Slow it down

[kevin_79]

Hi guys, I came across this forum about a month ago after leaving a "method teacher" and have purchased and watched all of Brian's videos.

I play to an 11.5 and I've learned here that I have a big problem with consistent club face control. My "typical" shots are a crap shot of the straight path ball flights. I can compress the ball well - about 160 carry w/ an 8-iron when I get it flush; my biggest problem is GIRs - I hit about 5 a round and am usually 10-15 yards left or right.

I recently started experimenting with slowing things down to trade distance for accuracy. I'd be more than happy to give up 10-15 yards on distance to reduce the 10-15 yard lefts and rights. But my contact stinks when I have "80%" as a swing thought...fats with the occasional thin swipe.

Any advice on how to train my brain to not try to hit the snot out of it but still pivot properly? If it helps, I'm trying to use the SD pattern. Ultimately, I'm hoping that I can learn how to "feel" my hands with a slower swing -- get that clubface control -- and then maybe amp up the speed again down the road.

Thanks!
Kevin

 

[spktho]

Just out of curiosity, what method?

For clubface control, I suggest you work a lot with NSA. Use the Manzella neutral grip, the twistaway on the backswing and hold it on the downswing, finish with the wedding ring up, and to add the soft draw pattern one last point. As long as you have a decent pivot to begin with, you should be able to do this at 80% or less and then increase it when you have the pattern down.

If you can post up a video of your swing, then we can see if you have something else going on that may needed to be worked on.

 

[kevin_79]

Thanks! I watched NSA again last night but have had a hard time with the feeling of twistaway and wedding-ring up; felt contorded and I hit massive hooks the one time I tried the pattern at the range. But maybe slow and steady will make a difference.

I'll try to get a video up this week.

Previous instruction was based on the hardy one-plane swing which basically tried to take my hands out of play. I don't want to knock it, as I think it can work for some folks, but just wasn't my thing. So I think I'm having a hard time getting hands to square up at impact.

 

[dbl]

How far did you get with the One Plane swing? It's basically angled hinging except I was shocked in the Master's class materials at his wanting you to fan it open last second on the way to the top and an immediate closing on the way down, and then holding on.

Twistaway to me seems far more rational.

 

[kevin_79]

dbl, I spent several months with it, both books and several DVDs and worked with a teacher who knew Jim. That part you describe gave me fits too. I always overdid the closing and was consistently pulling the ball left. I also felt like I was dragging the club into impact without a lot of power.

Maybe I just need a little twistaway rather than turning the face all the way back like Brian did in the video. I'll play with that this week at the range and grab some video of my swing.

 

[spktho]

Thanks! I watched NSA again last night but have had a hard time with the feeling of twistaway and wedding-ring up; felt contorded and I hit massive hooks the one time I tried the pattern at the range. But maybe slow and steady will make a difference.

I'll try to get a video up this week.

Previous instruction was based on the hardy one-plane swing which basically tried to take my hands out of play. I don't want to knock it, as I think it can work for some folks, but just wasn't my thing. So I think I'm having a hard time getting hands to square up at impact.

The wedding ring up does feel strange if you have never done it and I have found that you must have a neutral to very slightly strong grip. If you have a strong grip, you are more likely to hit pulls and pull hooks because doing the twistaway and going into wedding ring up will close the face too much. But the idea is to feel the sweetspot and keep the club face square into impact.

You probably don't need the whole NSA pattern and with knowing now what you have previously been working on, you may need something else to keep from swinging too far to the right and underplane. What is your normal ball flight?

 

[kevin_79]

Spktho, "normal" is tough for me since I'm missing both sides with fades and draws that start near the target and move quite a bit. I miss more left than right, and more right than straight. I also typically hit a high ball with thin or no divots since I've been trying to learn the SD pattern.