Too much lag?

[RCTrout]

Earlier this summer, I hit a stray shot to the left. It did not hook, it just took off 30 degrees left, dead straight and about 35 yards longer than normal. I ended up flying the green. Lately that same shot is starting to show up on a more regular basis. I love the shot but cannot control when it will occur. If I try to play for it, I usually end up slicing. So my question is, is it possible to have too much lag- get the arms so far behind that when they finally connect I have turned beyond the aim point by 30 degrees or so? The course I play heavily penalizes any play to the left and this is costing me a few strokes each round for the last 2 weeks. My playing partners say they cannot see anything different in my swing when it occurs, but probably watch that close anyway.

[mc0388]

  RCTrout said:

Earlier this summer, I hit a stray shot to the left. It did not hook, it just took off 30 degrees left, dead straight and about 35 yards longer than normal. I ended up flying the green. Lately that same shot is starting to show up on a more regular basis. I love the shot but cannot control when it will occur. If I try to play for it, I usually end up slicing. So my question is, is it possible to have too much lag- get the arms so far behind that when they finally connect I have turned beyond the aim point by 30 degrees or so? The course I play heavily penalizes any play to the left and this is costing me a few strokes each round for the last 2 weeks. My playing partners say they cannot see anything different in my swing when it occurs, but probably watch that close anyway.

I hit the same pull straight shot. This usually happens when I don't complete my backswing (not a complete shoulder turn), which leads to my hands starting early on the downswing with my hips following. This causes me to loose it to the left. To straighten it out, I slow my backswing and concentrate on a full shoulder turn and that straightens me out.

I dont gain any distance with the pull. Just work on the shoulder turn, might help with hitting that shot straight with added distance. Not sure if thats what your looking for?

[Happy Dragon]

  RCTrout said:

Earlier this summer, I hit a stray shot to the left. It did not hook, it just took off 30 degrees left, dead straight and about 35 yards longer than normal. I ended up flying the green. Lately that same shot is starting to show up on a more regular basis. I love the shot but cannot control when it will occur. If I try to play for it, I usually end up slicing. So my question is, is it possible to have too much lag- get the arms so far behind that when they finally connect I have turned beyond the aim point by 30 degrees or so? The course I play heavily penalizes any play to the left and this is costing me a few strokes each round for the last 2 weeks. My playing partners say they cannot see anything different in my swing when it occurs, but probably watch that close anyway.

I think your using "lag" improperly. When you refer to lag, it means that your hands are far forward and your club is lagging behind until the very last moment (impact). For an image look at Sergio,

http://www.oneplanegolfswing.com/one...garcia-lag.gif This shot you describe is a straight pull. It probably happens more on shorter irons. Don't try to do it, it's bad! It can happen when you don't turn properly during your backswing and your just swinging with your arms and your swing path is "over the top." "Over the Top," although a great American movie classic, it's a terrible move in golf!

[RCTrout]

Thanks for the replies. Happy- it does seem to occur with my 9 iron, but not with any other short irons or wedges. And you are correct, I was using the term lag to describe how not just the club head was lagging, but my entire upper body is behind my hip turn.
mc0388- I have made some changes to my swing lately , mostly concentrating on a low and slow backswing, starting the backswing with a shoulder turn, and then uncoiling from the feet up. It was about this time, that this pull started showing up.

[jamo]

A dead left shot results from a closed face and an out to in swing-path. I dont think it is the resultant of lag.