Questions & Answers Responses from PGA/LPGA Teachers on FINDaLESSON.com                                                                                  << BACK From Matt, golfer: I am a 7, but I am very inconsistent off the tee. My practice swing is a nice full fluid inside out swing path with good body/shoulder turn. When I stand over the ball and swing, I feel like my swing is not as full, quicker, not near as fluid and an outside in swing path. Can you give me any suggestion(s)? PGA/LPGA TEACHING PROFESSIONAL RESPONSES: Florida "To Matt Goyak: This is a not too uncommon problem for all golfers. What is occurring is that on your "real swing" with a ball your focus (i.e. fascination) transfers from what you are doing to anxiously looking for, and anticipating, what the ball does when contact is made. A great "Inner Golf" drill to try is to say, out loud, "one" when your club head stops at the top of your back swing, then say "two" out loud when the club head makes contact with the ball, and then "three" out loud when your club head stops its forward motion in the follow through. This will be very hard at first (you will say one very early, two after contact, and three not at all), but with practice will keep you focused on you and the club head (the only two things you can control!!!!)." - Joe Sciortino, Teaching Professional Pennsylvania "Matt, get your hands to hold the club with less than 50% pressure. Smooth you right out"   - Bob Sheppard, Teaching Professional South Carolina "Matt: You have a classic case of practice-swing-it is, or lets make sure I hit the ball perfectly every time.  I am going to assume by the description, that you are trying very hard to control the club with your hands as the club approaches the ball.  By that time it is too late, because your hands have already begun to control the club on the way back, in an effort to insure a square face at impact.  As the club gets longer, it becomes even harder for the hands to control the length of the shaft, as well as the centrifugal force generated by the club head. Try going to the range and actually hitting your longer tee shot clubs with practice swings. Take your mind off the issue of distance, and just focus on how fluid you swing feels.  As this feeling becomes more comfortable, you will find that the speed in which you swing will increase on its own, rather then you trying to force the speed of the club. Let things happen naturally, versus trying to control outcomes. Let me know if I can help in the future."  - John Hughes, Teaching Professional South Carolina "Matt: Sounds like a simple diagnosis to me. You have swayed off of your center of balance in the takeaway and no longer have a connection to the ground on the lead side except perhaps in your practice swing. Forget about weight transfer suggestions which are often exaggerated. Hogan said the weight stays inside the thighs until the ball is gone. Here is the best news: check out our web site. We are down the road in Mount Pleasant. Best luck!" - Michael Lucas, Teaching Professional