"To increase your turn, make your left hip and left shoulder turn together on your backswing. Do it rather slowly and keep your hands and arms light."

"As you turn away form the ball, let your left knee swing inward to the right so that your legs form a K."

"Then start your downswing with your right knee swinging to the left to form another “K” in the opposite direction."

"Try to do all of this easily without swinging too hard. You don’t want to give up the accuracy what you gain in distance."

Greenside Rough

What is needed?

• descending stroke
• consistent swing motion-


What to do:

• Play ball position for a decending stroke, usually towards center or back of stance.


• Think high loft club, 55 to 60 degree wedge.


• Have a “handle-end always ahead to clubhead end” attitude until after impact.


• Grip firm, not tight. Wrist flexible, back arm always "thrusting" energy downward-forward (important).


• Weight started and "kept" on front leg during shot will provide the power/force.

When I explain that good Impact is Handle end first, then the Shaft, then the Clubhead, most students say “of course”!
But, when they go to swing at the Ball, the opposite often happens.

Why?
Because most of us know that the Club's head is going to hit the Ball, it’s just human nature, common sense taking over.

Jim is a single digit handicap player, which means he’s a very good golfer. He clearly knows that the Clubhead “lags” on most shots. The Shaft is leaning slightly forward (towards target, pointing up towards leading shoulder complex), so the Handle has to lead for that to happen.

Right?

Trouble is, an inch “feels” like a foot!

This day I was trying to get Jim to go a little more forward at Impact, so I grabbed his club and put it where I wanted it at Impact. The ball was hit very solid and went a fair distance for a somewhat half swing.

Jim immediately felt the difference; I saw a light turn on in his eyes. All he needed was that extra inch to get the Handle/Hands to lead a little more past the ball at Impact. That little extra inch made a difference for him. He’s a low handicap player, but the principle applies to all players. Beginner or advanced golfer.

Good Pivot conditions involve practicing / repeating motions so when you are on the golf course you can trust that training and let it (pivot-body) PARTICIPATE with our arm swings.

A relaxed, somewhat "looking" straight back leg is a part of those conditions. Some turn sharply on back swing, while others allow weight to transfer back to move forward.Whatever condition (slightly bent back leg) you start with at set-up should stay throughout swing. So,we don't want leg to "pop-up/out" or "bow-out", just stay as you were before swing.

So, look -look- look in a mirror while swinging until the condition(s) become a Feel.

Here is:

a straight "looking" right leg,

and it looks almost "wooden",

weight transfer pressing downward,

good center of gravity.

How relaxed that back leg was ...is anyone's guess.

Here, student Brian Krigmont demonstrates how the shaft starts out in what appears (mind's eye) to be perpendicular to the ground position, returns at impact with what appears as a forward lean of the shaft, which makes the clubface slightly open. The ball stays on the face until the shaft has returned to a different more forward perpendicular position. The club face should now be somewhat square to the target at separation when the ball leaves the club face.

Notice the lines that I had placed on the swing plane board, a hip swing plane board. The longer the ball stays on the club face, the more control (and distance) we will have to our shot making.

Happens real quick during impact, so quick it’s hard to believe. Trust me however, on your good shots, it is happening.

Often just visualizing the geometry (lines of the different shaft positions) can be a good practice thought. Get in front of a mirror and watch yourself swing in very slow motion. Where else would you want the shaft to be?

The club is built with a forward lean to it anyway, it’s telling you to: “use me the correct way…….please.”