Squish spider Dragon

By T.J. TOMASI

Universal Press Syndicate

Every golfer has one or two swing "dragons," faults that recur in the middle of a round. To self-correct on the golf course, you need to know what your dragons are and have a fix ready for each of them.

One of the most common dragons is the "spider syndrome." If you're producing shots that fly short and crooked, plus a random shot pattern of slices and pulls, you may have the spider syndrome.

The cause

On the golf course, many golfers subconsciously believe movement causes error. Like the spider that freezes up until the threat is over, a lot of golfers immobilize their bodies under pressure, thinking that the least amount of motion causes the least amount of error. This thinking is logical, but wrong.

Standing still may work for the spider, but it's just the opposite of what you should be doing to hit good golf shots under pressure. You'll ruin impact when you freeze your body with not enough turn or weight shift, and all you'll accomplish is picking up the club with little or no coil.

Anti-freeze drill

Swing to the top and stop, while holding your golf pose, then pick up your front foot. If you can't, you haven't turned/shifted enough.

Next, put your foot down and shift your weight to your front foot, still in your golf pose, then pick up your back foot. Finish your swing by rotating your body.

After you've done this drill a few times, make regular swings, focusing only on shifting then rotating.

Use a verbal cue for each swing, such as, "shift/rotate," "turn and burn" or "no spider syndrome for me." Before each swing on the course, use your cue-up phrase to remind yourself of your practice preparation.