TIP OF THE DAY
TRANSFER WEIGHT CORRECTLY
NO YES
Ty Bluett is learning to tansfer his weight into the shot correctly. This creates better consistency and further distance. Notice his trailing foot in photo 1. There is still a lot of weight on that foot. Notice all the weight that has tranferred to his lead foot in photo 2. Ty hit this one right down the middle. The tip is simple...get off that back foot.
WALK THRU THE PARK, DON'T TIP TOE
NO YES
One of the greatest instructors I ever got to work with was Herb Triplett. He was really into 'swing to balance'. He always stressed how you have to walk the shot thru the golf course. The above illustrations demonstrate this. Here we have changed Bill McGroarty's finish with his footwork. His new position will produce more power and is repeatable. Notice the balance in photo 2 compared to photo 1.
COME INTO THE BALL AT THE CORRECT ANGLE TO HIT IT STRAIGHT
NO YES
Wyndom is doing an amazing job learning the dynamics of the golf swing. Here we are working on proper club position at impact. In the first photo notice how the clubhead passes the hands at impact. In the second photo she is working on keeping the hands forward of the clubhead at impact. The shaft should be leaning forward at impact, not backwards.
COME INTO THE BALL AT THE CORRECT ANGLE TO HIT IT STRAIGHT
One thing we are working with Josh is to hit it straight when the shot calls for it. He puts it in a great position here as he attacks into the ball. Notice how the shaft is parallel to the shaft on the ground (which is set up square to his target). This ball went straight as an arrow. If his shaft crossed his set-up line where his club was inside his hands he would have hit a draw or hook. If his shaft crossed his set-up line where his club was outside his hands he would have hit a cut or fade.
SIT TO INITIATE THE DOWN-SWING
Wyndom does a great job here initiating the down-swing. Notice the bend in her legs. She is doing an inch 'sit' position to swing the club back to the ball. Most players will start their down-swing with their upper-body (classic 'over-the-top' move). Let the sit and leg action fling the clubhead thru impact. Practice with little shots and get the 'rump' involved. Remember, Wyndom is 6. This swing rocks!
FULL EXTENSION FOR POWER
This is a position you will see all good golfers get in. Josh is driving his left heel into the ground leaving nothing behind on his right side. He has released the shot properly. The club is fully extended at this point with great club rotation. All you see is the back of the clubface at this point. Notice the extension in his arms. Don't 'jam' the arms up at this point. Relax them so they can get to this position. At this point the club has so much force it will pull him around to a full solid finish.
HIT THE BALL SQUARE (MIDDLE OF THE CLUBFACE)
Too many times I see players hit the ball on the toe of the club causing the ball to go will right of the target (left of the target for left handers). What is happening is the player is coming up out of the shot. To fix this while playing finish with your right shoulder low thru impact. When you are watching your ball travel to the target the right shoulder should still be low to the ground. Picture the photos you see of Paula Creamer in the magazine. She is watching the ball intensely and her right shoulder is low.
If you are missing the center of the clubface at impact, this is the first step to getting on track!