Pushed Shots

Question
I play golf left handed.More times then not I push my shots(ball goes to the left)and half the time it will slice.I can not recall ever hooking or drawing a shot.My short irons for the most don't have this problem.
                        Len

Answer
Hi Leonard:

Very common problem Leonard.  All that means is the clubface is open at impact.  Open to you means it is pointing to the left when it makes contact with the ball.  Your longer clubs will slice, which means curve quite a bit from right to left and your shorter clubs will tend to go straighter or you might even pull them to the right a bit.  You will need to work on your grip.  Get some PGA Professional instruction, work on your grip and have them show you how to use your hands correctly to learn how to square the clubface up at impact.  Basically, you need to learn how to turn the clubface into the back of the ball and rotate it closed.  Take a 7 iron and hold it in your left hand only.  Make some real small swings with one arm, and as the club swings backwards, allow the clubface to open up.  You'll sense this by allowing the palm of your hand to rotate open towards the sky.  Watch the clubface as well.  The face should open up towards the sky.  Then, as you swing the club forward, use your left hand to help rotate the clubface closed.  Let it open, let it close.  In order to close the face, the palm of your left hand must turn over towards the ground.  Do this exercise until you grasp the idea of the how the face opens and closes.  Then put the other hand on there.  Remember, the ball only does what the club tells it to do, so if you are pushing and slicing, the clubface is open at impact.  So if you want your ball to behave differently, your club will have to tell lt to do something different.  With practice Leonard, you'll be hitting it much straighter.  

Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member