cypressperch
Well-Known Member
United States
I wrote this for someone who contacted me, and the person was a Guest. Yes, I have been away a long time. Thought this could help someone.
Sorry, this took so long. If you are still having this problem, here are some thoughts. First, let's go with the idea that your alinement is OK. Now you have to swing the club back correctly with that good alinement. Keep your eyes level during your swing. This helps you get the club going straight back which is important. Why? If you bring the club back inside too fast, you will probably be physically forced into going over the top to have a slim chance of getting the clubface square to the target line. Still, you will cut across the ball creating a slice. In other words, you have developed a big loop in your swing---coming inside too fast going back=big loop and downswing being out to in. You are coming out-to-in catching the ball square but on a line to the right of your target line. And catching the ball square after a big loop can mean some really nice clubhead speed. If this is a consistent thing, you could simply line up to the right, so that your pull line would now be the same as your target line. I remember a Catholic priest in Japan named Father Dirken who used that method and his stance was called the Father Dirken 'power stance.' This was a Showa Air Station Golf Course in the 1950's where I took up golf as an Air Force brat. Father Dirken---I saw him years later at the Bing Crosby pro-am still baffling folks with that stance and the huge long ball that was a pull. There is actually a better way to go which is to learn the proper transition from back-swing to down-swing, that will all you to attack the ball from the inside rather than coming over the top. When you learn this method, you will use the traditional railroad track method of alinement to hit shots at the target.
As said before take the clubhead straight back about a foot low. A good idea is to have a clubhead cover in your left arm pit when practicing which keeps you connected. When connected your shoulder coiling will automatically bring the clubhead inside--just let it go straight back that first foot. Let your wrists cock naturally so that at the top the club shaft is parallel to the target line. Hopefully you have enough flexibility to get into that position. DO NOT LET ANY OF YOUR WEIGHT GET OUTSIDE OF YOUR RIGHT FOOT! At this point, your head has been pretty steady and your back is now facing the target. You have probably heard that the down-swing starts from the ground up. We will make that as easy to understand as possible. While your back is facing the target, begin your down-swing by pressing down on your left heel and then start turning your left hip. This is parts of your lower body moving before anything part of your upper body moves proving you are beginning your down-swing from the bottom up. Of course, after your hips have turned some, you could not stay with your back to the target forever. Let the right elbo drop down and close to a point just in front of your right leg. Always keep turning so that you will be swinging through the ball rather than at the ball. Maintain your wrist cock as long as you can because this is the distance producing lag that is so important. Start your down-swing slow and let the speed build up so that the swish sound your club produces is loudest through the impact zone. After contact follow the ball with your clubhead and then allow your right fore-arm to cross over the left which forms an 'X'. The momentum of the swing will bring you up to a balanced finish with the front of your body (belt buckle) facing the target. In that position, your left leg will be straight, and your right knee will be close to and perhaps even touching your left knee. In all of this, you stayed in your posture until you ended up in this finish position. Hope this helps. Best of luck to you with your game. CP
Sorry, this took so long. If you are still having this problem, here are some thoughts. First, let's go with the idea that your alinement is OK. Now you have to swing the club back correctly with that good alinement. Keep your eyes level during your swing. This helps you get the club going straight back which is important. Why? If you bring the club back inside too fast, you will probably be physically forced into going over the top to have a slim chance of getting the clubface square to the target line. Still, you will cut across the ball creating a slice. In other words, you have developed a big loop in your swing---coming inside too fast going back=big loop and downswing being out to in. You are coming out-to-in catching the ball square but on a line to the right of your target line. And catching the ball square after a big loop can mean some really nice clubhead speed. If this is a consistent thing, you could simply line up to the right, so that your pull line would now be the same as your target line. I remember a Catholic priest in Japan named Father Dirken who used that method and his stance was called the Father Dirken 'power stance.' This was a Showa Air Station Golf Course in the 1950's where I took up golf as an Air Force brat. Father Dirken---I saw him years later at the Bing Crosby pro-am still baffling folks with that stance and the huge long ball that was a pull. There is actually a better way to go which is to learn the proper transition from back-swing to down-swing, that will all you to attack the ball from the inside rather than coming over the top. When you learn this method, you will use the traditional railroad track method of alinement to hit shots at the target.
As said before take the clubhead straight back about a foot low. A good idea is to have a clubhead cover in your left arm pit when practicing which keeps you connected. When connected your shoulder coiling will automatically bring the clubhead inside--just let it go straight back that first foot. Let your wrists cock naturally so that at the top the club shaft is parallel to the target line. Hopefully you have enough flexibility to get into that position. DO NOT LET ANY OF YOUR WEIGHT GET OUTSIDE OF YOUR RIGHT FOOT! At this point, your head has been pretty steady and your back is now facing the target. You have probably heard that the down-swing starts from the ground up. We will make that as easy to understand as possible. While your back is facing the target, begin your down-swing by pressing down on your left heel and then start turning your left hip. This is parts of your lower body moving before anything part of your upper body moves proving you are beginning your down-swing from the bottom up. Of course, after your hips have turned some, you could not stay with your back to the target forever. Let the right elbo drop down and close to a point just in front of your right leg. Always keep turning so that you will be swinging through the ball rather than at the ball. Maintain your wrist cock as long as you can because this is the distance producing lag that is so important. Start your down-swing slow and let the speed build up so that the swish sound your club produces is loudest through the impact zone. After contact follow the ball with your clubhead and then allow your right fore-arm to cross over the left which forms an 'X'. The momentum of the swing will bring you up to a balanced finish with the front of your body (belt buckle) facing the target. In that position, your left leg will be straight, and your right knee will be close to and perhaps even touching your left knee. In all of this, you stayed in your posture until you ended up in this finish position. Hope this helps. Best of luck to you with your game. CP
