When are offset clubs necessary?

[smsnead1]

It is generally understood that slices are caused by some sort of swing flaw(s). Mine is that I tend to have an out to in swing path. I have fought this for years.

 

About 8-9 years ago I bought a Nicklaus Air Bear offset driver. It had a pretty significant impact on me dropping my handicap from 18 or so to 9-12. I would aim down the right side of the fairway and 95% of the time would hit it straight or with varying degrees of draw/hook. Every so often I would still let one go right but it wasn't that bad of a problem. Sometimes I lost distance depending on the severity of the draw/hook but I generally had an unobstructed second shot. I played a standard set of irons and would close the club face and close my stance to play a semi-controlled fade.

 

I've recently got back into playing more consistently and I decided to "re-build" my swing. I purchased standard clubs and have been trying to work on hitting the ball straighter. I felt that I was limiting myself with my swing faults and wanted to improve to the next level. I find that I am now much more inconsistent and still have the out to in problem. I have tried numerous ways to eliminate the problem (stronger grip, maintaining swing plane, less-hunched stance, etc.) but I either still hit a fade/slice or overcompensate and pull the ball. I've been playing about the same level (18 hcp).

 

My question is this...

 

Would a player like me be able to get to the next level (less than 9 hcp) by sticking with my "comfortable and consistent" out to in swing and hitting offset clubs (driver, fw woods, & irons)? Or would I be better off sticking with my standard clubs and keep working to get my swing just right?

 

My opinion has always been that by hitting offset clubs I can pretty much take out one side of trouble but I am limiting how good I can become because many of my drives do hook and lose distance and I have so many adjustments I have to make to control my irons (closed face & stance) that the accuracy suffers. I've always felt that the best way to get to the next level would be to correct my swings flaws but now I am questioning that after watching my shots go both left and right instead of just left.

 

Keep in mind that I am a casual golfer (2-3 times a month on the course, 1-2 times a month at the range). I'm just worried that I am wasting time trying to get some consistency that may never come and that I should go with the offset clubs and leave my swing alone. I guess i just need to know when offset clubs are right and if I would be a good candidate for them. I'd appreciate to hear some of your thoughts and opinions.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Sam