shanking with irons, hooking with driver

[panushjo]

I tried to fix these things with these tips. Tell me if they are correct.
1. I got in a more athletic stance because the weight was more on my toes causing me to take the club back outside and shank.
2. I lightened my grip. I think it was too tight causing the club to turn over.
3. On my tackaway, I started the club with my big muscles and that took me on the correct path back.
Are those right?
Also,
1. Should you stop your backswing when it feels like most of your weight is inside your right leg?
2. Should your eyes be behind the ball for woods and on the ball for irons?
3. For hitting a punch shot with a full 3 iron, the ball should be a little farther back than normal. Should you open your stance a little or put your weight forward?
4. For shots around a green in thick rough where you can't take a normal swing to a close pin, how should you play it? I know you can't play it like a normal chip because there is grass around the ball. How should you play it.

Thanks for any info on any of these subjects. I beginning to think that the hardest leap in golf is going from a high70/low80's golfer to a scratch.

[sinuetblue]

Re: shanking with irons, hooking with driver

1. Weight just aft of the balls of the feet is good. 2. A tighter grip actually reduces the amount the club will turn over. When you have to make sure the ball doesn't hook because of trouble on the left many good golfers tighten their grip. What often happens is that when taking a tight grip you unconciuosly let go (especially with the little finger of the left hand) at the top of the backswing which closes the club face. 3. Starting back with the big muscles is probably correct but the position of the arms should stay more or less in the same relationship to your body as they were at address and not go to the inside too quickly. Many good golfers concentrate on taking the club back along an extension of the target line as long as possble (without swaying) which probably does the same thing.

Also:
1. Swing back as far as possible without swaying, it may be better to have the weight almost on the centre of the right foot. This will almost force you to shift your weight to the left when you start your downswing. 2. Your left shoulder should be above your right knee/foot at the top of the backswing. This automatically puts your eyes behind the ball on all shots. 3. For full punch shots, I do place the ball a little back in the stance (depending on how low the ball must go) but am not concious of either closing or opening my stance. Depending on how I feel on the day, I either concentrate on keeping the club back right as long as I can or concentrate on keeping the hands well ahead of the clubhead troughout the downswing. 4. For shots from thick rough around the green you might like to try the explosion shot, same as in a bunker.

Hope this helps.
Tony