Pull Shot

Yet another round with problems with pull shots. I'm starting to struggle with my iron play just pull after pull with a slight draw, if I set it off to the right you guess it.... it goes straight but therfore ends up to the right of the target.

Only really affecting my iron woods aint too bad, anyone got any tips or a possible reason for this?

Obviously clubhead isn't square at impact so check your grip mate. It also could be that you're gripping the club too tight or the alignment of the clubhead isn't square at address, maybe slightly closed. I had exactly the same problem about four months ago, woods were fine but every iron from 3 to 9 was a low pull/hook.

You are obviously a good striker, Mark, or you would not be 9 handicap. A pull, as you well know, means that your clubhead is square to the direction of swing but the swing is aiming left of target which makes the plane of your swing slightly outside in as opposed to inside to square,

Having the ball too far forward in the stance could cause you to hit the ball when the club is swinging back to the left.

Meke sure that you swing the club back on a gentle arc and not outside the line and try and keep your arms close to the body on the downswing, myself, I try and get my right elbow into my right trouser pocket on the way down.

Your position at the top of the backswing should be over your shoulders and not your head.

I am sorry I cannot be more precise, Mark, but to do that I would have to see you in action.

John

You have got me wondering about the ball postion now, since i bought my new iron i've found i've moved the ball postion forward a little. The ball contact is still pure.

I have started to have the feeling of dragging the club behind my body on my backswing, would that help cause the problem?

As you well know, Mark, an inside out swing is in fact inside to square and then back inside again and it is this movement back inside after impact that I feel is your problem, caused by the ball being to far forward in your stance for an iron shot.

Dragging the club back behind your body does not sound too good and I would certainly work on correcting that.

My guess would be that you are aligning yourself with the shoulders slightly open at address, a fault that is prevalent in the majority of players.

John what is your opinion on ball position.... one position for all irons or start middle short irons then slightly forward as the iron get longer.

I am old school, which means I like to open my clubface on the backswing so that it is open at the top. The top of course is not very high these days, but what it does, is it sets the club in the right position and on the correct plane.

This means of course that the club has to be returned to square on the way down, but as I have been doing this for over fifty years it is now pretty well grooved.

I play the short irons 8 iron to wedge from pretty well off the back foot, the reason is that this gives me a nice ball turf contact, which is essential in stopping the ball when it lands. The mid irons I play from middle of the stance and my 3 iron from a little bit towards the left foot but not right forward as I like to punch the 3 iron as I cannot follow through like I used to be able to do.

This gives me a nice low flying draw shaped shot which runs in the summer and gives me a little bit of length I would not get if I hit it higher.

Shots played off the front foot with the short irons will obviously produce a very high floating type shot, which can be handy on occasions, but in the main I like to aim for the pin and force the ball in with plenty of action on it.

I am still working on how to get the ball off the tee in the first place, somewhere down the fairway a reasonable distance. Not having much luck at present and it is my driving that is keeping my handicap where it is at present. I don't use fairway woods at all as I have no confidence in them, I use the 3 iron.

Thats make two of us then John. Is it just me or does this game seem to get harder the lower you shot, I never had these worries when I was 18 shoting inthe high 90's

Well, Mark, it has certainly become harder the older I have become. The brain still thinks it is 20 but the body lets you know it is nearly 71.

You are playing to a handicap that I thought I would be able to achieve when I resumed golf again last year after my heart problems. I cannot believe that I have not yet managed it. 3/4/5 holes a round are killing my scores, but perseverance overcomes resistance, as they say, so I have not given up hope yet.

I played in a comp on Thursday and after a seven at the first after my drive went behind some trees and I was not strong enough to get the second over, seven went down as a blob in stableford, I then birdied the second and then two pars in a row and I was happy bunny again. Then my drive at the par five fifth I nobbled into a water filled ditch to the left and forward of the tee. I took a drop but after I had dropped it I could barely see it so out with the wedge and I did move it forward fifty yds, two 3 irons and 8 iron put me on the green and two putts made it 8, another blob.

2 blobs in the first five holes and I still managed 37 points which is playing to 15, one under my current handicap. So I feel that there is light at the end of the tunnel and I feel quite confident that during this summer I will get back into single figures again.

Well having not had the pleasure to play with you John I dont doubt you will get there with your seeming strong will and experience inthe game.

Regarding my handicap it is getting harder to play to it and I class myself really as around 11/12. The handicap system I'm not a great fan of as its easy to drop with good rounds but the bad rounds dont really make much of a dent at 0.1 over your buffer. All said it isn't much of a average at all

This current handicap system is the worst I have come across. It simply does not work as we all can see in any comp we play in, the difference between first and last is so great that it is a mockery.

Handicap systems are supposed to make everyone equal and cross the line together, where in reality it is just an opportunity for those who cannot play the game to walk off with the money all the time.

In our Seniors roll-ups we have guys getting two shots per hole, where is the incentive for them to get their handicap down. Make the maximum handicap 24 and then three quarters for comps and then the standards will improve.

I totaly agree with you John, a couple of my playing partners play off 25 and 27 and I find it near on impossible to get near them even when i'm shoting a Par round. Like you say I dont think it levels the playing field at all as you you see no end of people not wanting to reduce there offical handicap

The low handicapper has not got a chance these days with these high handicappers, off your handicap of nine you would have to shoot four over maximum to even be in with a chance in most stableford competitions, not so bad for you in a Medal though. 

Surprise, Surprise, that 37 points that I mentioned a couple of posts ago after two heavy blobs was good enough to win the Midweek Stableford. Amazing.

http://www.sherfieldoaksgolf.co.uk/user/default.asp?JumpTo=

 Looks like a voucher will be heading my way sometime soon.

Well John been out today for a round before I go to the algrave Tuesday and i'm all over the place. I'm hitting my driver as good as ever straight down the middle with a little fade and im hitting the fairway woods well also. My problem is with 3-7irons, good strike sets off straight then hooks at least 25-30 yards.

I just got more baffled as I went round if it hadn't been for my chipping and putter it would have been a nightmare

Good luck in the Algarve, Mark, only wish I was going myself.

Check your alignment, Mark, you could be aiming slightly left at address with these irons.

Not sure John, the ball sets off on target then hooks away. I did it 9 times on the bounce.

Did you change your ball?

During the round you mean? I used the same ball all round and like I said the driver was long and straight and my short irons were sound. Was just lucky that i hit long withthe driver all day and didnt need to hit many irons in the 3-7 range

I was thinking maybe the ball developed some kind of flaw.

I wish!!!! Tried swinging on the inside then the outside so just  thought sod it and hit the hell out of the driver to leave me short irons

i check mine regular.

Why Danny, to see if they are still round after you've hit them so bloody hard