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I posted this in another forum and it seemed to help some understand what is going on during the swing. Basically there are three swing paths and three clubface orientations that can occur during the swing resulting in 9 Ball flights and thus the 9 Ball Flight Laws. Let's take a look at them (from a right-handed golfers viewpoint).

Swing Path - Outside to In

Clubface Open to Path. Pull/Fade. Ball starts out left (swing path) and ball curves right (Clubface)

Clubface Square to Path. Pull. Ball starts out left and stays on same line with no curve.

Clubface Closed to Path. Pull/Hook. Ball starts out left (swing path) and ball curves further left.

Swing Path - Down the Line

Clubface Open to Path. Fade/Slice. Ball starts out at target (Swing Path) and ball curves right (Clubface).

Clubface Square to Path. Straight Shot. Ball starts out at target and ends up on target line.

Clubface Closed to Path. Draw/Hook. Ball starts out at target (Swing Path) and ball curves left (Clubface).

Swing Path - Inside to Outside

Clubface Open to Path. Push/Fade. Ball starts out right of target (Swing Path) and ball curves further right (Clubface).

Clubface Square to Path. Block or Push. Ball goes right with no curve.

Clubface Closed to Path. Draw/Hook. Ball starts out right of target (Swing Path) and ball curves back toward target (Clubface)

Although these ARE the only ways a player may hit the ball, the degree of path and clubface will influence the amount of draw/hook or fade/slice as well as the trajectory. The laws give you a starting point to determine what is going on in your swing. The easiest way to remember the laws is that the ball starts out on the path the club is traveling and moves to the direction the clubface was facing.

Hope this helps some diagnose some problems and determine which of the 1000's of drills out there could apply to them. Also, when asking for help from someone that can't see the swing, it is always good to give details of how the ball is flying. For example, rather than simply stating, "I need help with a slice," state "I am having problems with a slice that starts right and goes further right" since by looking above you can see there are 3 DIFFERENT ways to hit a slice and ways to correct EACH way which would NOT correct either of the other two. Now we start to see why so many golfers are confused by tips...

Great stuff there, jcgolfpro.

After having some slicing trouble with my new set of clubs, I had to do some self diagnosis. I found that I was:

• Swing Path - Down the Line
  
  Clubface Open to Path. Fade/Slice. Ball starts out at target (Swing Path) and ball curves right (Clubface).

I have been working hard to correct it, and have seen much improvement in the last couple of rounds. I did a quick round of 9 on Monday, and shot my best score (50) in probably 5 or 6 years - my previous best was at the same course (49).

I started out slicing all the irons of this set (3-PW), but now can hit the shorter irons (8-PW) dead straight or with a hint of fade; mid irons (6 & 7) with a little more fade; and my longer irons with more fade than I would like.

I hope to get the longer irons straightened out too, but that may have to wait until next spring when I take a lesson or two. My goal is to bring more consistency to every part of my game and then hopefully work my way into a bogey golfer (and beyond).

I went out golfing yesterday and I did terribly. It seems that whenever I hit the ball, it would start out way right of the target and go completely straight. I figured my club face was open, but I don't know why. Are there any remedies besides closing the club face before I start my backswing? Looking at your list, I would assume it's an inside to outside swing with an open face, except that it isn't slicing/fading at all.

Might want to look at your set up. You may be lined up to the right to begin with, that would be called a closed stance. Have your partner check your stance and direction at set-up. Hope this helps.

Nah, I don't line up to the right. Just on impact my club face is open and I don't know why.

If you are lined up correctly, to get an open club face you must be operating the hands separately from the body. Sometimes this is caused by a lateral movement in the swing. This means that you may be swaying back on your right leg on the backswing or straightening the right knee rather than keeping it flexed and braced with the weight on the inside of the right foot. Then when you return to the ball you may be swinging your body inside the target line as your weight moves forward and your hands are opening up in order to swing along the path to the ball. Usually this means that your head is moving inside the line as well before the ball is struck. Where on your left foot is the weight felt on impact? Is your head behind the ball at impact?

How is the finish of your swing? Are you balanced on the left leg and facing the target? If there is lateral movement and independent action by the arms/hands then it will show up in the finished swing. I am interested in the dynamics of your swing. Can you explain them further?

one thing that I think a lot of people tend to forget about is the differences in their clubs when diagnosing problems. If you're slicing your driver, you're probably not really closing the clubface at impact with any of your clubs. It's just less noticeable when you're hitting a 9-iron than it is when you're hitting your big stick. Less loft=more slice for the majority of us.

Swingezy is on the right track. In diagnosing a swing on the lesson tee, we follow the same steps as when you would diagnose any problem...from the simple (address) and proceed to difficult (swing mechanics). But swingezy overlooked something he doesn't even have to think about which keeps the clubface open...grip. Tighter than necessary grip pressure inhibits the arms/hands ability to release through the hitting area, thus leaving the face open. Why tighter...usually due to trying to hit the ball too hard OR trying to "steer" it down the fairway. Before going into major surgery for heart failure, we want to make sure that a simple aspirin wouldn't work first...

Sounds like someone here can probably help me,... hopefully.
I'm new to the game and so far my main problem seems to be topping the ball. I think I'm shifting my wieght to the right leg ok upon backswing. My head is behind the ball at impact and I can follow through and keep my balance just fine. Also I'm not quite sure how tight my grip should be.
Any help is greatly appreciated.

I transfer my weight from the right leg during the back swing all the way through to the finish where the weight has shifted to my left leg. My left leg holds about 90% of my weight while my right toe is on the ground. My body is facing the target.

My right leg is not flexed and braced, so I need to work on that. I bet you are right about my head moving before the ball is struck. How do I keep my head "behind" the ball? That's one swing mechanicsm I don't understand.

Maybe you could also check your 'grip' as suggested by jcgolfpro first, and see if there is any tightening coming into impact. Relaxing this may help before you need any other 'work'.

As to the other:
If you look at photographs of all good players, they are looking down with the head remaining where it was during the swing until well after the ball is away. This is their centre of rotation

Usually the club has travelled about 40 or more degrees (up to almost 90 degrees for some flexible players) after impact and the weight is still on the inside of the left sole, or at least more inside than outside and the swing is said to be against a firm left side on impact (and through). Then the left arm starts to fold as the body keeps rotating and comes up and they finish 'on balance'. It is a totally synchronous movement with everything functioning together. You need to see the spot where the ball rested after it has gone. Does this make sense?

You could've just said that... :) I do appreciate your help though. I was out in the back yard today and was hitting a wiffleball around. By keeping that right leg flexed and stiff I was hitting shots much more towards what I was aiming at. I need to work on loosening my grip just a touch. My biggest fear is my grip being too loose and the club flying out of my hands. Maybe I need to get re-gripped.

Sorry for the longwinded approach but I feel that the help has to fit into the context of the swing. You might have a good understanding of swing dynamics and so it is unnecessary.....but I do not know this in advance and I hate 'giving tips' that may or may not fit into what the person is doing. Do you understand?

Thanks for the feedback on what you are doing though....that is great. Hope your problem corrects itself.

Actually, I found your long winded approach insightful. I need to pay more attention to the weight shifts and learn a bit more about swing dynamics.

They say the grip should be about the same pressure as squeezing the right amount of toothpaste out of a tube, or even less, and should remain constant through the swing and not tighten on impact.

If you are topping, it probably means you have a vertical up and down motion in your swing. Your left leg is probably straightening on the down swing, and you are lifting your head a little. Staying 'down' until after impact, getting a sense of the head remaining at the same height relative to the ball may help.

Just check to see if you are raising up at any point in the swing.

good luck