# Swing Adjustment Help



## dawgpwnd (Mar 7, 2011)

Hi everyone,
So since I started golfing about 8 years ago, I have always had a wicked slice. It would start out straight and then end up a fairway or two to the right (regular slice). I took a break from golf while I was in college and just recently started playing again. I noticed my slice was still present, though not as bad. I decided to do some research, and after a few websites and a bunch of YouTube videos, I realized my two faults were a weak left hand grip and teeing the ball too far back in my stance. I went to the range a few times and a strong grip has helped (seeing 2 or 3 knuckles). However, I still slightly slice the ball when I tee it up off the inside of my left heel. When I put the ball about two or three inches further forward in my stance so it was just on the OUTSIDE of my left foot, I was drilling the ball perfectly straight. I'm not quite sure what to do here because I feel like I'm just putting a bandaid on my swing. 

Do you have any tips for squaring the club face a few inches sooner? I have tried almost everything and can't seem to hit it straight when I tee it off the inside of my foot like all of the pros and instructors say. The rest of my swing is pretty sound, and I don't think my problem is an outside-to-inside swing path.

Thanks in advance!


----------



## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

Here is a "slice" check list from some old dead golfers that still works today. I am assuming from your post, you are right handed. 

1. check grip; three knuckles on left hand should be showing. both V's must point to right shoulder area.
2. check club face at top of swing; Should be 1/2 closed.
3. check right wrist at top; should be under the shaft (tray position). left wrist should not be under the shaft.
4. check left hand at top; fingers should not be open. grip should be firm.
5. check start of back swing; should be all in one piece, dominated by left side, around the head as a fixed point. 
6. check position at the top; shaft can point across line of flight. shoulders should turn 90degrees, and more weight should be on the right foot than the left. 
7. check sway; head should be relatively still.
8. check hitting from the top; AKA casting, which can cause an out to in swing.
9. check first movement of downswing; if hip turn is not first move, club may be thrown out side target line.
10. check throwing hips too far around to the left on first movement of downswing. this can throw the whole swing out side the target line. 
11. check dipping left shoulder on the back swing; shoulders should turn on a horizontal plane. 
12. check shoulders on first movement of downswing; shoulders should be turned slightly right of the ball.
13. Check that both elbows stay some what level with each other during back swing. if they are level, the golfer's swing is on plane.
14. Check for a in to out swing path. Pretend you are standing at home plate, and swing the club out towards right field. 

Now obviously there are going to be some arguments against some of these check points. This is very old school stuff, and written before the new and improved "modern swing" started being taught. Item #6 is not an accepted practice today. Does not mean it does not work, because it does. #13 come from Shaun Humphries, who is a teaching pro out of the DFW area. #14 got me kicked off another forum. :laugh:


----------



## dawgpwnd (Mar 7, 2011)

Thanks Frogshair! I will record my swing a few times and see how I'm doing. I never thought about #13 before. 14 may help with the mental/mind game part of my swing, since I'm usually trying to think of too much instead of just having a natural swing. I'm going to the range tomorrow so I'll work on some of these then!


----------



## Big Hobbit (Nov 2, 2010)

I can't better Froghair's post, and there's nothing wrong with "old school." Ask Arnie or Jack.

If I'm a bit off I go back to my favourite drill. Just a half swing, with my feet a few inches apart. If you're doing anything wrong you'll over balance. Then just crank it up bit by bit to a full swing, remembering to widen the stance as you go. If it starts to go off line again, crank it back then slowly wind up again.


----------



## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

nice one frog and dont worry I wont kick you off the forum or will i...... I like the feet together drill to really help with your balance a more there is another thread on this if you want to read more.


----------



## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

Here is some more info on #13. I know the author of this blog, so it's not a problem to share it with you all. Enjoy it as is posted, "for what it's worth." 

_"Another good piece of advice about staying on plane is to keep the elbows as level as possible durning the back swing. If one is lower or higher than the other, it will be more difficult to find the correct down swing position to impact. More than a few instructors will not relate this position to their students for various reasons, but for the most part, most professional golfers will have this position in the back swing. Those who don't are adding "extra" compensations in their down swing to find the correct impact position. You can see level elbows in BrianW's post with the guy in the white shirt.

A way to check this position is to lay a club across the inside of your elbows, when your hands, in the back swing reach about shoulder high. If the rear elbow is higher than the front elbow, you might tend to hit a fat shot, a slice, or a weak pop up to the slice side. If the front elbow is higher than the rear elbow you might tend to have too flat of a swing, which could cause topped shots, low line drives, or not taking a proper divot.

This is one one those "for what ever it is worth" posts, and was taught to me by my instructor (RIP) many years ago, long before the subject of being on plane was being discussed. GJS" _


----------

