I'm trying to resolve what sounds like conflicting guidance (not necessarily from Tom) in the words "rotate" and "turn" VS shifting weight towards the target. Should I be turning my hips but keeping my shoulders on a line to the target? Is that anatomically possible? In general, it seems that when I rotate my torso, my shoulders open up prior to contact, my orientation to the ball changes and I make contact with the ball from outside the arc (your "dead zone").
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Awesome, @billp2000!! Nice job figuring it out, which is ultimately what we all must do if we're going to take ownership of our swing!!
Now....keep it crispy!!!.....😎
Went to the range today with only one club (favorite 7 wood). TURNS OUT if you do what Tom says the dang ball goes straight! Today's takeaway... Keeping tilt makes all the difference in the world. If I stand too upright the club head wants to go up into the dead zone on the takeaway leading to slice. Keeping tilt causes the club to go back to the right place.
Also learned distance AND accuracy come from clean (dare I say "crispy"?) contact, not by swinging hard and fast.
Precisely what I have been experiencing. I work very hard to swing in to out but when the shoulder and torso rotates I become a chopasaurus.
@billp2000 - Have you reviewed the Training the Downswing lessons in the Get Out and Go Play course? If not, have a look because you may find your answers there. Also, there are several lessons on resolving Steep/Over-The-Top downswings in that section of Fixing Common Swing Problems.
It is likely that your hip rotation is pulling the shoulders around prematurely. If you don't have lateral targetward hip action through impact their rotation will take over, take the shoulders with them, and reroute the club to the outside. Have a look at the PGA Tour Pro excerpts below from the S&T book reiterating the importance of this hip slide.