Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Joe,
I can almost break 90, but just when I think I have my swing figured out, my shots become inconsistent again. I need some ideas on how to be more consistent. What should I try?
Kilton

Hello Kilton,
Give yourself some credit, you are an above average golfer and you have the desire to get better. Everyone suffers periods of inconsistency, all you can do is minimize this by developing your own set of "key" swing thoughts. Have a set of "keys" for the backswing and another set for the downswing. Of course it is not possible to think of more than one or two keys while swinging, but you can select a different key depending on what the particular problem happens to be at the time. Here is a sample list of some keys to select from on the backswing - head steady, keep the left arm comfortably straight, take it back low and wide, feel the weight on the inside of the back foot, while the wrist is hinging, get the shaft on the same plane as the leading arm. Here are some keys for the downswing - smooth tempo while shifting the lower body weight to the front foot, swing down at the ball on a path that is inside-out, extend the follow thru while you are still looking at the spot where the ball was after you hit it. These are just a few examples, there are many other things that may work for you, so compile your own list and then pick one or two at a time from the list until you find the right combinations for the backswing and downswing.
Joe