Conference 7.286::golf

	Hmmmm, you set up well left, the ball is going straight and long,
	and ending up well left.

	Congratulations!  You're hitting it correctly ;-)

    Hitting left, straight, and long is a problem that crops up
    periodically for me, too.  Whenever it starts, I know that I'm coming
    over the top in a "special" way.  It seems I leave my lower body
    completely out of the swing and simply _turn_ my upper body.
    
    When you shift your weight, make sure you still stay behind the ball. 
    And keep your right elbow close to your hip as you approach impact. 
    These two hints are designed to keep you from turning so much _before_
    impact.
    
    Good luck...
    
    Steve

    
     As one who "blows up" on a course and take 16 holes to figure it out:
    
    
                    dead left longer and straight, no draw or fade
          options  *right hand taking over, your blade is square
                     and the plane of your club head is dead left on
                    the down swing.
    
         possible solutions: right shoulder sticks out at address
                              and your takeaway is outside rather than
                               inside:
                            right hand should be neutral AND not control
                                     the down swing. Weaken right hand
                                  grip(?)
                              is your left hand to strong ??
           
         more than likeley your takeaway plane and down swing plane 
              are outside and inside rather than inside and outside.
    
                     other: hands too far behind the ball?
    
    I blow up when the right hand and right shoulder dictate the swing
                          plane , and don't even know it.
                  also on the back swing,are your hands set properly
                    FOR the inside out downsing?
    
               have someone check you out on a driving range OR
                   experiment on your own.
                       Ang
    
                              
                   

    
    re: Last few
    
    .1  No, I'm not lined up that far left.  If I was, I wouldn't be
        looking where I was playing. :-)
    
    .2 & .3, All good points, I'll look for those keys.
    
    As to having someone check out my swing, I just left a emergency
    message on the answering machine of the guy that gave me lessons
    last year. :-)
    
    Thanks for the inputs,
    
    Shane
    
     

    Seems your aim is off that's all.
    First,make sure your left shoulder and hip are in line
    with the target.
    If that does'nt work;try standing a little closer to the ball,
    you could be reaching for it which would cause you to pull the
    shot "DEAD LEFT".
                                           Rick

    re: .0
    
    	relax and just try to make solid contact....
    
    	your swing and muscles have come around to where your swing well
    but you may be trying to "get that extra yardage"....
    
    	just remember."half as hard, twice as far..."
    
    	you can't force a good golf shot...

    Shane,
    
    	Ang in .3 has it right for you with the right shoulder coming over
    the top.  I remember your swing (hell I still wake up at 3 AM in a cold
    sweat thinking about your swing :-) ) Actually you always took it from
    the top as Ang described it and the fact that the fade is gone
    indicates that your hand speed is increasing.  You're actually making a
    better swing at the ball now.  When you set up to the ball, draw an
    imaginary line from about 1 foot behind the ball, through the ball to
    the target.  Try to make the club travel along this line toward the
    target to avoid coming over the top.  Funny, I went to the range Friday
    to work on this very problem (snap hooks with the driver and 240 yd 2
    irons left of the target.)  Turned out that my position at the top of
    the backswing was too flat.  When you go out to practice, make sure
    that the club is above your shoulders on the backswing and not down in
    the middle of your back.  This should help you keep it on line through
    the swing.
    
    
    						KO
    
    ps Time for the Driver? :-)

    re:Shane
    
    Never saw your swing, but I have had the cold sweats.  Sounds like you
    are swinging down the line your shoulders have created...opening up a
    bit early.  Without all the science of club at the top etc.  you may
    try driving with your hips a little harder to delay your shoulder turn. 
    If your butt goes straight down the fairway, quite often the ball does
    to.  Interesting that a slice is caused by the same swing pattern, left
    side open to soon, hips traveling left of target...the difference is
    that a slice is finished with an open club face and left of center
    swing path.  Dead left-straight is caused by a square club face with
    the same swing characteristics.  
    
    What is neat about this swing plane, is that once you get the feel of
    it, you can hit it straight or fade it just by shifting your hips or
    taking the club back outside the line.  
    
    SoCalDandy

    
    Hey K.O.,
    
    It's nice to know I have a swing people dream about!  The fact that
    the dream is a nightmare is a whole other story!
    
    I guess the thing that's driving me wacko is that everything was
    working so well early this year.  I had a back problem so when I was 
    first going out I was stiff and sore, and had to be very cautious with
    my swing.  Ofcourse, I was hitting the ball better than I ever have.
    
    Now that I feel better, I'm getting worse every time out.
    
    Oh well, the next stop is to JC's fixit shop for a quick swing tune up.
    
    Again thanks for all the inputs.
    
    Shane
    
    
    PS.  KO, when I can get the 3 wood fiugured out, I start thinking about
    that driver. :-)
    
     

Your backswing did not complete the weight shift fully to the right side and there
fore your upper body only is involved with the downswing.

								Phil

    If it is long, straight and left, just aim right.  Don't lose it all in
    a mind game and try and understand it.  PLAY YOUR GAME AND YOUR SWING. 
    If you aim right, boom, there you are, right down the middle.
    
    simple
    
    bob
    

    
    re: -1
    
    If only that would work!!!!!
    
    Just a little update.  I've managed to work my way out of the
    dead left shot.  Even managed to have courage enough to bring
    the driver out on a couple of holes per round.  
    
    Now if only I could get rid of those 3 bad holes per 9.
    
    Shane
    

    re:12
    Shane - it's easy.  ONLY PLAY SIX HOLES!!
    
    SCD

    
    re:-1
    
    I've thought about it, but which 6?
    
    Wonder if they'd let me play 9, and chuck out the 6 bad ones. :-)
    
    Shane