Category: Full Swing

We all want more power in our golf swings. I am going to tell you it is not by overswinging your club in your back swing and breaking down your wrists or front arm.  Actually you will get more power from your swing if at the top of your backswing you are engaging your front shoulder by not breaking down your front arm and wrist……this actually might be a smaller swing but more powerful.

If you look at the picture, I have taken two PVC pipes and made a 90 degree angle. I swing back and made sure that the opposite end of the PVC pipe does not hit any part of me. If the PVC pipe hits me, I am breaking down either my wrists or my left arm at the top of my swing. Therefore this will disconnect my power source from my shoulders and hips and my downswing will be broken.

The best part of this drill is it can be done anywhere at anytime. If you practice enough with the PVC pipe the feel should transition to a better backswing with a golf club.

This checkpoint can be a little difficult to determine. This is why I have grabbed a badminton racquet with a small shaft extender on it. Now I understand you might not have one of these in your garage, but you may also want to use a tennis racquet or just a bandminton without an extension on it is great too. Swing back and check where the face of the racquet is pointing. In the picture you can see the whole face of the racquet: this is good. If the face of the racquet is pointing up or down you are changing the club face. Therefore on the downswing you will need some maneuvering of the club to get it back to square for good impact.

After you have confirmed  a square club face try to focus on the feel in your arms, wrists and hands. If the clubface is not square at the top, first look at your wrists. Figure out good wrists and bad wrists. Using the big racquet will help you feel and see this position easier. After a little practice, go back to your club and check it out.

As a teacher we begin to check our student’s swing through grip and setup. The first major checkpoint is the location of club face as the student transition to the backswing. This position can effect your entire golf swing. If the club face is not setting properly it is very hard to get the club face back to square at impact.

I took a picture of the correct positioning. Look at the club face (flat part of the head) is facing forward. The toe of the club (the top of the head) is pointing up and the heel (the bottom part of the head) is pointing down. This starts the club face properly, which ensures you are using your shoulders to swing back and not your hands and wrists.  Therefore, you are starting with a club face that can now get set for a good backswing and hopefully a better club face at impact.

One of the hardest things for me to teach any student is to hold your golf club properly with little pressure. Most golfers, including myself, grip the club to “death”. When we do this, the club becomes stiff and changes the dynamic of the golf club. It is very similar to holding a tambourine. When you hold the tambourine tight and shake it, the tambourine does not sound proper- it is clunky and short. Now if you hold it gently and shake it plays its proper music. A correct grip pressure is light and relaxed. Some people say it is like holding a baby bird, a full tube of toothpaste, or a shopping bag/ briefcase.  I promise you will not throw the club if you do this, providing the grips are in good condition.

Now, we can look at our grips to help us aid in not holding it tight. Especially as the summer comes to an end, it is time to check your grips. If you see the picture above, this is a worn out grip. This can effect your grip pressure tremendously. A worn out grip has no grip left- the sticky stuff. When this happens you will have to grip tighter just because your grips are worn. Especially after a hot summer, our grips can get slippery from our hands. First, you can wash your grips to clean all the sweat, dirt, etc. off of them. Take your kitchen dish soap and a good scrub brush. Put your grips under the running water and with soap scrub them until the water turns a lighter grey and set them on a towel to dry over night. By the morning if your grips are still in good condition they should feel better so you do not have to grip as tight.  If they are not better or have worn spots like the picture above it is time get new grips, which most golf shops can do for you in less than a day.

If you ever have played with me this is my drill of choice to improve my swing. I have always been a flat plane swinger (I love playing softball)! You will find me doing this before every round of golf I play for a couple minutes.

For those who do not know what “plane” means the definition is the path that your club swings on. Most people are so used to playing softball, tennis, racquetball etc. Most common swings in various sports are horizontal swings with the ball in mid air. Golf is not like these sports. The ball is on the ground, therefore we must swing a little more vertical so that our club goes up and then “what goes up must come down” and hit the ball. To ensure you are starting your swing on plane stand up with your butt brushing against a wall (a wall you can hit and not damage or don’t mind it gets damaged a little). Then get in your setup position with club. Swing back halfway. Your club on the backswing should not hit the wall at all, and technically should be parallel to the wall. If you have hit the wall anywhere you are not taking your club back on plane.  I love this drill because you can keep your eye on the wall and feel what the backswing should feel like. If you hit the wall, you will feel it is wrong and be able to try to fix it without technically having to look at it.

Stay tuned for future blog on how the wall can help you follow through better too!