Questions & Answers Responses from PGA/LPGA Teachers on FINDaLESSON.com                                                                                  << BACK From Curtis, golfer: Hi guys. Once the snow melts my handicap usually hovers around 5. My problem is I always fight to find my timing year after year.  The latest nightmare: My entire life I've been drawing the ball (and hooking it on a bad day) but lately I've been unable to get out of my own way and the result is a week fade or push.  It's killing me because of the lack of distance and accuracy.  Mentally, I've never had to consider going in to trouble on the right side of the fairway but now I'm afraid to let it rip off the tee. When I do let it fly, the duck hook often rears its ugly head again. I'm having a meltdown in Alaska! PGA/LPGA TEACHING PROFESSIONAL RESPONSES: California "Curtis: Your draw is a push or pull hook and that is what is confusing you. Your clubface is passing your hands through impact and this not only requires timing but does not compress the ball nearly as well. This action requires you to alter the swing path causing an inside/out motion that would produce a push. Good players often have  talent and get away with this, however, your 5 handicap could be a scratch with a better understanding of cause and effect. This is a common problem and you get a star looking for the answer. Solution: Go ahead and hit some blocked shots to the right. Then, alter the swing path to swing across the target line (out to in) to produce a solid hit usually with a little draw.  One word of caution, tension in your wrists or arms." - James Della-Penna, Teaching Professional Florida "I hope that hi guys includes us females that constantly help you "guys".  If your handicap is really 5 it aught to be easy to fix your problem. When hooking occurs it usually is because the hands get helpful at the ball.  From the top of your back swing, use your arms to swing the club in the direction of the target-to the FINISH. Your hands should feel passive throughout the forward motion.  For tempo, when you swing start saying out loud, backward forward (after all that is what is swing is; a backward forward motion). Make sure you do it when you say it.  You will find your tempo return quickly and your mind will be on your motion rather than the ball. Let me know how you do."  - Patricia Kimball, Teaching Professional Minnesota "Timing is nothing more than the correct sequence of motion. The downswing begins from the ground up." - Jim Manthis, Teaching Professional New York "The better golfers have better misses. They say thin to win, a better miss shot which comes from which arm I wonder and want to develop. Three easy ways: the first is practice the last one ends with practice." - John Kim, Teaching Professional North Carolina "Curtis: It sounds like you may be getting in front of the ball at impact. I would suggest the following drill, keep your feet close together and hit shots. If your upper body gets in front of the ball you will lose your balance.  If you stay behind the shot your arms will swing up and around to the left naturally. Anytime as the player body gets in front of the ball at impact the ball will hang out to the right and not turn over. At address I would start with a weight ration of 60/40 left leg to right leg, this promotes a better turn and will allow the weight shift back to the left in the forward swing to happen more easily.  You won't get stuck on your back leg and swing with just your arms and hands. Make a body swing not just the before mentioned. I would also suggest purchasing a Momentus "Traveler" weighted club. This is short enough to allow you to swing inside during the winter months. Twenty times a day should help you maintain good timing as well as stretching and strengthening your golf muscles. I find that by doing this that when you go to hit balls, it's like you've been hitting them all the time."  - Ben Hynson, Teaching Professional South Carolina "Hey Curtis: Sounds to me like you are having a case of the right hand dominates the left. Have you had a recent injury to either arm or hand? Have you been doing something out of the ordinary, like a new work out program? When ever I see someone having the same problem, I normally see a path problem that is created by trying to insure distance and or accuracy by using the hands. The hands have only one function in the swing, and that is to hold the club properly. The minute you try to manipulate the club with the hands, you will get inconsistent with accuracy. The hard hook is when the lower body has stopped and the hands/arms are accelerating too quickly, and the hard slice is when the lower body has beat the hands to the ball. In either case, the hands are trying to be the aggressor, versus hitting the ball with a full body turn. As a better player, I recommend that you go back to some basic set-up positions and insure that they have not changed. After that, try hitting pitch shots with various clubs, emphasizing the feeling of turn through impact. Insure that the hands feel ssl on the club, but not tight. And try to feel the left wrist feeling more firm through the impact zone. Let me know how if this helps." - John Hughes, Teaching Professional Texas "GO BACK TO PRE SHOT FUNDAMENTALS. GET LINED UP USING TWO CLUBS AND MAKE SURE YOUR SHOULDERS, HIPS AND FEET ARE BASICALLY ALL POINTING THE SAME DIRECTION.  TURN YOUR SHOULDERS AND "RELEASE" ON EVERY SHOT. DON'T FEAR THE HOOK.  DO THIS ON THE RANGE UNTIL THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FAIRWAY IS NOT AN ISSUE ANY MORE." - Mr. Kim Brown, Teaching Professional Utah "First of all you should get a practice net and hit balls during the winter to stay loose!  We have an indoor simulator at Utahgolf.net and we play all winter. This helps keep the body loose. If you can get on a simulator or if you can see the swing path of the club you need to see if your coming outside in or if your club face is open. Try a stronger grip if your club face is open. If it is the previous work on your club path.  One little trick is to swing the club upside down with the head towards our hands and get a feel of the club weight. Flip the club around and swing the club right side up. This may help - give an email with other questions." - Brent Wootton, Teaching Professional