5 Wood

Question
QUESTION: Lately, I've been hitting my irons very well, but my 5 wood is going low and always turning left a lot. (Like a pull). This person at the range I met yesterday said that there were a few things wrong with my swing - 1. My left knee was dipping down through my backswing. 2. My head was lifting up too soon at impact (lifting up). and 3. I was using too much wrist as soon as I began my backswing.

I was wondering if you had any drills I could do to fix these problems, or any tips. Thanks!

ANSWER: Jeffrey:

The curvature of the ball is usually caused by too much hand action.  You call it wristy, but it's your hands.  If you use your your hands too much, it's hard to control the clubface.  If your ball is going left too much, like turning left, then you are closing the clubface too much through impact with your hands.  That means you are turning the clubface over and closing it, causing right to left spin on the ball.  Make some swings without too much hand action and in your mind, keep the face of the club moving more towards the target through impact until the club naturally swings to a finish.  You'll feel more of an arm swing through impact, not hand action.  Watch what the ball does.  Remember, the ball just reacts to the clubface, so if you are curving your ball too much, you are probably using your hands too much as well.  

Eddie Kilthau,  PGA Member

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for that advice.

Could you give me some advice on how to keep my head down and my left knee? (number one and two).

thanks!

ANSWER: Jeffrey:

DO NOT TRY TO KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN!  And yes, I am yelling that at you.  Trying to keep your head down is the surest way to top it and hit it right the rest of your life.  Once you bury your chin in your chest to keep your head down (because someone who does not know better themselves told you that would fix your topping problem), you now cannot turn your shoulders freely in the backswing.  So, if you cannot make a shoulder turn, you will instinctively raise up, resulting in another topped shot.  So here is my advice:  get your chin up so your shoulders can turn.  Keep your eye on the ball and make a good golf swing focusing on the target.  

In reference to your left knee, stop worrying about it.  Your lower body should be very quiet in a backswing.  Look at all the pictures in Golf Digest of the Tour players.  You'll notice their lower bodies hardly move at all.  Most of them keep the left heel on the ground throughout the whole swing.  If your left knee is collapsing inward to much, try keeping your left heel on the ground.  Again, focus on making a smooth golf swing towards your target.  The only thing your left knee collapsing is causing is bad balance, so take that variable out of the equation and keep your left heel on the ground.  Becoming more stable from the waist down throughout your golf swing is never a bad thing.  

Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks a lot for the answers :)

So doing those things will stop me from topping and hitting the 5 wood funny?

Because yesterday I was at the course and my five wood was all over the place. One time it went perfect, and the others were topped or flew way right.

Answer
Jeffrey:
The best advice I can give you is to find a good, respected PGA Professional in your area and start taking lessons.  You need to understand the basics (the fundamentals).  It sounds like you never learned them.  In golf, trying this and trying that and listening to him and listening to her is a recipe for disaster.  There are certain fundamentals in golf that apply to everyone who plays the game.  Once you learn them, then you'll understand more of what I am saying.  There is nothing someone will tell you that will fix your problems, there is nothing someone will tell you that will prevent you from ever topping a ball or hitting one to the right anymore.  Your a human being and when you swing a golf club, there are so many moving parts that have to come together right at the right moment.  But if you never understand the basics of the golf swing and why certain things happen, then you will be confused and not improve and eventually quit playing.  So go get some good, solid golf instruction from a respected PGA Professional and get started.  You'll never regret that decision.  They can make your golf life so much easier.  

Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member