Perfecting A Backswing Quickly & Easily
In order to get more extension & turn in your backswing, there are a few simple things that you can do to help. One mistake that many players make is that they use a grip that is too loose, especially the left hand grip (for right-handed players).
A loose your grip will help you extend your clubhead behind your body.
But, the problem with this is that you must remember to re-tighten your left hand when following through. If you don’t, the alignment of your clubhead might get thrown off. The result can affect the accuracy of your shot.
It is best to always maintain a firm, yet light grip on the club. Varying your grip pressure during a swing should therefore be avoided.
One of the best ways to increase the arc of your backswing is to keep turning your left shoulder until it has reached a point somewhere over your right foot.
This way you will always create a “full turn.”
This full turn should create the fastest speed that you can possibly generate while still maintaining a good amount of balance & grace in your swing.
A. The Top Of Your Swing
At the top of your backswing, look at the position of your club shaft to see if you are on the proper plane & if you really have a full backswing.
The club should be perfectly parallel to your target line & the clubhead should literally be pointing right towards your target.
An easy way to correct your swing is to have a partner watch your moves. Better yet, have him videotape your swing so that you can determine the real changes that are needed.
Remember, you want your club to point directly towards the target & your swing to be on the correct plane.
If you are a right-handed golfer, then check to see if the club is pointing to the left of your target. If so, then the club is considered to be “layed off” which will often result in a slice.
When the club is pointing to the right of your target, then you have “crossed over” which may result in a hook.
With a little work & practice, you can fine tune your backswing so that the clubhead will always be pointing directly towards your target.
Adjustments like this, my friend, will help you get well on your way to a lower score.
Come From The Inside & Other Tips
Putting hard work and effort into fine-tuning a backswing is an investment every aspiring golf player should make. There are many tips & tricks that can help you develop better form & accuracy. But, the best advice is to stick to the basics, especially if you are a beginner or amateur.
Every golfer wants to hit the ball with as much power & accuracy as possible without sacrificing form & balance. So, in order to accomplish this, you must be able to hit for distance without “coming over the top” (as it is commonly referred to).
Coming over the top is a flaw which causes the clubhead to veer to the outside of the target line during the downswing. What happens when you “come over the top?” A horrendous slice is what happens….
A. Come From The Inside
To avoid this, you must learn how to keep your clubhead from moving outside of the target line. This can be accomplished by simply working on a technique which is the opposite of coming over the top: come at the ball from the inside.
Coming at the ball from the inside may be easier said than done for the beginner golfer. Practice is key & once you get the hang of it, you can rid yourself of that terrible slice that comes from coming over the top. You’ve got to make impact with the ball from a downswing which comes from the inside of the target line ever so slightly.
B. How To Train Yourself
There are drills that you can practice which will help you come from the inside.
Here is a simple training procedure known as a swing path drill:
1. Take 3 tees & place them into the turf at approximately 3 to 4 inches apart from one another, in a perfect line, and at a 45° angle to your target line. If you are a right-handed golfer, then the line should point to your left foot (make sure that you have enough room in between each tee so that you can swing the club).
2. Now it’s time to find your swing path. Take out your 5-iron & practice a few swings by attempting to hit the top portion of the middle tee. In order to do so, your clubhead must pass between the outside tees in the pathway (best described as “in-to-out”) in order to avoid hitting them.
By practicing this technique and hitting the middle tee like this on a
consistent basis, you will be making contact correctly from the inside. If you happen to hit the outside tees, then you are still coming over the top and need more practice.
This can be a great way to narrow your swing’s focus & get it right every time.
C. Power Comes From Technique
Many golfers think that over-swinging automatically creates more power & that there is a direct ratio between the size of the swing & the power it generates.
But, this thinking is incorrect.
The truth is that you’ll get maximum power only when you swing within the confines of your feet.
There are two basic rules to remember:
1. Avoid placing your weight on the outside of your right foot during the backswing.
2. Avoid placing your weight on the outside of your left foot until after you make contact with the ball.
And here is how you should position your knees, ankles, & feet during a swing:
Start with your weight evenly distributed on the balls of your feet. As you shift your weight to the inside of your right foot on the backswing, roll the left foot in. The left knee should turn in naturally, but the right knee should remain fairly stationary.
Now, as you come into the ball, your right knee should turn & your weight should move off the ball of your right foot and onto your left.
Meanwhile, the right knee should head straight towards the hole. After impact, your weight should keep moving until it is focused on the outside of your left foot. Eventually your weight will be far off to the left and your right heel will come off the ground.
One-Armed Swings For Faster Improvement
A great practice technique that can be a remarkable way to help develop a better swing is to try one-handed swings.
Here is what to do:
1. Stand over the ball with your normal stance and grip a wedge or 9-iron.
2. Let go of the club with your dominant hand. Keep it at your side. (Remember, this drill requires only one arm).
3. Start by taking one armed chip shots. These small chip shots help you develop a better feel for getting the clubhead on the ball. This will also let you see how the ball moves when it comes off the clubface.
4. Continue this drill & work your way up to taking ¾ swing pitch shots, still using just your non-dominant hand.
If you keep practicing, you will find your confidence in one arm swings improving. Therefore, when you go back to making normal swings, they will seem stronger & the ball will fly farther. Also, normal swings will seem MUCH easier too!
Hit The Wall
One of the most common swing errors occur when golfers take their clubs too far inside of the target on the backswing.
This move is typically caused by having a backswing that is controlled more by the hips and the dipping of shoulders away from the golf ball.
This move leads to many bad shots like duck hooks, topped shots, & slices. Stuff you definitely don’t want.
A. The Simple Solution
To fix this problem, there is a simple practice technique that you can use: try balancing yourself against a wall. Simply situate your body with a wall behind you & pretend to address the ball while your backside touches the wall.
Now simulate your backswing (in slow motion).
If you find that your club is touching the wall, this means that you are moving too far inside.
By practicing the above drill with a wall, you will correct your backswing path as well as be alerted to any other problems that you might have.
For instance…you may be “laying off.” This term describes when a golfer’s hands have moved the club under the plane on the backswing (sometimes due to having weak wrists).
Adjust as necessary.
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