Your front arm should be extended throughout the downswing and well into the follow-through, when it starts to bend to allow for a comfortable finish. -- PGA Merchandiser of the Year, Tri State Section PGA Most good golfers fall somewhere between these two extremes. Well look at Kucharjust because one is tall does not mean he/she has to have an upright golf swing. Hunter Mahan in the video below is a good example of this sort of pattern. This gets shoulders more open at impact. Table of Contents 1 Body Weight is Transferred Forward at Impact Power is Transferred from the Core to Arms and Shoulders Hands Are Ahead of the Golf Ball A divot is Created after the Ball Has Been Hit. On video, I am across the line with clubhead above this path at the top then clubhead basically traces the hand path all the way down and maybe slightly above at impact. The body position on the right (in red) will have to work harder to shallow the club, usually resulting in a steep path. In fact, many amateurs rise up during the same portion of the swing. This is why their right arm stays bent longer. Top 100 Courses in the U.S.: GOLFs all-new 2022-23 ranking is here! When David Duval was in his prime he would not even be looking at the ball at the moment of impact. My slice came back, the end of the club was about 6-10inchs away from my waist. The first step is to set up as you normally would at address but to hold your club in front of your chest with the grip end pointing straight ahead at the target. Just 15-20 swings a day using both SwingProPlus and Swingflex Golf Training Aids can give you 15 - 25 extra yards . Use this drill in order to help you stop standing up at impact. Now I can tell my friend why he sometimes bail out :)In The Slot Swing Jim Mclean gives this magic move a very understandable explanation. A flat front wrist proves that the clubhead hasn't passed your hands before you reach the ball--a trait of all good ball-strikers. If you notice allyour impact marks near the heel, you need to keep your hands closer to the body. Dennis recently analyzed my swing via his email system and it was awesome. Isnt this elbow move the same Magic Move that Harvey Penick talked about in his Little Red Book almost 20 years ago now? Learn how your comment data is processed. Copyright 2020 GolfWRX Holdings, LLC. Flattening the shaft seems to have been covered by every popular YouTube channel in recent weeks. Note that is required to lift he head up as you gradually move towards your follow through, after the impact and release of your golf swing. Dave is Dave Dennis. Not true. Thats not how the body works. Depends. Another complicating issue is the fact that the clubhead moves on an inclined For expert tips on positioning for both iron and driver swings, read tips on stance from Swing Align! Thank you for your contribution to golfwrx! Below is an example of shallow space (picture on the left in green) created by a body that has turned around its original spine angle established at address. The instruction to "turn" your hips is confusing golfers, particularly in the backswing. Your shoulders should be slightly back and down, and your left shoulder slightly lower than your right shoulder. I began teaching golf in 2001 and have had PGA Tour teaching credentials since 2009. Flatter lead wrist, sending rear elbow out in front of the ribs,extending right wrist etcexperiment and find what works for you. Driver: GolfWRX is on the ground in Orlando ahead of the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge. Hes learned nothing Olympic legend launches scathing attack on Tiger Woods over tampon apology, Golf fans left bemused following bizarre Jim Nantz blunder, Best driver 2023: Expert club fitters recommend the best driver for your swing speed, An UP-CLOSE look at Tiger Woods famous Scotty Cameron putter, David Feherty ridiculed for Greg Norman comment during LIV broadcast, Tour pro says LIV would be done if Brooks Koepka returned to PGA Tour, TOUR REPORT: McIlroy switches drivers during Genesis Invitational (plus Tigers iron change). Above: This steep angle of the club shaft created by an improper transition is the cause for several impact flaws. Indeed if impact is the proverbial "moment of truth" then the top of the swing, the transition and the delivery of the club . on. If you freeze the best players in the world at the moment of impact, the overwhelming majority of them will have a slightly bent right arm as the club strikes the ball (I explain this more in my article about the importance of . The lifting of the front foot on the backswing will make you stamp down and attack the ball at through the hit. The SLAP authors believe that if a golfer can get into a picture-perfect impact position, that it increases his . The real answer, like most things in golf, is it depends.. Driver: Cobra Amp Cell Pro (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Aldila RIP Phenom 3-wood: Titleist 906F4 (13.5 degrees) Shaft: Aldila NV 7-wood: Michael Hopper whats in the bag accurate as of the WM Phoenix Open. I am a golfer suffering with early extension and high hands (fats, shanks, blocks) and all methods I have tried (bumping shaft behind rear, alignment rod across hips, golf bag behind rear, pushing rear back, squatting in D/S) have not worked. From this position, the shaft can easily be brought around into impact and the trail side of the body will be moving forward and around towards the target. The tips mentioned here are invaluable and nothing but high praise for Mr. Clark. This is done by the. Players would benefit more by getting their body into a position in the backswing that allows them to shallow the club naturally in transition. Understanding the Left Wrist Position at the Top of the Golf Swing, Why Brandel Chamblees Book Hit the Sweet Spot (Reason 3). Coming down, stack the left hip socket over the left ankle to create a safe position to pivot. From this position, the shaft can easily be brought around into impact and the trail side of the body will be moving forward and around towards the target. Tiger Woods, by his own admission in his last press conference, is struggling to keep his speed without hurting himself and is running out of options since he cannot push off the right leg or strain his core because of his back; so what are his options? Those of us who spend our every day with struggling golfers and have seen every imaginable swing flaw, try to share those experiences with the readers of WRX. Butch. Thank you so much for putting these up. It provides a horizontal orientation to playing golf. The root cause of the problem has to be corrected at some point. the player one system seems to help me separate my hips easier if I remember to keep my shoulders more square to the target line a little longer. Body swingers come in all shapes and sizes. With all the low spinning drivers out there, learning the skill of teeing it high to let it fly can be a real amazing asset to have; and Moe Norman was the best ever at doing this. Are you willing to put in some effort to get better or do you just want more bandaid drills from frustrated coaches? -- Teacher of the Year, Philadelphia Section PGA Finally, for anyone who is too steep in transition, I HIGHLY recommend hitting a LOT of golf balls with the ball above your feet on a side hill lie. Go to the top of your swing, and move the elbow in front of you. He cant push off the right side and feels his core every time he pushes for speed; can he last? The back knee bending means your weight is moving to your front foot, and a good hip rotation helps preserve the body coil for more power at impact. -- Teacher of the Year, Golfers Journal Could not agree more. He cant push off the right side and feels his core every time he pushes for speed; can he last? I was having an issue with slicing that was corrected by an emphasis on staying connected going back and not letting my shoulders race to open with my arms lagging behind, leaving the face open. This type of golfer has the club working out toward the ball due to straightening of the right arm, and will work toward the target without having the body nearly as open to the target. A lot of work in an attempt to get more shallow. This is done by thedirection of turnin the backswing and from an efficientSet-upposition, creating what is called Shallow Space. -- Achieved Master Professional Status (held by less than 2 percent of PGA members) Sending the hand path OUT is just another example of that dynamic in action. The burning existential question is not so much who is Dave, as why is Dave? Here is what covering means and how to apply it to your golf swing for better iron play.. Well, when you get to the top of the swing and begin your downswing, the golf club has to get lower or shallower. Nice article! The ball should be positioned forward in the stance therefore you DO NOT start with your hands ahead of the ball at set up. Try these on for size (above left). Also I seem to lose a little distance. Getting your upper body stacked over your lower body on the downswing is critical to making ball-then-turf contact. In any event, Ive been working really hard to not rise up and shallow out my angle of attack during my downswing. We show you his secrets in here to get literally 30 more yards of carry! And a balanced swing ends in a balanced position. Those players actually lower what is called their center, or upper body on the downswing. I am wondering if this is due to your thoughts on steepness. Most serious golfers have seen slow-motion video of Tiger Woods or some other tour pro who moves his or her bodydown in the moments before impact. Your hands will not be forward at impact with the driver! Make some swings, and see which feels natural to you. Keeping the front arm straight on the downswing helps you maintain the radius of the swing for predictable contact. Watch the video below this article to learn the specific wrist movements . For a golfer whose left arm is deeper and more across the chest and right arm stays bent longer, the shoulders should be more open at impact. to my Ball striking, I have tried both over the last year and then they kind of just blended into half and half, its not good. For this golfer, the arms are moving slower, or closer to the same speed as the right shoulder. To avoid this steep angle of attackyou do the sensible thing, bailing out as you approach impact. This includes the: Takeaway Backswing Top of the backswing Downswing Impact Follow-through Too often, golfers try to "stand up" at impact. Feel your front shoulder pull away from your chin as your upper body begins turning toward the target. So hackers have club above hand plane and chop down at the ball, whereas good golfers get it underneath hand plane and spin the clubhead out at the ball creating more speed and consistent hits?? Period. -- Presidents Plaque Award for Promotion and Growth of the Game of Golf position, creating what is called Shallow Space. -- Junior Golf Leader, Tri State section PGA If you struggle with too much hand action at the top of the swing, the most effective solution is to start from square one with your grip, making sure it is both fundamentally sound and suits your swing. Players would benefit more by getting their body into a position in the backswing that allows them to shallow the club naturally in transition. I think I fire my arm and straighten it more like player 2 Fowler, at least more naturally. -- Earned PGA Advanced Specialty certification in Teaching/Coaching Golf From this position, the shaft can easily be brought around into impact and the trail side of the body will be moving forward and around towards the target. Concepts such as external rotation of the trail shoulder or clearing with the lead side of your body while keeping your pelvis back. GOLF DIGEST MAY EARN A PORTION OF SALES FROM PRODUCTS THAT ARE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR SITE AS PART OF OUR AFFILIATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH RETAILERS. With good balance I can hit skiing short irons. Concepts such as external rotation of the trail shoulder or clearing with the lead side of your body while keeping your pelvis back. This puts you into a great bio-mechanical body-friendly spot that ensures you create lag and compress the golf ball in the correct golf impact position. More photos from the event here. He is also is a seven-time PGA award winner who has earned the following distinctions: All rights reserved. Moe was know for hitting drivers off of glass Coke bottles without ever taking a bead of glass off of it! He cant push off the right side and feels his core every time he pushes for speed; can he last? -- Top Teacher in Pennsylvania, Golf Magazine More photos from the event here. What about weight shift to left side first? If this golfers shoulders were more closed, their swing direction would be too far to the right of the target and he or she would struggle with pushes and hooks. Hold for a few counts,. Swing Pro Plus is a unique yet versatile golf training aid that offers effective methods on correcting body alignment and swing posture. Now it's time for impact and finish in the golf swing. In a proper downswing, the arms are simply dropped from the top of the backswing at the change of direction, and the rotation of the body (that is controlled by the core, legs, and footwork) holds the arms and club in a perfect plane coming through impact with the ball. I agree this is great and Yes this is how the big boys do it. You've heard TV Commentators refer to Covering the Golf Ball? The golf club has to lower in transition so that it can swing on a more horizontal plane into the golf ball. -- Golf Professional of the Year, Tri State Section PGA Thx. Moe was know for hitting drivers off of glass Coke bottles without ever taking a bead of glass off of it! Players would benefit more by getting their body into a position in the backswing that allows them to shallow the club naturally in transition. position, creating what is called Shallow Space. If the grip is pointing above the ball, it means your spine is causing you to lift. If we can swing with quiet knees and/or a stable lower body in fairway bunkers, we will increase our chances of remaining on balance during the swing. In a proper golf swing, a lot of the upper-body rotation occurs at the hips. Clement: Tiger Woods is struggling to find reliable speed. More photos from the event here. Id have to see a video but generally it is much easier to lay it off at the top than to lay it down in transitionbut yes the steep transition is likely the reason for early extension. In fact, the golf club accelerates from around 25 mph to over 90 mph with a mid-iron in better golfers' swings in only the last three feet of the golf swing. Ask Tiger. This kicks the club out past the ball and causes a path that is out-to-in, which produces deflected slices and big pulls along with shots hit off the heel and shanks. Follow this shift-turn sequence, and the club will stay to the inside on a power path to the ball. Best for Feeling Impact Position: SKLZ Smash Bag at Amazon "Swing the club into the SKLZ Smash Bag and it stops the club and the swing at the impact position so players can get a better idea of . I always hit the ball well off that lie, but strangely also generally dont struggle with the ball below my feet. Your attack angle will shallow and youll be hitting it like the big boys, moving down through the shot. Sorry, I meant but thought this move was done. At the pre-impact stage of the golf swing, the weight has shifted to the front foot, wrists are still fully cocked in a lag position and the trailing elbow is tucked in tightly to the body underneath the lead arm. Your email address will not be published. Thats because the piece they are trying to fix has to match the rest of their pattern. Let's work through some of these positions with your hips, your shoulders, your arms, your body, to be able to deliver that club to contact with any club in the bag. Or, do you still have to come under the plane line (hands) in the downswing? I also would like to add that the steep angle of attack/over the top is many times caused by poor lower body movement and initiation in the transition, causing what is called early extension where the hips thrust towards the ball, resulting in the upper body rising up and going backwards like Dennis explained. Is this move of the elbow really the magic move us amateurs have been looking for (for a long time in my case)?? Copyright 2020 GolfWRX Holdings, LLC. A good way to stop standing up at impact is to focus on your head. Finally, a shortened backswing can help golfers to reduce the risk of injury. The majority of the body weight (~80%) should be on the left side and the right heel should have started to lift and be very light at impact. Improving your upper body rotation in golf can have a profound effect on your game. As always, feel free to send a swing video to myFacebookpage and I will do my best to give you my feedback. A flat wrist also prevents you from adding loft at impact (you won't turn a 5-iron into a 6). There's a clear relationship between the front hip and the back knee: As the hip turns open, the knee kicks in. Why? Great golf research scientist from Canada. Below is an example of shallow space (picture on the left in green) created by a body that has turned around its original spine angle established at address. Your email address will not be published. Also, many Tour players are beginning to shorten their backswings, stabilize their body positions and minimize rotation during the swing, all characteristics of the single-axis swing. When you refer to the hand path is it simply the path of hands from top to impact? He cant push off the right side and feels his core every time he pushes for speed; can he last? Imagine that the entire. If you did it right, you will see the right wrist flex and the left wrist flatten. However, the body position on the left (in green) doesnt have to work so hard to get the club back on path. This is because a shorter backswing can help to reduce the strain on the golfer's shoulders and back, which can be vulnerable areas for injury in golf. Practice maintaining a consistent width between your feet and keep them parallel throughout your swing. More photos from the event here. But down forget the forward weight shift or its chunk city like a prior poster said. So we come back to my original reason for writing this series: Knowing what to correct and when, and the answer is always impact. At setup, your shoulders are tilted away from the target because your back hand is lower on the grip than your front hand. Learn how your comment data is processed. This video will. Impact refers to the moment the clubhead strikes the ball and the position of all other body parts at that moment. The back can easily some back into an efficient impact position as well: With the body in this efficient coil position the arms have space to swing down, shallowing the club naturally with the change of direction to the downswing (picture below). InsideGOLF Exclusive: Martin Chuck shares tips to turn a training aid concept into sales and success, Want to make solid contact more frequently? Driver: Cobra Amp Cell Pro (8.5 degrees) Shaft: Aldila RIP Phenom 3-wood: Titleist 906F4 (13.5 degrees) Shaft: Aldila NV 7-wood: Michael Hopper whats in the bag accurate as of the WM Phoenix Open. Butchand thank you for your respectful comment. is the sheer momentum of the upper body + golf club - as they go through impact. This is led by upper body rotation, then transferring into lower body torque from your legs and hips as they turn. Youll see a common thread that runs through most of them. -- Top Teacher in Mid Atlantic Region, Golf Digest Ive tried and tried and tried (till my thumb bled) but cannot flatten the club in transition. Your email address will not be published. And when they do, some well-meaning friend will often tell them to stay down through the shot. Its good advice, but it almost always falls on deaf ears. Id like to have a one stop shopping reference thread for pictures of many noted professional golfers at impact positiona point in the golf swing where I think many schools of thought can find some common ground. Almost EVERYONE finds a way to avoid hitting the ground, and if the club transitions very steeply bailing out is a good way to do it. So the club getting stuck to steeply would have ben a cardinal sin-particularly in that part of the world. The golf club gets too steep in transition and the golfer reacts to that club being out of position. Do you know what a solid impact position looks like? But allowing the club to set more might give me more time in the swing to sequence better from the top into the downswing - Same issue with my early move off the ball, less centered P5 (downswing) Get the clubhead deeper/more behind you as you start the downswing. Fifth:At the impact position, your right heel should have started to lift off the ground. This article will discuss shallowing the club but not the way you think and in a way that is often overlooked.