What has the pro done to me???

This is long(ish), but stick with it!

Part 1.
I had suddenly started to hit the ball consistently off the fairway and, with the confidence in knowing what a good shot feels like, was getting into the habit of expecting to hit the ball instead of fearing the worst at address.
I stumbled across what I thought was the secret and it worked.
I had always hit thin cutty irons or pulled them straight left and always seemed to be maybe trying to force them too much. When I did force them, they seemed to be a cross between the two - no distance very bad feeling of ball on club.
I noticed that I invariably finished with my left foot pointing to the target and thinking that, since I seemed to be following good advice on the golf swing (from this site and other sources) to still no avail, this small detail might be the reason. I tried either keeping my foot firmly on the ground or raising it in a more forward direction* and finishing evenly on the outside of my left foot more or less in the same position that it was at address (*I try not to think about raising the heel or not). This was working!!
The main things for me are to swing through from the inside (a lot of my 'nearly good' shots would have a divot pointing left) and lag the club - this I think is the key - finishing evenly on the outside of my left foot.
However, it didn't work 100%.
In a competition about a month ago I was having a very average round and decided to give it a bit more on the 14th tee. The main change for me was to widen the stance and extend the left arm (playing of the left heel) which felt really strong although I don't think I was strangling the club. I didn't feel like I could miss after that.
I have since started playing the best golf of my life and I am in my forties. I broke 70 for the first time ever at a very pretty Scottish links course (quite a short course) and followed that up by winning a competition at my own course (playing of 12 at the time!).
Maybe my swing stance was not wide enough and I was tending to swing (or rather spin) round but I was now hitting a ball with good tempo and a balanced finished. Further more, if I needed to give it a bit more, I could by maintaing the lag, staying over the ball an concentrating on the ball at impact.

Anyway, here comes part 2........

I went for a club fitting and the tape seemed to indicate that I needed 2 degrees flat. The pro said, however, that I should simply stand a bit more upright as I was crouching over the ball. He suggested that since I wasn't hooking the ball and that the Mizunos were slighty flat anyway (compared to the Titleist test club) I would be ok - especially if I stood up a bit.
I thought they were supposed to fit the club to the swing not the other way around.
Anyway, I have been trying this and have been struggling off the tee which is usually the strongest part of my game. I pull them straight left and cut them away right I also loop them in the air which makes a terrible sound and always smashes the tee - probably hitting down on the back of the ball - and have absolutely no confidence off the tee.
I have possibly started dipping rather than turning.
Maybe I am thinking of the new posture and forgetting about the newish wide stance etc.
To be honest, I don't really know what standing more upright feels like and am probably over doing it!
It is not the new irons because I mostly struggle of the tee but I have a dilema.
Do I go back to my 'crouch' for a competition final at the weekend, or do I persevere with the better posture which will hopefully be good in the long term....but perhaps no good for Sunday!
What is happening to me? Why did I start hitting the ball? Why did I stop? Should I stick with it or not? Is crouching over the ball and hitting 6 over par over two rounds so bad?
Has anyone had similar experiences (part 1, 2 or both!)? Can anyone give me some answers? Thanks for reading and for your replies.

Sounds to me like you've found a stance / swing that works for you... and as long as you don't feel like its causing you any pain / discomfort (especially in your lower back) then I say go for it.

Hi RikB,
When ever you go to a "pro", make sure it is a pro not "American Golf's version"

You will no doubt benefit from the advice you have been given, always stick with the swing changes and after a few weeks it should become natural. My advice would be to go back to the pro a few weeks later just to check you have got the swing change.

My pro videos my swing and then a few weeks later "makes" me look at it again just to remind me how bad it was before swing change. The thing I notice more is on the first lesson the change feels wierd on the second lesson my old swing feels weird.

Stick with it son.

Hope this helps.

Ian.

Hi RikB,

What I got out of your statement is that you have an outside-in swing. You were overturning your body to square the club head, but with your stance hunched over, you couldn't turn your body fast enough, so it ended up being a straight shot. Now, with the more upright stance, you are creating the proper rotation which is creating the pull. Make sure your feet are lined up perpendicular to the target and use an inside-in swing. Keep your wide stance (especially with your driver - outside of your shoulders should be in line with the inside of your heels) to maintain your balance. Keep us updated!!!

__________________
Gord

Quote of the month:
"It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification." ~Bruce McCall