The Line of Demarcation - When You Switch to Opposite

[iacas]

I was playing golf the other day with a reasonably skilled 8-handicapper and I was faced with a lie on which the ball was above my feet. This came two holes after I was on a downslope. With the ball above my feet, I left the ball out to the right. From the downslope, I'd pulled it a little.

It struck me, then, that just about every time I face or a shot that should "do" something, I do the opposite. Hook lie = cut or push. Slice lie = pull or hook. And so on.

My playing partner said he does that too. I said "yeah, but most beginners seem to follow those rules, or they wouldn't be rules - a hook lie would be called a 'push lie' if that's how it came off for most people." I said that it seems most pros do the opposite, too.

I personally think it's about your body knowing a certain lie leads to a certain result. So you compensate in your setup, and then your body compensates extra, and you end up over-compensating in the end. It's like your conscious and subconscious both correct, leading to over-correction.

It seems to me that this might be a "line of demarcation" in the advancement of a player. If - just making up a number here - 90% of your shots do the "opposite" of what the lie "says" you should do, you've crossed over into "player" realm. If the lie dictates what you do 90% of the time (or you're erratic as heck), you're still on the "hacker" side of the line.

Just throwing it out there for thought and discussion. I'm not sold on the idea yet, but it makes sense to me.

[niblick]

Interesting idea. I had this happen recently too - ball was well below my feet in the rough, and I hit a pull with pretty good contact. I think you may be right, as I recall conciously trying to everything I could to not let the shot flare out to the right, which obviously led to over-compensating.

Not sure about the player/hacker thing, but it does make some sense. You have to have some skills to steer a shot right or left, be it on purpose or subconsciously.

[Rezgolf]

if thats the case, I am going to pursue my tour card. because my shot most of the time does the opposite of what I expect it to do!!!!!

[iacas]

if thats the case, I am going to pursue my tour card. because my shot most of the time does the opposite of what I expect it to do!!!!!

Now, to be fair, that's not quite what I said... c'mon now.

[georgep]

I've had this happen a bunch. Just yesterday, I had a lie above my feet. I knew "it should go left," but I've had them go straight or right in the past also. So, naturally, I simply bladed my wedge over the green and avoided the confusion. It seems to me that it did slice a bit, however.

I think there might be something to the idea that more experienced players unconsciously compensate for the lie. If I remind myself to swing normally, the shot usually does what it's "supposed" to do (bladings aside), but if I don't I often double-cross myself ... playing for the movement and getting a straight shot or the opposite movement.

[Rafcin]

agree - it's a tough thing to make the setup adjustment and then "swing normally". Besides your lies scenario - I see the same happing to me when I try to "work" the ball. I set up to fade the ball and instead of normal swing what happens sounds something like that : "WARNING, WARNING, here is your subconcious speaking!!! Your legs are set open instead of parallel - let's recover from that unusual situation!!!" and of course a big pull-hook comes out of it

[Rezgolf]

Now, to be fair, that's not quite what I said... c'mon now.

I know, just a little joke thats all.

[cdriver]

I have noticed the same phenomenon about getting the opposite result than you would expect from uneven lies. Particularly, I notice that I tend to pull shots with the ball below my feet. I am so conscious of making sure I keep my knees flexed and keep down to insure I make clean contact. By the time I hit it, I pull it.

[iacas]

The same extends to other things in my swing. I recently moved my right hand a tad more on top of the club - a "weaker" position - and yet I couldn't stop pull-hooking the ball for the first 18 holes or so until my body realized that the change was good.

[flap]

We all were taught that above will hook and below will slice so as we get better we adjust our swing and hit it straight even though we set up to hook or slice it.This is called GOLF.It is not fair or logical it just is GOLF.

[allin]

Hmm, this happens to me and I think I still qualify as a hacker. For me it seems to come from what my hands are doing. Since most of these shots require that your body be a little quieter I tend to over work my hands. If the ball is below my feet I will be very aware of it going right and tend to turn over my hands early, or hold the release a little when the ball is above my feet and push it. Suprisingly they are usually solidly struck so not to awful.