Stop Slicing The Driver!

FYI... 10 free videos are back if you haven't visited the revised front page in the last 9 hours :)

They don't currently have any instructors "Down Under," but I know they want to recruit some. If your club pro is willing to learn more and teach the PPGS (don't think it has to be exclusive, but once you learn what's better, why would you teach a painful swing?), have him get in touch with support here on the site.

I have trouble with the long clubs, inbetween the driver and 5 iron I haven't even gone there as the results are the same = slice. The driver is pretty bad too, yes some shots will come off but I couldn't tell you where the ball will end up as sometimes it is that inconsistent.

Personally I think issues are more swing faults and not the clubs, surely if your swing is half decent and consistent then you should be able to pick any club off the shelf and and be half decent and consistent. You may not fulfill your full potential but I am sure many a golfer can pick my driver up and be good with it,unlike myself.
I see many a bad swing, all look worse than mine where their leading arm really bends at the top and little thought goes in to set up but these guys are all beating me at the moment. My father in law last week really hit a cracking drive and it was his worst swing ever he nearly came off his feet as he was that unstable, but obviously has the knack of squaring up at impact even though his swing is very variable.
I am holding out on the hope that my swing will be consistent one fine day so will only improve instead of hitting a brickwall where your score and game never changes like many golfers.

I went to the range yesterday and my swing felt smooth, I have no idea where my Surge swing was in reality but the results where good. I didn't have my driver but I seem to lack consistency with the 5 iron and in, I don't seem to have any power either.  In power i mean sometimes my 5 iron doesn't seem to produce farthur shots that other clubs. I am not powering through the swing though as I am trying hard to be consistent then thought when I am I can worry about distance and finding the power level where the consistency goes.

Wongphil, A timely tip for me on the shoulder.One of my problems is, at times find myself 'not turning the shoulders' and the results are then erratic. As soon as I do get it right, 40 yards longer per club.
Yesterday's practice was much more pleasant and fruitful.
Noted: No shoulder turn = sore shoulders as a result.
Thanks

Steve Smith:

   Obviously you wer NOT a countyr boy in those days! LOL

    Roll TIDE!!  Although I really don't have a DAWG in the re-match.

    Amos

No, it is the camera angle causing a deception. Here is what Surge teaches as to ball placement.
http://www.swingsurgeon.com/Ho...

Ha ha, indeed. I think this is called 'trolling'. He he

I agree with RM, I have largish hands but the way the training grip is designed is fantastic, you cannot get the grip wrong and to feel a proper grip is priceless I think!
I cannot recommend it enough, it is not a cheap bit of kit but I wouldn't be without it already.

Pondering done, Mr. Smith :

Grabbed my 6 iron and at vertical it was exactly as u described above. 

But when I am a bit laid off (which includes a nominal arc of my left arm and a somewhat less elevated club) that club face sure looks less shut
to me. (Wrist flat in both cases.)
Speaking of shut....I think I will just shut it now and send an email card  to Anna.Thanks for the link above, Steve.These are the kind of things that matter the most.

Now why do those last two sound so familiar??? :-)

That has to leave a lot of shots from a long ways over the green!

It appears that Rocco Mediate has a Surge like swing. Any Thoughts?

A swing rite post........
I have just recieved my swingrite, yippeeeee, but I cannot have it until Santa comes.. Boooooooooooooo.

Anyway I have thought of something, if your swing is not what it should be is it still possible to get the swing rite to work properly and click/ release at the right point?

I guess what I am asking is if you are swinging badly or in a way you really don't want to and the swingrite is clicking at that point then bad habits will be picked up..
So it it only useful when you really have the swing going consistently so you know and feel you are say swinging the Surge way. 

Russty Kiwi, Where did you have your driver shortened in NZ?

Thanks Surge, that was a good demonstration of the fluid whipping action that is needed to make accurate contact with the golf ball then up the tree.

Good call, Robert. So now, a related slice question:

Could the (BUS) position at the top be contributing ?
Seems that a true vertical position creates a more
closed face at the top. When I limit my upper arm
to near toe line, but allow a slightly laid off position
at  the top, the face IS more open and starts down
that way and is on (or close to)  being on plane.

Your thots are always appreciated...

Thanks R2, I will probably come back with things to do with the Swingrite once I really get going with it. Cannot get my head around a soft lay up shot yet with the swingrite, would this be with a half swing?

The woods are a bit different to hit. I use a 15* 3wd & 18* 2hyb. My focus with them and the driver at the moment is slowing done the back swing just a little . which lets me start the forward swing with a free fall or gravity as surge says and then power through from shoulder to waist high on. Let it drop into the slot, as Steve Smith would  say. I have been trying to power hit from the top and dipping a bit, which gives me chunks. Nice and smooth is the way to go. Have been hitting 500 yrd par 5s in 2 lately thanks to the short woods. Patience is a virtue. Good golfin an be happy

Rocco's swing has become more vertical, but he still uses squared feet, an Eiffel Tower stance with his legs, a big turn and "connected" arms and body. He'd do his back a lot more favors getting rid of those things and coming over to the PPGS. He'd probably also amaze himself by gaining distance.

Steve your link is not working here is another

http://teachinggoodthings.com/...

Ooops me again, Russty Kiwi, Yesterday after a good warm up and hitting balls for a couple of hours.Played only 2 holes to try out a couple of clubs, which have remained out of the bag since UK late 2006! A couple of Ping G2 fairway woods. Bought in Beijing for a pittance. Passed the info onto Ping as they are as near as dammit Pings, only the plate on the rear sole is not quite the same. First time I hit the 5W my wife said 'smashing shot'. Next the same.On the next tee took the 3W off the tee. Same distance if not a couple of yards further than the Driver! Right in the middle of the fairway. Took a half swing with the 5W for the hell of it. Nearly hit the pin as it bounced onto and finished 12" up a slight rise at the rear of the green. So they are staying put for the time being. I had remembered that while playing links golf in UK,that they gave me good accuracy and distance as a rotational swinger. Have to play down the shaft on them as they are longer shafts. Fun experimenting hahaha. Have a great weekend. Weather better in Wobbly Wellington ; - ] The shoulder tip of yours just might be what I needed to read. Thankyou very much. PMG and Succeed.

I don't need to ask a question of the Surge! hahaha. The day after my debacle yesterday is the next topic of the day.Thankyou Kevin Wolfe and Surge.
This will be tried as soon as I have written this piece.
Skipping rocks or pebbles on the beach as a kid or on a lake, was easy-peasy. Shoulder damage to both shoulders, so must be careful, but will do it.
Weather meant to be around 70degF here during the next 4 days. So conducive to loosening up and practicind as well as playing.
See McIlRoy and Luke Donald paired at the Race to Dubai. Should be a nail biter for both of them. Both good to watch. Didn't watch last night, bed beckoned and was more inviting heh heh heh. PMG and Succeed.
Skip rocks;
Shorter Clubs;and then the Big Dog, Yep sounds good to me.

Your correct being from Ky I did not think of that go figure. LOL

Me too, I don't want to wear it out before I get really good.

Two things helped my driver. Dont stand too close to the ball, which gives an out to in swing, and keeping a firm wrist at the top of the back swing so theres no change of angle on the way back. Go gettim Dick

Hey Surge, Tom Jans and company, love the look of your front page now. Sure would be great if we can eventually get those 10 free videos amatures make advertised on multiple links again like the old days. There are still so many millions of golfers that need to get the word on Surge.

Hi Steve-  will get Anna a card within the next 3 days. 
Regards,
Ray

My 4HL and 5HL Ping G2 irons are two of my favourite clubs for getting out of the tree line where a punch shot is needed. For approach shots the 5HL is a honey too. I too had a lack of power for a while. My cure was, when I stopped popping up too quickly when making the stroke. It may only be a fraction of a second, but what a difference it made. Give it a try.

Surge, I love to watch the opening of your postings as I just marvel at how easy your swing looks.  I keep replaying it over and over and hope it sinks in.  Many of us seem to have a problem with the driver and we make it more of a chore to go through  the swing.  I always find it easy to apply it to the smaller clubs, thinking that I need to change things as I work with the higher and longer clubs. I will be taking your instruction to the warm-up before a game and just get a feel for the swing before swinging the feel.   Ernie Els said the very first thing he works on as he begins practice or a match is his footwork.  I especially liked your comment about the driver and that while you still swing the same way, you have to let your body feel the difference due to the length and weight.  I will concentrate on a slower practice swing with the same mechanics, and just work it up till I feel a relaxed but faster swing speed.

"heck man do something different, you've got nothing to lose".   Nice. That says it.
For the slicer, Mr. Smith, your thots here are words of
comfort and joy....comfort and joy.

The split-hand drill be helpful in
creating that sense of the club going thru and then rolling over. Hmmm. Not the best words, 
but that's the idea.

3 gentle practice swings with the hand-split drill
and the sense is created...going through then
rolling to toe-up and into the forward catcher's mitt.

Roger,

I still think your link is better for forwarding through email, because there IS NO Need to be logged on. I have forwarded it to several folks in my address book. Others, might want to do likewise.
http://teachinggoodthings.com/...

PMG

Sounds like your slice is caused by a significant out-to-in swing path, and "closing" the face actually gets it square to the swing path (which is right-to-left across your aiming line).

R2,

Amen to that, I could not agree more.  From day one I have used mine at various angles to represent all clubs from driver to wedges. Those who use the same swing with it all the time are not getting the most and best benefit of the device.

Simulate the many different postures, address, and ball positions, required for all the clubs in your bag.

PMG

PS  dont be scared to choke down on your driver. Find the length that suits you best. I had an inch cut off mine and still choke down an inch to give me 44 for a 36 inch wrist to floor measurment

Good luck on the round. Had a quick practice round today, behind some of the slowest players I have ever come across.Driving a Cart too. All young as well. The driver stayed in the bag. The G2 14deg 3W went further than my driver and straight down the middle. The 5W was hot too. Have to SLOOOOW down. It is coming though and the shoulder tip did that. Now need to make it routine again. My wife who has never played in her life was playing about with a 6iron. I hit a nice 3W off the tee. She was just short of it with two 6iron 'chips'. Noted she has begun to follow thru' high and handsome hahahaha. She is now well and truly hooked hahahaha. Have a great weekend and the weather may hold off ; - ]

Guess that makes it "bole" ony!

A guy from Mangawhai ,not far from me. He does re griping and repairs. Got him to wack a bit off the driver last time I got my set re griped. I would'nt call him a club fitter, but he can do shaft frequencies , spinal alignment & reshafting stuff

I will jump into the '57
and commence pondering.....

Yes, this can work as a temporary fix, but don't overdo it. 

By not using the driver, I believe you are depriving yourself of one of the most gratifying shots in golf--a well-struck driver.  It's very likely, as the Surge repeatedly says, that your driver is not fitted correctly for you.  It is probably too long with an incorrect shaft flex for your swing speed.

My advice would be to get properly fitted for a driver.  You can get some offset built in to help get the clubface square. Then treat it like any other club when you swing it.  By this, I mean keep the same tempo and amount of effort when swinging it.  You probably don't try to kill your irons.  Nor should you try to kill the driver.   

Dear Surge & team,

I recently had a golf lesson from my
club's pro and I told him that I used your method.  He had a look and said "I don't care how
you swing as long as it is dynamic with proper follow through"

This golf professional was more
interested in getting me to transfer my weight through the swing and having the
proper grip. That alone got me swinging better, straighter, and with more
distance.

He has corrected some of my problems
and was interested in the three quarter limited swing. I now can play golf
without pain due to your system.  I
believe that your need professional golf instructions if you don’t have one of
Surge’s instructors to available for lessons.

 I live in Sydney Australia and I don't believe
that you have any instructors here.  If
you do please let me know.

I love your daily videos. Please keep
it up!

Brendan Manning

Sydney

Australia

 

Whip it good. Where have I seen that lately