Drive always curls right - advise

YakerK

Hi,

Just back from another frustrating round of golf! Every singe time I used a driver of the tee it swung very dramatically to the right. Anyone have any ideas what may be the cause?

Tried using a 3-iron of the tee towards the end of my round and it was working out a lot better. Irons on the fairway were reasonable as well. So problem seems to be with Driver of the tee only.

I know lessons are probably the best way to sort me out - but I only really play a few times a year so if I can figure out what I'm doing wrong myself it would be better. Just want to stop losing 10 balls a round by hitting them out of bounds from the tee.

m r c

YakerK wrote: »

Hi,

Just back from another frustrating round of golf! Every singe time I used a driver of the tee it swung very dramatically to the right. Anyone have any ideas what may be the cause?

Tried using a 3-iron of the tee towards the end of my round and it was working out a lot better. Irons on the fairway were reasonable as well. So problem seems to be with Driver of the tee only.

I know lessons are probably the best way to sort me out - but I only really play a few times a year so if I can figure out what I'm doing wrong myself it would be better. Just want to stop losing 10 balls a round by hitting them out of bounds from the tee.

Hi there what you describe sounds like a slice, horrible thing but probably the most common miss in amature golf. Lessons are probably your best bet alright good luck.

kingshankly

Are you right handed ?? If so its a slice and very common the greatest
Tip I would gave would be to bring your right foot back an inch to make you bring the club back more on an inside plane.

denishurley

Does your left thumb rest on the front of the grip as you look down at it? If so, move it an inch or so to the right

newport2

OP, the quickest route is going to see a pro, no doubt.

But if you don't want to there are a selection of articles here (link below) on slicing. If you can work out the reason why you think you are from these, then there are lots of videos available on the web for each specific reason. If you think you find something that may be causing it, then google for a drill to work on that issue. A lot of these drills can be worked on at home without a ball, which makes ingraining them easier than only working on it when you get a chance to go to the range.

http://www.golftipsmag.com/instruction/slicing.html

You may find yourself going around in circles if you just operate on tips because firstly your slice is possibly due to a combination of reasons as opposed to just one, and secondly it's very hard to "see" what you're doing yourself. Maybe get a friend to take a few videos of you swinging from various angles to help work it out. I'd advise starting on your setup, grip and alignment.

Good luck in curing it!

Tones69

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogpIxONwqc8

I found this helpful last year when i had a slice, strengthen your grip and check your alignment and swing plane, a weak grip teamed with an over the top out in swing will slice that mother. I cant slice the ball if i try now, and my miss is a hook

YakerK

cheers! Slice looks exactly like what I do - will try take those tips on board and will see how it goes - may take a visit to the driving range.

If that doesn't solve it lessons it'll have to be.

Alrite Chief

Must be one of the most common threads on here. Check out Mark Crossfield youtube for all your fixing needs. He has a great video on slice outlining the 4 or 5 most common causes. Most of the time its an out to in swing imo.

stockdam

A slice won't be easy to eliminate if you only pay a couple of times per year. If you get lessons then you'll have to work at your game to practice what you have been told. There's no easy way to get better without putting in the practice and playing often.

stringy

can we have a "my drive goes right" sticky? these posts crop up every week.

90% of golfers hit it left to right, most of the causes are the same, generally an out to in swing path - the effect gets magnified with the driver hence it doesn't show up as much when hitting 3 iron, hybrids etc.

donalg1

I have started playing again recently and am doing this again not surprising as it was one of the major things that happened when I last played about four years ago. I had pretty much corrected it then but obviously not enough.

I have had a couple of lessons and was told that because its the driver it will be far more noticeable than some of my other clubs, basically it goes further so has more time to go further right.

My thumb on my left hand was straight down the grip instead of being to the side as it should be thereby showing me two knuckles (index and middle finger) at least on my left hand. This now feels totally alien to me when using the proper grip but because its alien I know its right.

Then on my takeaway I was bringing the club back around behind me too sharply, so now I am working on bringing it away that bit wider. I know bring it back slightly so my hands are still below my waist and stop, the club should be ahead of my hands at that point, the club used to be behind my hands going around behind my body even then.

I have also been trying to make sure my left arm stays straight right through the back swing and cut down on the hip movement just trying to rotate my shoulders to get the club back. The wider takeaway makes this easier to do.

I also put the ball an inch or so back in my stance as I used to catch it on the way up with the club causing the side spin which sent it drifting right on me.

When I hit a straight one I feel all of the above has come together and that I am at least hitting the odd one straight instead of everyone single one drifting right, I still get some going that way but the ratio is now tilting more towards the straight ones.

The above is an edited version of what I learned in two lessons, and may not work for you, it will depend on what you are doing wrong I suppose and the best person to ask is a Pro, maybe get a lesson or two. I recorded my swing when I first started playing again and watched it in Slow Mo and everything and thought wow thats quite good looks like the pro's then in my lesson my pro said I was doing a dozen things wrong.

GreeBo

donalg1 wrote: »

I have started playing again recently and am doing this again not surprising as it was one of the major things that happened when I last played about four years ago. I had pretty much corrected it then but obviously not enough.

I have had a couple of lessons and was told that because its the driver it will be far more noticeable than some of my other clubs, basically it goes further so has more time to go further right.

My thumb on my left hand was straight down the grip instead of being to the side as it should be thereby showing me two knuckles (index and middle finger) at least on my left hand. This now feels totally alien to me when using the proper grip but because its alien I know its right.

Then on my takeaway I was bringing the club back around behind me too sharply, so now I am working on bringing it away that bit wider. I know bring it back slightly so my hands are still below my waist and stop, the club should be ahead of my hands at that point, the club used to be behind my hands going around behind my body even then.

I have also been trying to make sure my left arm stays straight right through the back swing and cut down on the hip movement just trying to rotate my shoulders to get the club back. The wider takeaway makes this easier to do.

I also put the ball an inch or so back in my stance as I used to catch it on the way up with the club causing the side spin which sent it drifting right on me.

When I hit a straight one I feel all of the above has come together and that I am at least hitting the odd one straight instead of everyone single one drifting right, I still get some going that way but the ratio is now tilting more towards the straight ones.

The above is an edited version of what I learned in two lessons, and may not work for you, it will depend on what you are doing wrong I suppose and the best person to ask is a Pro, maybe get a lesson or two. I recorded my swing when I first started playing again and watched it in Slow Mo and everything and thought wow thats quite good looks like the pro's then in my lesson my pro said I was doing a dozen things wrong.

There is far less spin with a driver than with the other clubs due to lack loft. A more lofted driver ("thriver") will hit the ball straighter without changing anything else.
The more spin you have (in the plane that you are aiming) the less the ball will deviate offline.


/edit but just get a lesson and find out why you are spinning the ball on the wrong axis.

donalg1

GreeBo wrote: »

There is far less spin with a driver than with the other clubs due to lack loft. A more lofted driver ("thriver") will hit the ball straighter without changing anything else.
The more spin you have (in the plane that you are aiming) the less the ball will deviate offline.


/edit but just get a lesson and find out why you are spinning the ball on the wrong axis.

I was under the impression that because the ball was too far forward in my stance that the club was cutting across the ball rather than into it on a straight line because it was already heading around my body on the follow through.

GreeBo

donalg1 wrote: »

I was under the impression that because the ball was too far forward in my stance that the club was cutting across the ball rather than into it on a straight line because it was already heading around my body on the follow through.

So then why not move it back? The ball has to be in a forwards position to enable you to hit it on the way up.
Without seeing your swing; basically you are causing the ball to have backspin that is not all in the same plane as you are trying to hit the ball.
Depending on the exact shape of your shots this is caused by one or a combination of: swinging out to in, club face open, shoulders, hips and feet not aligned to target. The first two can also be caused or worsened by a poor grip.
5 mins into your lesson your pro will know what is causing it for you and start you on the path of solving it.
5 weeks of quick fixes on here will have you, at best, hitting it sorta straight enough to stay on the fairway with a high, slappy shot, assuming the 16 band-aid fixes are timed perfectly.

donalg1

GreeBo wrote: »

So then why not move it back? The ball has to be in a forwards position to enable you to hit it on the way up.
Without seeing your swing; basically you are causing the ball to have backspin that is not all in the same plane as you are trying to hit the ball.
Depending on the exact shape of your shots this is caused by one or a combination of: swinging out to in, club face open, shoulders, hips and feet not aligned to target. The first two can also be caused or worsened by a poor grip.
5 mins into your lesson your pro will know what is causing it for you and start you on the path of solving it.
5 weeks of quick fixes on here will have you, at best, hitting it sorta straight enough to stay on the fairway with a high, slappy shot, assuming the 16 band-aid fixes are timed perfectly.

I moved it back so as not to be stretching to if you can imagine, I was swinging on an out to in plane. The pro I was getting lessons with has me working on my alignment, my shoulders were nowhere near aligned properly which had me swinging out to in.

I just find myself that moving it back half an inch I tend to hit it straighter than when I play it off my front foot as if it is too far forward the club will nearly always cut across it as its natural movement on the way through is to come around the body after a certain point regardless of how straight the plane is, that turn always comes if it didnt the club would end up straight out in front of every golfer pointing towards the target.

Alrite Chief

Agree with the moving the ball back point. Regardless if you have an out to in swing or not you will simulate the same effect in your up swing if your ball contact is at this point. Should be the first thing you do before you start laying bottles or the club cover down along the outside of your ball to see if you clip it.

Brendygg

Tones69 wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogpIxONwqc8

I found this helpful last year when i had a slice, strengthen your grip and check your alignment and swing plane, a weak grip teamed with an over the top out in swing will slice that mother. I cant slice the ball if i try now, and my miss is a hook

Cheers Tones, tried that setup tonite and didnt slice one ball, much straighter, even got my first hook haha.

TheDoc

Another thing to keep an eye out for is your shaft in the driver.

OP mentions he is hitting his iron alot better then his driver. Having too weak a shaft for your swing will cause this.

I caught a video on here on one of the slice threads and it was magic. Basically the guy got two washing baskets and lined them in a way to encourage a draw style swing plane.

I picked up two baskets for peanuts in woodies, and have been hitting the driving range in Portmarnock alot to "rebuild" my swing. I was hitting a fade like every second golfer, and I got fedup after years with it so this year figured best as any to get rid of it. I go to Portmarnock as its 2 hours unlimited balls for €10, its the ideal place to do some swing improvements.

Anwyays, besides the weird looks and questions, I've been doing it about twice a week for the last 4 weeks.

Shock horror, I'm hitting draws, no more fades ( on occasion straight right), I'm hitting the ball longer, I've got an extra club length, and I'm feeling much better about my game.

+1 For Mark Crossfield, some really good tips and fixes. But you dont neccesarily need to go to a pro. At this point, all the information you need is on the internet. The basket one I chose because it was a really big visual representation to remove the "out to in" swing plane. Thats most likely what is happening.

Quick check for a out to in

1) You take steep divots
2) Your divots always left of where you THINK youve aimed.

If thats consistent with yourself, you can easily get rid of it with a few weeks work.

Alrite Chief

Tones69 wrote: »

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogpIxONwqc8

I found this helpful last year when i had a slice, strengthen your grip and check your alignment and swing plane, a weak grip teamed with an over the top out in swing will slice that mother. I cant slice the ball if i try now, and my miss is a hook

Watched this once there. Does he forget to mention his feet are aiming right of target? Looks to me his left foot is out in front. A lot of other tutorials will tell you do this anyway. The shoulder leading the downswing is an interesting one. I think most slicers are guilty of that!

Another thing that can cause an out to in swing, just my opinion from personal experience, is a different club head path on backswing and downswing. For example if somebody videos your swing from the front of you does the head of your driver come up low, say behind your head, and down higher, over your head? This difference in swing path will cause you to pull the swing back in towards your body to meet the ball square on. Whipping across it. If you look at a pro from the same camera angle the case will be the opposite. Club head higher on the way up and lower on the way down hence an in to out swing away from your body getting that draw.

PARlance

Alrite Chief wrote: »

Looks to me his left foot is out in front. A lot of other tutorials will tell you do this anyway.

Forgive what must be an fairly obvious question to most, it's in relation to this.
There are so many teachings out there at present that it's got me confused.

I've recently been working on shaping shots.

The following is my set up for draw.
Target 12 O'clock
Feet/Body Alignment 1 O'clock
Club face: Slightly closed.

Is this the correct (most commonly taught, used) way to be going about achieving a draw?

For some reason, I've been doubting this step up of late (I don't know why, it's going pretty well so I should leave it be...self destruct propensity in me)

Should my body alignment be towards 12 0'clock?
I.e Should I be promoting a more In to Out swing rather than changing my body alignment to achieve a draw.

I've a lesson booked in a few weeks btw, just curious in the meantime.

Alrite Chief

Look at Mark Croosfield youtube on the draw shot. He teaches this method of feet pointing out right of target but club face square of target. Its just to get you going and used to getting the swing plane. The hardest part is getting your hands active and rolling them over. I find that a nightmare. Someone told me to start doing that right when you are beginning your downswing as it takes your hands that split second to come around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIq2glJqgwE

GreeBo

Ball Flight Laws

GreeBo

It really depends on what you are trying to achieve.
If you just want the ball to bend then there are a couple of ways to do that, but if you are trying to avoid a tree for example, then squaring the clubface to your target (behind the tree) will just result in you hitting the tree.
The ball starts where the clubface points, it then bends based on the swing path (or doesnt bend at all if the clubface matches the swing path)

PARlance

Alrite Chief wrote: »

Look at Mark Croosfield youtube on the draw shot. He teaches this method of feet pointing out right of target but club face square of target. Its just to get you going and used to getting the swing plane. The hardest part is getting your hands active and rolling them over. I find that a nightmare. Someone told me to start doing that right when you are beginning your downswing as it takes your hands that split second to come around.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIq2glJqgwE

Thanks, that's great, that's what I'm doing.
My clubface is square of the target... but it's slightly closed if you consider that my body alignment is to 1 O'Clock...if that makes sense :D

GreeBo

ajcurry123 wrote: »

Thanks, that's great, that's what I'm doing.
My clubface is square of the target... but it's slightly closed if you consider that my body alignment is to 1 O'Clock...if that makes sense :D

Again note that this method will not work if you are trying to draw/hook around a tree in front of you. The ball will go minimum 80% in the direction of the clubface, straight into the tree.

Alrite Chief

GreeBo wrote: »

Again note that this method will not work if you are trying to draw/hook around a tree in front of you. The ball will go minimum 80% in the direction of the clubface, straight into the tree.

A tree right in front of you? What method works for that!? Is that you Buba!!?

GreeBo

Alrite Chief wrote: »

A tree right in front of you? What method works for that!? Is that you Buba!!?

No not right in front of you, 10/20 yards away for example.
You've never bent a ball around a close obstacle?

Alrite Chief

Never! Always try punch under or chip out. If im feeling brave smash through. Trees are 90% air they say...

charlieIRL

Alrite Chief wrote: »

Never! Always try punch under or chip out. If im feeling brave smash through. Trees are 90% air they say...

you can only hit a half acre of fairway 10% of the time but you will hit a 1inch branch of a tree 90% of the time!!!!:D

Alrite Chief

Very true... Love golf!!!!

Alrite Chief

Nice little idea to think about if you think your slice is caused by the out to in swing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xfoaxWuY6c&feature=fvwrel