October '03- Never Slice Again!
- Thread starter Brian Manzella
- Start date
- Status
John Solosy
New
quote:Originally posted by brianman
Never Slice Again
By Brian Manzella
Do you slice? Most golfers do. Even some people who hit the ball right-to-left are just slicers with enough compensation to turn the ball the other way. Believe it or not, fixing a slice is usually pretty easy. Often, one can make a permanent improvement in the first lesson. It’s easy, because there is only one thing that must be done correctly to correct the problem. Most golfers have no idea what it is or how to do it.
Why do you think you slice, because you come ‘over-the-top’? Reverse Pivot? Cut across the ball? ‘Hang back’ on your back foot, etc.?
Nope. You may do one or all of the above, but these ‘flaws’ don’t cause the slice, you do them because you slice.
You slice, because the clubface is too open. Period. Fix the clubface, and the slice goes bye-bye forever. The compensations will often also go away quickly when they are no longer needed.
The first step is to take any compensation out of your grip. You want a classic neutral grip (see AutoSuccess Magazine Sept. 03). Once this is done, you want to learn the all-important motion of the right wrist. Holding the club out in front of you, with the shaft level to the ground and the score lines vertical to the ground (PIC 1),
move the clubhead backward by bending the right wrist straight back while you bend the right elbow toward you. Your hands should stay directly in front of you as you do this (PIC 2).
If you do this correctly, the shaft will stay parallel to the ground, and the clubface will remain vertical to the ground. This is exactly the motion your hands should do during the backswing.
Most golfers incorrectly ‘cock’ their right wrist, which immediately bends the left wrist (PIC 3).
This ‘double wristcock’ puts the clubface in a toe down position at the top, with a bent left wrist and a flat right wrist (PIC 4),
the exact opposite of the correct hand conditions at impact.
By bending the right wrist and twisting the clubface away from you as you swing the club to about chest high on the backswing (PIC 5),
you put the clubface in a far less open position. The completed backswing should have a flat left wrist and a bent right wrist, with the clubface ‘matching’ the angle of the left wrist and arm (PIC 6).
Often, this ‘twist-away’, results in a slightly arched left wrist at the top. But that’s not a bad position to be in as you learn to make your hands do the opposite of what they were doing before.
A key element to this slice cure is to ‘hold the twist’ into the downswing. The clubface should look away from you halfway down, just as it did halfway back.
Often, these adjustments will fix the slice by themselves. But, most golfers need the further ‘insurance’ of a proper swivel of the hands as the club travels to the finish after impact. Through impact your left wrist needs to remain flat and your right wrist bent (PIC 7).
The clubface needs to turn toward the ground past the ball on the way to pointing toward the target. This swivel position should consist of a still flat left wrist and a ‘fully rolled’ whole left arm (PIC 8).
As the club nears the finish the left thumb should be under the club, and the left forearm should point straight toward the ground.
After making these adjustments, most slicers will be ex-slicers who need an improved impact position to keep from hitting the ball too right to left, a problem that most slicers would love to have.
Next month, we will learn to lag the clubhead and really compress the ball through impact, just like the pros.
Brian Manzella is a PGA Teaching Professional. He can be contacted at 866.873.0036, or visit www.brianmanzella.com.
John Solosy
New
quote:Originally posted by brianman
Never Slice Again
By Brian Manzella
Do you slice? Most golfers do. Even some people who hit the ball right-to-left are just slicers with enough compensation to turn the ball the other way. Believe it or not, fixing a slice is usually pretty easy. Often, one can make a permanent improvement in the first lesson. It’s easy, because there is only one thing that must be done correctly to correct the problem. Most golfers have no idea what it is or how to do it.
Why do you think you slice, because you come ‘over-the-top’? Reverse Pivot? Cut across the ball? ‘Hang back’ on your back foot, etc.?
Nope. You may do one or all of the above, but these ‘flaws’ don’t cause the slice, you do them because you slice.
You slice, because the clubface is too open. Period. Fix the clubface, and the slice goes bye-bye forever. The compensations will often also go away quickly when they are no longer needed.
The first step is to take any compensation out of your grip. You want a classic neutral grip (see AutoSuccess Magazine Sept. 03). Once this is done, you want to learn the all-important motion of the right wrist. Holding the club out in front of you, with the shaft level to the ground and the score lines vertical to the ground (PIC 1),
move the clubhead backward by bending the right wrist straight back while you bend the right elbow toward you. Your hands should stay directly in front of you as you do this (PIC 2).
If you do this correctly, the shaft will stay parallel to the ground, and the clubface will remain vertical to the ground. This is exactly the motion your hands should do during the backswing.
Most golfers incorrectly ‘cock’ their right wrist, which immediately bends the left wrist (PIC 3).
This ‘double wristcock’ puts the clubface in a toe down position at the top, with a bent left wrist and a flat right wrist (PIC 4),
the exact opposite of the correct hand conditions at impact.
By bending the right wrist and twisting the clubface away from you as you swing the club to about chest high on the backswing (PIC 5),
you put the clubface in a far less open position. The completed backswing should have a flat left wrist and a bent right wrist, with the clubface ‘matching’ the angle of the left wrist and arm (PIC 6).
Often, this ‘twist-away’, results in a slightly arched left wrist at the top. But that’s not a bad position to be in as you learn to make your hands do the opposite of what they were doing before.
A key element to this slice cure is to ‘hold the twist’ into the downswing. The clubface should look away from you halfway down, just as it did halfway back.
Often, these adjustments will fix the slice by themselves. But, most golfers need the further ‘insurance’ of a proper swivel of the hands as the club travels to the finish after impact. Through impact your left wrist needs to remain flat and your right wrist bent (PIC 7).
The clubface needs to turn toward the ground past the ball on the way to pointing toward the target. This swivel position should consist of a still flat left wrist and a ‘fully rolled’ whole left arm (PIC 8).
As the club nears the finish the left thumb should be under the club, and the left forearm should point straight toward the ground.
After making these adjustments, most slicers will be ex-slicers who need an improved impact position to keep from hitting the ball too right to left, a problem that most slicers would love to have.
Next month, we will learn to lag the clubhead and really compress the ball through impact, just like the pros.
Brian Manzella is a PGA Teaching Professional. He can be contacted at 866.873.0036, or visit www.brianmanzella.com.
Brian,
In the article you write, "Often, this ‘twist-away’, results in a slightly arched left wrist at the top. But that’s not a bad position to be in as you learn to make your hands do the opposite of what they were doing before.". I have an arched right (I'm a lefty) wrist at the top and I just maintain that arch through impact and I'm hitting the ball beautifully. I am however experiencing pain in my right wrist when I reach the top of my swing. I've tried going to a flat wrist at the top but all I hit are slices. I can't figure out how to go from flat at the top to arched at impact. Is there any adjustments I can make? Is that even what I'm wanting to do?
Aside from the wrist thing, using your articles and Mr. Doyles "How To" video have made me a better, more consistant player. Thanks, for all your doing for the (my) game.
In the article you write, "Often, this ‘twist-away’, results in a slightly arched left wrist at the top. But that’s not a bad position to be in as you learn to make your hands do the opposite of what they were doing before.". I have an arched right (I'm a lefty) wrist at the top and I just maintain that arch through impact and I'm hitting the ball beautifully. I am however experiencing pain in my right wrist when I reach the top of my swing. I've tried going to a flat wrist at the top but all I hit are slices. I can't figure out how to go from flat at the top to arched at impact. Is there any adjustments I can make? Is that even what I'm wanting to do?
Aside from the wrist thing, using your articles and Mr. Doyles "How To" video have made me a better, more consistant player. Thanks, for all your doing for the (my) game.
Brian Manzella
Administrator
Sounds like you use angled hinge action (no roll)....I'd leave it arched like Lee Buck Trevino and Bruce Lietkze.
DivotDelite
New
Hi:
Love this site and your articles. One question about the "twist". When twisting the clubface away from you, is the left forearm still performing a turning action per standard wrist action 10-18-A. The twisting the clubface away from you motion sounds like a rolling action.
Thx
Love this site and your articles. One question about the "twist". When twisting the clubface away from you, is the left forearm still performing a turning action per standard wrist action 10-18-A. The twisting the clubface away from you motion sounds like a rolling action.
Thx
Brian Manzella
Administrator
The twist is in the wrist not the arm....if it were in the arm, the backswing would look like Miller Barber's
Brian, I have watched you hit that pitch shot:
http://homepage.mac.com/brianmanzella/.Movies/manzellapitch.mov
and never quite understood it. Then I got Ben's tape and have watched him thump the ground over and over and over for hours in amazement, just like you do. That arched left wrist is very powerful. Watching you and Ben perform this move, seeing Mudd's arched left wrist, seeing it with Mr. Hogan, it has changed EVERYTHING. Throw this into the equation with my progress with TGM and I can't be more delighted and satisfied with all my teachers. And that includes you, Brian. Whether you care or not.
so long... hope you all "get it" too.
http://homepage.mac.com/brianmanzella/.Movies/manzellapitch.mov
and never quite understood it. Then I got Ben's tape and have watched him thump the ground over and over and over for hours in amazement, just like you do. That arched left wrist is very powerful. Watching you and Ben perform this move, seeing Mudd's arched left wrist, seeing it with Mr. Hogan, it has changed EVERYTHING. Throw this into the equation with my progress with TGM and I can't be more delighted and satisfied with all my teachers. And that includes you, Brian. Whether you care or not.
so long... hope you all "get it" too.
DivotDelite
New
Is that what 12-5-2 is supposed to look like? Looks very smooth and fluid, not stiff and rigid like my version
Brian Manzella
Administrator
Thanks 6...made my day.
I know that TGM mentions that lag is the secret of golf, but I tend to disagree. THis article is the secret, the key to the golf swing. Get this right and you want to have lag, it almost comes naturally because you can trust your swing. It is no wonder the average golfer slices, it is so hard (until engrained) to keep that clubface square (twisted). I arrive at the top perfectly flat and still manage to open up on the downswing....what is that?!? Right now I have to, as Brian says in his video, "hold the twist", or it opens right back up. When I do it right, the ball striking has been awesome. Great article and tape Brian. If this secret ever gets out, it will change the way people swing the club, and put a lot of teaching jobs in jeopardy!
DivotDelite
New
In the video, looks like Brian starts the backswing by gently rocking FORWARD first, before shifting his weight backwards. Seems like that would be a good way to create momentum on shorter shots.
mellanslag
New
Brian. I lack words for expressing what a break-through it was for me to FINALLY understand what this was all about. I have never been able to figure out how to set the wrists right. Reading this section and seeing the PIC, I finally got it. Especially how to set the wrists to be able to supinate at impact. It's all here!
(I did not try it out yet. But just picking up a club at home I instantly felt this move is the key).
(I did not try it out yet. But just picking up a club at home I instantly felt this move is the key).
quote:Originally posted by brianman
Never Slice Again
By Brian Manzella
move the clubhead backward by bending the right wrist straight back while you bend the right elbow toward you. Your hands should stay directly in front of you as you do this (PIC 2).
If you do this correctly, the shaft will stay parallel to the ground, and the clubface will remain vertical to the ground. This is exactly the motion your hands should do during the backswing.
BigBadDonkey
New
Hi Brian,
First post here... Very interesting reading some of your views, which seem to go against alot of the 'pop' ular instruction I have read. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Thing is, my grip is on the strong side... do I need a grip exactly as you suggest (neutral) to make this 'right wrist straight back' move, work?
Thanks, Danny.
First post here... Very interesting reading some of your views, which seem to go against alot of the 'pop' ular instruction I have read. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Thing is, my grip is on the strong side... do I need a grip exactly as you suggest (neutral) to make this 'right wrist straight back' move, work?
Thanks, Danny.
Brian Manzella
Administrator
Not really...all you need is more forward hands at impact.
This stuff is different because it HAS to be...I teach real people AND WORLD CLASS Players and if MY real golfers don't get better, I starve.
This stuff is different because it HAS to be...I teach real people AND WORLD CLASS Players and if MY real golfers don't get better, I starve.
thankyou Brian
ive really suffered from a slice, but my punch shots have always felt more powerfull than full swings.. now i know why.. placing an emphasis on retaining the right wrist bend to and past impact feels really good sofar (only about 30 mins)
also i knwo feel my right shoulder a lot more in the downsing than before.. is that good?
ive really suffered from a slice, but my punch shots have always felt more powerfull than full swings.. now i know why.. placing an emphasis on retaining the right wrist bend to and past impact feels really good sofar (only about 30 mins)
also i knwo feel my right shoulder a lot more in the downsing than before.. is that good?
Brian Manzella
Administrator
If it is on-plane.
BigBadDonkey
New
Thanks for the reply Brian.
Been working real hard on my swing last couple of days... I've made my grip slightly more neutral, and been practising this move.
1) Am I correct in saying (regarding this article) twisting = the natural closing of the clubface as you bend back or are you really trying to close the clubface?
2) Swivel = rotation of the shaft (face).
3) I notice you talk about a Swivel on the way down for insurance, then I was reading some other interesting posts by Edz, where he was talking about rotation back (anti clockwise) with left arm, body etc. on the downswing. I have never had lessons, tried to do it all on my own. I suddenly realised yesterday I do the opposite on downswing... I rotate 'clockwise' very slightly with my left hand\wrist which makes my grip look very strong at impact, and a slightly open face which results in a constant fade, and at worse a bad slice. I guess this was my attempt\thinking of 'holding' the face, less manipulation. Is the natural 'anti clockwize' motion \swivel of left hand\wrist on the way down ok? I guess my answer is in the article where it says:-
"A key element to this slice cure is to ‘hold the twist’ into the downswing. The clubface should look away from you halfway down, just as it did halfway back.
Often, these adjustments will fix the slice by themselves. But, most golfers need the further ‘insurance’ of a proper swivel of the hands as the club travels to the finish after impact. Through impact your left wrist needs to remain flat and your right wrist bent (PIC 7)."
I just wondered if you could clarify on this swivel\rotation on the way down? When you say 'hold the twist' does that mean no natural anti clockwise swivel\rotation on the way back down, or something else? Maybe I'm getting confused by all these words.. roll, rotate, swivel, twist... to me they all mean rotation (rotate the clubface)?
Maybe I should post this in the general forum.
Any help much appreciated.
Thanks, Danny.
Been working real hard on my swing last couple of days... I've made my grip slightly more neutral, and been practising this move.
1) Am I correct in saying (regarding this article) twisting = the natural closing of the clubface as you bend back or are you really trying to close the clubface?
2) Swivel = rotation of the shaft (face).
3) I notice you talk about a Swivel on the way down for insurance, then I was reading some other interesting posts by Edz, where he was talking about rotation back (anti clockwise) with left arm, body etc. on the downswing. I have never had lessons, tried to do it all on my own. I suddenly realised yesterday I do the opposite on downswing... I rotate 'clockwise' very slightly with my left hand\wrist which makes my grip look very strong at impact, and a slightly open face which results in a constant fade, and at worse a bad slice. I guess this was my attempt\thinking of 'holding' the face, less manipulation. Is the natural 'anti clockwize' motion \swivel of left hand\wrist on the way down ok? I guess my answer is in the article where it says:-
"A key element to this slice cure is to ‘hold the twist’ into the downswing. The clubface should look away from you halfway down, just as it did halfway back.
Often, these adjustments will fix the slice by themselves. But, most golfers need the further ‘insurance’ of a proper swivel of the hands as the club travels to the finish after impact. Through impact your left wrist needs to remain flat and your right wrist bent (PIC 7)."
I just wondered if you could clarify on this swivel\rotation on the way down? When you say 'hold the twist' does that mean no natural anti clockwise swivel\rotation on the way back down, or something else? Maybe I'm getting confused by all these words.. roll, rotate, swivel, twist... to me they all mean rotation (rotate the clubface)?
Maybe I should post this in the general forum.
Any help much appreciated.
Thanks, Danny.
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