nlk10010

"Preloading left" sounds a lot like Jim Venetos' approach. It might work for some folks, depending on your issue. For me the problem is over active arms and hands, so I tried it but still hit behind the ball (and to do that while staying on your left leg requires wrists with a mind of its own)!

I'm no pro, so take this with a grain of salt, but I can commiserate with you. I can only hit my 7 iron about 110-120 yards on a good day primarily because, as my instructor repeatedly tells me, I'm "scooping it". My weight shifts a bit forward just before the top of the backswing but then my right (trail) shoulder and arm take over and tip me backwards, causing a fat hit and a scoop. The feeling of keeping the weight down on the left foot may serve to prevent this backward tilt, if indeed that's your problem. Hey, if it works, stick with it, I certainly have heard of others using this thought. Of course a lot of thoughts work for the first few times then seem to lose their magic, but if concentrating on keeping your weight down (I have heard it expressed by someone as "I plant my left foot on the ground and make sure it stays there") then you are indeed fortunate.

Oh, man, tell me about it. Every time I hear that thud of my club hitting the mat a nanosecond before it hits the ball I want to wrap that iron around a tree. Wifey tells me I look just like a 5 year old throwing a tantrum. Strangely, I can feel my weight shift slightly to my lead foot just before the top of my backswing; nevertheless I always hit fat, I'm virtually certain that what's happening is I'm throwing the club, primarily with the trail (right) shoulder and arm, tipping my body back. My shoulder is moving down rather than forward and my wrists are releasing early. With one exception, regardless of what I do, I seem to want to tip back despite the fact that at the top of the backswing some of my weight has shifted forward, left knee pointing to the target and out over the foot. I also tend to have a slow downswing which seems to exacerbate the tendency to early release. The only thing that has worked for me is to use my lead (left) shoulder first on the downswing. If I concentrate on initiating the downswing with the left shoulder and rotating, I can get a crisp hit (doesn't go very far, but that's a story for another day). This move must bring the bulk of my weight over my left hip, somehow. I don't like to do it that way, and I've tried everything else I can think of, but at the end of the day if it's the only thing that sort of works I have to stick with it. Sorry, had to vent.

Well, actually, when I was 17 I was about 270 (and I wasn't any taller). Anyway, I prefer to think of myself as "under-tall". :) I'm going to take my clubs into the local fitter and see what they say. Thanks for the post and info.

First post here, happy to find this board. Briefly, I'm an old guy (63), kind of heavy (168), really a novice golfer but I practice on the range an awful lot. I've been taking some lessons and I go out on Executive Courses to practice hitting off grass. I can get around but I'm really still learning to hit my irons a decent distance (hitting fat means my 7 iron goes only about 120-130 yds, although I can hit it straight). My question (this one, anyway) is simple. I know I could ask my instructor, which I will, but also thought feedback here would help. When I first started golf a few years ago I bought (through the lesson plan) a set of Wilson Ultras, I guess real cheap clubs with steel shafts. After taking a few additional private lessons my instructor at the time suggested I try senior/lighter clubs. He wasn't selling them but did let me try a Cobra (I think it was an S3). Very light and I hit the ball better, it really felt good. So I went out and bought a set of MacGregor MT OS irons/hybrids with graphite shafts in Amateur, or Senior, flex (A). While they weren't the Cobras I thought the answer was the graphite shafts and they were considerably cheaper. This purchase was from Golfsmith but I believe the set was made before they took over the entire MG line. Nice clubs, etc. I know it's been a long time since I started, but my question is this: I'm short, 5' 3" on a good day, and I wonder if I would benefit from taking the clubs to a fitter and letting them check them out, perhaps replacing or resizing the shafts. I know it seems I'm looking for an excuse for my relatively poor performance, maybe I am, but it's possible it might be a good idea. Any feedback would be appreciated. Norman