Drives to the Right

Question
Hello, how are you doing? I have been having a problem with my drives. No matter how much I turn left my drives are going right. The ball is not slicing it is going straight to the right. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to correct this problem?

I have been playing for about 15 years and I still can not get the ball to backup when hit onto the green. Actually it takes off when it hits the green. What can I do to get the ball to backup when it hits the green or at least take a couple of bounces and stop?  

Thank you

Answer
Hello Cameron:
First Question:  If your ball is not slicing (curving left to right), and it's going straight right, you are swinging too much from in to out.  Let me explain.  The path of the club (meaning how the club is approaching the ball) gives the ball it's starting path (meaning left, straight, or right).  The clubface tells the ball to curve once out there.  If you are hitting the ball straight to the right and the ball is not curving, then the path of your swing is too much from inside your target line (meaning behind you) to the outside.  Thus it's called a PUSH.  So to relate it to a baseball player, you would be swinging towards the second baseman and the right fielder.  However, if your target is centerfield, then the ball will go straight right.  So the fix is to line yourself up correctly (not to the left!), and start swinging towards your target.  Man does that sound simple.  But it's true.  Please put down 2 clubs on the ground to help with your alignment when you practice.  The clubs will be about 3 feet apart and form a railroad track to your target.  Now, get yourself parallel to the clubs on the ground so that when you are ready to hit the ball, if I put a club across your shoulders, your forearms and your feet, they would all be pointing just to the left of your target (parallel).  The clubface needs to be square to the target as well.  Then, swing the club towards the target instead of right field.  

Second Question:  All you have to do to get backspin is learn to hit the ball solid.  If you swing too much from in to out, you would hit a lot of shots thin (low) which would roll through the green with no spin.  By working on your alignment, you will begin to create a steeper angle of attack to the ball, which would take a divot and create backspin.  This is something that happens when you start hitting the ball solidly.  Work on eliminating the push to the right first though.  

Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member