Golf advice: Severe outside-in swing

[otctrader]

Okay, golf season is around the corner in the Northeast and I want to actually make a bona fide effort to improve my game this year.

I've been playing for over 10 years but am plagued with a severe outside in/over the top swing. My divots are literally at a 45 degree angle pointing left of the target, no exaggeration.

Anyone have this same problem or know how to combat it? I can hit 1000 range balls and consciously try to fight it but it doesn't work.

[JTG51]

Sometimes a mental image works better than a lot of technical mumbo jumbo.

Did you ever play baseball? Think about trying to line a single to the opposite field when you're swinging the golf club.

[Evan]

Hit some balls with your feet angled to the right, so that they are pointing right of your target. This will make it harder to come over the top and it will let you feel what an on plane swing feels like because you won't be able to open your hips and shoulders as easily.

[Cracker]

One thing you might try at the range is teeing the ball with
the stripe pointing slightly outward and try to hit the inside of the stripe.

[mcb]

I hate to say this because swinging over the top is better than pulling from the inside and this does mess most weekend warriors's swings up but oh well... Try putting a headcover under you right armpit (yes, this will show you how truly [censored] your swing is and you probably ont be able to make contact with the ball at all for a while). Top pros like vijay hit close to 80% of their balls like this, however my golf pro doesnt like teaching this to most people, as they usually take it to the extreme and end up slicing the ball to no end. However, this will force you to keep your arm tucked in and as a result your swing with be unable to go over the top. On your downswing you should keep your right elbow at your side and feel like you are pulling a rope down toward the ball.

[shayneon]

I have been playing golf for over 15 years and taken dozens of lessons, I still struggle with this as well. It typically shows up twards the end of the round when I am getting tired and produces some wicked slices. Here are some of the tips I have gotten over the years that may help...

-A girl who I used to work with who played on the LPGA told me - "The first move of your downswing should be to get your right pants pocket to the ball." This clears your hips out before you move your arms and forces you to swing in to out. Almost all good players do this.

-Put a tee in the ground a couple inches forward and to the right of your ball. Try to hit the tee after you hit the ball.

-A mental image that sometimes works for me is to imagine hitting the ball like a soccer-style field goal kicker kicks. This reminds me that even though I'm swinging in to out like a kicker's leg, the ball will still go straight. I heard Nicklaus say this once and it seems to work for me at times.

-There is a practice aid called the "Inside Approach" It is basicly a foam arm that is suspended over the ball. If you don't come from the inside you will hit the arm. I have never actually used one, but just imagining that it is there sometimes helps me on the range.

Good Luck !

[Cory Neely]

this drill helped me and i have taught it to 2 people and it really works. tee your ball up. picture a line from your ball to your target. get 2 more tees out. about a foot in front of the ball (on the target line you are picturing) place a tee 3 inches on the right side of the line. do the same about a foot behind the ball but 3 inches to the left. now if you were to imagine a line going from tee to ball to tee you would see it pointing way right of the target. dont line your feet up with this line. line up normal and slowly take the club back trying to take the clubhead directly over the back tee. when you swing through and hit the ball try to keep the club head going on the tee to ball to tee line. if its not working at first then slow down your speed until you can consistantly go on this path. you should actually produce a slight draw with this method.

at first one of my friends couldnt get this method to work but it was because he was doing it way too fast. he would take the club back on the right line but then he would cast it at the top and it would slice. i made him slow down and hit a few 125yrd drives instead of him trying to rip it 250 and he got use to the path in no time.

[Phil Van Sexton]

Hit hooks with a 1/2 swing or less. If you take a full backswing, you might be overdoing it and putting yourself in a position at the top where it's impossible for your swing to come from the inside. Hit 70 yard hooks with a 7 iron and slowly build to a full swing.

It doesn't matter if you hit the ball, just make a good divot that goes inside-out. If you mishit the ball, it's because your hands aren't used to your new swing path. This timing will improve if you stick with it (assuming your grip is ok).

[tj00]

Any chance you are setting up too close to the ball? I have to be mindful of where I setup or will stand too close.

[SuitedSixes]

Pick up a Swingjacket on e-bay. I used to be a golf pro. That thing works. You are using your arms too much in your swing. The swingjacket ties together your arms and your body to instill the proper full body swing.

Don't want to do that? Switch to Natural Golf, seriously. It looks ugly, but for the recreational golfer that swing will keep you out of trouble like nothing else. Your irons will never be as accurate at they could be with a traditional swing, but you'll hit more fairways and more greens. Couple that with a good short game and you'll be better than most other recreational golfers.

[decigam]

its usually the other way around, being too far from the ball makes you reach or cast the club towards the ball. Being WAY TOO CLOSE to the ball will also do this, but very very few people have ever been too close to the ball, its just not as natural as being too far from the ball.

[MaxPower]

I think The Inside Approach will help you. Search ebay and you can get a knock-off for a few bucks.

[ObnxNole]

Go get a lesson u chop.