Tales From The Bunker

Raise your hand if you can hit a wood great but feel weak in the knees if you have an iron in your hand.(My hand is raised)  Everyone who did not raise their hands probably has the opposite problem.

For me the problem is all about swing plane. My natural swing path is relatively flat and works well with woods. Put an eight iron in my hand and I feel unnatural and feel that I need a more upright plane. The result had been an inability to find the correct swing, usually resulting in either too steep a plane or I start the club outside the correct plane and never recover. Welcome to shots off of the toe and divots the size of a football field.

For me the key to finding the correct swing plane was a drill very similar to the “9 O’clock drill” below. I found that when I took an eight ion to the nine o’clock it was not even close to being in the correct position. If I did the same thing with a five wood, I was spot on.
It is not easy to break old habits but by looking in the mirror at my 9 o’clock position with irons I was able to slowly change my muscle memory.

The following drill basically takes the same drill to the driving range and allows you to execute the correct swing plane. Although the instructor considers the drill for people who have problems starting their swing, to me it is about getting your club on the correct plane. (Note that when you see him hit the second shot he pulls it left. They might have considered a retake on that shot)

Hank Haney preaches swing plane, swing plane and more swing plane. Since he probably knows what he is doing, try the drill and see if it helps you get all your clubs on the correct plane.

Until next time, keep ‘em in the fairway.

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I recently had lunch with a former colleague, long time friend and frequent golf partner.  The lunch was fun and as usual we ended up talking about golf. He has had a severe slice as long as I have known him. He always says it is because he does not follow through but the slice never goes away.

One of my favorite quotes is by Tony Robbins; “if you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” To get rid of your slice you must be willing to make changes. It is not a secret that we sell golf instructional items on eBay, Amazon, etc. Probably every swing related instructional item we offer has a chapter on slicing. Every one of them offers a different drill or explanation on how to cure the slice. Each one can be helpful but only if you are willing to change.

Ultimately there only two factors that affect the flight of the ball: swing path and the angle of the clubface when it strikes the ball. Sounds simple but we all know it is not. The video below by Derek Hooper of the Hank Haney Golf Schools is one of my favorites because it discusses these two factors and has a drill that I find especially helpful. Will it help with you slice? Possibly but you will never know unless you make a change in your current swing.

Till next time keep ‘em in the fairway!

Tags: Tips by admin
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There have been numerous articles and books written on the “power factors” of golf. Most of them focus on club head speed, club head lag, swing path, etc.  But if you do not hit the ball in the sweet spot of the club all the other factors will be partially negated.

The sweet spot is the area optimized by the manufacturer’s use of proper weighting and distribution of mass. When the shot is hit correctly the ball springs off of the sweet spot. When a shot is hit off of either the heel or the toe it could cost you up to 15 yard in distance.

Below is a video by Hank Haney with a drill you may find useful to help you consistently hit the ball in the sweet spot. Take a look and see if it helps.  

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