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Solving your golf swing equation

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I think of the golf swing as two parts: The backswing and the downswing. Each represents a side of an equation that needs to be balanced. In other words, the downswing needs to be compatible with the backswing; it has to complement it for a golfer to reach a good impact position.

It would not be a stretch to say that a golfer can make almost any backswing if they learn the counterbalance motion in the downswing. Those of you who are regular readers of my instruction columns know that I often discuss this issue, simply because it is the single most important aspect of hitting the ball solidly.

If we look in the golf hall of fame, we would see a variety of backswings. Take Lee Trevino’s backswing and compare it to Raymond Floyd’s. Or to use a more recent example, take Jim Furyk’s backswing and compare it to Matt Kuchar’s.

Left-Arm-Spectrum-P4-e13976800122741-600x384

Matt Kuchar (left), Tiger Woods (center) and Jim Furyk.

What do these swings have in common? Each player learned a downswing that is fully compatible with their backswing.

If you look at the video below, I have filmed a student who has a very Jim Furyk-like backswing, that is, the left arm is almost totally vertical at the top, but the downswing difference is radically changed and rather obvious.

https://youtu.be/-uSjbgAOrNE

It is very difficult to change the way golfers get to the top of the swing. The good news is that you might not have to — at least not drastically!

A few more detailed examples.

The golf swing has two components: Vertical and horizontal. The more vertical it is, the more narrow the motion tends to be. The more horizontal it is, the wider it tends to be.  Picture the up-and-down swing as a “V,” and the around swing as a “U.” If you have an upright backswing, you’ll need a little width coming down to balance your swing equation. Conversely, if you take the club away flat, you’ll need to narrow your downswing arc.

How do golfers gain or lose swing width? Look at it this way: If a player stays very centered over the golf ball, with little to no motion “off the ball,” he or she could balance that narrowing with a fairly wide arm swing, i.e. pushing the club away or setting it quite late. So the width here would be with the arms and club, as in a flat swing.

Golfers who move to the rear foot with a more lateral move off the ball have their width in the body motion. Their swing will need to be balanced with a more narrow swing arc, as in a vertical swing: one that stays in tighter to the body or sets the club up earlier in the backswing.

When Tiger Woods was younger, for example, he had a very wide body move off the ball, but took the club way up high (and across the line) to balance the slide. When he started staying more “stacked,” his swing got flatter by necessity (he was much more comfortable in my opinion with the old way, but he did win both ways). Tiger seems to be getting wider again off the ball now, and a little more up with the clubs and arms.

Then we have a Sergio Garcia-type swing. He is very wide going back, with no offsetting upright move in the backswing, but he has a very, very narrow downswing arc with all that lag. Again, a balance. All elite level ball strikers have matching components.

Jim Hardy said once that golf can be played in even numbers, never odd numbers. that is, Two back, Two down works, but 3 back, 2 down does not.

The permutations are numerous, but matching is the key. Another example: Does Jim Furyk drop and flatten the club coming down because he takes it back so upright? Or did he start out by learning that drop, and then figure out that the super upright backswing matches it? The answer is, “Who knows or even cares.” It has worked for him to the tune of some $64 million.. and counting.

I can’t think of ONE THING that all great golfers did in their swing except hit it solid. I’ve played in PGA section events and state opens with guys who looked like they were digging ditches and shot 68. I also teach some “beautiful swings” who can’t break 80. The difference? Compatibility.

It’s usually futile to try and change your whole swing. I might suggest finding an innate CORE MOVE and building around it.

If you’d like me to analyze your swing, go to my Facebook page or contact me ([email protected]) about my online swing analysis program.

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Dennis Clark is a PGA Master Professional. Clark has taught the game of golf for more than 30 years to golfers all across the country, and is recognized as one of the leading teachers in the country by all the major golf publications. He is also is a seven-time PGA award winner who has earned the following distinctions: -- Teacher of the Year, Philadelphia Section PGA -- Teacher of the Year, Golfers Journal -- Top Teacher in Pennsylvania, Golf Magazine -- Top Teacher in Mid Atlantic Region, Golf Digest -- Earned PGA Advanced Specialty certification in Teaching/Coaching Golf -- Achieved Master Professional Status (held by less than 2 percent of PGA members) -- PGA Merchandiser of the Year, Tri State Section PGA -- Golf Professional of the Year, Tri State Section PGA -- Presidents Plaque Award for Promotion and Growth of the Game of Golf -- Junior Golf Leader, Tri State section PGA -- Served on Tri State PGA Board of Directors. Clark is also former Director of Golf and Instruction at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Dennis now teaches at Bobby Clampett's Impact Zone Golf Indoor Performance Center in Naples, FL. .

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. Pingback: Golf Swing Mechanics - Backswing and Downswing - Golf Training News

  2. Craig

    May 8, 2015 at 2:23 pm

    I have always been told my problem is L.O.F.T. – Lack of Freaking Talent.

    • Dennis Clark

      May 9, 2015 at 9:06 am

      LOL. We all have LOFT but we do the best we can with what we have to work with????

  3. Mike

    May 7, 2015 at 9:45 am

    “I’ve played in PGA section events and state opens with guys who looked like they were digging ditches and shot 68. I also teach some “beautiful swings” who can’t break 80. The difference? Compatibility.”

    Scary and makes me wonder if it’s a talent thing and all of our work is in futility.

    • Dennis Clark

      May 7, 2015 at 10:22 am

      Never futile my friend. There are also plenty of classic swings who can flat golf their ball!

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Instruction

Clement: Stop ripping off your swing with this drill!

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Not the dreaded headcover under the armpit drill! As if your body is defective and can’t function by itself! Have you seen how incredible the human machine is with all the incredible feats of agility all kinds of athletes are accomplishing? You think your body is so defective (the good Lord is laughing his head off at you) that it needs a headcover tucked under the armpit so you can swing like T-Rex?

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How a towel can fix your golf swing

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This is a classic drill that has been used for decades. However, the world of marketed training aids has grown so much during that time that this simple practice has been virtually forgotten. Because why teach people how to play golf using everyday items when you can create and sell a product that reinforces the same thing? Nevertheless, I am here to give you helpful advice without running to the nearest Edwin Watts or adding something to your Amazon cart.

For the “scoring clubs,” having a solid connection between the arms and body during the swing, especially through impact, is paramount to creating long-lasting consistency. And keeping that connection throughout the swing helps rotate the shoulders more to generate more power to help you hit it farther. So, how does this drill work, and what will your game benefit from it? Well, let’s get into it.

Setup

You can use this for basic chip shots up to complete swings. I use this with every club in my bag, up to a 9 or 8-iron. It’s natural to create incrementally more separation between the arms and body as you progress up the set. So doing this with a high iron or a wood is not recommended.

While you set up to hit a ball, simply tuck the towel underneath both armpits. The length of the towel will determine how tight it will be across your chest but don’t make it so loose that it gets in the way of your vision. After both sides are tucked, make some focused swings, keeping both arms firmly connected to the body during the backswing and follow through. (Note: It’s normal to lose connection on your lead arm during your finishing pose.) When you’re ready, put a ball in the way of those swings and get to work.

Get a Better Shoulder Turn

Many of us struggle to have proper shoulder rotation in our golf swing, especially during long layoffs. Making a swing that is all arms and no shoulders is a surefire way to have less control with wedges and less distance with full swings. Notice how I can get in a similar-looking position in both 60° wedge photos. However, one is weak and uncontrollable, while the other is strong and connected. One allows me to use my larger muscles to create my swing, and one doesn’t. The follow-through is another critical point where having a good connection, as well as solid shoulder rotation, is a must. This drill is great for those who tend to have a “chicken wing” form in their lead arm, which happens when it becomes separated from the body through impact.

In full swings, getting your shoulders to rotate in your golf swing is a great way to reinforce proper weight distribution. If your swing is all arms, it’s much harder to get your weight to naturally shift to the inside part of your trail foot in the backswing. Sure, you could make the mistake of “sliding” to get weight on your back foot, but that doesn’t fix the issue. You must turn into your trial leg to generate power. Additionally, look at the difference in separation between my hands and my head in the 8-iron examples. The green picture has more separation and has my hands lower. This will help me lessen my angle of attack and make it easier to hit the inside part of the golf ball, rather than the over-the-top move that the other picture produces.

Stay Better Connected in the Backswing

When you don’t keep everything in your upper body working as one, getting to a good spot at the top of your swing is very hard to do. It would take impeccable timing along with great hand-eye coordination to hit quality shots with any sort of regularity if the arms are working separately from the body.

Notice in the red pictures of both my 60-degree wedge and 8-iron how high my hands are and the fact you can clearly see my shoulder through the gap in my arms. That has happened because the right arm, just above my elbow, has become totally disconnected from my body. That separation causes me to lift my hands as well as lose some of the extension in my left arm. This has been corrected in the green pictures by using this drill to reinforce that connection. It will also make you focus on keeping the lead arm close to your body as well. Because the moment either one loses that relationship, the towel falls.

Conclusion

I have been diligent this year in finding a few drills that target some of the issues that plague my golf game; either by simply forgetting fundamental things or by coming to terms with the faults that have bitten me my whole career. I have found that having a few drills to fall back on to reinforce certain feelings helps me find my game a little easier, and the “towel drill” is most definitely one of them.

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Instruction

Clement: Why your practice swing never sucks

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You hear that one all the time; I wish I could put my practice swing on the ball! We explain the huge importance of what to focus on to allow the ball to be perfectly in the way of your practice swing. Enjoy!

 

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