Divots that curve left?

[dorndiggity]

Since my shoulder surgery last October, all my divots start straight at the target and curve off significantly to the left kind of in a crescent moon shape. Can someone fill me in on what might be causing it?

 

[hue]

Ryan: has your shape of shot changed since surgery and what is the difference in ball flight?

 

[dorndiggity]

Yeah, I'm hitting the ball EVERYWHERE!!! Prior to the surgery, I played a small 5 yard fade. Post surgery, things just aren't going well at all. Good shot is perfectly straight, but when things are off, it's either a push fade or a pull hook. Primarily, I would say that the shot that's killing me is the low push fade. Let me tell you, losing the ball in both directions sucks!!!

 

[hue]

Are you compressing the ball like you were before does it make the same sound and go as far?

 

[dorndiggity]

There's no loss of distance and all the shots feel really solid, but the damn ball won't go where I tell it to. Impact on the clubface is slightly towards the heel.

 

[hue]

quote:Originally posted by dorndiggity

Since my shoulder surgery last October, all my divots start straight at the target and curve off significantly to the left. Can someone fill me in on what might be causing it?

Your divots would indicate that you are not staying with the ball and are pulling out of the shot just after impact maybe a subconscious move to protect your shoulder. In an ideal world the clubhead is travelling on plane coming into impact going towards the low point bellow the lead shoulder. This means the club is going downwards forwards and slightly outwards and only comes up and slightly left again on plane after reaching the low point. The big curve off left of your divot indicates flipping . I doubt that you are maintaining your impact hands condition at this point and the lead wrist has started to break down. You want to keep your flat lead wrist and bent back right wrist to the point where you have run out of extensor action and both arms are straight.


I advice you do the following

1) Golfingrandy's 2x4 drill. Place a piece of 2x4 about 2 ft long at the position where the ball would be . Get into impact fix look look look at your hands which should be over the lead thigh with a flat lead wrist bent back right wrist with the trail forearm bent and on plane . Using your pivot and extensor action and keeping your impact hands condition push/thrust the piece if 2x4 forwards while keeping the shaft on plane . Do this right way through to the end of the followthrough but give special attention to the zone from impact to both arms straight. The feeling is keeping the club shaft up the lead arm with no flip whatsoever and going down down down to the low point before ever coming up. Watch footage of Travino . He did this better than anybody.

2) Work on your pivot making sure the trail shoulder is going deep downplane after you have struck the ball. my hunch is you are pulling out of the shot. You may be doing this to protect yourself from pain after your shoulder surgery. So monitor your body .

3) Having done the two other drills hit balls at half speed doing the right movements to feel what is going onand monitor using a mirror.

 

[hue]

Ryan: To get a good visual image of what I am describing look at Brian's logo.

 

[densikat]

I think 2) that Hue has outlined is spot on... But also make sure the trailing shoulder goes down plane from the top and keeps going down plane... I suspect it may be coming out a little first. You can still get the club on plane with the shoulder doing this, albeit with compensations, but the shoulder provides maximum support when going down the same plane as the club, providing support and thrust.

 

[hue]

I think densikat is on to something. Divots that start straight then pull left would indicate a slight OTT move of the trail shoulder.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

I asked brian about this when it started happening to me....

he said as long as they START straight and keep GOING STRAIGHT and just tail off to the left he said its just a factor of really staying "down" with a forward ball position.

I wouldn't worry about the divots, i'd worry about where you're hitting the ball and it sounds like you just need a tune up dorn.

 

[dorndiggity]

Thanks guys, I'm off to the range!

 

[hue]

quote:Originally posted by dorndiggity

Thanks guys, I'm off to the range!

How did you get on? A better understanding of aiming point should help improve your divot pattern.