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Im having a problem with pulling my irons. They end up going about 15-20 yards to the left. The only way iv found to correct this problem is to roll my hips more to open the face and I (usually) hit it straight or a slight fade. I dont want to have to do this though because there is the possibility of leaving the face to open and getting a horrible slice. Does anyone know any other way I can correct this?

I'm 46 and this is my fourth season, and I play about 7-10 times a season.

I've never had this problem before, but as I've learned to hit increasingly harder I've started this season to pull my iron shots, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, but I never know when or how much I'm going to do it.

I'm not completely sure what you mean by rolling your hips, but I'm willing to give it a try. If there's a better solution out there I'd love to know about it.

- k

Basically I mean moving your hips more causing the club face to open. Yeah it works but be careful, if it opens to much he ball could start right and slice. Like a pull hook only in the other direction.

Sometimes pulling irons is caused by lateral movement over the ball and not remaining on the inside of the soles until after impact.

Try sensing if you are moving to the outside of your left foot during the down swing and through impact. Perhaps you could check your right foot during the back swing too, to see if the weight does not move to the outside because any lateral movement has to be compensated for and you could move too far forward in trying to return to the impact position.

Hope this helps.

Thx swingezy but I acculy figured it out. I was coming off plane on the downswing and the face was acculy pointed left. Not closed or anything just pointed in the wrong direction. Looks like I got anothe 50 hours on the range to figure this one out

Coming off plane is an effect of something else though isn't it? It isn't a cause. It must mean that your swing is not 'synchronous' and that there is independent action of some part. Hopefully awareness will find that action in less than 50 hours. Do you know what to examine in relation to it?

I know the theory of the swing plane, however I do not know how it is executed or practiced in reality. Would somebody be able to explain? I think it's basically your swing pattern, how your swing moves through, and where the club travels in relation to the backswing and downswing and follow through...?

The swing plane is often drawn as a spoked wheel around your hands as hub and the rim as the club head path. The whole wheel is angled back at various angles depending on the length of the club (or spoke). With the short irons the wheel is more upright travelling way from the ball in a more up and down manner. With the longer irons and woods the wheel is somewhat more angled and less upright because of the length of the 'spoke' (This is simply because you can't hit a drive with a driver close to your feet). Pictures of this are available in various places. JCgolfpro may help here.

The more upright the swing plane, the less 'spin' is imparted to the ball if the clubface is not 'square' on impact. A driver exaggerates the spin because of the effect of distance and rate of spin. It is much more frequent with the driver and long clubs mainly because it is harder to control the angle at which the clubface meets the ball with a longer flatter swing.

The swing plane is maintained by constant spine angle through the swing, the constant relationship between the body's rotation and the arms/hands/club. The head is a stable point in the centre also.

Most would argue for a 'onepiece takeaway' which means centre and hands arms commence the swing together, but of course are free to hinge. The triangle of the arms and its relationship to the centre remain constant through out. The hands/arms are swinging with the shoulders upper body as a unit. If there is independent action of the hands/arms outside of this sychonistic swing, it will result in an error. The hands/arms are simply levers and hinges responding to the momentum of the body. The hinges are at the shoulders and the wrists and these must be relaxed to operate optimally.

On the downswing, the weightshift onto the left foot is what brings the swing back into the 'slot' and if there is connectivity, the arms will travel close to the chest with the right elbow tucked in. The club head then swings through the ball position and continues to travel up and around the angled spine with the head remaining above/behind its centre point until the hands pass the point of resistance when the body head and arms travel up to a balanced finish. It is connected and rhythmical with maximum accelaration through the ball.

To diagnose a swing plane change, you can focus on your hands/arms in relation to the rest of your swing to see if there is any independent action (e.g. hitting). Also one can see if the centre stays relatively steady through the swing or if the spine angle is constant until after impact.

This is overload of info I know but it may help diagnose problems if you know what to be aware of in the whole swing. There are no swing parts outside of the whole swing although some practise drills to get the part they have 'trouble with' under control. But if these are done without understanding of the whole context in which they are put, then a fix can quickly become a fault.

I get ya... at least the basic concept of what you were saying. All that information is a lot to learn, remember, and remember again when I'm at the tees on Friday, let alone the driving range, you know? So I'll try and just remember the basic concept of free-flowing but tight motion and the arms/hands and hips/shoulders all working together I guess.

I really do not know if you should try to remember this stuff. One way to check your swing is awareness of what is going on. When yu have a practice swing, you need to open up awareness of what is going on in your body and arms, legs and so on. Find some keys that seem to be the hallmark of a 'good swing' and then see if you can repeat the movements with the ball.

As soon as the level of difficulty is made higher, awareness of what is happening tends to be reduced as we have a new tension, a new focus, and a fear of failure. We need to regain the awareness we had with the practice swing in the new situation. When this is matched we have an excellent swing.

It is simply comparison of what a 'good swing' feels like and awareness of what makes it a 'good swing'. All the knowledge in the world does not help unless you build up this awareness. Then you can look at the bits and pieces separately and say, yes, I am tensing up on the downswing, or my focus is the ball and not the target. If you know what a good swing feels like then it becomes a matter of trust. But this must be gained steadily. You seem to be on the right track I think by going to the practice range. Good luck.

I was out this weekend but I must say, Swing...that is the BEST explanation of the swing plane I have ever seen from ANYBODY. I have been to teaching seminars too numerable to count with instructors such as Rick Smith, Ed Ibarguen, David Leadbetter, and many others and NO ONE has ever given that good of an explanation. I'll work on a link to a pictorial...

Thanks jcgolfpro....it is lovely to have someone who 'understands'.

I would love to teach golf professionally and think I have a great deal to offer, but isn't this limited to PGA type people. BTW, I am a fairly gifted presenter too as that was my 'job', and would love to work in this field. (I am not trying to blow my own horn, just saying what I think are my 'skills')

Do you have any ideas on this? I look forward to your comments.

Hey Swing,
I think you have it down pat! You are very deep in your explinations, but I think you have a future in this. I really enjoy your explanations and the reason I don't chime in is because you hit the nail on the head every time.

Swingezy,

I enjoy reading your posts on the golf swing and I'm curious how you came to form these opinions. Experience? Teachings? Do you follow your own instruction?

Thanks forged!! I have just recently begun 'dreaming' of a possible future in golf but have no idea at this point how to realise it. But that is unimportant. It is the journey that is important, no? Thanks for your encouragement.