Slicing when I shift my weight

[Big D McGee]

Hitting the ball straight when it's mostly arm

I've been struggling with proper weight shift recently, ever since getting a swing analysis. My two biggest swing flaws were hands behind ball at impact thus no lag, and very little weight shift. I've gotten the first part fixed by modifying my setup and concentrating on pulling the shaft on the downswing. However, every time I try to start a proper weight shift, and start my downswing with my hips, I slice. I mean EVERY time.

Now, when I'm hitting my driver, I can get my backswing to parallell, then use mostly arms and lag to muscle the ball very straight, with a nice boring trajectory. Of course, even my flush hits only go like 200-210 tops. I know I need to get my hips and lower body involved to really give myself the extra yardage I need.

Any idea why my weight shift is causing a bad slice? I assume it's because my lower body is clearing too fast, so I whip the club through the impact zone to "catch up" and it's still open. I've tried slightly closing the face at setup, then I hook it. I've tried agressively rotating my forearms at impact, but I still slice.

I know you can't tell much without looking at my swing, so I'm working on uploading it. But I can tell you I have a perfect one-plane swing, my lag and hand position is good, and I'm hitting down on the ball with irons and up on the ball with my driver.

Thanks!

[Zach Heusser]

You mentioned your to biggest swing flaws poor body motion with break down at impact. Those are usually both effects from an open clubface. I would start by taking a look at your clubface first.

ZAch

[HIX]

This probably wont help, but I know that I run into trouble with my weight shift too.

 

When I am really hooking the ball it is because I am not shifting my weight at all. Whereas, when I am slicing the ball i am usually shifting too much in the hips. I usually end up duck hooking and slowly go back to the fade with a progressively larger weight shift; until I can't stop slicing. I then have to back off on the weight shift to straighten it out.

[gslabbert]

Without seeing your swing this is impossible to answer but I will give you my insight anyway. A correct weight shift starts with a move down the target line (a bump). This causes the club to drop "into the Slot" ALA Leadbetter. What I see a lot of is people that think they are lterally shifting but are in fact spinning the hips out to the left. This causes the club to go outside in and causes a big slice.

 

Try this drill

Take a shaft and stick it into the ground 2" in front of you left leg (for right handed golfers) make sure that it is straight down the target line. Then on the donswing bump the shaft with the left outside part of your leg. If you swing correctly the shaft will bump / hit you twice. The first time on the leg outside of the leg and then the second time on the front of the left leg when you complete your follow through. To make sure that you are transferring your weight correctly, hold your finish until the BALL HITS THE GROUND" if you fall over or cannot hold your finish then you are not transferring your weight correctly.

 

One other thing check the palne of your arms at the elbows. both elbow joints should be parallel to the target line or the left arm should be a touch higher than the right arm. (Right handed golfers)

 

I hope this makes sense

 

Gavin

[juststeve]

Full disclosure: Not everyone will agree with what I am about to write but I think it is correct.

 

1. For the vast majority of golfers the weight shift is not something you do its something that happens in reaction to the swinging of the club. The golfer is responsible for swinging the club, not shifting his weight.

 

2. Most golfers shift their weight too much particularly in the backswing. In the backswing the weight pressure shifts in response to the swinging of the club from stance center to against the inside of the back foot. This is a few inches.

 

3. If you allow it to do so and have the proper conception of the forward swing your weight will go to your front foot IN REACTION to the forward swing of the club. The proper conception of the forward swing is that the club moves down and forward, striking the ball on the down swing and taking a divot after the ball is struck. If you swing with this intention your weight will go to the front foot. If you think you are staying behind the ball to scoop it up you will stay on your rear foot.

 

4. The master drill for learning a reactive weight shift and almost everything else about the swing is the feet together drill. Hit ball with a relaxed swinging action with your feet together, heels touching. Feel what your weight does in reaction to the swinging of the club. Just let it happen and you will feel your weight move from centered at address to inside your right foot as the club goes back to flat on your left foot in the follow through. First increase your speed then finally begin to spread your feet. If you lose the feeling of the reactive weight shift move back a step until you regain it.

 

Not everyone will agree, but...

 

Steve

[Big D McGee]

^^I remember doing the feet together drill last season, but I had so many other swing flaws it didn't help. I really feel that the last thing I need to fix (other than course management & short game) is properly shifting my weight to get more distance. I'm working on building a repeatable swing, and it's almost there. I'll try both drills tonight, thanks! I figure if I can get 200-210 straight using all arms and shoulders, I should be able to squeeze some more yards out of my clubs with proper weight shift.

 

Thanks to everyone on this site...you've all contributed greatly to making the game fun for me again!!! :beach:

[Placebo]

You mentioned your to biggest swing flaws poor body motion with break down at impact. Those are usually both effects from an open clubface. I would start by taking a look at your clubface first.

ZAch

When I first learned how to introduce lag into my swing the immediate result was a huge slice. As Zach points out I realized my clubface was open at impact thus causing the slice. To cure this I slowed my swing down, alot, and focused on getting my arms turned over and squaring up the clubface at impact.

 

 

Jeff~