Point your way to more Accurate Iron Shots

This is an easy drill to perform and it will really help you hit your irons more accurate.
Use a 9 iron and only hit the ball about 75 yards when doing the drill.  This means make a small back swing and keep the effort level down.  Note the position of my lower body through impact to the finish.  The weight moves to my left side and my right knee is pointing to the target as well.  If you stay too "flat" footed with your back foot, you will not hit the ball very solid.

Enjoy!

Is Your Swing a Pain in the Glass??

A picture and a sound is worth a thousand words!!  OUCH!!

BANG!...This back swing is too horizontal causing the club to strike the glass!

The proper golf swing should be a blend of horizontal (body rotation) and vertical (wrist hinge).  In the swing above, the club has way too much horizontal on the backswing and slammed into the glass.  In other words the backswing was too shallow without enough vertical.  In the take away, the club moved too much to the inside of the target line because I added a wrist roll instead of a wrist hinge.  At this point in the back swing, the club should be working more vertical or "up" the glass as opposed to "into" the glass. This faulty backswing can cause a multitude of issues.  If no manipulations are made to correct the mistake, the ball will usually go to the right (with a possible shank) and it would be hit very thin (no divot).  

Now, if the club is swung too upright like a Ferris wheel, this would be considered too vertical.  In this swing, there is definitely quite a bit of lifting of the arms going on.  This backswing is way too vertical with little or no body rotation.  Your divots are going to be very deep with this backswing and you would typically pull the ball to left field.

This back swing is too vertical...note how high the right elbow is.

We are looking for a backswing somewhere in the middle of these two as pictured below. 

The perfect blend puts you in a powerful position at the top!

I use three really good drills (use a short iron for these drills) to help position the backswing on the correct plane.  In the first drill, I place a 3 foot long 2x4 about 3 inches inside the target line as a guide.  If the board scares you, then use an alignment rod or rolled up towel instead.  The ball is placed toward the front of the board so you won't strike the back of the board or the front of the board on the downswing through impact.  The goal is to swing the club back along the board without the club coming across the board too early.

As you can see, the club has stayed outside my hands to this point.  If I come across the board too early, the club would be behind my legs and poised to strike the glass.  At this point in the backswing my body begins to rotate as I add a little wrist hinge as pictured below.

My club is more vertical in this picture compared to the picture at the top of the page.  I will hit several shots making small swings so I can avoid the board on the back swing and forward swing.  Tee the ball up so you can stay in the same spot without moving the board each time.

The second drill I use is place a foam noodle (over a shaft) in the ground as pictured below.  The angle of the noodle is set the same as the angle of my shaft at address.  If I take the club too far to the inside on the backswing I will hit the noodle. 

My goal is to make the angle of my club the same as that of the noodle when I am at the halfway point in the backswing.  This will happen is I get the correct blend of body rotation and wrist hinge.  I recommend hitting quite a few shots using small swings so you will not hit the noodle either on the backswing or the forward swing.

The third drill you can do in the house.  Take your set up (use a short iron) with your back side about a foot or so away from a wall.  I find a hallway works really well and imagine the wall as the glass.  Practice taking some small backswings and obviously DO NOT HIT THE WALL on the backswing.

Performing any or a combination of these drills will help you get the feel of a great backswing.  You will know when you are doing it correctly because your ball striking and direction control will improve immensely.  We want to eliminate compensations in the golf swing and a great backswing accomplishes this!

Get a Grip!!

The grip has an effect on your set up position, club path, club face position, distance and loft of your shots.  A correct grip will eliminate compensations you may be making in your golf swing.  For this reason I think it is important to take a serious look at your grip while we are in the off season.  To make a grip change you will need to be patient and plan on many repetitions on the practice tee.  The payoff is once you get a good grip it will usually stay that way for a long period of time.

In the 47 years I have been playing golf, I have only made two major position changes in my grip.  When I was in high school, my grip was very strong on the club.  My left hand was turned way too far to the right on the club and of course this caused my right hand to be turned too far under the grip (see picture below).  When I looked down at my grip I could see all the knuckles on my left hand and most of my fingers on the right hand.  This grip position will lead to hooking the ball, and that is exactly what I did! 

Strong grip...causes the ball to draw or hook to the left.

Once I got in the golf business and started studying and learning more about the swing, I knew I had to make a grip adjustment so I could keep the ball in play.  Plus, when I turned professional I was now playing golf for money.  It took some time and practice but I eventually turned my hands in a more neutral position on the club (see picture below).  Both hands were turned counter clockwise on the grip so looking down at my grip I now only saw two knuckles on my left hand and only the finger tips of the right hand.

Neutral grip...straight shooter!

My constant battle fighting the hook was now eliminated.  Sure, I could still hit a hook every now and then, but it wasn't a fear every time I took the club back.  In fact I was known as a very straight driver of the ball for a long period of time and it was not because of some "major" swing change.

Exaggerated weak grip.

I didn't really work on my grip again until about seven years ago when I began playing a higher level of competitive golf.  Over a period of years I started placing my hands on the club in a much weaker position.  In other words, my hands were now turned too far to the left on the club.  When I looked down at my grip I could only see one knuckle on my left hand and three knuckles on my right hand.  This grip position will make it very difficult to draw the ball and in fact it will cause you to hit the ball to the right with a fade or even a slice.  My issue was my misses were now going to right field so I had to work on the grip one more time.  I had to work the hands a bit more clockwise on the grip so I could have a complete arsenal of shots.  When you are missing fairways, it makes it difficult to hit greens too. Again, not a good combination when you are trying to make money playing golf. 

Now I am back to a grip position which allows me to hit the ball fairly straight.  My misses now stay on the "grid" except for the occasional foul ball to right field.  In the picture above note how the right hand is turned too far to the left on the grip.  This is a very weak grip position which causes a fade or slice.   Remember, when one hand is out of position, the other usually follows too!

Let me show you how to place the hands on the club properly.  The first thing to do is close the gap between the thumb and forefinger of each hand.  If you have space in this crucial place, you will lose control of the club at the top of the swing.  If you have worn spots on your glove, then there is some slippage happening and this can be the cause.

Note the gap between my right thumb and forefinger...not good.  You do not want a gap between the left thumb and forefinger either.

Close the gaps gently...do not squeeze the thumb too tightly to the forefinger.

I place the right hand on the club first.  This is just my preference but the bottom line is make sure the palm is facing the target if you want a neutral grip.  I then place my left hand on the club and slide the right hand into position.  I use the overlap grip grip, but you may use the interlock or ten finger position (see picture below).

After you slide the hands together, the left thumb will fit into the lifeline of the right hand.  The hands are now tied together like a jigsaw puzzle.  The pieces are not jammed together but fit comfortably together. 

I prefer a light grip pressure.  On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being tight, I would be somewhere in the 3-4 range.  A light grip will help you swing the club faster!

The bottom line is once you get a good grip, your set up will be in balance and it will be easier to align properly to your target!  If you need to make a grip change I recommend keeping a club by the couch so you can practice gripping the club while watching TV.  The more repetitions you get in, the quicker it will begin to feel more comfortable to you.

Training Aids to Strengthen your Golf Swing

The first cold snap of the season has arrived and us thin blooded Texans head indoors.  Sure, we will be back on the course in a couple of days, but as I get a little more experienced, the temperature has to begin with at least a "5" for me to venture back on the course. 

So, as we approach the off season, this is a good time to discuss how to develop, maintain and strengthen your golf swing.  In fact, you should not wait until the off season, but should work on these things I am going to introduce to you year around!

Besides doing a few stretches and core strengthening exercises, I use training aids to help me stay in better golf shape.  There are many on the market, but these are just a few which I have used and find valuable.  If used properly, all of these training aids will help strengthen your golf swing and provide you increased clubhead speed.

If you have any physical or health issues which the use of these training aids would effect, be sure and consult with your doctor before using.

Gold Flex by SKLZ
You can find product information and video about the use of this product on sklz.com.

The Gold Flex is not heavy so it is easy on the joints.  It has a standard golf grip, the shaft is super flexible and is 49" long.  There is also a ladies and junior version available.  You need a high ceiling and plenty of clearance to swing indoors.  The Gold Flex is not used to hit balls and is excellent for tempo training.  Swinging this will provide you a core muscle workout and it really helps you with starting the downswing with the lower body.  I like to swing it as a warm up before a round so I carry it in my bag at all times.

Power Sleeve by SKLZ
This item can be found on sklz.com as well.

I really like this training aid as you can put it on any club and either swing indoors or hit balls with it attached (by velcro) to any club.  I usually use this on a mid or short iron to work on tempo or to loosen up before a round.  It is also good to help you build your strength and flexibility.  The Power Sleeve is not too heavy, but does have enough weight so you can really feel how the hands and wrists work in the swing.  I use this quite a bit during lessons.

Momentus

Information and video about the proper use of this club can be found on momentusgolf.com. 

I have used the Momentus training clubs for years.  I have both a driver and iron which I swing on an occasional basis.  The ones I have are not used for hitting golf balls, but I understand they now have a driver which can be used for practice.  They also have many other strength and training aids on their website.  The one thing I like about the Momentus is it allows your to put the club in the "slot" on your downswing.  These clubs are fairly heavy so if you tend to come "over the top" on the downswing you will really feel it. 

Broom
Found in every household.

That's right, a common broom you have in the house makes a great training aid!  I prefer the ones with the smaller handle as it is easier to swing and not as heavy as the normal wooden handled broom stick.  The resistance you get from swinging a broom will help strenghen your golf swing.  I like the broom because it also helps with the concept of "sweeping" the ball off the tee with a driver.  I promise you will not swing the broom to upright.  You swing will feel more rounded which is good for the longer clubs.

Let me know if you have any questions about the above training aids.  It never hurts to be a little stronger and a little more flexible so we are closer to the green with our second shots!

Swing Drill for all Golfers

The is a great swing drill which will develop, enhance or maintain the swing for the beginner to experienced golfer.  For best results, perform the drill 3-4 times per week and spend about 5-10 minutes each session.  This drill is best done indoors in front of a full length mirror.  You need to see what you feel so you will be better prepared to take it to the range, then to the course.

Once on the range, perform the drill  a few times working on the parts.  Then, using a 7 iron, tee the ball about 1/2" high and  hit balls utilizing a full swing, but  swing at about 1/2 your normal speed.  Focus on the 4 key positions...take away, backswing, impact and follow through.  Swinging at a reduced speed will help you get all the parts in sync.  Strive for quality in each position.

Now try to hit full shots at normal speed.  I would hit a few balls off a tee at first and then move to the turf. 

Enjoy the video!

The Shadow Knows!!!

Many times during a round of golf the sun peaks out from behind the clouds and casts your shadow over the ball while you are trying to swing.  You try to focus on the ball, but that darn shadow keeps your attention like nothing else! 

But I have to let you in on a secret...your shadow is one of the best training aids you own!  It may be bothersome on the course, but let me show you how to use your shadow to your advantage when you are on the practice tee.  If you don't have your video camera or a full length mirror handy, your shadow will provide plenty of information.  All you need is an alignment rod (or club) and a little imagination.

In the following "shadow" pictures the sun is directly behind me and I am facing my shadow and the target is to my left.



In the picture on the left, I have placed the alignment rod on the ground in the middle of my body as a reference point.  The picture on the right demonstrates how a great backswing would appear.  As I swing the club back I let my right side turn out of the way so my left shoulder can move behind the alignment rod.  Note how you can see the divot to the right of my body at set up and backswing.  This indicates I have "coiled" properly into my right side.

Now I have the alignment rod lined up with my right leg at address.  On the backswing you can see how my right leg maintains it's position and flex as I "coil" properly.

From left to right, these pictures depict TILTING, SLIDING and SWAYING on the backswing which is incorrect.  Any of these positions will cause you loss of power and accuracy.

Do not copy these positions!!

This is how your backswing would look if your converted the "shadow" to HD and view it face on.   I have used three alignment rods to get in the correct backswing position.  I placed one rod on the ground just inside my right foot, one rod is placed through the belt loops on my pants and I am holding the third rod on my shoulders with my left hand.  This leaves the right arm to swing freely.  The goal of the backswing is to turn your shoulders so the rod on your shoulders is parallel to the rod on the ground.  If you do this, your shoulders will have turned 90 degrees from set up to backswing and your hips will have turned about 1/2 that much.  As you do this, make sure to maintain the position of the right leg as I have above.  Remember there is no slide, sway or tilt on the backswing.







 



I recommend practicing your backswing in front of a full length mirror every day.  Use the picture above as a reference.  Remember you don't need a need a club to do this.

When you go to the range or even the backyard, use any club and copy the "shadow" pictures... because "The Shadow Knows"!

Improve your Angle of Attack with the Driver

Watch this video to see how a bungee cord can improve your swing.

The cord can be used with any club in the bag although I used a driver in this video to demonstrate how using the cord will help you rotate more efficiently and sweep the ball off the tee. 

This is a great training aid to use for your irons too, particularly if your divots are too deep.  When using the cord with irons, I recommend using a 7 iron and tee the ball up about 1/2".  Perform the drill as described with the driver and you should start "clipping" the ball off the tee with your 7 iron.