To my knowledge, I've always had what seems to be a figure 8 swing. I take it back inside, then at the top switch to an outside-in downswing...if that makes any sense. My divot is almost always facing way left of target, usually resulting in a fade with short irons and outright slice with long irons. Despite this, until recently I usually struck the ball solidly and was decently accurate.

The last 3 rounds however, I can count on one hand the times I flushed any iron. My confidence is shot. I'm tired of watching the HS kids I coach (chaperon) smash beautiful iron shots while I struggle just to hit one on the sweet spot.

Can anyone provide some swing thoughts that I can use to help fix this? Drills maybe? I realize that a video would be helpful and maybe I'll try to get one up later. FWIW, I'm about a 7 handicapper, but not playing like it recently.

I thought that a "figure 8" swing was taking the club back a bit more outside and then dropping it inside on the downswing.

I can't picture how you transition from taking the club back inside and then come down from the outside. My guess is that you are releasing the club earlier than optimal in your backswing. If you are right handed you are also likely letting your right elbow get too far away from your body somewhere along the way.

I do the same thing, OP.

In your mind, you're trying to attack the ball from the inside, so logically you would think that you should take the club back inside. That's just not the case, though.

Two things:

Take the club more outside, and from the top, feel like you're looping back inside. From the top, the club is supposed to "drop into the slot" and that's the feeling that you and I lack. This will also widen your swing arc as a bonus.

The other thing was a tip I got when I bought my new clubs. From the top of the swing, don't try to hit the ball. Let the club fall. The feeling should be similar to holding your arms arms straight out, and then letting them fall to your side. In fact, before you swing, hold your arms straight out and let them fall a couple of time. Then let your swing thought be, "just let the club fall."


These two tips help me with the problem you have.

You do the same thing 90% of amateur golfers do.

Watch some of the Haney Project on the Golf Channel. Repeat the drill Haney has Barkley doing where he is hinging and taking the club way outside. It's just the opposite loop you have today. Exaggerate it when practicing then try to take that feeling to the course.

okay, here's a video of my driver swing from today. FWIW, I hit this one pretty well. Just right of center about 260 I guess.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWgIJFDvXhw

and here's a screenshot at impact



I know my grip is horribly strong. How's the rest of my set up. Today I realized I was way too far from the ball. The swing you saw I was forcing myself closer to a point that felt unnatural, but I had been hitting everything way off the toe.

idk how to fix your backswing, but it looks like you are blocking your body from rotating because your back foot hardly rotates.

To further my earlier post and after watching the video, you definitely need to work on the takeaway before you do anything else.

You have to learn to hinge the golf club. See in the image below how the head of the golf club is outside the hands? That's the correct move. Even the "no" picture in the image is better then where you are today.

Watch your video again. Your hands move out (away from your body) and you roll the club inside. Work on moving your hands in a straight line essentially back from your setup position hinging the club outside that line (your hands).

This really isn't a bad flaw to have due to the fact that you're still shifting weight. The problem is you are coming over the top on your downswing which is causing the ball to slice. This is caused by your inside take away....by bringing the club so inside you have to come over the top to bring your club back onto the swing plane.


So I think the most important aspect you have to work on is the take away. Go to the range and attempt to take the club back as it feels like you are bringing it outside rather then straight. A lot of golfers think they are bringing it back straight when they are actually bringing it inside.

The initial problem you are going to have is that you won't hit it as far as you do. With the new take away you are going to have a harder time shifting weight then you use too. Put your feet together and hit shots like that in order to feel proper weight transfer. You don't want to take full swings but rather an "L to L" type motion. Bring your club back so your arms and club form the shape of an L (90 degree angle) and in your follow through.


Hope this helps.

I have had this same problem for a while. I've spend a mini fortune in golf lessons. But my instructor has told me what to do 100x, and I just don't have the physical willpower to do it.

Like others have said here, the problem lies in your backswing.

Try to focus on these few things:

1.) Make sure the head of the club goes straight 'backwards' (away from the target) on your take away.
2.) Make sure you takeaway is initiated by a turn of your upper body, not a dip in your hips.
3.) keep your right elbow in front of your body. I usually start my takeaway (incorrectly) by pulling my right elbow straight backwards (towards my right butt cheek), thus pulling the club backwards too far inside. Don't do this.

I seriously think that if I were to take some string/rope and tie my right elbow to a beltloop on my left hip, I'd have a better takeaway than I do now.

I'm a horrible golfer, so maybe my advice should be completely ignored. But...like I said, I think i have the same problem, and this is what keeps getting repeated to me in my lessons.

Good luck,

Josh W

I went to the range yesterday and experienced just this. I would take it back more outside but I felt off balance. Like I was putting too much weight on my toes, so I didn't feel like I was in a strong position. Also, I was slicing the ball more, and it felt like I couldn't turn my hands over in time.

Hopefully this summer I'll have time to spend lots of time on the range and the funds to take some lessons.