shaft flex v shape of shot

it is commonly written soft flex will result in draw/hook and vice versa. but my actual experience is, when i use a R flex, with normal swing speed, my shots are either fade or slice (if swing even faster). if i slow down (meaning R now becomes stiffer because my swing speed is lower relative to flex), my shots will draw. this seems to be the opposite of what i read.

too cheem? what is your experience? 

any way of fixing the slice without loosing distance?

Yes there is... L.E.S.S.O.N

Vrooooom2 wrote:

it is commonly written soft flex will result in draw/hook and vice versa. but my actual experience is, when i use a R flex, with normal swing speed, my shots are either fade or slice (if swing even faster). if i slow down (meaning R now becomes stiffer because my swing speed is lower relative to flex), my shots will draw. this seems to be the opposite of what i read.

too cheem? what is your experience? 

any way of fixing the slice without loosing distance?

Believe it is your swing not the shaft Flex problem. Likely you are having a out-to-in swing.

neutralgolfer wrote:

Vrooooom2 wrote:

it is commonly written soft flex will result in draw/hook and vice versa. but my actual experience is, when i use a R flex, with normal swing speed, my shots are either fade or slice (if swing even faster). if i slow down (meaning R now becomes stiffer because my swing speed is lower relative to flex), my shots will draw. this seems to be the opposite of what i read.

too cheem? what is your experience? 

any way of fixing the slice without loosing distance?

Believe it is your swing not the shaft Flex problem. Likely you are having a out-to-in swing.

I second what neutralgolfer said...

Most golfers slice/fade due to too fast tempo/transition resulting out-to-in swing. 

By slowing down there is natural tendency towards neutral or in-to-out swing, so that may be where you are getting your draw shots from. 

Also more chances to hit the club in the middle of the face when you slow down, as a strike on the heel will promote a fade/slice too. 

You can still have the same club head speed with a slower tempo/transition which will not lose distance.

Well said, toonified! 

I agree with toonified. But I can't reconcile is when I switched over to a stiffer shaft and with the normal swing (speed and tempo), the slice pretty is much eliminated. My own conclusion is softer flex does not always equal to draw or hook.

I'm suffering from hooks recently, and I find it get exacerbated when I use graphite or softer flex. Distance goes longer, but sadly, so does the hook.  Using stiffer or heavier shafts helps a bit for me, but ball still goes left

matoonia@ Which club(s) hooked? And u didn't tell us what kinda hook (i.e. pull or push hook) Maybe one of the following reasons - 

1) Ball position not correct. Try to position your ball just off the left eyes or opposite your shirt logo.

2) Timing of swing sequence incorrect. Shoulder turn too fast and hands not quick enough to catch up to square the ball. Study the D-Plane.

3) Grip too strong.

4) Make sure your right hand stay above your left hand in the downswing.

Turbo wrote:

matoonia@ Which club(s) hooked? Maybe one of the following reasons - 

1) Ball position not correct. Try to position your ball just off the left eyes or opposite your shirt logo.

2) Timing of swing sequence incorrect. Shoulder turn too fast and hands not quick enough to catch up to square the ball. Study the D-Plane.

3) Grip too strong.

Bro turbo, just 1 month ago I was scooping up on the ball, resulting in high ball flight. Ball just goes straight, or sometimes occasional fade/slice.

So I've focused on my release. At the same time, I changed to graphite from steel, as I feel I'm able to release better with a lighter shaft. Actually what you have mentioned 1,2,3 is still the same for me. But maybe now I overdo the release too much. I feel my impact is much better now, but the ball goes left. Or could be the graphite shaft. That's why I'm alluding to this thread that softer shaft will cause hook/draw.

matoonia@ In that case, I think the graphite shaft maybe too light for you or you are not accustomed to the new found weight of the graphite shaft yet and hence, screws up your sequence timing ... the faster fix is to "feel" like throwing the club straight towards the target as you execute the downswing ... Without looking at your swing, I guess you might be turning too fast towards the left side of the target on the downswing ...

Or.... U can learn from Bubba, add 10 layers of tape to your grip to slow down your release. 

How will adding lead tape to the grip help? I thot ususally is added to the clubhead?

Anyway maybe switching back to steel will be instant fix for me, but I quite like the impact that I'm getting from using graphite making the release come more naturally for me, getting rid of the scooping hands too.

Not lead tape. Just normal tape to thicken the grip. 

Bubba has a very very strong grip which he is comfortable with, so to counter that he has a very very thick grip to slow down his release. 

At least that's what I understand.

toonified wrote:

Not lead tape. Just normal tape to thicken the grip. 

Bubba has a very very strong grip which he is comfortable with, so to counter that he has a very very thick grip to slow down his release. 

At least that's what I understand.

Oh I see, but if it's to have thicker grip can just change to bigger grips loh. Why add tape?

Haha. I believe he meant the double sided tape on te shaft before putting in the grip

I just recently switched from steel to graphite for my iron because of age. Had the same problem. I did 3 things. 

1. Upsize the grip
2. Slow more smoothly
3. Allow time to adjust to the lighter weight 

Hope this helps

I forgot to mention,  now I can't play steel, lol. I miss the feel of steel wedges around the greens. Can't have everything.

Vrooooom2 wrote:

I just recently switched from steel to graphite for my iron because of age. Had the same problem. I did 3 things. 

1. Upsize the grip
2. Slow more smoothly
3. Allow time to adjust to the lighter weight 

Hope this helps

Good to hear your successful transition. I'm still getting used to graphite. Like the weight, and easier smoother swing giving me better impact and extra distance. This is quite an interesting article

http://www.golfwrx.com/146301/should-your-next-set-of-irons-have-graphite-shafts/

Hi

I have similar problem of hooking my ball after moving to graphite shaft due to age and injury. Recently, able to get the ball going fairly straight with a slight draw. I did a few things :
Equipment
1. Change from a 75 gram graphite shaft to a 85 gram graphite shaft. It help to slow down the arm a bit.
2. Change from regular shaft to stiff shaft. I feel the stiff shaft is more stable. I did not lose much distance.
3. change to a more game improvement iron head design so that I tell myself to swing it easy.
Swing ( I right handed). After advise from a good player and recalling my previous golf lessons.
1. Change to a weaker grip. Mainly rotating my right hand anti-clockwise a bit.
2. Try to keep my left wrist flat and quiet.
3. Start my down swing with my left hip and follow my left shoulder.

Hope the above help.

yanguei wrote:

Hi

I have similar problem of hooking my ball after moving to graphite shaft due to age and injury. Recently, able to get the ball going fairly straight with a slight draw. I did a few things :
Equipment
1. Change from a 75 gram graphite shaft to a 85 gram graphite shaft. It help to slow down the arm a bit.
2. Change from regular shaft to stiff shaft. I feel the stiff shaft is more stable. I did not lose much distance.
3. change to a more game improvement iron head design so that I tell myself to swing it easy.
Swing ( I right handed). After advise from a good player and recalling my previous golf lessons.
1. Change to a weaker grip. Mainly rotating my right hand anti-clockwise a bit.
2. Try to keep my left wrist flat and quiet.
3. Start my down swing with my left hip and follow my left shoulder.

Hope the above help.

Yup, will try your tips. Especially the stiff graphite makes sense.

What I really like now is the impact, when previously on steel shaft I will get fat shots every now and then. As a result, my 5i gained 20m to 170m, if I can maintain this without the hook will be fantastic.

Matoonia@ you should address the root of the problem and not changing and/or modifying equipment in the hope of rectifying the problem, which is not long term. You may wanna study the D-Plane why the ball flight behaves in certain way ... Below are the graphic illustrations why ball hook, draw, slice, etc.