Basic Swing Fundamentals
Now that the golf season is back in full swing, many of you will be looking to improve your accuracy, consistency and your driving distance. Although there are many factors that improve all of these areas, the one constant that I always check first with any individual’s golf mechanics are their basic swing fundamentals.
The swing fundamentals are essential to achieving lower scores and an over all enhanced enjoyment of the game. These swing fundamentals would include: the grip; the stance; your posture; your alignment and then the finish position. These fundamentals are considered the most important positions in golf and should be addressed prior to improving the motion of your swing.
THE GRIP – How your place your hands on the golf club directly influences whether the golf club is square at impact. What this means is that a poor grip will result in poor direction and distance.
Most players will grip the club the way it feels comfortable to them, generally speaking they will hold the handle of the club in their palm instead of their fingers. When you hold the handle of the club in the palm the tendency is to grip the club too tight, and as a result your lower hand will dominate and the end result will be a flip at the bottom of the swing or at impact. In most cases this will result in the ball going too high and will create a slice. Gripping the club too tight can also cause you to top and or miss the ball.
When taking your grip ensure that you hold the handle of the club in your fingers with your thumbs down the middle of the handle. The grip pressure should be very light, as if you are holding a baby bird (do not kill the bird). When you swing it will feel like the club will want to fly out of your hands, do not worry it will not. This is the feeling of a relaxed grip pressure. When you swing with a relaxed grip pressure the club head will actually square up to the path the club is traveling and the end result will be straighter ball flight, more solid contact resulting in more distance.
THE STANCE – There are seven key components to a good stance. They include your feet shoulder width, knees slightly flexed, bum pushed out to help create good posture, arms relaxed, chin up and eyes on the ball.
When stepping up to the ball you need to ensure that your feet are not too far apart. By having too wide of a stance will restrict your lower body movement throughout the swing forcing you to use only your arms. This will directly influence your distance. Ensure that your feet are no wider that the width of your shoulders.
Flexing of the knees helps put you into a more athletic and balanced position and will also assist you in creating torque (which creates distance) in the backswing. Arch your lower back or stick your butt out. This helps create a straight back and great posture and helps eliminate tension in your back.
The next two are extremely important. They include allowing your arms to hang from your shoulders. What we want to avoid is extending your arms away from your body at address or reaching for the ball. This can cause you to top the ball and loose plenty of distance. Secondly you want to make sure that your chin is up. This is to ensure that you have room for your shoulder to move under your chin in the backswing. If your chin is down in your chest then you will likely bend your arms in your backswing creating inconsistency in your shots. Finally, ensure that you keep your eyes on the ball until you make contact.
ALIGNMENT – Most players have a problem ensuring that they are aligned to their target. What is important here is to line your self up to your intended target line. What this means is that if your are a right handed golfer and your have a 20 yard slice on most of your shots, then you have to be sure that you align your body in such a way that allows for that slice. In other words you have to align yourself approximately 20 yards to the left of where you want the ball to finish. By doing so your ball will start left of your target, and then fade into the green.
To align yourself properly, ensure that your feet, knees, hips and shoulders are all traveling towards your intended target line. This will allow the path of your club to travels towards your target.
THE FINISH POSITION – Considered the most important position in golf. This is where all of your weight transfers onto your front foot after impact with your hips and shoulders facing the target, yours hands and golf club is above your shoulder with the club pointing towards the ground and you back foot is rolled up on its toe.
By doing so you ensure that you have used your whole body and that the golf club is at its maximum speed when you make contact with the ball. This position should not be under-estimated and is guaranteed to increase distance, accuracy and a solid ball contact.
Scott Bergdahl is the CPGA Head Teaching Professional at River Bend Golf Academy.
Chipping
Developing a good touch around the greens is crucial to lowering scores on the course. Here are five tips to help you get it close.
- Ball position is placed off of your back foot, the foot furthest from target, with club face perpendicular to target line.
- Feet together pointing 45 degrees left of target. If you are a right handed golfer, be sure to keep your shoulders parallel to target line.
- Choke down on club, this will allow you to get closer to the ball and see down your target line better.
- Position weight on your target side foot about 70% and keep it there throughout the chip.
- Place a headcover behind the ball about a foot back, when you swing back avoid the cover. This will allow for a steeper descent into the ball. Do NOT try to lift the ball. The angle of the club will get the ball up in the air.
Practice chipping with different clubs around the green to see how the ball reacts with different clubs used. If you practice your short game 15 minutes before your round, you will have a better feel for the greens and you will improve your score. Remember the short game amounts to 70% of your game.
Blair Oko is the CPGA Head Teaching Professional at Blair Oko Golf Academy.
Criss-Cross Drill
In the golf swing it is very important that the elbows stay close together in the back swing and the follow through. When the elbows are close together we are able to keep the hands in front of the body correctly and stay connected.
Most golfers have a tendency to let their trail elbow fold which causes the club to swing too far to the inside and the arms get disconnected from the body causing the club to swing on an incorrect path. Consequently on the follow through the target elbow also collapses causing the dreaded “chicken wing” and the club does not extend down our target line.
A great drill to stay connected, keep the elbows close together, and create proper extension is the Criss-Cross drill. Get set in your address position, extend your target hand in front of you, and then bring your trail hand underneath your target hand so the back of your hands are touching. Make sure that this creates your proper tilt position at address. Start by swinging from 9 o’clock to 3 o’clock, target arm parallel to your railway track in the back swing and trail arm parallel to the track in the follow through. Then gradually build up to a full back swing and follow through (as big a swing as your body will allow without collapsing the arms).
Remember the Criss-Cross drill to stay connected and make sure you take a look at the video at www.nationalgolfacademy.ca to show you how it is done.
Grant Cook is a CPGA Teaching Professional at the National Golf Academy.
Head Against Wall/Hand Drill
The golf swing is typically defined as a circle. More specifically, there are 2 circles at work in the swing. One circle is the body (the inner circle) and the second circle is the path the club is traveling on (the outer circle). In order for the outer circle to travel properly, the inner circle must work properly. For the inner circle to work properly, we need to turn our body, shift our weight, with out the head moving (that's the tough part!). If our head moves around too much, the inner circle breaks down which means the outer circle will not move correctly and the club will not follow the correct path back to the ball.
A great drill to focus on the "inner circle" is the Head Against the Wall/Hand Drill. Set up in your golf posture, cross your hands over your shoulders (right hand on left shoulder, left hand on right shoulder) and make sure you get into your tilt position with head behind the ball. Walk into a wall so that your forehead is just touching a wall (or somebody's hand if you are at the range). Now slowly make a back swing making sure your forehead stays in the same position, and then make a follow through allowing your hips to initiate the downswing getting your "belt buckle" pointing toward your target. With your head staying in the same position, you should feel an arch in your spine with the hips moving toward your target and the head staying behind the ball. The more you get the feeling of turning your body and shifting your weight without your head moving with this drill, the quicker you will get this feeling swinging the club.
Work on this drill to keep the head stable and make sure you check out the video at www.nationalgolfacademy.ca to see how it is done!
Grant Cook is a CPGA Teaching Professional at the National Golf Academy.
The Lay-up
The lay-up shot is not as easy as it looks, and it is not difficult for the amateur player to find a way to mess it up. The ideal time to use a lay-up shot is when you can't reach the green on your next shot, or if there are too many red flags (water, sand, OB, etc) to even try. The biggest fault I see is when players simply use their longest club and blast away, trying to get as close to the green as possible. Most of the time this backfires. Often they are left with a delicate pitch shot from a bad pin angle that requires a lot of skill and touch to get close. Or worse, the 'easy' lay-up shot finds the trees or rough.
Here are some tips on the lay-up shot that will help you during your next round:
- Do not lay-up with a club that you are not comfortable hitting
- Lay-up to a distance that allows you to use a club that you have confidence in for your next shot
- Pick a specific target at which to aim so that your next shot has easy access to the pin
- Lay-up to a target that is a safe distance from any hazards, bunkers or rough
Follow this advice and plan your lay-up with as much care (or more) as any other shot. The golden rule would be to "hit this shot with the next shot in mind."
Bill McDougall is a teaching professional at the Victoria Golf Course and Driving Range in Edmonton.
Power in the Golf Swing
I was recently asked by a good friend to write about "how to create more power in the golf swing" and so here it is...but with a twist. I will add power leaks as well.
Power points to consider:
- Recognizing the primary power sources that match your body type (e.g. the arc of your swing, the width of your swing, and the levers used in your swing are all used to some degree to create a powerful swing. However, your body type and flexibility will favor one over the others as the primary source of power in your swing.
- proper weight shift: it is imperative to initiate the downswing with your lower body leading your upper (similar to a throwing or batting motion) to create momentum thru to the finish of the swing.
- Creating leverage with proper shoulder turn and hinging your wrists in a fashion that will create speed and squareness of hit.
- Arc: obviously the width and length of your swing are prime power sources…however if over cooked bad things will likely happen. The trees are laden with golf balls from John Daly swings.
- Strength/quickness/coordination, flexibility: strength and or quickness create clubhead speed which creates distance. Coordination and flexibility allow strength and quickness to contribute to the fullest.
These are just some of the more prevalent power sources that when properly utilized will allow you to hit the ball further.
Power Leaks:
Let's have a brief scan at just some of the greatest contributors that create power leaks.
- reverse weight shift: a position where a great number of golfers find themselves at the top of their backswings where their upper bodies lean toward the target leaving all their weight on their target side. Very little power can be generated on the downswing from this position. Just try throwing a ball starting from this position..no distance or power.
- Swaying: a powerless movement when a golfers slide their hips and upper bodies directly sideways on the backswing and through swing. There is no resistance and turn (coil) in this move and therefore no power.
- Dipping: a classic power leak move where golfers swing back with their arms only causing their shoulders to tilt down which inhibits any kind of turn that creates power.
- Scooping the ball: this is where your trail hand's palm is facing the sky at impact and the clubhead gets to the ball before the hands. This adds loft to the clubhead and the ball will merely bounce off the clubface creating little spin or distance. A huge power leak is the result. You have to learn how to trap the ball with your hands leading the clubface into impact and the knuckles of both hands pointing down…hot up in the scoop mode.
- Cupping or rolling the wrists produce little power. Hinging wrists properly (a more upward motion) will create the proper leverage to create power thru the hitting area
There are many more power leaks such as casting, changing levels, chicken wings, etc…etc… I tried to cover the ones the majority of the readers might recognize.
Bill McDougall is a teaching professional at the Victoria Golf Course and Driving Range in Edmonton. Phone him at 780-496-4785.
The Putt
A recent study revealed that 95% of amateurs (no matter what handicaps) miss breaking putts on the low side. This means that they either: A. Do not play enough break or B. They do not hit the putt with enough speed.
Here are a few tips to help you out:
- First determine how hard you want to hit the putt. Weight should be your first consideration.
- Next determine the break needed that will match the speed of your putt. The slower you hit it the more it will break. The faster you hit it the more it will break.
- If your putts breaks sharply from right to left then play the ball further back in your stance so there is little chance of pulling it.
- If your putt breaks sharply left to right then play the ball a little more forward in your stance to avoid pushing it.
- Remember weight is your first consideration. Once you have determined how hard you are going to strike the putt, then pick your line to match up with it.
Always lighter grip pressure for all putts. Good luck.
Bill McDougall is a teaching professional at the Victoria Golf Course and Driving Range in Edmonton.
Putting - Holing six footers
Being able to sink puts from six feet or closer is vital for good scoring. One of the main problems with this shot are mainly mental - a negative attitude can hinder your technique. The length of the swing is so short that it's hard for a proper technique to go drastically weon on its own.
Keys to success:
- Your takeaway must be smooth with no wrist break - you should be conscious of the club moving straight back along the ball-to-target line.
- The putter must be square at impact. Make sure the club follows through along the target line - it must not move to the inside.
- Hold the club at the finish position. Resist the tendency to jerk the putter back to the address position after impact - this leads to a "jabbing" stroke. Never look up to watch the ball rolling towards the hole. If you can see a putt from six feet or closer go in the hole then chances are you have moved your head or body through impact.
- Confidence. A positive attitude helps you relax and make a good stroke when it matters. Always assume you're going to hole out every putt from six feet or closer.
Dan Cameron is the Head Teaching Professional at the Academy at Golf Town - Calgary South.
Sand Shots
The greenside bunker shot does not have to be as intimidating as it may seem if you understand the fundamentals and have the proper equipment. If you do not already have a Sand Wedge, I would suggest you try one and add one to your golf bag. They are specifically designed to help you hit the greenside bunker shots. All golf clubs are designed with a bounce angle. The bounce angle is the angle of descent from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the sole. This angle on the sole allows the club head to enter the sand without having the club head dig too much. The more bounce angle a club has, the less the club head will dig, making it easier to get the ball out of the bunker. Higher bounces are also beneficial when hitting from fairways that are softer than normal the same as softer sand. Playing golf courses with firmer sand and fairways would then require a sand wedge with bounce angles that are lower (8-10°).
The following set-up position and swing is based upon a right handed player:
Grip
- Grip the club in such a way that the club face is open
- Choke up on the grip for both feel and control
Stance and Posture
- Feet are slightly narrower than shoulder width apart and aligned to te left of the target. (open)
- Twist your feet in the sand for increased balance making sure not to dig in your toes.
- Weight is evenly distributed.
- Ball position is in the center to back of the stance depending upon desired trajectory.
- Knees are flexed with the club head hovering above the sand behind the ball.
- Arms hang from shoulders in a nice, relaxed position.
Aiming and Alignment
- Club face aims to the right of the target.
- Feet align to the left of the target.
- Because of this set-up, the ball will travel towards the target.
The Greenside Blast
- The takeaway or backswing is steeper than a regular golf swing.
- During the takeaway, the wrists should hinge.
- Weight should remain evenly distributed (during the back swing) allowing the lower body to remain still.
- The leading edge of the golf club enters the sand first.
- Be aggressive when accelerating through the sand.
*If sand does not get out of the bunker the ball does not get out of the bunker.
Greenside Bunker Drills
Railroad tracks
Purpose: acceleration, getting sand out of the bunker and contact with sand.
- Draw parallel lines in the sand about 5-6 inches apart.
- Draw perpendicular lines every 3-4 inches making a series of rectangles.
- Set-up and practice hitting patches of sand out of the bunker.
*Once you have become consistent at getting the sand out of the bunker, place a ball in the back of the rectangle and practice hitting balls onto the green.
Gregg Schubert is the CPGA Head Professional at Cottonwood Golf & Country Club.
Stretching
With the new golf season upon us it is important that we ease back into the swing of things carefully. Stretching prior to actually hitting golf balls will guard against muscle pulls and strains that are all too common at the beginning of the golf season. This is especially true with the amount of trunk rotation that is involved in the golf swing. To get the most out of your game this season it is important to be flexible, strong and have the basic swing fundamentals.
Here are a few tips that will help you get back into the swing of things.
- Basic Stretching - Just doing some basic stretching can help keep your muscles from suffering from too much atrophy. A big exercise ball and some resistance bands will help your muscles stay in top form.
- Cardiovascular work out - Go for a walk or a jog on the treadmill. Anything to increase your heart rate for 20 minutes or more will help strengthen your heart, and over time will increase your stamina. This will help prevent the onslaught of lactic acid to your muscles.
- Strength Training - A light session with the weights will keep your muscles tight and prevent that early season fatigue that we all feel in April and May. When you are working out make sure not to work the same muscle groups every day. Try doing your legs and shoulders one-day, and the next day do your arms and back. Giving the muscles a day to recover will allow them to heal faster and prevent injury.
- Practice - Begin by stretching slowly remembering not to bounce. When you begin actually swinging a golf club and hitting balls, it is important to start with the shorter clubs and work your way up to the longer ones and finally the driver. Don’t just grab the driver and start swinging away. Take it slowly.
Brian Fast is a CPGA Associate Professional at Cottonwood Golf & Country Club.