Alignment is an interesting aspect of golf. Some golfers are certain that they are aligned correctly. They've got no doubt in their minds that their actual aiming line is identical to their intended line. That's why it's so hard for them to believe me when I say they are lined up incorrectly. Instead, they look for other answers as to why they're slicing or hooking the ball. Bill Miller sent in a question asking what he can do to cure his slice, but because he thinks he's got a good grasp on alignment, the response is probably going to surprise him.
Don, I took up golf back in the 70’s for about 8 years and quit because of my banana slice. No matter what tips I tried it was always there. When I retired 6 years ago I decided to take up the game again but before I ever hit a driver again I searched the Internet for some instructions that would help me get rid of the dreaded slice. Fortunately for me I ran across your web site. I signed up for your daily videos and have been using your PP Golf swing ever since. On all my shots I favor a slight fade stance, which makes the ball fly reasonably straight with a roll to the right.My golfing buddies which I used to play with when I had my banana slice are amazed at how reasonable straight I hit all my clubs. Sometimes I amaze myself when the ball actually goes where I aim it. I use to spray the ball all over the course. I have encountered two problems recently, ( 1.) To hit the sweet spot on my irons I have to line the club up where the shaft is directly behind the ball. ( 2.) In the last couple of weeks my driver shots have started to “fade / minor slice” again, still using the “slight fade stance.” What am I doing wrong? If I stand square to the target line, the slice is more pronounced.By the way I’m 73 years old and I enjoy playing golf with the PPG swing.
Well Bill, this is almost sounding contrary to what should be happening. There's a good chance that what you're thinking is a fade stance is actually not. I'd be willing to bet you're not parallel left of your target line (or aiming line). In fact, you're probably still slightly set up with a closed stance aiming to the right of the target.
When you feel like you have a slightly faded stance you might actually be pretty close to square. The reason why I believe this is the issue is because you say that in order to hit the sweet spot you have to line the club up where the shaft is directly behind the ball. To me, that's the signal that you're aiming to the right.
It all goes back to the big A...ALIGNMENT. Only one guy has ever been lined up correctly in all the years I've been teaching golf. Most golfers think that they're aiming correctly, but 90-95% of all swing problems arise from poor alignment. Most righties are aimed right and lefties are aimed left, no matter how correctly they think they're aligned. It all comes down to whether or not your actual aiming line matches your intended aiming line. I'll bet you that they are not one in the same.
The only conclusion I can draw is that you are very likely aiming right. I'd be willing to place a dollar bet on that any day of the week! If you think you're aimed really well and you hit a good shot but miss your target, put your club down along your toes. After you've got the club down, step back and take a look at where you were really aimed. This is a good way to get a different view of your alignment after the shot's been hit.
Bill, it sounds like you're hitting the ball pretty well. I really think the only problem stems from your alignment. So, use the technique I demonstrate in the video to really check your alignment the next time you play and you might be shocked at what you see.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Were you looking over my shoulder recently Surge?
My swing was coming along well and I went off the boil. I was certain I was aimed correctly. Dropping the club shaft along my toe line, told me my 'Lying eyes' were lying again. My toe line was only a few degrees closed to the target line!!! Remembering that if your clubface is open or closed only 3degrees, you will miss the fairway!!! So even a tiny bit open or closed makes one heck of a difference. ALIGNMENT,ALIGNMENT,ALIGNMENT! The biggest and most frequent problem as Surge says continuously, and we still tend to trust our 'LYING EYES'!!! Silly and frustrated us. GBSAPS ad nauseum! or suffer the consequences : - (
Another swing session with the weighted grip trainer as a warm up. Then swinging with emphasis on GBSAPS and my old pals Tempo and Timing. Keep hitting them long and straight. Thanks again for another kick in the derierre Surge. It is more than needed by many of us. DH
Alignment
Since I do something similar I think Don misunderstood about the shaft being behind the ball. I think what Bill meant he has to position the club face so the ball is on the hosel for him to be able to hit a solid shot. Not the whole shaft is behind the ball..Joe Estes
I think you're right about
I think you're right about what Bill meant, but I think Don's explanation of the problem is also correct. I have had the issue myself, lining up with the ball pretty much on the hosel. The only way to get back to the ball squarely on the club face like that is to swing out to in and turn your body quickly out of the way to pull the hands in. Proper alignment, and properly allowing the club to drop from the top, rather than trying to throw it at the ball from the top will allow one to come in to the ball squarely.
Fades and lining up ball on hosel
Might as well throw my opinion in as to why he slices more with a square stance than an open stance. (Backward for sure).
I think he is coming out to in through the impact zone. Likely coming over the top. Likely not transferring weight properly. When he sets up square he feels even more uncomfortable through impact and pulls across the ball even more. If he lines the ball up on the hosel it somewhat corrects his miss of the clubface. I have noticed many of the senior players at our course line the hosel right on the ball just like that and every one is out to in.
Every bit of that is complete conjecture on my part without actually seeing the swing.
Fades and lining up ball on hosel
I agree. I do not set the hosel behind though. I do fight over the top from time to time which is usually from not getting the bump right / transferring the weight to the front foot. I am going to work on this a lot this winter.
1,460 days and counting.
Big Hopes/Best Wishes for DJ in Florida
DJ's been coming on strong towards the end of the season. A top 10 should get him his card. Another T4 or better cements it. Good luck DJ!
Yes, likely out to in
and over the top. Steve is possibly right concerning the weight shift. Surge is most likely correct about the aiming his feet right when he he thinks he's square and I'll add one more. What I see with many amatures and it has been a challenge for me and I noticed it with my wifes swing recently; it is this, the shoulders are are not square with feet. So while we think we are square to slightly open and parallel left of our aiming line, we are not with the upper body we dominates the results more than the feet line. The shoulders are aimed too left of our intentions . Another way to put it is the right shoulder is forward and this causes the left shoulder to be back, open or aimed left. One of the causes goes down from that back (right) shoulder to the hand and grip. If we are not in the master set up position with the back (right) hand under enough (strong) verses on top (and weak), that forearm will be higher than the front left forearm and the right shoulder will be tight and likewise to high and forward. Therefor we become pre set for that over the top move. Surge has described the need to have the back arm soft and under. A good visual and feeling for us to have in our set up. It's easy to have a friend check this for you from behind and down the line. Our front forearm should be visibly above the back (right) forearm. This is all covered in the video on "master set up".
Again this is just an observation and may or may not be Bill Millers cause and effect.