Golf Instruction
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Friday, March 2, 2007 The Release The word “release” sometimes causes confusion among high-handicappers. They know they have to release the club, but they’re not sure how or when to do it. Here’s the skinny: A proper release happens naturally when the golfer allows the clubface to square through impact as a result of the proper path and clubhead speed. It’s not a position that you can just put yourself into at impact—you have to arrive at it via the proper sequence. |
Friday, March 2, 2007 Moment Of Impact The biggest challenge for a golf student is to feel the proper mechanics. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to experience the feeling of the most important moment during the golf swing: impact. |
Friday, March 2, 2007 Fancy Footwork In any sport, the feet and legs must work together in order for the rest of the body to function properly, and golf is no exception. In a fundamentally sound swing, the feet need to roll from side-to-side to provide power and control. On the backswing, the left foot should roll to the inside, and the heel should stay on or near the ground. During the downswing, the right foot should roll to the inside before the heel gets pulled up for the finish. By maintaining contact with the ground, you’ll create leverage and be better able to swing in control. |
Friday, March 2, 2007 Posture Check Recreational golfers who constantly struggle to fix their swing problems would do well to fix their posture first. Rounding the back, flexing the knees too much and tucking the head down to see the ball are common setup faults that can lead to a poor swing. If your posture isn’t right, you’ll be forced to swing with mostly your arms and hands, creating very little shoulder turn. |
Friday, March 2, 2007 Time The Snap In instant prior to completing his backswing, Ben Hogan initiated his downswing with his body and arms, creating a lagging action or “snap.” This move resulted in a type of torque similar to that of casting a fishing pole. |
Friday, March 2, 2007 Don't Spill The Dishes Many amateurs allow their right elbow to move too far away from their body at the top of the backswing, so that their elbow is pointing behind them, almost in the position of a baseball player in a batting stance. This “flying” right elbow at the top of the swing is a frequent cause of a nasty pull or slice. |
Friday, March 2, 2007 The Fire Drill Let’s assume you get the club to the top of the backswing, positioned somewhere above the right shoulder. You feel on balance, the swing is on-plane, but you still manage to either slice the ball or push it to the right to some degree. Frustrating as all hell, isn’t it? |
Friday, March 2, 2007 Hang A Shirt At my power clinics and exhibitions, I often recommend to audiences that they try to develop the feeling of holding a golf club long enough at the top of their backswing for someone to hang a shirt on it—the Clothesline Effect, if you will. |
Friday, March 2, 2007 Watch The Watch |
Friday, March 2, 2007 Lengthen The Right Golfers often talk about the importance of keeping a straight left arm during the backswing. Equally important, but seldom discussed, is the value of keeping the right arm straight during the first two feet of the takeaway. I see many amateurs bend their right elbow too much at address—which causes incorrect posture—and fold their right elbow too quickly as they take the club back. These right elbow flaws create a lifting action and produce a too-narrow swing arc, robbing players of their power potential. |
Friday, March 2, 2007 Get A Wedge Edge There’s more than one way to hit the ball long. Just look at the swings of long hitters like Tiger Woods, John Daly and Fred Couples. Each is different and each serves its purpose well. However, to hit your longest, most powerful drives, three elements must be present: You must fully release the club, swing with an even tempo and remain in balance. |
