The Address
Slightly More Than Shoulder Width
After impact the golf club swings back around your body and
up towards your left shoulder. The Knees
The knees have played a huge role in most sports- golf is no
exception. The knees are going to come into play in two different parts of the
golf swing.
As you address the golf ball your knees will have a slight
flex in them.
Sitting will cause the golf club to swing too level to the
ground in the downswing, and you will have a tendency to hit the ground behind
the golf ball.
The second roll the knees play in the swing is when the golf
club is in motion. As the golf club swings back, the single most important
thing for you to remember is the RIGHT knee never ever moves from the original
position. The Hips
If your chin is in the correct position, and your spine is
long (don't worry we'll talk about these shortly), and your knees are flexed
the correct amount, the golf club will not sole correctly on the ground until
you tilt or bend over from the hips. The difference is if you bend at the waist
your spine will bend (not good).
If you bend at the hips you can maintain the spine angle and
sole the club on the ground correctly.
Bend at the Hips
If you do not bend at the hips, you will not be able to sole
the golf club correctly.
The hips play another role not related to their position
Your hips must be parallel to the line of the ball flight at
address.
If your hips are closed at address the golf club will swing
too much from the inside in the downswing and the golf ball will either start
right or you will struggle with a quick hook left.
Open
At address the hips are parallel to the ball flight line. As
the golf club swings back down from the top, the first move from the top is for
the left hip to move an inch or two parallel to the target line and then the
left hip should begin to turn backwards out of the way so the golf club can
swing back to the inside after impact.
The Shoulders
The shoulders play three major roles in the golf swing. In
the address position the shoulders compliment the spine angle.
If the shoulders are opened up and back at address the spine
angle will be in the correct position as long as the chin is up.
Shoulders Back
If the shoulders are rounded the spine will be bent over too
much.
If the shoulders are aiming to the right of the target the
golf club will start too much inside the correct path in the backswing. For the
golf club to start back on the correct path the shoulders must be parallel from
the start.
The shoulders play yet another role in the backswing. As the
clubhead, shaft, hands, arms and (shoulders) start moving backwards, the right
shoulder has to move out of the way to give the hands, arms and golf club a
place to swing to at the top of the backswing. The right shoulder does not
slide back. The Spine
If the spine stays long during the backswing, not rigid, you
can make a much bigger turn.
Long Spine During Backswing
If your spine is curved at address the shoulders will have a
tendency to tilt and not turn. In the downswing the shoulders will have a
tendency to turn on top of the golf ball instead of moving under. If the
shoulders can move under, the golf club will stay on the path in the downswing
(producing an inside to out swing). As the golf club swings back the right
shoulder has to turn to allow the golf club to swing up, if the spine is too
long the club will swing around too much and not up enough.
Too Long
There is yet another role the spine plays in the golf swing.
At the top of the backswing the spine supports the upper body, the golf club,
the arms and most importantly the speed at which we swing the golf club. The
golf club is at its maximum speed as it nears the golf ball and the spine is
supporting the “frame of the golf swing” - your upper body. Maintaining the
correct spine angle will play a major role in club head speed and, the
direction the club actually swings (swing path). If you are standing too tall
at address, bending at the hips will solve this problem. The Chin
The chin controls what happens to the shoulders in the
backswing.
If the chin is down in your chest at address, the shoulders
will have a tendency to pop up in the backswing. Correct
If you top a lot of shots, you have lifted the chin up too
much.
