FROM ADDRESS TO WAIST HIGH

Looking at some points that are possibly taking your game down the wrong path.

POINT NUMBER 1 – TAKE THE CLUB BACK ON THE INSIDE

This is an old teaching from many years ago, where the club is swung back behind the body on a much flatter angle.

When this is done excessively, width is lost in the backswing, causing a loss of power and a myriad of other technical problems, including, ground contact before the ball, shanks, block shots and snap hooks to name a few.

To remedy this:

‘JUST FEEL THAT YOU SWING THE CLUB TO THE SIDE, FOCUSING ON MAINTAINING THE TRIANGULAR FORM OF THE ARMS AND SHOULDERS’.

POINT NUMBER 2 – WEIGHT SHIFT INTO THE BACKSWING

It is true that bodyweight must be shifted into the back leg on our backswing!

But in my experience, this is done too consciously and very excessively. This weight shift must be very subtle and will happen naturally when the club is swung back, keeping the hands as far away from the body centre as possible.

You should then feel the bodyweight load into the inside of the back foot.

To remedy this:

‘KEEPING THE BODY POSITION QUITE CENTRED, SWING WIDE INTO THE BACKSWING’.

POINT NUMBER 3 – COCK THE WRISTS ON THE BACKSWING

There should be no conscious thought of cocking the wrists on the backswing.

This will happen naturally if the correct grip pressure is applied. Through teaching for many years I’ve found that most women and senior men are the ones that struggle to do this properly.

For the majority of women, there is a weakness in hand and forearm strength, resulting in increased grip pressure which will cause a loss of swing speed and distance.

This may also cause strain in the forearm and potential blisters on the hands.

For most women, the need to develop strength in the hands is crucial to a natural movement in the wrists and the ability to hit the ball farther.

For senior men, they do tend to grip harder in the hope of getting more distance, which they have lost through a lack of upper body mobility.

So working hard on upper body mobility and flexibility is the real key for them to maintain distance.

To remedy this:

‘FOCUS ON GRIP PRESSURE – SECURING THE CLUB, BUT KEEPING THE FOREARMS RELAXED’.

Michael Langford

Golf Performance Ireland

Roe Park Resort.