putt a little, and then hit 15 or so smooth shots to make sure everything fires well.@RobertBaron: yes, tension likely feeds the problem. Maybe the half-swing idea from @cadoipi will help. Also, I'll rehearse the anticipated approach shot right before I head for first tee.