Rebuilding Swing

I HAVE SPENT THE LAST SIX MONTHS SUFFERING FROM INCONSISTENT CONTACT. TOPS, FAT SHOTS, HOOKS, PULLS, EVERYTHING. I tried different tips and advice until I realized that fundamentally my swing was not correct. I learned that the hands must lead the clubface into impact and I was incorrectly getting the clubface well ahead of my hands before and at impact. I thought my swing was ok because every now and then I would hit a 280 yard drive or a 175 yard 7 iron. But I think you can sometimes hit great/decent shots with an incorrect swing. I have lost a little distance but I now go to the range and it feels like starting over I take smooth 1/2 and 3/4 swings and concentrate on my hands "beating' the clubface back to the ball. Now I even take slight divots with my irons and fairway woods. I also did not have that nasty hook with my driver. Am I on the right track with my range practice?

Sounds like it. Like I've said - I took a pair of lessons this winter. The focus was on absolute square one for a sound golf swing.

I spent two hours setting my wrists properly, and hitting balls from there. Yes, really. Every swing was to focus on the hands leading the clubhead. As a bonus, I now know what good compression sounds like.

not only are you on the right track, but you discovered what I think: the acceptance of such a simple concept can play the ultimate roll of a correct swing

every shot depends on it

without having your shaft, hands and leading arm in a straight line through the eintire swing, you create a break or hinge in your hands that is the source of the inconsistancy! that hinge going side-to-side is what you had in your old swing ... the hands causing the club to beat your hands to the ball

just do this: in your normal grip of the club, from the address point, just let the club move back using only your shoulders to about 10-12 inches back and through where the ball would sit
see how the angle of the face fans open only about 10 degrees?

now take the same grip but let the wrists take the club back to about 10-12 inches

see how much the face opens? 40-50 desgrees!

now imagine having to keep that face square through impact -- while moving the club through the ball -- you have a very small distance where the face is square enough to say, this is a reasonable square face.

BUT WITH THE FIRST EXAMPLE having the leading arm and shaft in a straight line you now have a much larger distance where the face is reasonably square

which would you want to use to hit the ball straighter?

so you are right on the money being on the right track!

__________________
I'm a golfaholic, no question about that. Counseling wouldn't help me. They'd have to put me in prison, and then I'd talk the warden into building a hole or two and teach him how to play. ~Lee Trevino

Greg - you are spot on there with that advice about the straighter the club goes away from the ball the better (achieved by not starting off withe wrists). Whenever I am having a stellar time striking the ball it is always when I achieve this sqaure(ish) type takeaway.

When I start to get too wristy on the takeaway I come inside - just slightly BUT it makes all the difference in the world to the quality of strike.

When the takeaway is good I get great ball compression and a totally different sound.

I have to agree with gregs comment. My focus is on a square face going back which has to encourage a square face on contact, assuming that the rest of the takeaway, setup, and downswing is correct. I also encourage myself with a swing thought of "nothing happens on the way up", its in the downswing and contact that we hit the ball.