Why the **** can`t I follow through??

Practice swing - perfect fluid motion, bags of club head speed, shaft finishes wrapped around my neck.
When I`m actually PLAYING (averaging 85) the club rarely even gets to 9 o'clock, parallel to the ground.
I once tried to replicate this with my "practice swing" and had to walk off the course because I nearly broke my thumb.

My guess would be tension and holding on too tight with hands and wrists?

sounds like a set up problem

I`m probably the last person to know, but I can`t see how my set up can stop me following through?

Sounds like my problem

If You Are In The 85 How Do You Finish May Not Be A Problem
Remember Arnold Palmer!!

lets say hypothetically you have too much angle between your left arm and the club shaft at address. WHen you swing centrifigul force straightens it out therefore making the club longer. still following me? since the club is therefor longer the after it strikes the ball it would be able to dig a 3 inch deep divot and that would be a big shock to you and the club, maybe even break it. So your body will subciosciously adjust. A couple possible adjustments you will make without realizing it? One would be to quit on the shot, another would be to lift up at impact.
if your practice swing and the real thing are not the same it is usually because an issue with your set up will not allow it to be, whether you conciously know it or not. an improper set up is the root FOR MOST ALL SWING FLAWS

go to a range and watch, what percent of people set up anywhere close to good? When you play the game for 5 years, struggle to be consistent, then have someone fix your set up and see on vidoe how much fell into place without a single swing change, it opens your eyes.

Yes, but it`s holding me back - I did the front 9 in 38 this morning then completely lost my drive. Short game from 100 yards in was fine but I couldn`t score from the places I was putting my shots from "full" swings.

OK, thanks, that makes sense - I've been trying more of a one plane swing lately, left arm and club in a straight line, but now you mention it I've drifted away from it without realising . . . it could well be a subconscious feeling that I`m going to ram into the ground causing it.
Any cures?

My guess is, that your are not transferring your weight to the foward foot. If you swing and stay back on your back foot it will affect your ability to follow through properly. Check out Greg Will web site, the " walking drill ".
Will give you a more natural feel for weight transfer and probably promote a better follow through.

Yo need to practice step by step to get a full followthrough.

Get out to the range and start by simply hitting half shots. Club goes back 1/4 way, club goes through 1/4 way. Hit about 40 balls like that and move on to 1/2 shots and repeat. Once you feel comfortable and the feeling is natural, move on to 3/4 shots and repeat. Keep a nice easy tempo and smooth swing. Don't worry about where the ball is going (for now) that is not the purpose of the drill. You are trying to get your full motion in your followthrough whiole hitting the ball. Finally finish the drill with full shots. If at any point you feel that the next step is too awkward, move back to the step before.

If this doesn't see to be working, get a video camera and take a video of yourself hitting the ball with your abbreviated backswing. Maybe you can see what is holding you back. Your actual swing is very rarely the same as your mental image of your swing and you will notice exactly the difference between what you want to do and what you are actually doing.

If you still can't get over the hump, post a video here and there are many on this site that will give positive feedback on how to solve your problem.

__________________
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

I posted something in another thread that really helped me to eradicate that issue about 6 months ago.

http://www.golf-tuition-online.com/s...39&postcount=8 (Outside in swing path)

fix the set up and go from there, If i had pictures of how you stand at the ball I could give advice

Keep All The Same At You Was Doing...but
At The Backswing Make It S.l.o.w.e.r Then Swing Smoooth!!!
Emphasise In Finish The Follow Thru.....
Keep In Mind The Ball Is Just The Middle Of You Way..ok
Just Pass It Thru 'till Finish You Follow Thru
Try Then Let Me Know How Is Work For You!!!thank