down the line or around the cirlce

A dewsweeper writes in that says they have been told two different things and are confused. One that they should swing down the line nad one that they should swing the club around to the left (they are a right handed golfer) after impact which is correct.

Well first lets discuss what really happens in the golf swing. The swing is a circle and because of that the club must swing back up the arc to the left after impact.
The club only hits the target line for a split second and that is at impact.
what happens when a person swings down the line is that they become diconnected with their arms and their trunk. they tend to swing the club too much to off the plane to the right
they will lose power and be forced to use their hands to get the ball started back on the proper line.
this will reduce their power and their consistency.
tools you can use to practice swinging the club around the circle:
lay a small hula hoop on the groun and hit balls standing in the middle of it let your hands feel as if they travel around the hoop after impact with the ball.
this will help you visualize the correct arc rather than swinging down the line.

Stop the Smother Hook

A dewsweeper writes in that they are tired of low smother hooks and hitting it left can I give them any help to start hitting a fade.

Here is where I start. First lets look at where the balls starts in relation to the target line.
If the ball is starting to the left of the target line for a right handed golfer in most cases it means the path of the club is too steep or from the outside.

My remedy for this would be the old tee your golf ball up an inch or so away from your driver headcover and see if that doesnt get the ball started out on the right path.

From there to fade the ball play the ball slightly more forward so that the driver is swinging more to the left when it makes contact with the ball.

Next open your stance slightly aiming your feet a few degrees left of the target.
Now here is the important part:
You need the correct hand motion:
when coming through the ball let the back of your left hand feel as though it is pointing up to the sky. this will help leave the face open in order to cut the ball.
try these setup keys and new hand action and see if you dont hit the cut you are looking for off the tee.