New member

Hi everyone

I finally found a forum that I like. I started the season with an handicap of 5. My knowledge of the golf swing is above average and I do understand the mechanics of the golf swing.

Lately I have been pulling my shots and most of my divots are pointing and going left.

When I go to the driven range (on a mat) most of my shot are straight with a small fade.

I need help to stop pulling on the course. Is there any swing key that could help me to stop pulling?

My handicap is now eight and still rising.

Thanks

Dr_Gilles

PS: i am not a real doctor it is a nickname from my friends.

Very common for a good player to have slight pulls on a course vs. straight to slight fades on mats.

Do you play in your golf shoes on the mats?

If you do, you are higher then normal (above the ball) and as we all know that causes slices. You counter your swing in practice to start to hook it (straightening it out) and that gets grooved. Step into the course where you sink into the grass and the ball stays a bit higher in your setup and as we know this will cause hooks.

If I have to practice on mats, I get my low-heal tennis shoes. This gets me closer to the course condition.

Otherwise, if you are in tennis shoes on mats and still hook on the course, mats also have the "squaring" affect on a ball. You strike the matt just behind the ball, and the face gets bounced square...where on a course the club just keeps going down and through the ball...depending on your attack this can mean you are staying on the inside of the ball and causing the in-to-out path that creates the draw.

I am betting on the shoes you are using.

__________________
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

I have not practiced on mats for 10 years and if I had a choice between mats or not at all, I would choose not at all.
Mats screw up the club and the swing and who knows what you are going to get off them. They are made for high handicappers and will really mess up a good swing of a lower handicapper.
Check your grip first, you may be closing the club a little, also, check to make sure you are proper distance from the ball, too close or too far away will cause the pulls or pushs.
Make sure you are not slightly OTT, it happens to the best of us.

OTT ????. Sorry my friend. it's my french in me.

OTT=Over the top-describing coming down outside in instead of inside out swing path.