AboutEddie Kilthau Expertise I am a PGA golf professional specializing in teaching the game.
Experience I played collegiately at Arizona State University, then turned professional in 1981. I became the shortest player to ever play in the United States Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh & missed my PGA Tour card by 2 shots in 1986 at PGA West, La Quinta, California. I have been teaching for 26 years in Phoenix, Arizona & I am currently the Director of Instruction at the Vistal Club in Phoenix and owner of Victory Golfworks.
Business Administration, Arizona State University. PGA Business School I - 1986, PGA Business School II - 1992, PGA Advanced Business School III - 1995. Certified PING Clubfitter - 1999. PGA Teaching & Clubfitting Seminar - 1992. Numerous Southwest Section PGA educational seminars.
Question QUESTION: I'm having a problem fixing my swing. I'm a pretty good player I carry a 6 handicap but I got into this sick habbit. My ball flight is stright left no draw. It's not like a bad pull it's like 10 to 20 yards left of target. My divots are out to in. I have tried to fix it by trying to push the club to the outside on my back swing and from the inside om down swing and when I practice I get it coming from the inside but hit a big push but when I play it's back to the same thing. Any ideas
ANSWER: Hello Michael:
The butt of the club could be your friend here. Here is what I mean. At the top of the swing, the club will move one of three ways. (Picture the butt end (grip cap) of the club) What is happening with you, is that as soon as you start your transition down from the top, the butt end of your club is moving towards (and pointing left of) the left of the target line. When the butt end of the club is moving to the left of the target line, the shaft is starting to "tip over". So if I had you on camera and we were looking at your swing from behind (down the line), at about waist high, you'd see your club shaft was pointing to the left of target, the clubhead would be closer to the target line than the butt end of the club, and you'd be swinging to the left. Not much, but just enough to pull it 10-20 yards (which is a lot by the way). Do you picture this Michael? What I want to see at about waist high is the clubhead and butt end lining up better pointing at your target. So if you start concentrating a little more on the butt end (grip or handle end), from the top of the swing, let's get the butt of the club pointing at the target at about waist high and see what happens. Remember this: the clubhead WILL ALWAYS follow the lead of the butt end because it's attached. So if you let the shaft tip over out towards the target line on the downswing, the grip end must be pointing left of target. Guess which way you will swing the club? To the left. As a 6, you have no trouble squaring up the face, which results in your pull. So go practice moving that butt end from the top more towards the target and not left of it and see how that straightens out your shot.
Eddie Kilthau
PGA Member
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QUESTION: Ok very good in video I can see what you are talking about sure enough the butt is left at waist high. Now how can I stop it any drills. Tks
Answer Michael:
I already told you. You must work the butt more down your toe line, not to the left. That is the drill. Get to work. After a few hundred balls and a few more hundred practice swings to feel what that is like, film it again and see how it is. I know you can control the butt of the club better. You just have to groove it into your downswing. Get to work.
