Faults And Fixes

Flaws And Fixes 2004

If you’re serious about your game, you need to realize that just about every bad shot you hit is created by faulty technique.

Even golfers with technically sound swings make mistakes due to poor execution or bad decision-making. But on the whole, golfers with solid mechanics are able to consistently play solid shots because their technique allows them to do so.

In contrast, most high-handicap golfers suffer from a great deal of inconsistency because they have fundamental flaws in their technique that need to be corrected.

If you want to hit better shots more consistently and feel you have a reliable way to approach every swing, then pay close attention to the following flaws and fixes, and be honest with yourself regarding the weaknesses in your game. In the long run, you’ll find making fundamental changes in your technique pays much greater dividends than simply applying a new Band-Aid every time you take a lesson.

Fix: Develop A Proper Weight Shift Fault: Falling Back After Every Swing
Fix: Develop A Proper Weight Shift

This is a very common flaw, and occurs in varying degrees, but beware: even a slight fall back in the followthrough can spell disaster. The main cause of falling backward is a reverse pivot, which has the majority of weight placed on the front leg at the top of the swing. This move causes the club to move toward the target on the downswing while the body moves away from the target. The most common result of a reverse pivot is a variety of mis-hits, including fat, topped and thin impact. In addition, because the weight is moving away from the target through impact, most golfers who fall back after the swing tend to slice quite a bit and lack power.

In a sound golf swing, the upper body, not the legs, moves away from the target in the takeaway, while the right knee (for right-handers) remains flexed. This places more weight on the back foot at the top of the swing, and allows for a proper transition of weight to the front foot in the downswing._Ê
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The best approach for fixing this mistake is to learn to properly pivot the body in the backswing. As the upper body begins to rotate away from the ball with the club, the lower body (specifically, the hips) should actually get a little closer to the target. On the downswing, both the hips and the upper body should move with the club toward the target, creating a downward strike at impact and a full, balanced finish.

Fault: Leaving The Ball In The Bunker
Fix: Learn The Proper Setup

Recreational golfers tend to have problems getting out of bunkers because their setup position is incorrect. Most amateurs play the ball well back in their stance and position the clubface relatively square to the target. From this incorrect position, the clubhead is forced to dig too deeply into the sand, resulting in very little energy transfer to the ball. In a proper bunker shot, the sand that lies directly behind and under the ball is shot out of the trap, carrying the ball with it.

The long-term solution is creating the proper starting position to facilitate a splashing of the sand instead of a dig. Fortunately, accomplishing this task is fairly simple; move the ball forward in your stance and open the clubface. This position will allow you to come into the shot on a shallower angle, which will facilitate blasting both the sand and the ball out of the bunker and onto the green.

Takeaway Outside Fault: Inside Takeaway
Fix: Keep The Club Outside Your Hands

In an inside takeaway, the clubhead travels below or inside the shaft line and under the desired backswing plane. This leads to a flat beginning of the backswing and eventually causes a lift of the arms at the top. The Fix: Keep the club outside your hands until your wrists hinge.

Fault: Outside Takeaway
Fix: Keep Your Chest And Arms Connected

Golfers guilty of an outside takeaway usually detach their left arm from the chest. This makes the backswing too upright at the start and can lead to a laid-off position at the top, resulting in a steep downswing, fat shots, pulls and slices. The Fix: Keep your hands moving down the target line longer and attach your left upper arm to your chest.

Fault: Too Upright At The Top
Fix: Maintain Right-Knee Flex

If you’re too upright at the top of the backswing, your left arm is above the original shaft line established at address. This occurs because the upper body has turned improperly and is more bent over than it was at address. Deep divots with the irons and pop-ups with the drivers can result. The Fix: Keep your right knee flexed.

Fault: Too Flat At The Top
Fix: Steepen Your Shoulder Turn

At the top, the left arm is flatter than the original shaft line. This occurs because the upper body rotates too much, which keeps the arms from going up. The results can be tops, thin shots and pushes. The Fix: Point your left shoulder at the ball at the top of the swing.

Fault: Across The Line
Fix: Allow The Left Arm To Rotate

At the top, the shaft points to the right of the target line. This occurs because of the improper rotation of the left arm or an overly steep shoulder turn. This often causes shanks, pulls and slices. The Fix: Rotate your left arm away from the ball on the way to the top.

Fault: Laid Off
Fix: Keep Your Elbows Level

A laid-off position at the top features a shaft that points to the left of the target line. This occurs because of excessive rotation of the left arm or a flat shoulder turn. The result is a steep, over-the-top attack. The Fix: Create a level elbow position at the top of the backswing.

Strike The Ball With A Descending Blow Fault: Sculling Or Thinning Pitch And Chip Shots
Fix: Strike The Ball With A Descending Blow

Skulled and thin chips and pitches are the result of a fundamental misunderstanding of how the ball gets in the air. Basically, these types of misses occur because many players believe they have to get the clubhead under the ball to get it up. Like most problems in the golf swing, this one starts in the setup, with too little weight on the front foot and an incorrect shaft angle. Generally, this bad setup prevents the clubhead from getting in the air quickly enough in the backswing, forcing the ball to be struck with an ascending blow, making contact with the leading edge of the clubhead instead of the clubface inevitable.

The long-term solution to this problem is learning the proper way to get the ball airborne, which is to strike it with a slightly descending blow. Creating the proper setup position with the hands ahead of the clubhead, the majority of the weight on the front foot, and the knees flexed toward the target is critical, because it allows you to get the clubhead in the air quickly and encourages the hands to lead the shaft into impact. Striking the ball in this manner also is the proper way to create spin on full wedge shots, which is another concern many recreational golfers have.

Fault: Bouncing Putts Instead Of Rolling Them
Fix: Improve Your Setup Position

Putts bounce when the putter strikes the ball with negative loft. There are several reasons this happens, the most common of which is positioning the ball too far back in the stance. This creates an excessively forward lean to the shaft, which de-lofts the clubface, negating the normal four degrees of loft built into most putters. As a result, the putter approaches impact on a downward strike and the negative loft drives the ball down into the turf. The ball pops up and bounces before it begins to roll properly, destroying both distance control and accuracy._Ê

The long-term solution to the problem is creating a stroke that gets the ball rolling end over end as quickly as possible, which begins by positioning the ball forward in the stance, with the shaft perpendicular to the ground and the hands almost directly over the ball. From this position, the putter will contact the ball from a level or slightly ascending path, which gets the ball rolling immediately. This is what Tiger and other pros refer to as releasing the putter. Try using a pitching wedge to putt and concentrate on meeting the middle of the ball with the leading edge of the clubhead.

Create Some Wrist Cup Fault: Hooding The Face
Fix: Create Some Wrist Cup

When you’re hooded, the leading edge of the clubface is parallel to the ground. It leads to hooks, pushes and low shots. The Fix: Don’t be afraid to let your left wrist cup a bit.

Fault: Fanning The Face
Fix:_Ê Keep The Left Wrist Flat
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A fanned clubface at the top is caused by a weak grip or an excessively cupped left wrist. The Fix: Point your right palm at the ball on the takeaway. This helps create a flat left wrist at the top.

Fault:_Ê Under Plane
Fix:_Ê Think Left

On the downswing, the clubhead is below or under the original shaft line as it approaches impact, and can create the gamut of poor shots: The Fix: Try to start the ball left of target.

Fault: Over Plane
Fix: Right Elbow Below Left

The clubhead is above or outside the original shaft line as it approaches impact—a huge no-no. The Fix: Keep the shaft between your forearms.

Fault:_Ê Trapped
Fix:_Ê Maintain Posture

A common flaw where the right elbow becomes stuck behind the hips on the downswing. The Fix: Maintain your spine angle throughout the swing.

Fault: Hitting Iron Shots Well, But Woods Poorly, Or Vice Versa
Fix : Develop A Neutral Swing Plane And Path

When the player’s swing path into impact is too shallow or steep, only one part of his or her game becomes manageable. The inability to attack the ball from a neutral or on-plane position makes it almost impossible to be consistent with both the irons and the woods, and a variety of specific problems like fat (too steep) and thin (too shallow) iron shots and pulled and pushed tee shots are the result._Ê

If you’re unable to hit the driver but have moderate success with the irons, it’s fairly safe to say your downswing is too steep. As long as the ball is on the ground, this steeper attack can produce some decent shots, particularly with the mid- and short irons, because it encourages striking the ball before the turf. In some cases, this produces abnormally long short-iron shots, but very poor long-iron and fairway-wood shots. When the driver is hit with an excessively steep attack, the ball usually is popped up, pulled, sliced or hit extremely low.

If you have better success with the driver than the irons, then your swing path is probably too shallow (too flat). Playing from an overly shallow angle of attack makes it much easier to hit a ball off a tee than off the ground because the clubhead approaches impact on a sweeping path. If the ball rests on the turf, it becomes quite difficult to make solid contact with this path because the club’s leading edge tends to strike the ball before the clubface, creating thin, drop-kicked, and pushed and hooked shots. A wedge shot from a tight lie is a nightmare with this type of swing.

The long-term method of fixing overly steep and flat swing paths is learning to swing on a more neutral path. Using the original shaft line at address as a reference point, the clubhead should approach the ball from an almost identical line. If the clubhead is under or inside that line, then it’s excessively shallow, and if it’s over or outside that line, then it’s excessively steep. Grooving the proper angle will create consistency with all the clubs in the bag and dramatically improve your ballstriking and distance. For a reference, use your forearms as guides. In a solid downswing approach, the clubshaft should lie between them, with the grip end of the shaft pointing at the golf ball.

Improved Setup Fault: Pop-Up Drives
Fix: Improved Setup

As previously discussed, pop-ups with woods off the tee are caused by an excessively steep angle of attack. In many cases, a ball position that’s too far back in the stance and an upper body that isn’t tilted away from the target at setup (or at impact) encourage this steep angle. The result is a chopping motion on the downswing that’s totally incompatible with hitting a ball from a tee._Ê_Ê

The long-term solution to this problem is creating an impact position where the upper body is tilted slightly away from the target. This begins by setting the ball more forward in the stance at setup, with the left shoulder in line with the left hip, which effectively tilts the upper body away from the target and creates a slightly flatter turn of the shoulders on the backswing. As the downswing begins, a slight bump of the hips further tilts the upper body away from the target, enabling the club to approach the ball from a shallower angle, and eliminating the pop-up for good.

PGA professional and Senior Instruction Editor Brady Riggs instructs at Woodley Lakes Golf Course in Van Nuys, Calif. Special thanks to Tierra Rejada Golf Club in Moorpark, Calif.

Golf Footwork Is Key To A Better Swing

Just how important are the feet, legs and hips, but most importantly, golf footwork? Well, some argue that they are the heart and soul of the golf swing.

In fact, it was Byron Nelson who brought us the idea of flexing the shaft with the lower body. Jack Nicklaus also has repeatedly said that the swing begins from the ground up. Then why, despite advice from two of the best golfers who ever played, does the average golfer try to muscle the ball with his or her upper body?

Call it human nature or call it ego, we typically try to throw balls faster, lift things higher and push things farther by using our upper body. We haven’t trained our minds to use the lower body, which is where real strength comes from. Your legs are much stronger and more powerful than your arms and, if used properly, can produce the distance you never knew you had, accuracy like you’ve never seen and a much more consistent ballflight.

The importance of proper footwork and use of the legs is critical to a repeatable, powerful and consistent golf swing. Your lower body serves as the engine of the golf swing by pushing against the ground and creating the necessary torque, tension and momentum to make the club go faster. And more speed always equals more distance.

How The Lower Body Works

Whether it’s Ernie Els, whose feet appear to move very little during his entire swing, or Jack Nicklaus, who nearly lifts his entire left foot off the ground during his backswing, there’s a key similarity to both players: Both use the lower body as a tremendous source of power and consistency.

The Backswing

Takeaway

As you take the club back, your torso begins to turn. Because your feet are planted on the ground, your legs can resist this rotation, thus creating what’s called torque between your lower and upper body. Ernie is much more flexible than Jack and doesn’t need to lift his left foot as high as Jack does, but nevertheless, both players are applying a huge amount of torque to their backswing. Lifting the left heel is a natural movement and should never be forced. It’ll happen all by itself, depending on your level of flexibility.

Mid-Backswing

As your body continues to turn, 75 percent of your body weight is transferred to the back foot, thus charging the right leg with the desired muscle tension. Remember, torque is a good thing and results in a stronger release through the golf ball.

At The Top

At the top of a proper backswing, the shoulders have turned somewhere around 90 degrees while the hips have turned only 45 degrees. The greater the difference in these two angles, the more torque the body develops between the upper and lower half of the body. This, in turn, means more power transferred to the ball. Your lower body is loaded with energy, torque and tension–just waiting to release. This is where real power comes from, and it starts from the ground up.

The Downswing

1. During the transition from backswing to downswing, weight is transferred from the back foot to the front foot, and the hips move slightly toward the target.

2. About midway through the downswing, there’s a slight downward movement of the knees. This places weight and pressure into the ground. At this point, the golfer is using the ground as a lever on which to push up. The greater the push into the ground, the greater the clubhead speed. To help grasp this concept, think of a sprinter about to take off at a race. When the gun fires, the sprinter pushes off the sprinter’s block, thus propelling him forward. This same principle is applied to the golf swing by using the ground as your block and pushing against it for added power through the downswing. It’s also what Byron Nelson meant by flexing the shaft with the lower body and using the ground as a lever.

3. The hips shouldn’t begin turning until the club is waist high in the downswing. Once they do turn, weight transfers over to the front foot. The hips open up at impact, and as this occurs, weight moves over the outside of the left heel. At this position, your lower body has begun releasing energy toward the target and the upper body is about to release. As you can see, it’s the lower body that enables the upper body to do the work!

4. At impact, the hands, arms and upper torso catch up to the lower body, releasing all the stored torque and power that was wound up during the backswing. Due to the leverage created by your lower body and the ground, your upper body is now moving so fast that it outpaces the lower body and out-rotates the hips by 45 degrees at the finish position. Presto! The golf swing is complete!

Weight Management

As I mentioned, 75 percent of the body weight is transferred to the back foot during the backswing. Through the downswing and finish, the weight transfers from the back foot to the front foot. Too often, amateurs force this shift in weight by sliding and swaying from side to side during the backswing and downswing. This is not necessary! With correct footwork, you should automatically make the correct amount of weight shift.

Well-Heeled

Many golfers try to shift their weight to the right heel on the backswing and to the outside of the left foot on the downswing. This is wrong! Yes, weight should move to the right heel on the backswing, but during the transition, it should move to the left toe. Only through impact should weight shift to the left heel. This pattern–as well as several faulty renditions–were identified using a force platform by Dr. Michael Thompson of Delta State University.

To get a feel for using your legs and correctly shifting your weight during your swing, try the following drills.

Brace Drill

Practice with your right leg butting against an object to get a solid feel for bracing your right side. In this case, we’re using a bench. As you simulate your backswing, you should feel your knee pressing firmly against the bench, creating torque and building energy. If your right knee isn’t touching the bench during the backswing, it means you’re not shifting your weight correctly to the right side. Keep making practice swings until you feel consistent pressure between your knee and the bench.

Basket Drill

To prevent sliding from side to side, practice making a few swings with your left foot on a range ball basket, which will cause an exaggerated tilt of your entire body to the right. Carefully take the club back as you normally would and feel the sensation of your weight on the right side. Perform a series of swing repetitions with the basket and then remove the basket and make a normal swing. You should feel a weight shift to the right without the need to slide your body to the side.

Heel Drill

As you take your club back during the backswing, you want to avoid locking your right leg. Locking robs power and consistency from any part of your swing. It also restricts a fluid weight shift to the left side during the downswing. To alleviate a locking right leg, practice several swing repetitions with a golf ball under your right heel. This will help you retain the correct right leg flex throughout the entire swing.

High-Step Drill

Often when golfers try to muscle the ball, they make huge upper body rotations, causing their upper body to lean toward the target during the backswing and, therefore, put too much weight on the left side of the body (right side for lefties). Folks, this is the key ingredient to the dreaded reverse pivot, which, when executed, results in violent slices, hooks and pulls. The trick is to not overswing with the upper body, but, instead, use the lower body for added power! To alleviate overturning, try a few practice swings with your left foot completely off the ground during your backswing. This will restrict your upper body from moving to the left and help you get a feel for the correct turn and weight shift to the right side.

Practice each of these drills and you’ll be on your way to using your legs to help generate more power and consistency. In no time, you’ll find it easier to make long, smooth swings with added strength from the lower half of your body.

Sole Supports

Your golf shoes are the only connection to the turf against which your swing is built, so it’s important that they’re able to support and augment the dynamics of the swing. Some materials and designs handle this requirement better than others.

Among the premier materials used for high-quality outsoles is thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU. This material is a very durable, flexible, weather-resistant elastomer that tends to last longer than standard rubber outsoles. According to Doug Robinson, product development manager at FootJoy, One of the many advantages TPU has over rubber is the ability to mold it in varying degrees of density. We can create assorted densities of TPU to serve different functions for the parts of the shoe that require flexing as well as areas that require more firmness.

The ideal golf shoe is not only stable, but comfortable as well. EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) is commonly used for the utmost in shoe comfort. It’s the foamy, cushiony layer found in most shoes. The EVA layer makes the shoe lighter while the TPU keeps the shoe stable, says Robinson. It’s the definitive choice for lightweight cushioning.

In the area between the heel and toe portions of the shoe (where the foot arches), manufacturers have experimented with lightweight shanks for minimal twisting and stronger stability. With the P.R.O. outsole design of our DryJoys, we’ve placed an aluminized fiberglass shank closer to the foot by cutting out the middle portion of the outsole, adds Robinson. This design helps the foot to resist twisting during the swing. It’s a breakthrough that provides outstanding stability without sacrificing cushioning, flexibility or traction.

2000 PGA Teacher of the Year Dr. Jim Suttie instructs at The Club at Twin Eagles in Naples, Fla., and Green Garden CC in Frankfort, Ill.

Swing Extremes: Knee Action

In order to deliver the golf club powerfully into the back of the golf ball, you must maintain a firm base with your lower body and create a powerful backswing coil. This coil results by turning the upper body against the resistance of the lower body. Good players facilitate the creation of coil by maintaining the gap between the knees on the backswing (right). They unleash the energy stored in the coil by closing the gap on the downswing.

A typical high-handicap player tends to do the opposite. He or she rotates the upper and lower body together, so that the left knee swings toward the right (for a right-handed golfer). In some instances, the left foot may even come off the ground. This creates a reverse weight shift and provides no stability for the lower body. From this position, the golfer is unable to execute a proper weight shift and will end up finishing the swing with most of his or her weight on the back foot, so the knees never touch on the followthrough. These errors result in the clubhead approaching the ball on an outside path.

Are you guilty of these errors? Make a practice swing in front of a mirror. If the gap between your knees closes on the backspin but widens on the downswing, you’re doing the exact opposite of what needs to occur.

Knee Action Drill
If you lack power or can never achieve balance when you finish your swing, try this drill.

Place a soccer or beach ball between your knees and simply squeeze it and keep it there as you coil your upper body on the backswing. This will help to remind you of the sensation of keeping the distance between your knees constant all the way up to the top of your swing, and encourage strong leg action and a powerful backswing coil. Once you complete the backswing, initiate the downswing with your lower body by moving your forward knee toward the target. Your legs should take on a squat or sit-down look, and the ball should fall from your knees.

As your arms drop, simply push off of your right foot and swing to the finish. If you perform the drill correctly, you can’t help but finish in balance. Use this drill to help remind you to create a gap between the knees on the backswing and to close the gap on the downswing. That’s what the pros do.

Class-A LPGA professional Karen Palacios-Jansen is the director of instruction for Swing Blade Golf (swingbladegolf.com).

A Lesson On Learning

Why is it that some golfers improve dramatically and rapidly while others, no matter what they do, fail to advance beyond the level of novice? As a golf instructor who has given more than 10,000 golf lessons over the past eight years, I’m here to tell you why: Achieving successful results from a golf lesson begins and ends with you, not the instructor._Ê An effective golf instructor can only do so much and is only as good as the student allows him or her to be. Hence, the first step to becoming a better golfer begins with becoming a better student.

Play First
The next time you schedule a lesson, try to play nine or 18 holes before your session with the pro. This will not only help you feel more relaxed and comfortable, but will also help you gauge what part of your game needs improvement. One of the most common mistakes golfers make is not doing enough between lessons to make their next session productive. Remember, golf lessons are supposed to help you_Ê improve your game, and without enough time on the course, all the lessons in the world won’t help a bit.

The Bad
Tell me if this sounds familiar: You roll into the golf course parking lot one minute before the lesson, or even late, with no time available for stretching or warm-ups. Upon arriving at the practice tee, you immediately pull the driver from your bag and begin taking monstrous full swings. You’re stressed out from work, and the traffic didn’t help. During the lesson, you inform the instructor that you can’t change your grip or swing because it’s uncomfortable. You perform prescribed drills in front of the teacher, but never on your own. You demand instant improvement and, frankly, you talk often and listen little.

The Good
Unfortunately, many students resemble the one described above. These circumstances cause too many distractions and make quality time with a golf instructor less effective than it could be. The solution? Well, let’s start by looking at students who do the right thing when receiving lessons.

Most successful students arrive early. They begin their warm-ups before the scheduled lesson time. They stretch, hit some wedge shots and work their way through the bag. They leave stress in the parking lot and know that for the next 30 to 60 minutes, they aren’t going to challenge any preconceived notions or feelings about their golf swing. Instead, they’ll be open and receptive to trying new things.

They bring a notebook to record important points made during the lesson. They inform the instructor of their golf history and with what parts of the swing they tend to struggle. They maintain a positive attitude throughout the lesson.

Good students are willing to experiment and work to change flaws. They never say can’t and, more importantly, they know that improvements are the result of not only careful instruction, but also diligent practice. They work on drills that will continue to shape a correct swing long after the lesson. They listen much more than they talk.

Successful students know that to get better, they may need to make some uncomfortable changes, but they continue to practice, knowing that these changes will help them improve in the long run. Rather than getting frustrated, they simply understand that it’s change that’s most important.

The Answer
Perseverance. Determination. Diligence. Students with these qualities, along with an open mind, are the students who develop into the best golfers.

I also notice that the best students have no problem working on fundamentals. For example, a very low-handicap student of mine worked simply on developing a more upright backswing position for the better part of a year. And PGA Tour pro Mike Standly, who’s quite a player, has worked for years on making certain his clubface isn’t closed or hooded in his takeaway.

Do yourself a favor and strive to be the best student you can possibly be. Arrive on time, be prepared, relaxed and willing to make changes. This will give your teacher the best opportunity to pass along his or her knowledge and wisdom to you.

What To Expect From A Good Golf Teacher
Like any other profession, it’s not easy to find a good golf instructor, but you’ll find most of the good ones share a lot of similar qualities. And when you find a great teacher, you’ll reap the benefits.

First of all, expect them to have a passion for teaching the game. It’s quite easy to tell a teacher who simply goes through the motions from one who’s truly interested in seeing you improve. Find a teacher who’s fired up to help the student, and odds are this teacher will get good results.

You should also look for a teacher who has been trained to teach. Those of us who have enjoyed success in the golf instruction field haven’t achieved success accidentally. We’ve had the fortune to learn from the best teachers in the industry. For example, I learned more about teaching from legendary instructor Jimmy Ballard than I ever learned on my own. Your local pro may be a nice person and fine manager of the pro shop, but if he or she hasn’t had the fortune to learn and train under a knowledgeable instructor, you’ll most likely be wasting your money.

Finally, make certain the teacher on whom you’re going to spend your hard-earned money is an excellent communicator. If the teacher can get you to understand what you’re attempting to do, you’ve found a teacher who can help you improve. I pride myself on relating to golfers of all abilities. As a teacher, I always keep in mind that it’s you, the student, who needs to understand what we’re trying to accomplish. Any good instructor understands this to the fullest.

PGA professional Barry Goldstein instructs at Polar Shot Golf Center in Johnson City, N.Y., and Inverrary Golf Club in Lauderfill, Fla. Special thanks to instruction model Bobby Hinds.

Left Arm Position In The Golf Swing

The golf swing in its most simple form is a circle. The radius of this circle, back and through to the finish, is defined by your left arm position (for a right-handed golfer). Obviously, it needs to be wide—the wider the circle, the better.

When a wide arc is established during the backswing, a golfer becomes more able to drop the arms in the correct position on the downswing, which allows the left arm to release through impact and fold correctly in the followthrough. The left-arm fold on the followthrough is key, as it keeps the club on the correct plane and the ball on the target line.

A good ball striker creates a wide, powerful arc on the backswing by allowing the wrists to hinge naturally, which places the club on the proper plane. More importantly, they use their flexibility and upper body turn to move the club to the top without the left arm having to fold. High-handicappers tend to do the opposite. First, because of what’s likely a faulty grip, they fail to properly hinge the wrists, impeding their ability to get the club on the correct plane. Furthermore, since these golfers don’t turn as much as they should, they move the club to the top by folding the left elbow. In this position, the high-handicapper loses the swing radius established at setup and, typically, ends up coming over the top, a move that exacerbates the problem by limiting correct rotation and release of the left arm post-impact.

You don’t need to swing exactly like a Tour player to strike the ball well, but don’t do the exact opposite. Keep the left arm extended on the backswing and let it fold on the follow-through. If you’ve been struggling with a left-to-right ballflight or fat and thin shots, focus on your left arm.

The Fix

Correct use of the left arm begins with the grip. Check to see that the handle lies diagonally across the fingers of your left hand, as opposed to the palm. When the grip lies correctly in your left hand, hinging the club on the backswing becomes natural. If your wrists can hinge on their own, you’ll be tricked into hinging your elbows.

Correct use of the left arm is also dictated by your shoulder turn. Good ballstrikers synchronize their arm swing with their shoulder turn. This synchronization facilitates both a solid turn and a straight left arm. High-handicappers usually stop turning their shoulders too early, but continue to let their arms swing back. The result is a shortened swing arc and a collapsed left arm.

The Drill

Here’s a drill that will help you keep the left arm extended on the backswing and fold it correctly on the followthrough. First, make sure that you’re holding the club correctly in the left hand. Second, take your right hand and place it on your left wrist. Your right thumb should point to the ground and your palm should face the target.

Swing back and keep your left arm extended by pulling it across your chest with your right hand. Keep your hands away from your head. Focus on maintaining the radius you created at address all the way to the top of the swing.

Now, swing down. As you begin to release through impact, physically rotate your left forearm with your right hand. This is how you square the club at impact. Once you begin to rotate the left forearm, you’ll feel how the left arm correctly folds on the follow-through. Do this several times until it feels natural. When you take this new feeling to the course, you should experience a more efficient swing and longer, straighter shots.

More from Karen Palacios-Jensen

Become A Swing Machine

Want a 300-yard drive? No problem for Iron Byron. It can hit it right down the middle all day long. How about a 60-yard wedge shot? Just set it up to the ball, and that’s exactly what you’ll get, time after time. It has the only __perfect swing on the planet. That’s why almost every major golf equipment manufacturer has used it to test the performance of their __products and why everyone should be learning how to copy this machine.

It all began way back in 1963. A man named Gurdon Leslie, who was a Vice President of True Temper at the time, thought that having some kind of mechanical golfer to hit balls would be a good way to test the new shafts they were developing. Other golf ball-hitting machines had been developed in the past, but none of these had ever replicated a human swing or used an actual club. So, he asked the folks at the Battelle Memorial Institute, a research and development facility in Ohio, to build him the perfect swing machine.

Heading up the project was a 28-year-old mechanical engineer named George Manning. I’ve actually had the privilege of speaking with George, and the story he tells of how Iron Byron was born is fascinating. His first step was to figure out what exactly was the perfect swing. To do this, he and his team captured the swings of many top pros on film using high-speed cameras. They also measured the various stresses that each pro put on their shafts in order to determine who was making the most efficient use of their swing energy. After months of analysis, it became clear that the machine should be designed to copy the swing of golfing legend Byron Nelson–hence the name Iron Byron. Even though Byron was in his 50s by this time and had been retired from competition since 1947, he still hit shots with machine-like consistency. George could stand in the middle of the test range, 220 yards from the tee, while Byron hit his 2-iron, and catch every single ball on the first bounce. That’s what I call machine-like consistency!

After two years of hard work, and at a cost of $250,000 (a lot of money in those days), the first mechanical golfer was ready for action. True Temper actually called it their Golf Club Testing Device. In 1966, George moved to True Temper and teamed up with Bob Bush, another young engineer, to fine-tune and market the machine. In the years that followed, Bush continued to evolve the design, but the hitting mechanism remained surprisingly __similar to the first prototype. The picture above is a more recent version, with a sturdier base and improved pneumatics. True Temper’s vision of using this machine to improve golf equipment design and performance has become a reality with the installation of almost 40 Iron Byron worldwide. Though its primary purpose is to test golf equipment, I’ll explain how the machine can also be used to give you the perfect swing–a combination of consistency, accuracy, power and control.

Three Key Elements to A Perfect Swing
You’d think that designing a machine to replicate the swing of a human would turn out to be a pretty complex thing, but Manning and his team were able to build something conceptually quite simple. It has three key elements:

1. Circular Body Rotation
The source of power is a drive cylinder that rotates in a __circular motion to mimic the coiling and uncoiling of the human torso.

2. Unrestricted Hinge
It has a hinge at the end of a rigid arm that moves freely to mimic the cocking and uncocking of the human wrists.

3. Constant Forward Tilt
The drive cylinder remains at a fixed angle to the ground to mimic the spine angle that should be maintained by golfers throughout the swing.

Circular Body Rotation
The Iron Byron has a drive cylinder that rotates to the right in order to get the club to the top of the backswing and rotates to the left during the downswing. Your torso is the human equivalent of this drive cylinder. You rotate your shoulders to the right in order to start your torso coiling into the backswing, and you rotate your hips to the left to uncoil your torso during the downswing.

The drive cylinder of the machine is powered by a pneumatic motor. Attached to this drive cylinder is a rigid metal arm. It has no power of its own; it can’t move unless the drive __cylinder is moved by the pneumatic motor. What’s the implication for your swing? Your arms must also remain powerless during the swing; they shouldn’t move unless you start to coil or uncoil your torso.

Your torso is motorized by your legs and hips. As you coil back, your weight loads into your right leg and instep, which builds incredible torque to power the uncoiling. If you coil properly, your arms will automatically move to the top of the backswing; you won’t need to help them along by using your arm muscles. When you release the torque by starting to uncoil, your weight will naturally begin to shift to your left leg and foot. This will cause your arms to move automatically on the downswing and follow-through without any help from your arm muscles.

If you wanted Iron Byron to hit the ball a __little farther, you’d simply increase the air pressure in its pneumatic motor to make the drive cylinder rotate faster. Similarly, if you wanted to hit the ball farther yourself, you’d use your motor–your legs and hips–to make your torso uncoil faster during the downswing. It’s a simple matter of cause and effect. The faster you uncoil your torso–by either straightening your left leg, or springing off your right instep, or turning your hips to the left–the faster your powerless arms will swing, so the farther the ball will go after it’s hit.

Remember, your arms must remain powerless during the swing. They should only move in response to the coiling and uncoiling of your torso. Don’t worry, I’ll explain how to create proper body rotation in great detail as we move through the book. And, I’m going to break it down so you’ll find it easy to learn.

An Unrestricted Hinge
You’ll notice that at the end of Iron Byron’s fixed metal arm there is a sleeve into which the club’s grip is inserted. This sleeve is attached to the arm by an unrestricted hinge. Consequently, the club can hinge fully at the top of the backswing, unhinge fully at impact and re-hinge fully at the end of the __follow-through. Imagine if this hinge were rusty; its movement would become restricted, so the clubface would not be able to return squarely to the ball in time for impact. It would also slow down the incredible whipping action through the hitting zone that generates most of the power in the golf swing. As a result, the ball wouldn’t go as far.

Tension has the same effect on your wrists as rust does on the Iron Byron’s hinge. The harder you try to hit the ball with your arms, the more tension you create in your wrists, which slows down the unhinging process. This makes the clubhead swing slower and keeps the clubface open at impact. Now you know why most of your shots end up short and to the right whenever you try to hit the ball as hard as you possibly can!

You have to keep all the tension out of your arms and wrists in order to generate maximum clubhead speed and to keep the clubface square through impact. To do that, you have to keep your arms powerless, and you have to have the proper grip. These are important fundamentals, and are key to producing consistent and acceptable golf shots._Ê

Constant Forward Tilt
The third and final element to the perfect golf swing is keeping the forward tilt of your spine at a constant angle. As you can see in the illustration, Iron Byron’s drive cylinder is mounted on an angle that allows the club to reach the ball. Once the machine is set on this angle, it never raises its drive cylinder up or down_Ê during the swing. This is why it hits the ball in the same spot on the clubface (the sweet spot) shot after shot.

Remember, your torso is equivalent to the drive cylinder of the machine. When you bend from the waist to assume the setup position, you set your drive cylinder on an angle. Just like the machine, you have to maintain this angle throughout your backswing, downswing and followthrough. This will maximize your chances of being able to hit the ball on the sweet spot at impact. During the backswing, you must avoid standing taller. During the downswing, you must avoid bending forward. And, on the followthrough, you must resist the temptation to look up early to see where the ball is going before you’ve even hit it. Changing your spine angle in any of these ways can cause a myriad of bad shots, like heeling, toeing, topping and hitting thin. Within the book, I’ve devoted an entire chapter to self-diagnosing these flaws.

Everyone Should Learn To Copy This Machine
To prove it really is possible to copy the machine, let’s take a look at my swing versus that of Iron Byron. George Manning didn’t try to replicate the backswing of a human when he built the machine. There really wasn’t much point, since nobody hits the ball on the way back. So, for this comparison, we only have to concern ourselves with what happens from the top of the backswing to the end of the __followthrough.

To start the downswing, Iron Byron rotates its drive cylinder to the left. This makes the metal arm that’s attached to it swing down toward the ball. Remember, the metal arm can’t move unless the drive cylinder moves. That means I can’t start the downswing with my arms. Instead, I must uncoil my torso by turning my hips to the left. In the photograph of me starting down, notice how far my belt buckle has already turned versus where it was at the top of the backswing. This rapid_Ê uncoiling of my torso pulls my arms down automatically. I don’t try to muscle the ball with my arms. Instead they remain absolutely powerless. This allows my wrists to be as free-moving as the hinge on Iron Byron, which maximizes clubhead speed and allows the clubface to square at impact.

Just like the machine, my wrists begin to hinge again past impact and continue to do so throughout the followthrough. Because I have to turn my upper body 90 degrees to the target line in order to watch the ballflight, it looks like I __finish in a different position. But, if you turn the camera so that it’s facing me again, you’ll notice that my club has fully re-hinged to 90 degrees, just like Iron Byron’s. So you see, it really is possible to copy the machine.

In his new book, Swing Machine Golf–The Fastest Way to A Consistent Swing, veteran teaching professional Paul Wilson (with writer and publisher Ken Steven) breaks down every aspect of the swing, and shows the reader how he or she can learn to become a human swing machine. The hardcover edition includes more than 400 color photographs and comes with free online instruction and tips. For more information or to purchase the book, visit www.swingmachinegolf.com. Photos by Liam Sharp.

Dispelling The Myths

There are a number of reasons why the majority of recreational golfers never seem to get better. Lack of serious practice and playing time are major contributors, as are a lack of proper physical conditioning and improperly fitted clubs. But perhaps the most significant cause of most golfers’ inability to improve is poor instruction. I’m not necessarily referring to what your local PGA professional told you at a recent lesson, but more to what you’ve probably read or heard over the years, maybe from your father or a good friend. Anyone who has played golf at all is familiar with the old adages, Keep your head still and Finish high, and most of us have tried at one time or another to swing with these things in mind. These error-fueled tips have stood the test of time because, on the surface, they appear sound. Their intended application, however, is all too often misunderstood, leading to poor swing thoughts and techniques that destroy any chance of solid shotmaking. Moreover, many, if not most of the old sayings regarding golf instruction are just wrong.

The good news is that times are changing for the better. With the use of modern video techniques, as well as more intense technical analysis, many modern golf professionals have found the truth behind the various myths and have tailored their instruction accordingly. By incorporating the good swing techniques and ridding your game of the bad ones, I guarantee you’ll be able to develop a more consistent and powerful swing. We’ll discuss six myths here–avoid these and you’ll be on your way to lasting, positive improvement.

Myth 1 “Stay Behind The Ball”
We’ve all tried this one–most likely have done it wrong more than our share of times. The origin of the stay behind the ball myth can undoubtedly be traced to some ancient golf instructor’s desire to prevent his student from sliding past the ball before impact. And it’s true, moving laterally in the downswing to the point where your legs are past the ball is bad technique and a great way to hit short, weak shots.

Staying behind the ball for most golfers means not rotating enough through impact, and instead, leaning back on the rear foot. This leaned-back position not only puts significant strain on your back, but also causes a ton of problems in the swing, most notably a breakdown of the arm structure and wrists at impact and a high incidence of the dreaded chicken wing.

Instead of trying to stay behind the ball, allow your head to lead your upper body toward the target on the downswing and through impact. I know it sounds contradictory to what you’ve probably been taught, but this is the technique most good players use. Not only will moving your upper body forward create a more stacked position (your upper body straight above your lower body), but it will also encourage a flat left wrist at impact–a must for solid contact.

Myth 2 Keep Your Head Still
This is one of the most misunderstood myths in golf instruction. Yes, most fundamentally sound golfers maintain a certain degree of stability in their neck and head during the swing, but locking them in place, which many recreational golfers attempt to do, is a big mistake.

In fact, the head should move laterally in the backswing (away from the target) and then toward the target in the downswing. If you lock your head in place during the backswing, a number of bad things can and will happen, including the dreaded reverse pivot. In addition, a severely reduced shoulder turn also is likely to occur, limiting clubhead speed and potential power. A lack of shoulder turn will also tend to cause your hands and arms to become too active, forcing the club straight up and off-plane, instead of around your body. Another bad result of locking your head in place is a dropping of your head, which leads to a change in spine angle and an off-plane swing.

By allowing your head to move properly during the downswing, a number of good things can happen. Most importantly, it will encourage a free and complete shoulder turn, creating a dynamic, athletic motion. Also, the shoulders will be able to turn on the proper plane because the spine angle achieved at address will have been maintained. Finally, properly moving your head will reduce the need for excessive hand and arm movement during the swing, increasing accuracy and consistency._Ê_Ê

Myth 3 Shift Your Weight On The Backswing
Shift your weight on the backswing is another golf instruction myth that’s often taught–and just as often misunderstood. You do want your weight to move to your right side during the backswing (for a right-handed golfer), but you don’t want your weight to move outside the right hip. Unfortunately, for many amateur golfers, shifting the weight during the backswing entails moving the back hip laterally, away from the target, also known as swaying. This move not only tends to create a reverse pivot, but also hinders the proper turning of the shoulders and hips. In addition, a lateral move of the back hip makes it much more difficult to move the body toward the target in the downswing, leading to poor impact and numerous fat and thin shots. Finally, an improper lateral move in the backswing increases the need for the hands and arms to control the club.

The proper way to shift your body weight in the backswing is to turn your back hip in a clockwise direction, behind your body, instead of moving it laterally. This type of move will encourage your body to stay between your feet, increasing both leverage and power. A sharper, more substantial turn of the shoulders also will be possible, which enables the body to move into the ball properly at impact, resulting in longer, straighter shots.

Myth 4 Coil The Shoulders Around The Hips
Creating power by coiling the shoulders around stable hips is a great technique if you have the flexibility and balance of Fred Couples. But because the vast majority of golfers in the world simply can’t rotate their shoulders substantially without also rotating their hips, this technique is one that hurts more people than it helps. The most common problem related to this technique is the creation of an overly steep, outside-in swing plane that produces mostly slices and pulls. By trying to create more torque and more power, most golfers actually lose distance, not only due to slicing, but also because of an overall shortening of the swing itself.

My recommendation is to use the entire body to turn against the ground, instead of just using the shoulders against the hips. This technique is much easier and produces much better results. The main reason for this is fairly simple: Body torque is needed most in the start of the downswing, not at the top of the swing. By using your entire body to coil instead of just the shoulders, you’ll increase power and, at the same time, promote an inside-out swing.

Myth 5 Tuck The Right Arm Close To The Body
It used to be standard procedure to instruct beginning golfers to keep their right arm close to their body throughout the backswing (for a right-hander). But while this type of swing may look neat and tidy, it limits what you can do with the club. Specifically, tucking your right arm close to your body severely limits the arc of your backswing, which is a great way to reduce power. But a loss of power isn’t the only problem with this technique, as golfers with tucked right arms also tend to suffer from extremely inside takeaways, which can lead to numerous problems, including an over-the-top downswing path. Plus, getting your arms stuck too far behind your body in the downswing makes synchronizing the movements of the arms and body nearly impossible.

Jack Nicklaus is one of the best examples of a pretty good golfer who not only didn’t tuck his right elbow into his body on the backswing, but instead actually let it fly. Not that you need to fly your right elbow, but getting it away from your body is a must if you hope to hit the ball with authority. Freeing up your right elbow will greatly increase the width of your backswing, producing a larger swing arc and substantially more speed and power through impact. Your accuracy also will improve, due to the fact that your arms will be more in front of your body, promoting a more on-plane swing.

Myth 6 “Finish High
The finish with the high hands myth might be the worst piece of traditional golf instruction to date. Of course, when you go back and look at pictures of many of the all-time greats like Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer, you’ll see high hands at the finish. You’ll also see big-time reverse-C back positions that have left both players with a lot of pain. But the reverse-C isn’t the only bad result of a high-hands finish. Other major problems caused by positioning too much weight on your back leg at the finish are inconsistent contact and reduced power._Ê_Ê

Instead of hands high in the finish, I like to see a significantly flatter position that encourages stable posture and a much more comfortable and healthy position for your back. This more rotational type of finish encourages the hips to turn through impact, which increases clubhead speed and brings the club more on-plane. A proper release of the right side of the body through impact is also more likely to occur, which reduces the need for excessive arm and hand manipulation. Plus, your swing will simply look and feel better with a flatter finish._Ê
_Ê
Senior Instruction Editor and PGA pro Brady Riggs teaches at Woodley Lakes G.C. in Van Nuys, Calif. Special thanks to model Michael Young.

Hacks, Lies And Videotape

Using Video to analyze and improve your golf swing is the essence of being a serious student of the game. Attempting to tackle the golf swing without taking advantage of video technology is a tremendous handicap. In fact, there’s no question in my mind that one of the main reasons we’re seeing so many young superstars in golf today is the use of video analysis. The ability to actually see what’s happening, and not having to rely on feel, accelerates the learning process immeasurably. Video not only holds the instructor partially accountable for the student’s progress, but also puts more responsibility on the student to actually practice and attempt to improve his or her technique. To borrow a saying from Homer Kelly (author of The Golfing Machine), it’s the blind struggle versus the guided one.

The only real tools you’ll need to successfully videotape your golf swing are a tripod and a camera. VHS cameras work well, as do digital cameras. Of course, digital cameras give you the added benefit of allowing for computer-aided analysis, but that’s not absolutely necessary. As long as your camera has a high-speed shutter setting, 1__ã2000 sec. or the like, you’ll be fine._Ê

To begin, set the camera at a height slightly above your navel and prepare to shoot yourself from the down-the-line angle. To properly position the camera, take a comfortable setup; then, lay a club on the ground facing the target and along the line your hands will travel during the swing (perpendicular to your feet). Walk approximately six paces behind you and aim the camera so the club is basically in the middle of the frame when you look through the viewfinder. This position will give you a solid view of the golf swing.
_Ê
Things To Look For: In preparation for analysis, you need to create a template on your TV screen using a dry-erase pen. It’s easy, and all you really need are three lines (for a down-the-line view), one vertical line from the top of the buttocks to the ground, one short vertical line just in front of the knees, and one line tracing the shaft of the club, running from the golf ball through the body and beyond (see photo, bottom right).

Once you have this template, you’re ready to begin. The seven positions you’ll want to monitor are setup, takeaway, halfway back, the top, delivery, impact and release. These positions represent critical parts of the golf swing and should be worked on regularly if you’re serious about improving.

Down-Target View	_Ê
Address: In the address position, there are several things to look for. First, a line that’s drawn vertically down from the front of the shoulders should run through the right index finger. This will ensure the hands aren’t too close or too far away from the ball. Next, a line drawn from the top of the head to the middle of the right hip should be perpendicular to the clubshaft. Achieving this position ensures that your spine angle is correct. This angle should be maintained throughout the swing. While the shoulders can be slightly rounded at setup, the small of the back should be flat.	Takeaway: The right half of the buttocks should remain against the line of the template while the right hip moves slightly to the inside. The clubhead should move directly up the diagonal template line, while the butt of the club remains pointed at the navel. The upper-left arm should remain connected to the body, while the left hand remains hidden behind the right. The key is to dominate the takeaway with the body, not the hands and arms. Developing this type of takeaway will help keep your swing smooth and synchronized._Ê

Halfway Back: The buttocks should still be against the line, while the right knee is moving away from its original position. The clubshaft is now more upright than at setup, as illustrated by its relationship to the line drawn to the ball along the original shaft line. This position helps create a shallow plane on the downswing, which almost all good players have. Also, notice that the right elbow is slightly higher than the left. This helps to create the proper downswing path and prevents the left wrist from cupping excessively.	At The Top: The buttocks should still be against the vertical line. The outside of the left arm is parallel to the shaft line at setup and the leading edge of the clubface is parallel to both the left arm and the shaft line. This creates a very neutral, top-of-the-backswing position, which is critical for straight shots. Other good indications of a neutral top position are the club being parallel to the club on the ground (used for alignment), the inside of the right forearm is parallel to the outside of the body, and the right elbow is slightly higher than the left._Ê

Delivery: The buttocks remain against the vertical line, while the knees have pulled back away from the line they started against. This ensures that the body remains away from the ball, giving the arms the proper space to move freely. The clubshaft is now parallel to the shaft line established at setup, which keeps the club attacking the ball at the proper angle and from the proper direction. The clubface should be square, hanging perpendicular to the ground while the upper body remains pitched at the same angle it started.	Impact: The buttocks are still against the line, yet have moved slightly left of where they were at address. The right knee remains behind the line it started against, giving the arms and club plenty of room to extend through impact, a huge source of power and consistency. The clubshaft is slightly more upright than it was at setup, the result of the shift of the body to the target and the slight increase in side bend at impact. A straight line is present between the clubshaft and the right forearm._Ê

Release: The lower body remains in its lane established at setup while the club goes by. This gives more room for the arms to extend and create power. The butt end of the club is still pointed at the navel, illustrating how the arms and the body work in sync during the swing. The leading edge of the clubface is square, perpendicular to the ground, and there’s still space between the hands and the body. This demonstrates the proper extension through the ball and a release of stored energy.	_Ê

Face-On View	_Ê
Address: In the face-on view, the vertical line on the left of the screen runs from the right shoulder to the ground, while the vertical line on the right side of the screen runs through both the left shoulder and the left leg. This illustrates the proper spine tilt, which will allow the shoulders to rotate on the proper plane. Notice that a line drawn straight up from the ball runs through the emblem on the shirt– this indicates the proper ball position for an iron. The shaft should be perpendicular to the ground.	Takeaway: As the body moves the arms and the arms move the club, the head should also begin to move away from the target, as indicated by some lateral motion in the template circle. At the same time, the hips haven’t moved laterally and the right hip is staying inside the template line. There’s no one part of the body taking control of the takeaway; it’s a quiet motion powered by the proper pivot of the body. There should be no noticeable dragging of the club or excessive hinging of the wrists. The legs should act as a foundation. _Ê

Halfway Back: The head has moved laterally in the circle and the right hip should now be inside the template line. This creates the proper movement of weight away from the target with the upper body, while creating the necessary room for the arms to work correctly as a result of the hip turn. The right forearm should still be seen above the left while the right shoulder moves behind the head. This shows the hands and arms have been passive in the takeaway, helping to get the club up on-plane while the shoulders continue to turn.	At The Top: There’s a noticeable space between where the right hip began and where it is at the top of the backswing. The head also has maintained its lateral drift at the top. These changes are critical to making a proper turn with the hips while moving the weight away from the target with the upper body. The clubshaft is still short of parallel to the ground, with the hands well away from the head, a sign of great width in the backswing. There’s still space between the knees, indicating a quiet and stable lower body.

Delivery: The left shoulder has now returned to its original location from setup as the upper body moves toward the target. The head also has begun to shift and is almost all the way back to its original position. The right hip has created even more space than it had at the top from its original line. A strong angle is still present between the left arm and clubshaft, illustrating stored energy. (Be careful not to create too sharp an angle here, as it will affect your accuracy.) Also, the body should be in a solid, stacked position.	Impact: The head is just slightly behind its original position while the left shoulder is now closer to the target. This moves the hands directly under the left shoulder, creating a straight line between the left shoulder, arm and clubshaft at impact. Notice how the right hip is much closer to the target at impact than at setup. Moving the body into the correct position at impact puts the bottom of the swing slightly in front of the ball. This creates consistent contact between the club, ball and ground at impact.

Release: The chest begins to pass the line originally occupied by the left shoulder while the head begins to move toward the target. This shows that the body is relaxed and the momentum of the club passing the body is pulling the body through to the finish. The body remains stacked up, with the right side of the torso from the shoulder to the knee still perpendicular to the ground. This eliminates any tendency to create a reverse C and cause possible injury to the back.	_Ê

PGA Professional and Golf Tips_¨ Senior Instruction Editor Brady Riggs is the Director of Instruction at Woodley Lakes Golf Course in Van Nuys, Calif.

Heat Up Your Game Inside And Out!

Although there are many different swings, there are only two kinds of golfers: those who live in climes that allow year-round golf and those who don’t. For those who must suffer through months of frost-covered greens, watching wedges and irons collect dust, we feel your pain. However, there’s no reason why you can’t use the between-season time to prep your game for when the gates of your home course reopen to the rites of spring. On the following pages, PGA professional Barry Goldstein gives his recipe for keeping your swing warm until the first thaw, with a series of innovative and effective indoor drills. A native New Yorker who has suffered through his fair share of blizzards and storms, Barry knows a thing or two about helping his students make the most of their time away from the game. Paired with our indoor instruction, former LPGA Tour player Debbie Steinbach, who teaches year-round in the desert Shangri-la of Palm Springs, Calif., offers up her own schedule of must-have full-swing and short-game drills. For those of you lucky to enjoy a winter playing season, Debbie’s tips will keep your game razor-sharp. Lastly, Senior Instruction Editor Brady Riggs breaks down the hows and whats of videotaping and analyzing your swing. Putting yourself on video is an excellent way of finding swing errors that may not necessarily show up in your ballflight. If you’re stuck indoors, a video lesson is a great way to keep your motion intact and, with a little work, make it even better.

Practicing your swing indoors can be more helpful than you think.

In fact, I believe you can improve more without a ball than with one. When you’re not actually hitting a golf ball, you’re less occupied by results. Rather, you become more in tune with what your body does, and if your body is moving correctly, the ball will take care of itself. So have a little faith and put the following drills to use over the next few months. Most of the exercises can be augmented by a heavy club, like the Matzie ASSIST or the Momentus, which are also good for building strength.

This winter, pick up a molded training grip at your local golf shop, and simply grip and regrip the handle, paying attention to how the correct grip feels and the orientation of your hands, fingers and palms. You can do this while watching TV, or, better yet, attach the grip to an old club and make practice swings. It’s an easy thing to do that will make a huge, positive difference in your swing.

Flaw Beater
Though it seems simple, this drill can keep three major swing flaws at bay.

During the off-season, I recommend that my students swing a heavy club three times a week. It’s a great way to keep your body loose and flexible, and to ingrain two important full-swing needs: dropping the club into the slot and finishing with a full release.

Warm up with 20 swings using your normal motion. Don’t stop at your finish and restart from address. Instead, keep the club moving back and through. You should feel how the momentum of the clubhead, not your body or hands, pulls the club into and through the hitting zone into your finish.

Now, grip the club with only your left arm. Place your right hand over your left bicep to ensure a complete, left-arm-only motion. As you move from the top into the downswing, concentrate on executing a lateral, forward shift of weight while allowing your left arm and hand to drop toward the ground. This will help ingrain the all-important Magic Move. As you move through the hitting zone into the followthrough, let that left arm extend. If your left arm isn’t extended postimpact, then it’s chicken-winged, and that spells tons of shotmaking misery.

Use the same setup for the right-arm-only swings. With your right-arm swings, focus on lengthening your right arm through impact and, as it swings past impact, try to shake hands with the target–that is, keep moving your right hand down the target line. At the finish, check that the butt of the club points at the target.

Hands On
All good golf swings feature a full release of the hands.

Grab a videocassette with your left hand, palm down, and make mock hip-high to hip-high swings. Focus on how your left hand rotates from palm down in the downswing to palm up in the forwardswing. Turning your left palm to the sky past impact will help you rotate your forearms properly and improve your extension.

A good way to feel your release and make it occur more naturally is to swing with a split-hand grip (again, a weighted club will only work to augment the key sensations). Set up in your standard address position and make your everyday swing. As you move through impact, you’ll find that with the split-hand grip, you must rotate your right arm and hand over their left-side counterparts in order to keep the club on-plane. You should also notice how the split-hand grip forces your weight forward on the downswing. After several split-hand swings, move back to a normal grip, but this time, swing with your feet together. Feet-together swings effectively take your lower body out of the equation and place more emphasis on the arms and, more importantly, the hands.

_ÊTrajectory Control
Exaggerate a specific feeling in order to make that feeling stick.

Golf is a game of feels. Therefore, it helps to sometimes exaggerate a specific feeling to make a change in your swing and, more importantly, make that change stick.

If your downswing plane is too steep and you’re hitting fades and slices, find a spot at your driving range that features a noticeable uphill lie. Practice hitting balls with the ball above your feet. This will force you to swing on a much flatter plane. A flatter swing plane will reduce your tendency to slice and help you to produce a right-to-left ballflight.

_ÊIf your swing plane is too flat, and you’re hitting draws or hooks, do just the opposite. Find a sloping lie with the ball below your feet and make your swings from there. When the ball lies below your feet, your swing will need to move on a more upright plane. Making your downswing plane more vertical will lessen the occurrences of deadly hooks.

Adjusting your swing plane isn’t an easy task, so take advantage of the lies at your driving range to exaggerate the feeling of the swing changes you wish to make. Once you can feel the change, it’ll be easier to swing from a level lie and maintain the adjustment.

Make An Impact
Among other benefits, swinging into an impact bag can help change–that is, improve–the timing of your release.

If you’re fading or slicing the ball, then you’re probably not releasing your hands quickly enough. Practice swinging into the bag so the clubhead strikes the impact bag with the toe portion of the club first. From this toed-in position, you’ll train your muscles to square up the clubface sooner. After 10 to 12 swings, hit a few practice balls and you’ll likely see a favorable change in trajectory.

If you’re hitting a lot of hooks, make impact with the heel portion of the clubhead. This will slow down your release action at impact and help you regain the feeling of what square is.

Pump Drill
An exercise that effectively helps to ingrain the proper downswing positions and build some power into your motion is called the Pump Drill. Assume your normal setup position and take the club up to the top of the swing. From there, slowly move the club to three-quarters down and then to a position that’s parallel to the ground. At that point, pump the club back up to the top. Move the club slowly to help you achieve the proper positions. Pump the club three times, then swing through to the finish. As you feel more confident that you’re in the right spots, you can speed up the pumps until you’re moving at your normal tempo. Make sure to keep your right hip back, away from the ball, and your right knee flexed. This is a great drill that helps you slot the club perfectly and deliver it on the correct, power-rich path.

Tear It Up
This power-enhancing drill teaches golfers that it’s okay to take a big divot. Taking a divot means you’re aggressive though the ball at impact and beyond. Therefore, when you practice, take power divots! Not only take a divot, but also throw in a good grunt, similar to what a tennis player emits when returning a backhand for the winning point.

Kids do this all the time when they hit balls on the range. They swing with wonderful and reckless abandon. More importantly, they swing. Rarely are they concerned with positions and angles. And, for the most part, kids don’t have a problem with acceleration. As a strong, healthy adult, why should you?

Line up 10 golf balls and hit each one with 100 percent effort. Make a grunt with each impact, and get used to taking a good, healthy power divot. If the ground is too firm and you’re afraid you’ll injure your wrists and hands, move over to the rough.

If you want to enhance your power, start by making a concerted effort to do so!

Use a mirror to check your finish fundamentals:
A good, balanced finish should have the right shoulder positioned so that it’s even or slightly ahead of the left foot.

A straight back not only promotes good balance, it’s also much easier on your body than a reverse C.

At the finish, the knees should be even, indicating that you’ve turned fully, with your belt buckle facing the target.

The right foot should be pulled up into the finish position by the rotation of the body in the release.

Unlock The Magic

In golf, there are the haves and the have-nots. The haves are blessed with an uncanny ability to achieve the perfect plane through the impact zone, regardless of what occurred before it. Indeed, the ability to get it all right on the way down is a puzzle very few golfers have been able to solve.

The legendary teacher Harvey Penick believed the ability to recover was rooted in the Magic Move, in which the player’s weight should shift to the left side while bringing the right elbow back down to the body. This remarkable sequence of moves invariably presents itself in the swings of the game’s best ballstrikers.

Do you own this move? If so, you’re probably a pretty good player. If you don’t, follow along in this article and you’ll find the key to unlock the magic hidden in your swing.

Keys At The Top
The key to unlocking the magic is to transition from a wide backswing to a narrow downswing (slotting the club) and ultimately achieving a wide, powerful release. It all starts with a takeaway that establishes the critical wide elements at the top, most important of which is maintaining the width between the hands and right shoulder established at address.

Magic Move
The secret to Harvey Penick’s Magic Move is to transition from a wide top position to a narrow downswing. This slots the club and puts it on the perfect delivery plane. If you’re narrow at the top (left), that is, hands and arms too close to the right shoulder, you can’t get narrow on the downswing. You can only cast the club outward.

Narrow-Minded
A wide backswing not only allows you to achieve the Magic Move and unleash stored energy, it also guards against weak impact positions. If you fail to achieve width on the backswing, you’ll be forced to start your downswing with an outward motion. This will restrict your impact position and, more often than not, cause your clubhead to race ahead of the hands through the hitting zone.

Get-Wide Drills

Think Wide
In order to help you find the magic, think of your golf swing as a one-and-two motion. Your backswing is the one, your transition is the and and impact is the two. The and (your transition) is the magic, which is what’s missing from most amateurs’ swings. An easy way to build this and into your motion is to create a wide backswing.

A wide backswing enables you to transition into your downswing and strike the ball like magic. Practice the Brush The Ball Drill to help develop a wider backswing. As you brush your clubhead toward the second ball, refrain from lifting or picking the club off the ground. Your shoulders and your arms should work in sync to move the club in a low, brushing motion. A key element to brushing the clubhead is to keep the wrists or elbows from hinging during the first moments of the takeaway.

Brush The Ball
Place a second ball six inches behind your clubhead on the target line. Then, simply brush this second ball away to start your backswing. To do so, you’ll need to turn more with your shoulders and resist the temptation to pick up the club. One key is to keep your wrists from hinging (right) or your elbows from folding.

Maintaining Width
As you swing to the top, retaining width is an absolute must. As you complete your takeaway, brushing your clubhead away from the golf ball, stretch to the top of the backswing. In other words, use your shoulders to complete your turning motion so that the muscles on the left side of your torso (for a right-handed golfer) are taught and loaded. Now you’re wide.

Of course, the downswing is an up-and-down motion as much as it is an around motion. Therefore, as you turn your shoulders, your hands and arms should lift the club skyward. Be careful here. If you focus on simply lifting your club upward, you’ll lose width. The key is to maintain the width between your body and hands that you established at address throughout the backswing.

The Drop The Glove Drill is a fantastic exercise that helps you not only create width on your backswing, but ingrains the sensations that should help you retain that width all the way to the top of the swing. If you stretch to the top properly, the glove, placed under your right arm at address, will drop.

Drop The Glove
It’s crucial that you follow a wide takeaway with a wide backswing through to the top. A good exercise to ingrain the sensations of a wide backswing is the Drop The Glove drill. Place a glove under your right arm at setup. The key is to allow the glove to drop by maintaining width in your swing.

If your backswing is too narrow, the glove will stick.

Wide To Narrow To Wide
How does a wide backswing relate to creating the Magic Move? Good question. The answer: A wide backswing creates a narrow downswing! If your arms and hands are extended in a wide position at the top, they can move into a narrow position to start the downswing. Penick’s Magic Move is exactly that–moving from wide to narrow. Your hands and arms can’t drop into the slot position if they’re extended at the top. In fact, they can only do the opposite, that is, extend outward. This swing flaw is a huge no-no. It causes casting, an early release and all types of impact misery.

If you’re wide at the top, you can get narrow on the downswing. That’s magic. More importantly, when you go from wide to narrow in the transition, you can achieve a wide, powerful, full release of the club. Narrow backswings lead to wide downswings, which lead to narrow, weak and restricted impact positions.

Towel Drill
Another good drill to ingrain backswing width is to position a towel as shown (this represents your left arm). As you turn your shoulders to complete the backswing, use your right arm to keep the towel taut. The feel created is what you’re looking for: The right hand and arm work to extend your left arm.

Unlock The Magic
For the best results, think wide to narrow to wide. Create width in your backswing by brushing the club away from the ball without breaking your elbows or wrists. In my own practice and play, I envision a paintbrush at the end of my shaft, and try to lay a coat of paint on the grass behind the ball. I can’t stress how important it is to create width from the moment you set the club in motion. (The Towel Drill, right, is another good exercise to ingrain the key feels of a wide backswing.)

Your ultimate goal is to use this width to get narrow on the downswing and find the slot. If you can execute this Magic Move, you’ll not only hit shots with power and accuracy, but you’ll eliminate a good majority of your most damaging swing flaws. Poor impact, a lack of power, an early release (the clubhead racing ahead of the hands through impact), casting, topping the ball and many others are errors that result from transitioning from a narrow backswing to a wide downswing. Work on the key: widening your backswing. Only then will you be able to unlock the magic in your swing.

Sweep The Grass Drill
To create needed width in the backswing, it’s important to do so right from the beginning. Envision a paintbrush at the end of your shaft. In taking the club away, try to paint the grass behind the ball. It’s a great visual that really works.

The Model
Instruction model and PGA professional Tim Brown teaches at English Turn Golf & Country Club in New Orleans, La., home of the PGA Tour’s Compaq Classic.

PGA professional and Senior Instruction Editor Chuck Winstead is the Director of Instruction at the University Club in Baton Rouge, La., and English Turn Golf & Country Club in New Orleans.