Be A Scratch Golfer By Spring!

Transcription

1 Swing Builder Program It s Easier To Fix YOUR Swing... Than Learn A New One! Get the insider secrets touring pros use everyday. Learn what swing faults you have and how they influence your golf game. Learn what swing faults you need to fix and which ones you can live with. Learn how to maintain your improvements over time. Improve over the winter at home! 1

2 Letter From The Founder How My Swing Builder Program WILL change your golfing life forever! I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for entrusting your golfing future to Bobby Lopez s QUICK FIX GOLF. It is my pleasure and honor to serve you. You hold in your hands the power to change your golfing life forever. Why? Because this program is specifically designed to help you make upgrades to your golf game over the off season which is te BEST time to work on your golf game. If you re going to do a valve job on your car, better to do it when you re not going to be driving the car as often. Like any other sport today, it s the off season that determines your performance for the coming year. At the beginning of every off-season, Jack Nicklaus would visit his mentor Jack Grout. They would literally start from the very beginning and go over every single detail of Jack s fundamentals and re-build Jack s golf swing from the bottom up. I mean everything. The very basics like grip, stance and alignment. Even the most intricate details were not ignored or overlooked. This Swing Builder Program does NOT teach you a fool-proof method or swing theory. We give you the facts to help you adapt the fundamentals of golf and the rules of physics to the make up and style of YOUR golf swing. After giving thousands of lessons, like I have, it is easy to see that most golfers fit into five or six different categories. More importantly, most golfers do not know which category they are in! This is where the video playback will help you. 2

3 Letter From The Founder Most golfers say, I had no idea that my swing looked like it did until I saw myself on video for the first time. That s a good thing! Now through video analysis you have a true starting point from which to work. No more guessing. Re-aligning your swing doesn t come instantly! You first need to spend time studying what your swing is all about. That s why we developed the Swing Identification Section in our action book. Find out who your swing is. Yes, who! Think of your swing as a living, breathing person whom you need to train and nurture to respond to your commands. Spend time in front of a mirror, doing your prescribed drills slowly and diligently. Enjoy the journey to a better golf game. Don t allow frustration to set in and ruin your progress. You may not be aware that you are improving, since the golf ball has yet to respond. It will. Be patient! Your improvement will happen somewhat like a share of stock on the stock market. You don t rocket straight up. You move to a higher plateau and then settle for a little while. Then you ll move up to another plateau, and so on. I wish you the best of results. Remember, simply using this program puts you way ahead of most golfers. Most golfers will never know HOW THEIR OWN SWING works. They will never learn the proper drills to keep THEIR swing under control, nor will they gain the practice and discipline you will gain through this program. WORK SMARTER - NOT HARDER! Your golfing buddy, Bobby Lopez, PGA 3

4 Table of Contents How to Use this Action Book - Pages 6-7 Tips on how to make the most of your improvement The Swing Builder Program - Pages 8-11 Read the entire action manual first! You need to have a complete overview before attempting to make changes in your golf swing. Swing Path & Club Face Angle - Pages Interaction Between Club Path and Club Face Angle Overview of the Swing - Pages You must control three dynamics for a repeatable swing. A lot of swing theory here but a firm foundation is important. What is a compensation? Practicing a Drill Effectively - Pages This is the same kind of practice used by touring pros everywhere. Practice doesn t make perfect...perfect practice makes perfect. Swing Identifier Section - Pages First identify your specific swing faults. Decide which swing faults are effecting your ball flight and swing consistency. The Grip - Pages Your only contact with the golf club. Your grip and your impact position need to match up for square impact. The Address - Pages Where the ball is going. How to position your body for balance and consistency Alignment & Aim - Pages What does alignment mean and how does it differ from aim? Why pre-shot routine is so important. The Pre-Shot Routine - Page 51 Evident in every successful low handicapper. 4

5 Table of Contents The Takeaway - Pages The waggle can be an excellent opportunity to rehearse your takeaway. Back Swing - Pages The center of your back swing is the base of your spine. The intention of the back swing to prepare for impact and create energy. Top of the Swing - Pages Your lead arm should be parallel to the plane, shaft angle. The body turns and the arms lift. THE most difficult move in golf. The Transition - Pages The arms win the race to the impact area. The Swing Plane - Pages The ball flight will initially react to the path of the golf club. The path needs to stay relative to the original shaft angle at address. The Unloading Sequence - Pages 70 Get the arms going first and then follow the centrifugal force outward. The Impact Position - Pages The moment of truth! Your left wrist should be slightly bulged at impact. The Finish - Pages Balance is not a thing to do...it s a place to go! The Golf Swing s Best Kept Secret! - Pages Two keys every successful golf swing contains. The Exam Section - Pages Table of contents of drills and their functions The Drills Section - Pages Table of contents of drills and their functions Glossary of Terms - Pages

6 How to Use Your Action Kit Our Swing Builder Program will cover training points overlooked by most golf instructional programs. We believe these points are important. By observing them, your development will be more rapid and longer lasting with less time and effort. Please follow the program in the prescribed order, since the steps are organized in a way that enhances the program s effectiveness. Why do you swing the way you do? The major sequence to this program is: 1) First, you need to understand what a controllable golf swing is. 2) Second, you need to know what your golf swing does. A complete analysis of where your golf swing is now so you have a base line means of measurement as you improve. 3) Third, we help you identify how your golf clubs are effecting your performance. No, you do not necessarily have to buy a new set of golf clubs. Quite possibly a few easy adjustments to your exisitng golf clubs will have a very positive effect on your performance. 4) We will help you decide what swing changes you might consider and how to go about them. Even more importantly, HOW TO KEEP YOUR SWING CHARACTERISTICS UNDER CONTROL OVER TIME! 5) We need to consider golf course management with improved wisdom and decision making. This is the one glaring difference between the Swing Builder program and other golf instructional programs available. We won t teach you the perfect swing or the industry model, we re going to teach you how to control YOUR swing and make it work for you! If you happen to be a novice, be very thankful. You will be able to follow the program and develop good habits from the start. We won t have to spend a lot of time untangling your swing. 6

7 How to Use Your Action Kit Before you do anything, we would like for you to have a very clear picture of where you are going with this program. This means you need to read every part of this action manual before digging into any particular section. This is your first homework assignment. Read the entire action manual first! During your reading, try not to get bogged down in details. Simply look for the overall picture, especially in the section covering swing theory. Remember, it s only theory! There is one last thing you need to understand before beginning the instructional process. It is a process. To change something means to relearn it! This requires practice, dedication and a considerable number of repetitions to reprogram your motion. To Change Something Means To Relearn It! Do not expect to see significant improvement immediately every time you make a change. You will understand the reason for this better when you get to the section concerning compensations. We do want you to embrace the challenge of changing. Have fun learning about your golf swing, while you make these necessary changes. Making notes in your action manual will help you retain this important information. We include areas in your action manual for you to paste a still picture of your swing motion position. I find it very beneficial to look at both the still picture and the video analysis. Also, use this feature to keep a running record of your improvement. Your golf swing is never cured, it s in remission! Old habits tend to return if not monitored so keep the path you chose for improvement documented for future reference. The common errors and remedies pages will refer you to drills on video that are included in your self study action kit. 7

8 For those of you that are not comfortable with a computer and/ or video camera, a full length mirror will work as well. Ben Hogan didn t do too bad with a just mirror so don t feel like you re at a disadvantage. This interactive instruction program is unique. If you have purchased golf books or videos before, you know how difficult it is to translate good instruction into changes in your own game. To improve your game, you must understand more than the mechanics of a sound golf swing you must understand the mechanics of YOUR own swing. Other programs simply give you their theory on the best way to hit a golf ball. What they don t give you is a trainer who can look at your swing and tell you where to begin. You must understand the mechanics of YOUR own swing Swing Builder Program A good instructor knows all about formal swing theory but also recognizes that every player has unique needs, demanding a unique approach to swing development. The instructor is able to identify your primary problem, helping you focus on stepby-step changes. A very good instructor gives you a specific practice regimen to make those changes happen effectively. This tailored approach is far more beneficial. Every person has different swing flaws that make consistent ball striking difficult. The tailored approach will focus on the mistakes in your swing that need to be corrected. The Swing Builder Program teaches you to be your own trainer. It shows you how to identify your own swing traits. It helps you understand why you swing the way you do. Then, it gives you specific steps to develop a swing that is simple and reliable a swing that means better golf. All of golf s great players, the ones who really last, follow the rules. We don t mean the rules of golf. We re talking about the rules of a good golf swing. You must build your swing around these principles to be successful. 8

9 Swing Builder Program Fortunately, the basics are pretty simple. The real trick is learning to let the foundation define the details. Most golfers start with a flawed foundation and then try to put together a string of details to overcome the root problem. They practice and practice, but every swing is another nail in the wrong spot, another board that won t stay in place. Every golf swing in the world is unique. Yours is no exception! Ben Hogan s swing was not exactly like Nick Faldo s, but that doesn t mean Mr. Faldo has it all wrong. You see? Same fundamentals unique applications. Speaking of Golf Professionals The fundamentals of a good golf swing are simple. We can teach anyone basic theory in a few minutes. But this is not our goal. The ultimate goal is to translate all the information into one thing better golf! This is the goal of all who practice the game. Each golfer has different reasons for wanting a better game. For you it may be to enjoy the satisfaction of seeing positive results from applied discipline. It may be so you can beat your boss. It may be for the pleasure of winning in competition. Imagine taking a golf professional to the office with you. Imagine having only a few weeks to teach him everything about your job, everything that has taken you years to learn. If you envied his three (3) iron shot to the pin last Saturday, you might enjoy watching him stumble around in your world. Would you expect him to know all the nuances of, say, investment banking in a month or two? Could he fix a leaky copper pipe? Remember that, when you step into a golf pro s world, you will be just as clumsy as he would be in yours. Most of the professionals you see on TV have been swinging a club since they learned to crawl. With world-class training, and countless hours on the course and the practice tee, you might be able 9

10 Swing Builder Program to compete with them. About Practice - You are not a professional, so don t be too critical of your development. It takes time. However, you can use your limited time far better than most amateurs. Remember what we said about the way most people practice? Most amateur golfers are actually practicing bad habits. Attitude can have a huge effect on how you hit the ball If you practice properly, you will save a lot of time and find the game far more rewarding. Proper practice will build motor memory in other words, good habits. With the right motor memory, you will be able to avoid that bunker on Number 18, even with the whole gallery (the geeks in the lounge) watching. Many teaching professionals, while giving excellent hands-on instruction, don t give students a means for continuing self-critique. They don t provide a specific practice plan or a way for students to observe their own development after completing a few lessons. Consequently, players tend to slip into their old habits, or they develop new swing faults without even realizing it. Golfers don t plan to fail they simply fail to plan. What makes the Swing Builder Program uniquely effective is that it gives you a plan. Not only does it help you understand your own swing, but it also gives you a specific regimen to follow a program built around your own needs. It teaches you to give yourself the kind of feedback you really need in order to develop. You will learn to practice with awareness, observing your development as you move through the program. You will document your progress. Follow the plan and you will improve far more rapidly than you imagined possible. Most of you have never even come close to practicing in an organized way, the way touring professionals practice. Now you will have the opportunity and the guidance to do so. 10

11 Swing Builder Program Remember, practice does not make perfect perfect practice makes perfect. A Word About Your Approach to the Game One more thing before we get started. Keep in mind that your swing will never be perfect, no matter how good you are. The whole game is imperfect. Jack Nicklaus was right when he said, golf wasn t meant to be fair. The greens are never perfect. You ll never get a perfect lie in a bunker (unless it is perfectly evil). You will inevitably have a perfectly rotten bounce once in a while. You simply have to accept imperfection as part of the challenge of the game. Golf wasn t meant to be fair... Jack Nicklaus Most importantly; enjoy yourself while you are learning as you are practicing, and when you are playing. It may sound cliched, but attitude can have a huge effect on how you hit the ball. You probably already know this to be true on the golf course. Don t forget to take that attitude along with you to the practice range. Before we get to your swing, let s talk about the interaction between a golf club and a golf ball. We will discuss the mechanics in greater detail later. For now, though, let s focus on the two most influential points for the golf ball: SWING PATH, CLUB FACE ANGLE, GRIP and the LIE ANGLE ON YOUR GOLF CLUB. Swing path refers to the direction the club is traveling as it advances toward the ball. Club face angle is the direction the club face is pointed at as it travels along the swing path. You may be disappointed to learn that the ball is concerned with little more than these two variables. They are the primary influences on the ball s flight. By observing the flight path, you can deduce the club face angle and swing path at the point of impact. You can determine why the ball started toward the green only to land in that nasty lake. Throughout your lessons, you will continually hear us 11

12 Swing Path & Club Face Angle refer to the ball flight. In the final analysis, that is the only thing that matters. The ball flight also helps us analyze what is happening in your swing, so pay attention to it as you practice. Let s look at the available ball flight combinations. If you are a more experienced player, you may think some of this is too elementary. Please read everything anyway; you will need to apply the mental imagery in each concept to your own swing. Also, you can never revisit the basics too frequently. Above are the possible combinations of ball flight. Some refer to this as the ball flight laws. You should observe your ball flight and be aware of the swing path and club face angle that you imparted on that particular shot. The ball won t lie, and it will talk to you if you listen and understand its language! Try holding your balance as long as you can while you are observing your ball flight. Try to build a relationship between your ball flight and where your balance position is. If you do not land in the same place or position every time in your follow through, why should the ball go to the same place every time? 12

13 Swing Path & Club Face Angle Balance is not a thing to do, it s a place to go! The Perpendicular or Square Club Face - If the club face is perpendicular to the swing path, the ball will travel in the direction of the swing path first, so the outside-in swing will deliver the ball left of the target. The inside-out swing will send it to the right of the target, and the square swing path will send the ball to the target, if you re properly aimed. The Open Club Face - Imagine for a moment what would happen if the club head were slightly open at the point of impact. By open we mean turned slightly clockwise within the swing path. (Remember that all angles are in relation to right handers). An open face at impact causes the ball to spin clockwise, and thus curve right or slice. So, a ball struck with an open club face initially travels along the club s swing path first, but then turns right as a result of the spin created by the glancing blow of the open club face. The combination of open club face with an outside-in swing path is the most common problem among less experienced golfers. So, a persistent slice is the biggest nemesis for most players. We will discuss the reasons for this later. The Closed Club Face - A closed club face tends to impart a counterclockwise spin. With an inside-out swing, the ball would 13

14 Swing Path & Club Face Angle launch along the swing path first and begin curving left or hooking. A similar leftward curve would occur with the other two swing paths. The degree of curve depends on how closed the club face is at impact. The general direction depends on the line of the swing path. Inside-Out - The player takes the club back inside a line directly toward the target, and returns it along a path outside the target line. Square - The player takes the club back and returns it to the ball on a path directly toward the target. Outside-In - The player takes the club back outside a line directly toward the target, and returns it toward the ball on a path inside the target line. In Summary, put all of these things together and you get: (a) Three general swing paths, (b) Three possible club face angles on each swing path. Add the combinations and you have nine (9) general ball flight patterns. There are other factors influencing ball flight, such as approach angle, club lie angle, centeredness of hit, and dynamic loft. We will also discuss distance and trajectory. For now, you should simply focus on swing path and club face angle, because these factors will be most instructive in your swing development. The next time your shot ends up forty yards left of the target, you should know what happened at the point of impact. Now you need to find out what conditions influenced the impact criteria. In other 14

15 Swing Path & Club Face Angle words, you need to know how your golf swing took you there. This information is vital when warming up before play or practicing. Every time you hit a practice shot observe the ball flight. Not what you expected? Run through your check list of causes. Start doing the appropriate drill or drills and then go back to hitting another shot and observe. Sometimes, one needs to bend their golf swing in to position before getting on the golf course. That s why I always recommend getting to the golf course at least one hour before play for preparation. The next few pages will offer you the opportunity to chart your current ball flight, swing path and club face angle. Writing it down will help. As you see improvements chart them again so you can always refer back to what you did. Write notes on the drills you did and save this information. Never underestimate the possibility that your problem is psychological. Example, you are about to play a golf course that you think is longer than you re used to, so you swing harder than usual. Your entire swing gets out of sequence as a result. Another ten yards doesn t mean much, a shot hit in the woods off the tee means a lot. Also, most golfers tend to either over swing on the back swing, (making the swing more difficult to perform) or they pull harder with their body, which gets their body ahead of the arms and again out of sequence. Don t be intimidated by long courses. Some golf tournaments on tour with very long yardages are won by some of the shorter hitters. Why? Because the short game skills come in handy when most everyone is missing the greens in regulation. Play to your strengths! If you re short, stay in the middle of the fairway and work diligently on your short game. 15

16 Swing Path & Club Face Angle My current swing path is: My current club face angle is: My current ball flight is: Date: My current swing path is: My current club face angle is: My current ball flight is: Date: 16

17 Swing Path & Club Face Angle My current swing path is: My current club face angle is: My current ball flight is: Date: My current swing path is: My current club face angle is: My current ball flight is: Date: 17

18 Overview of the Swing We want to build the best swing possible out of your own personal characteristics and capabilities. To do this, you must have some understanding of formal swing theory. That is the purpose of this section. You must control three dynamics to have a good repeatable swing We have simplified the golf swing as much as possible because we believe the simplest swing is the most efficient swing. However, the swing motion has many parts. We would be remiss to exclude some of the finer points, especially since they can be used to diagnose a flawed foundation. Remember, no matter how complex a particular swing motion may feel, it is designed to make the swing simpler and more efficient. It only feels complex because you have ingrained a certain feeling that you are now trying to change. A Very Brief Overview of the Swing The golf swing has three primary components. If you understand and control these three dynamic movements, you will have a good golf swing. The Club Face - The club face has the most dramatic effect on ball flight. The club face affects the ball flight as it relates to the angle at which it is returned to the ball at impact. It is controlled by the forearms and hands, their position on the club and how they move the club along the swing path during the swing. The Pivot - The pivot involves the body rotation. This refers to the turning or coiling of the upper body during the swing. It is the pivot of the body around the spine that is the foundation for the entire swing. No other problems in the golf swing can be fixed until this is successfully addressed. The Swing Path - The swing path refers to the path the club takes during the golf swing. Much of the focus on the swing path will involve the swing plane. This is the angle the swing path travels on 18

19 during the swing. Overview of the Swing The swing plane is established by the initial address position of the golf club. This motion is controlled by the arms and hands and is done in harmony with the body pivot. Each of these components are interdependent. There are things that happen in the swing path that are directly caused by something that happened in the pivot. It is difficult to change one aspect of the golf swing without affecting another. This brings up the subject of compensations. An awareness of compensations will help you understand the relationship between various swing movements. What is a compensation? A compensation is a movement for the purpose of overcoming another flawed motion. In other words, if one part of your swing contains a flaw, in time your body will develop an accommodating motion that allows you to strike the ball with some success. This is the concept of matching up mistakes. This may sound like a good thing, and you may achieve temporary positive results. However this is a dangerous concept! When a compensation helps you hit the ball more accurately, you tend to try to repeat the move. Thus, you focus on improving the compensating move instead of correcting the fundamental problem. The compensation becomes another movement requiring voluntary control. The more moving parts in the swing, the more difficult it is to repeat with consistency. Two wrongs can make a right - in the golf swing For now, you only need to be aware of the concepts of compensation and matching up mistakes. As your knowledge of the swing increases, you will more fully understand and be able to eliminate the compensations. Understand that if you already have compensating factors in your swing, then you need to repair both the improper motion and the 19

20 Practicing A Drill Effectively compensating motion. The purpose of any drill is to isolate and develop one aspect of your swing motion. You must concentrate on improving only one motion during each chosen practice session. Most amateur golfers practice ineffectively. They don t bring enough deliberation, concentration and focus into their practice. This doesn t mean practice has to be tediously demanding. It simply means that it requires your continued attention. You should relentlessly pursue a very specific goal during practice. Instead of a sensation of arduous work, practicing properly will bring the much greater satisfaction of rapid progress. This is the same kind of practice used by touring pros everywhere You may feel the practice plan we prescribe is more time consuming than your usual method. However it will produce the desired results far more rapidly. It is the same kind of practice used by touring pros everywhere. That s because it is the only way to really produce the results you want. Cognizant Practice Time and again we see students with the golf version of Attention Deficit Disorder go to the driving range and smack balls away hoping to impress their neighbors. Even those with good intentions, who begin a practice session with a specific goal, soon get lost in the consuming process of striking the ball and watching it fly. Or they begin watching their neighbor, or talking to their buddy. It s OK to have a good time; you should enjoy your time at the driving range. However, if you want to improve, you have to give the process some focus. Even students in our school, who are clearly there for the purpose of improving, have to constantly be reminded to practice the given drill. They lose focus quickly, and soon are hitting the way they always have without being aware of it. Very few of you can afford, or would even want, to take a coach with you every time you go to the range. So you have to be your own coach -- a good coach. A good 20

21 Practicing A Drill Effectively coach prods and encourages, with relentless focus on the task. We will teach you the method of cognizant practice. With a specific routine, you are more likely to stick to the process. Cognizant practice means you will take inventory of your motion every time you hit the ball. This will help you develop awareness of your swing motion. The more you develop self-awareness, the better you will be able to develop and maintain your own swing. The Process - Before beginning any drill motion, be sure you are set up properly. Good alignment and address are prerequisites for a good swing motion. By the time you practice your swing, you should have developed these setup skills (through the same kind of deliberate, conscientious practice procedures). Some of these drills can be practiced anywhere. Some can be practiced without a club, some with a club but no ball. You will be surprised by the results of this dummy practice. However, for your time at the range we recommend practicing in the following manner. With a specific routine, you are more likely to stick to the process Before we begin to analyze your swing motion, we need to agree on the method for making repairs. You must trust our years of experience in golf instruction and follow the plan as prescribed. Also, practice means just that, practice. NEVER PRACTICE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SCORE ON THE GOLF COURSE! Let the practice and drill work merge into your golf game naturally. First, isolate the problem motion or position. Assign a repetition drill or antidote motion that will replace the current swing fault. This can only take place through careful, thoughtful and disciplined repetition of the assigned drill. Range Practice At the driving range, begin each drill with a ghost motion. This is a slow, deliberate run-through of the motion you intend to 21

22 Practicing A Drill Effectively develop. This motion serves as a dry run. You should perform the ghost motion three times before hitting a ball. Next, practice the drill itself using a ball. Then incorporate the drill into a full swing motion as you hit the ball. After hitting a ball, DO NOT immediately reach for another golf ball. Instead, take inventory of your swing motion. First observe the flight of the ball. Watch it all the way to the ground. As you are doing this, analyze your finish position. Did you finish in balance? Do you have good posture? Is all your weight resting comfortably on your front foot? Is your chest facing the target? Is your grip in the same position as when you started the swing? This self-critique is vital! The information you gain makes all the difference in the world. If you don t ask these questions, you will soon be practicing without focus. Repeating Always hold your balance after a shot and take inventory of your swing motion the drill improperly, without awareness, will do more harm than good. Don t be embarrassed to practice this way at the range. What you are doing is far more effective than unconsciously banging away at range balls as most players do. We call those guys basket-cases, because they are constantly dragging from the basket another ball with which to bury their swing potential. Perhaps, one day, everyone will have enough understanding to practice properly. Until then, be willing to be a maverick. Once again, the range practice method is as follows: (1) Check your setup position before beginning the drill. Pound the importance of good preparation into your head every chance you get. (2) Perform the drill three times without using a ball. Visualize the motion and absorb the physical sensation of doing it properly. 22

23 Practicing A Drill Effectively (3) Perform the drill with a ball. This means you will execute only the drill, not a completed swing motion. DO NOT worry about ball flight! Most people try so hard to hit the ball far, they lose sight of the drill on which they are working. (4) Hit with a full swing. Incorporate the motion practiced in the drill into your full swing motion. Concentrate. When you finish, take the time to evaluate your motion. A proper finishing position is just as important as a proper address. The address is a forecast of what will happen the finish is a summary of what happened. The finish is a history lesson. It is a lesson you must learn if you are to improve! We are asking you to accept some discomfort. Don t worry about it. Trust that the changes will produce the results you want This practice procedure may sound laborious. It does take a little work to hold your focus. However, we promise you will find the whole thing much more enjoyable and rewarding than the old grip and go method. A mindless attitude can help on the golf course, not on the practice range. Remember that we are asking you to accept some discomfort, some initial awkwardness, even some negative results in ball flight. Don t worry about it. You must simply concentrate on improving your SWING motion, trusting that the changes will eventually produce the results you want. Imagine how difficult it is for professional golfers to make fundamental swing changes. They rely on their swing to win tournaments, to pay for the hotel, to buy their kids braces. Tinkering with a swing motion that has produced professional success is dangerous. Yet many players have recognized the need for fundamental change, and have paid the price of temporary discomfort for a far greater gain down the road. One of our main goals in this program is to help you understand your own swing. This is the reason we use video. Seeing your swing takes you a long way toward understanding your swing. When you combine the benefits of personal instruction with film analysis, your 23

24 development is maximized. Most golfers have swing faults that are fairly easy for a trained eye to recognize. Most people have no idea what their swing looks like or how all of the motions are related. If you have played for some time without professional guidance, you have probably developed several compensations to overcome a more basic problem. This may be the result of some advice you received years ago. You took the advice, and over the years produced an elaborate chain of movements to control the improper motion. You are most likely completely unaware of these subtle compensating movements. You have probably done them enough that they You are most likely completely unaware of these subtle compensating movements Your Swing Identifier feel perfectly natural. Even though these movements feel natural to you, they are difficult to duplicate. There is nothing natural about the golf swing. It is a series of learned movements. You may have learned to control the ball reasonably well, but because the compensations require extraordinary timing, you are probably inconsistent. Some days the compensations will work fine for a while, then your game will crumble. Some days your swing will really click. Some days you just can t hit anything right. Sound familiar? Even if you have a very sound swing, you will experience these fluctuations to some degree. However, if you have a swing with lower risk, the fluctuations won t be as severe. How do you lower risk? You already know simplify the swing! Reduce the number of moving parts that you must voluntarily control. The more efficient your swing is, the easier it is to repeat. This makes it easier to produce more power as well as consistency. If you are very agile, you can become a good player with a highrisk swing. David Duval is a good example of this. He has a very strong grip with his left hand. As you now know, a strong grip closes the club face. David s strong grip forces him to extend his left arm along the target line (away from his body). To keep the club face from closing and sending the ball left. Dave must maintain the back of his front hand skyward as he comes through the ball. 24

25 Your Swing Identifier Dave Duval has had great success as a player in spite of this flaw. Changing this well-grooved motion would require risk. He has learned to live with the flaw and the compensations required to be successful, but he runs the risk of having a swing that is more difficult to fix if something starts to go wrong, as it has evidently been the case of late for him. Swing Identification - Now we would like to carefully scrutinize your swing. We will focus on the three primary aspects of the swing: 1) The Club Face Angle Are you holding the club face square at every point along the swing path? 2) The Pivot Are you rotating the upper body properly? 3) The Swing Path Are you using the arms to direct the club along the swing plane? Common Swing Faults - Many swing flaws begin from the two biggest misconceptions in golf: 1) Keep your head down or still - Your head can move slightly to the right during your back swing for balance or to maximize your coil. The common fault of swaying is usually caused by the hips rather than the upper body. Another common swing flaw is the reverse pivot. Focusing too much on keeping the head in place is the main cause for this mistake. 2) The leading arm is to remain straight or stiff. The straight left arm can cause the club face to be open at the top of the swing, making it difficult to square at impact. The open club face could cause a loss of distance by adding loft to your impact position. Another common mistake is taking the club too much to the inside on the back swing. This leads to the club getting too steep in the back swing causing the very common over the top motion seen in many swings. The over the top motion results in a slice that is very hard to control. 25

26 The Grip and the Club Face Let s begin with your grip and do a complete analysis of your existing swing motion. As you prepare to hit a golf ball, the first thing you do is grip the club. The next thing you do is aim your club face at the target and align your body with the club and target line. You are now positioned to strike the ball. These actions are all closely related; one directly affects the other. So close is the relationship that it may be hard to separate cause from effect. However because a golfer must inevitably grip the club before doing anything, let us begin there. Since the grip is your only real connection to the club, you can easily understand its importance. If you have a grip that is unstable, inconsistent, or poorly positioned, your swing will never be efficient or reliable. The most important function of the grip is controlling club face angle. As you now know, this angle is a primary influence on ball flight. Also, the way you hold and control the club face position influences your overall swing motion. You probably have seen illustrations of the Vardon grip, the most common modern golf grip. You may have focused on the overlapping pinky as the most significant aspect of the grip. You would naturally assume that if you placed your hands and fingers in this approximate position, you would have a proper grip. You might have missed the most significant point: the positioning of the hands in relation to the club face angle. This relationship has surprising influence on your swing and, more importantly, on your ball flight. Here is a picture of the Callaway grip. There is nothing wrong with having a diagram on your grip to help you place your hands on the golf clubs the same way every time. Notice the loop figure about where your left thumb should reach. I like that fact that they have the loop place The Grip 26

27 The Grip so you place your left thumb at about two o clock, if you consider right on top of the center of the grip is 12 o clock. Hand Position and Club Face Angle Most golf books will tell you that the back of your left hand should be facing the target, yet I find that most tour players or good amateurs play from what is called a stronger grip position. The club runs at an angle from the fleshy pad of the hand to the point where it runs across the top joint of the forefinger. As your left hand closes on the club, you should be able to see the knuckles of the forefinger and middle finger as you look straight down on the club. The thumb runs down at about 2 o clock on the grip and the V formed by your thumb and hand will point somewhere between your right ear and right shoulder. Please refer to the illustrations for samples. If the left hand is turned excessively in a clockwise direction, so the back of your hand points skyward or to the right of the target line, you have too strong a grip. The opposite is true for too weak a grip. With the left hand in good position, the right hand should fall in a naturally opposing position. The lifeline of the lower hand fits over the thumb of the upper hand. The V formed by the thumb and hand should also point somewhere between the right ear and the right shoulder. With both hands in this position, you have a neutral headed toward strong grip. Professionals have had more success leaning toward a strong grip rather than a weak one. 27

28 A Weak Grip Let s look at what happens if your grip is too weak. In general, a strong grip tends to close the club face, forcing the ball further leftward in relation to the swing path. The weak grip does the opposite. A weak grip makes it almost impossible for one to rotate the forearms a sufficient amount to square the club face up to the path resulting in that ugly slice. One reason this position is considered weak, the result of not squaring up the golf club at impact will add loft to the golf club sending the ball higher with less distance. Right Hand Grip The left hand grip is the leader because golf is a back haneded game. That s why your wear a glove on your left hand. However, as Hogn once said, I wish I had two right hands. The right hand provides a lot of the club head speed and control of the club face angle at impact. While the left hand should be providing most of the turning effect or rotating of the golf club through impact, it is the right hand that lashes out as would a pitcher throwing a baseball. The Grip As in the picture here, make sure your right hand grip is in the fingers. You thow a base ball with your fingers, not your palm. Also please notice how the lifeline of the palm fits perfecting on top of the left thumb to create one single unit. 28

29 A Misplaced Grip The Grip Let s look at what happens if your grip is too strong. In general, a strong grip tends to close the club face, forcing the ball further leftward in relation to the swing path. To compensate for this hooking tendency, your body will tend to lay or fall back instead of releasing properly in the follow through. You may also tend to cup your wrist, encouraging a slice. Your body will try to overcome a faulty grip by contriving a compensating swing motion. The resulting movement will be difficult to duplicate, and your game will suffer. What about the over lap or interlock grip you ask? Not a big deal as far as I m concerned. I use the overlap but quite frankly I think that the overlap vs. the interlock is strictly a matter of feel rather than actually effecting ball flight. However you might find that one system may not only feel better but also produce a more consistent ball flight for you. You ll need to try both until you land on a favorite. Your Grip Needs To Be Perfect! Your grip needs to be perfectly in tune with the rest of your swing. Referring back to my comments on Compensations, if you have a flaw in your grip you MUST have another flaw in your swing that matches. Dave Duval was a prime example mentioned earlier. We MUST make a determination as to wether you have a flaw in your grip and then look for the compensations to match BEFORE attempting to adjust the grip. This quite frankly is why so many golfers have a difficult time with traditional golf instruction. Some teaching pros attempt to adjust the grip without first taking into consideration any other compensations during the swing motion that developed by way of the faulty grip. Again an error in having a grip that is considered to be strong, (the left hand is turned more clockwise on the shaft) might not be a bad thing. However a weak grip could be fatal. Let s take a look at some touring pro grips that are leaning toward the strong side. 29

30 The Grip Notice the strong left hand grip Bernhard Langer has at address. Then look at the right side of the picture showing Bernhard at impact. Notice how much of his left hand grip is showing at impact. Notice how the club face is square at impact. 30

31 The Grip Here we see a similar photograph that shows Ernie Els with a more neutral grip in his left hand. At impact you will see that his hands have rotated more at impact because of the neutral grip. If Bernhard were to rotate his forearms at the same rate as Ernie did, Bernhard would hook the ball off to the left. Ernie Els has a square club face at impact with a neutral grip and Bernhard has a square club face with a strong grip but their hands are at different positions at impact! Notice the photo of Dave Duval. Now that s a strong grip! Notice how Dave has to literally turn his left hand under in order to keep the club face square at impact to over come his VERY strong left hand grip. Bottom line is, when you consider your grip, you also have to consider your current impact position. Without a doubt there are more successful players on tour with a stronger grip very close to where Bernhard has his grip. If you re attempting to play with a weak grip, (which is what I see day in and out while teaching golf) you re at a BIG disadvantage. 31

32 The Grip Sometimes you can get lucky and change a grip position to match up to an impact position but usually one has to adjust the grip and then work on their release movement, (the movement through the hitting zone) to support the grip change. Be patient! Changes of this kind can be very uncomfortable at first. A Brief Word About the Club Your golf clubs may also encourage a faulty grip. For example, if the lie angle (the acute angle between the ground and your club s shaft at address) does not match your swing characteristics, you may tend to adjust your grip in troublesome ways. If the lie angle is too flat for your swing, the toe of the club will tend to hit deeper in the ground. This will cause you to send the ball right of target. You will naturally develop a strong grip to overcome this tendency. The opposite is true if your club s lie angle is too upright. The grip size of your club is also influential. A grip too large for your hands may cause you to leave the club face open. A grip too small may encourage too much hand motion resulting in a closed club face at impact. Having your grips sized properly is not expensive and very beneficial. A Summary of the Balanced Grip The grip should allow you to keep the club face at 90 degrees (square) at every point along the swing path. If you notice any change in hand position or hand/wrist manipulations at any point during the swing, you probably have an unsound grip. The hands should simply serve as a soft clamp. 32

33 The Grip Common Faults & Remedies Faulty Position - Overly Strong Left Hand Grip Compensation: Hanging back with the body. You may be losing your balance back on your right foot. Falling back can cause you to open the club face at impact and compensate for your strong grip. Remedy: Practice swinging and landing balanced on your left foot at the finish. Once you hit a few shots moving forward, you should begin hooking the ball. At that point, begin to weaken the grip until you experience straighter ball flight. Typical Compensation: Extending your left arm high and stiff through the impact area. Remedy: Begin hitting some shots while intentionally rotating your left forearm through the impact area and immediately bending your left arm. Once you begin hooking some golf shots, slowly begin weakening the grip until you experience straighter ball flight. Faulty Position - Weak Left Hand Grip Compensation: Spinning your shoulders and cutting across the swing path. Remedy: Strengthen the grip considerably and begin swinging more inside out and rotating the golf club over through the impact position as if you were attempting to put top spin on a tennis shot. Once you start hooking the ball, slowly begin weakening the grip until you experience straighter ball flight. I find it difficult to get a clear picture of one s own grip without taking a picture. The view you have looking down at your hands can be deceiving. This is one reason why I recommend gripping the golf club first in front of your face and then setting the golf club at address. 33

34 The Grip Common Faults & Remedies Faulty Position- Strong Right Hand Grip Compensation: Hanging back with the body. You may be losing your balance back on your right foot. Falling back can help open the club face at impact and compensate for your strong grip. Remedy: Practice swinging and landing balanced on your left foot at the finish. Once you hit a few shots moving forward, you should begin hooking the ball. At that point, begin to weaken the grip until you experience straighter ball flight. Faulty Position- Weak Right Hand grip Typical Compensation: Spinning your shoulders and cutting across the swing path. Remedy: Strengthen the grip considerably and begin swinging more inside out and rotating the golf club over through the impact position. Once you start hooking the ball, slowly begin weakening the grip until you experience straighter ball flight. Golfers with a weak right grip tend to roll the golf club open on the takeaway. Be very certain you are not committing this very common and important error. Suggested Video Drills: Grip drill, Hinging the golf club properly, cell phone drill. Take a picture of your grip and paste it on the next page in the allotted area. I also suggest taking a close up picture. If you find discrepancies adjust your grip and take another picture. Monitor your grip constantly. It is you only contact with the golf club and the club face angle. 34

35 The Grip Continue to include pictures of your grip as you continue through your improvement. Remember, you re never cured, you re in remission. Monitor all key points of your golf swing on a regular basis. It is perfectly normal for you to revert back unconsciously to old bad habits. My grip date: 35

36 The Address The formal definition of address, as used in golf, is to place the club behind the ball and take a stance in preparation to hit it. It may be beneficial to think of this act as being akin to addressing an envelope. The envelope s address tells you where it is going. Your address in a golf swing tells your body where it is going. Even if you are unaware of it, your subconscious mind understands this principle. The address encompasses all aspects of the setup. These includes grip, stance, posture, alignment, aim and balance. Balance is one of the more overlooked aspects of the golf swing, yet is one of the ultimate goals in achieving a proper golf swing. For this reason, we will cover it now. The address or posture and grip are so related that I can say with confidence that if I take a beginning golfer and set them up in the perfect posture for their body type, fit a golf club perfectly to their address and body type and just leave them alone...they will find the proper path and proper club face angle on their own. The golf club configuration, proper grip and proper set-up or address will FORCE the beginner to find a proper impact position and alleviate many bad habits developed from improper fundamentals. When a PGA touring professional goes for a lesson, the player and teaching professional might spend a good two hours on nothing but the set-up or address position without hitting a golf ball. That s how important the address position is to the accomplished golfer. Try asking the average golfer seeking golf instruction to work on set-up for a full two hours without hitting a golf ball and they would think you re nuts! I suggest for the average golfer that you work on your set-up or address skills in front of a mirror at home. Learn to set-up to a golf ball the same way every time and you might begin to hit the golf ball the same way every time. Balance in the Beginning - Balance in the End. 36

37 The Address Balance in all body positions and the best swing starting point position is the ultimate goal of the address. Exaggerated positions in the open stance lead to exaggerated motions and/or compensations throughout the swing. Balance is present in all athletic motions. When you see a graceful athletic motion, your eye recognizes the balance in both movement and timing. With golf, you have the luxury of a static starting position. Most players, unaware of the importance of setup, turn the luxury into a burden. The First Balance Point: Foot Placement. Width of Stance - How far apart should you set your feet? The most common advice is to plant them at approximately shoulder width, (measuring from your heels or insteps) for the five iron, then increase the width slightly for longer clubs and decrease it for shorter ones. This is an excellent reference point from which to begin, and is probably suitable for most players. The proper width for you is the one that provides the best balance between stability and movement. Your stance should be wide enough for stability, but not so wide that it inhibits proper hip and shoulder rotation. It s OK to experiment with slight width adjustments, provided that balance is paramount in your mind. Angle of Feet - Your feet should be turned out slightly. Many golfers have been trained to set the back foot perpendicular to the target, but for most players this will inhibit the kind of upper body rotation needed to generate power and control. The outward turn of the front foot will encourage continued rotation to a proper finish. The angles can be adjusted slightly to add or inhibit rotation mistakes in the swing. Ball Position Within Stance - Since consistent ball striking is our goal, consistent hand position is vital. We do not want to have thirteen different hand placements for thirteen different clubs. You will find different theories on where the hands should be at address. However, I would say that your ball position must match your angle of attack (your path to the golf ball). The various clubs will determine the ball position. Each club s 37

38 The Address manufacturer has designed its club to sit in a particular position. The longer clubs will gradually move forward, (club head only) in the stance up to the driver. The entire set will not move at all in the butt of the golf club, only the club head. A consistent hand position will also increase the likelihood of making contact at the optimum point in the downswing. This will help you maintain the same club face angle at impact. Consistent club face angle and loft angle in every swing add up to more consistent direction and trajectory. Notice how the butt of the golf club still points at the left shoulder keep the ball low or if you are positioned on a slope. The Second Balance Point: Posture You need to find your ideal impact position and develop an address position that is similar but not identical. Of course there are special situations when it makes sense to move the ball in the stance. For instance, you may move the ball back in your stance if you need to We will use posture to refer to several body angles, all of which are connected. Again, the overall objective is to create balance. Good posture in the address encourages balanced body positions throughout the swing. The Primary Bend Point: Since all parts of the body are connected, it is somewhat misleading to say that any one part of posture is the most important. 38

39 The Address However, one of the most common breakdowns occurs in the bend between the upper and lower body. Many players make the mistake of bending toward the ball by using their lower back and waist. This posture results in a disconnected position between legs and torso, preventing their proper interaction. It also makes it impossible for the player to rotate the upper body on a level plane. The hip bend desired for a golf swing can be compared to the movement made when trying to find a chair seat in a dark room. Imagine for a moment the kind of movement your body makes to sit in a chair. Imagine you are in a dark room and you are not sure how tall the chair is. Your first move would be to lower your buttocks. You would bend your knees and drop your rear slowly, keeping the center of balance over the balls of your feet. If you simply bent forward at the waist, you wouldn t get any closer to the chair. When addressing the ball, you should experience this sensation of bending at the hips, forcing the buttocks back slightly. The result will be a relatively straight spine angle from the hips to the lower part of the shoulder blades. This posture is similar to that of quarterback awaiting the snap of the ball from the center. Try to keep your balance in the center of your feet. If you are centered, you should be able to shift your weight toward your toes or heels without losing balance. It is helpful to stay somewhat light on the feet; don t plant them like a tree. If you could choose a part of the foot as a fulcrum, it would be just at the back of the ball of the foot, in the higher part of the metatarsals. 39

40 The Address Take a picture of your address from the down line and frontal position and paste it in the allotted area in your action manual. If you find discrepancies adjust your stance take another picture. A proper consistent address position can NOT be overemphasized. The knees should bend slightly, just enough to keep your weight centered in the feet as your torso bends forward. A player with good posture should have the shoulder blades and knees relatively in line with the balls of the feet. In other words, you should be able to draw a straight line down through the shoulder blades and knees to the center of the feet. This is a good mental image to hold when setting up. I always practiced skills of this sort in front of a mirror as much as possible. You have control over your set-up, your swing is just a blur! The Third Balance Point: Position of Arms and Shoulders. Arm position is closely related to grip. With a neutral grip the arms are more likely to hang freely and naturally. This is the feeling you should try to develop in the arms. Any type of muscle tension or contrived arm position indicates a problem. With an athletic swing, the arms will move naturally in response to the centrifugal force created by turning the center (the hips and torso). A good setup makes this pendulum action possible. With a proper grip, the front arm will be relatively straight, but it 40

41 should not be stiff. Golfers have often been told to keep their left arm straight and in line with the club shaft. Many players try so hard to accomplish this that they develop an awkward, tense setup. The right arm will be bent slightly, but not to such a degree that it severely pulls down the right shoulder. A right shoulder too low during address will encourage a vertical rather than horizontal rotating motion. The player will also tend to lay back instead of following through properly. Then the player will be forced to use the hands to compensate for the incomplete body rotation. The result: inconsistency. It is natural for the right shoulder to be slightly lower than the left, because of the right hand position on the grip, but be careful to avoid extremes. The shoulders should feel relaxed. With a good arm position you will notice that the elbows point approximately at the hip joints. The arms should be just far enough from the body to allow natural extension. The position is a matter of personal preference but you should have room for your arms to hang down naturally from your shoulders. Choose your own balance point but be aware of the danger of extremes. What happens if your hands are in too close? If the hands are too close to the body at address, the club will have to swing on too vertical a swing plane. This will cause you to take too deep of a divot, and usually causes a weak slice. The Address Vice versa, if the hands are too far away, this promotes Too close to the ball a very inside take-away and you will lose the proper angle of 41

42 The Address attack for the ball. Once the angle is lost, your body will create a compensation to get proper ball contact. This will cause various ball flights and great inconsistency. Paste your downline view here. 42

43 The Address Faulty Position Closed Feet Open Shoulders Typical Cause: Lifting of the back to look at the target area. Positioning the hands too far forward in the stance. Also related to trying to keep your head over the golf ball. For your shoulders to be square or aimed at the initial flight path you require you will actually feel as though your shoulders are pointed right of the target. In fact, a contributor to the feeling as though your shoulders are pointed to the right comes from the slight tilt of the right shoulder being lower than your left. This is a very common swing fault and a major contributor to the over the top swing path or outside in. You can also expect the famed Banana ball! Typical Ball Flight: Pull if the club face is square to the path, pull slice if the club face is open. Remedy: Keep your back down in the address position and slowly swivel your head down the target line to check where you re aimed. Place a golf club on the ground in the direction of your intended ball flight and square your shoulders to the golf club. Video Drills To Watch: Setting up a hitting station, Getting your head behind the ball, ball position drill, club on ground 43

44 Faulty Position Common Faults & Remedies Weight Too Much On Heels Bent Over Too Much Typical Cause: Bending over too much. Can be caused by lowering the hands too much at address. You could have too flat of a lie angle on your golf clubs. Remedy: Bend from the hips and maintain weight on the balls of your feet in an athletic position. Try lifting your heels a few times before settling to hit the shot. Make sure your knees are slightly flexed. Set up down line from a full length mirror. You can put tape on the mirror for the proper angles and try to fit yourself on the tape lines. Video Drills To Watch: Setting up a hitting station, Getting your head behind the ball, ball position drill, club on ground Faulty Position Head over ball at address - Typical Cause: Told to keep your eye on the ball or keep your head down. The perfect impact position calls for a straight line from the tip of the left shoulder to the back of the golf ball. Golf is a back The Address 44

45 handed game, (that s why you wear your golf club on your left hand) and the golf club is swinging from the top of your left shoulder. Placing your head over the golf ball will make it difficult for you to square up the golf club at impact and you can get jammed at impact interfering with your ability to extend your arms after impact and develop club head speed. Remedy: Feel as though you are aligning your left shoulder with the impact position, (or the ball). Make sure you re tilting your right shoulder lower than your left. Video drills to watch: Getting your head behind the ball, Elbow drill, Shoulder rotation drill. Faulty Position Too far away from the ball - Typical Cause: you were told the golf club needs to go around you or you need to turn your body excessively. Remedy: Set the golf club up first, then you set your body to accomodate the golf club. Video drills to watch: 90 degree Spine drill The Address Common Faults & Remedies Too far away from the ball 45

46 The Address Common Faults & Remedies What does Alignment mean and how is it different from Aim? The question may seem too simple. Alignment deals with the shoulders, hips, knees and feet. We want these four body parts all in alignment so they are all pointing in the same direction. Pointing them in the same direction is aiming. A golfer can have good alignment and not be aimed at the target. Also, because of wind factor or slope angle, you may need to aim somewhere other than the flag or the green. Most amateurs don t recognize the full effect of alignment and aim. Proper alignment is absolutely essential to a proper swing. Many swing faults can be attributed to poor alignment. In many ways, aim is just as critical. Aim deals with a perception. Therefore, you judge your ball flight by where you perceive you are aimed. If your aim is off target, you will adjust your swing for what you think is a swing flaw, when it is actually an aiming mistake! Aim and alignment are also a lot more difficult than most players realize. The task is subject to misperceptions caused by several factors: (a) The target is 90 degrees from the direction your body faces. This means you must be able to set both the club face and your body in a line perpendicular with the target line. It sounds easier than it is; most players are completely unaware when their line is off. Players will often begin the day with good aim and alignment and then unwittingly slip into misdirection as the round progresses...or in this case, regresses. (b) When you are addressing the ball, looking down the target line, it may appear that the desired hitting direction has changed slightly. (c) Sometimes you must hit from a slope, forcing you to adjust aim, alignment and setup. (d) The terrain and obstacles in your target path affect your 46

47 Alignment and Aim perception of target direction. (e) It s easy to forget how important it is to properly aim. Without a diligent and consistent pre-shot routine, you will tend to become less aware of the steps you are taking to aim. This is a big mistake! It takes practice to manage each situation presented by the golf course. Golfers are highly susceptible to faults even in situations with no added challenges. Poor aim and alignment skills cause poor play for many golfers. One of the most common errors is setting up too far right of the target. This may seem incompatible with the fact that most players tend to be slicers. Wouldn t lining up to the right send their ball even further from the target? Not necessarily. When the setup is to the right, a player tends to swing across the ball, on an outside in swing path. This outside-in path will help start the ball on a path toward the target, which is left of the player s aim. Usually though, the player strikes the ball with an open club face angle, and the resulting spin forces the ball back to the right. Players will then compensate for this tendency by cupping their hands at just the right moment at impact releasing the left arm toward the target. It is e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y difficult to time this movement consistently. Too many angles, too many variables come into play. It all adds up to an unpredictable, unrepeatable swing, much of which could have been avoided with a proper setup. 47

48 Alignment and Aim The Steps to Proper Aim and Alignment. 1. Set the Club face - You must first set the club face perpendicular to the target. Don t make the mistake of setting your feet first! Instead, carefully choose the target line, set the club face angle, and then align your body to the club face. How do you select and mentally hold the target line? It is very helpful to choose a target along the ground-line leading to the ultimate direction your initial ball flight should be. Pick a point a few yards ahead and aim the club at it. The more you can envision this line, the better. You might imagine a strip of neon yellow tape stretching from your ball to the chosen direction. 2. Align Your Body in Relation to the Club. Place your right foot along an imaginary line parallel to the target line. After you align your right foot set the golf club head and/or face at the intended target, (you can open your toe later once you re set-up). Continue this alignment procedure until the entire body is aligned and aimed parallel to the target line. Imagine a set of train tracks to the target, with your ball on one track and your body aligned on the other. 3. Align Your Eyes. The eyes play a critical role at this point. They deliver directional information to your brain, which then sends the message to your muscles. Garbage in... You know what comes next. Your eyes may give you a different message about direction once you are in the hitting position. You must trust that your club face and body are properly aligned. The more you practice your setup, the 48

49 Alignment and Aim more confidence you will have that you are aimed correctly. When you are looking at the ball, you should have the feeling that your eyes are parallel to the target. In other words, a line running through your right eye and into the left should be parallel to the target line. This will require you to keep your head relatively level. You will most likely find yourself tilting your head so that your right ear is below the left. Try to avoid this, because it can skew your directional perception. When you turn your chin on this forward angle, it tends to pull your vision to the right of the target. Even if everything else is aligned, this misalignment can cause undesirable swing compensations. Once you are in the hitting position, look at the target again, visualizing the desired direction of the ball. Instead of lifting your Don t make the mistake of setting your feet first! head to look down the target line, swivel it. You only need to rotate it enough to view the selected ground-line target a few yards ahead. The most common mistake I see on the golf course by far is golfers lifting their back to look at the target. Lifting your back to look at the target will give you an improper view of where you are aimed. Hold your back perfectly still and slowly swivel your head with your eyes following the line to the target all the way. You must WORK at improving your alignment and aim skills to be successful. Why hit tons of golf balls on the range only to spoil your efforts by improper aim and/or alignment. You swing path will never really improve or be consistent because you are forced to swing the glub at where you re looking. 49

50 Be A Scratch Golfer By Spring! Alignment and Aim 50 Faulty Aim Typical Cause: Aligning the body to the ultimate target or resting place for the golf ball rather than at the starting point for the ball flight. Thinking the body should be aligned with the target rather than the ball. You should aim the swing path and club face at the angle you want both to strike the golf ball. Remedy: Align your golf club face first, then align the body to the club face. For an accurate reading of your aim, be certain to maintain your spine angle when looking at the target. Only swivel the head to look at the target. You CANNOT over use the drill below for alignment skills. Jack Nicklaus consistently practiced with a hitting station such as this one. Video Drills to Watch: Setting up a hitting station, ball position drill, club on ground BONUS TIP! Notice how both Berhard Langer and Craig Perks have a golf club on the ground to remind themselves of their alignment. These guys play golf everyday, yet they still put a club on the ground.

51 Pre-Shot Routine A consistent pre-shot routine separates the average golfer from the very low handicapper and/or golf professional. According to the dictionary, routine is described as a customary or regular course of procedure. Let s start with the gripping of the golf club. If you can t grip the golf club the exact same way every time, how can you swing the golf consistently. Let s look at the address position. If you can t address the golf ball at the same position, angle or approach, how can you swing the golf club the same way every time. That being said, the manner or routine you use to accomplish your grip and alignment skills with consistency, is relative to your ability to repeat your golf swing. The pre-shot routine I use is described below, however keep in mind, the pre-shot routine is a personal decision and there is no absolute right way. First, I decide the shot I want to hit and I picture the shot in my mind s eye. Then I choose the tool (club) I believe I need to accomplish the shot I have in my mind. Then I wait until I am ready to approach the ball. Nicklaus used to say, you can t hit a golf ball until you re ready. Once I feel ready to go, I begin by lining up the shaft of the golf club covering the ball and target from a position directly behind the golf ball. I then place the golf club head behind the golf ball pointed at my target. I plant my feet and balance myself and align my body to the golf club face. I key on making sure my arms are hanging so as to feel as if they are pointed straight down. Then I take two waggles and good bye. I let it go! 51

52 The Takeaway Your approach to the ball is the final step over which you have total control. Once you actually start the swing, you need to depend on rhythm, tempo and balance to see you through the swing. When does the approach begin? I believe it begins the moment you make that first step toward the set-up position. Watch touring pros and notice characteristics of each professional as they approach their set-up position. Notice the rhythm of Nick Faldo s shuffle. Once at the set-up position, most players begin a waggle sequence. In earlier years, the waggle was considered a way to keep loose and maintain rhythm. Today s waggle mirrors the takeaway that you are trying to produce in your real swing. Starting the golf club off in the proper path is key to consistent ball striking and consistency in general. A consistent waggle can help maintain path, swing tempo and balance. Similar to Mike Weir, watch your short waggle as you go back and visualize the golf club traveling on the desired path away from the golf ball. I make two waggles and then go! Whatever system you choose...make SURE IT S THE SAME EVERY TIME! A consistent pre-shot routine is critical and common among ALL good players. 52

53 Faulty Position Taking the Golf Club Too Inside Typical Cause: Moving the arms around with the body rather than up. Remedy: Begin your swing by turning the upper body and hinging the golf club UP with the hands and arms. Video Drills to watch: Takeaway drill, Hinging the golf club properly, Cell phone drill, Stick drill, Taking the Golf Club Too High and Outside Typical Cause: Early hinging of the hands. Remedy: Begin your swing by turning the upper body and begin hinging at about 2 o clock gradually and in unison with your body turn. Video Drills to watch: Takeaway drill, Turning your chest, holding your arms still, Connection drill The Takeaway Common Faults & Remedies 53

54 The Back Swing The Turn, Coil or Back swing: Think circular, not lateral. In the beginning of the swing, try to maintain the arms/torso position established in the setup. Do not let the arms and hands move back further than the center of the chest. The arms and hands simply hinge and rise in the swing as the body rotates. I believe the easiest swing to repeat will be the one that uses the least amount of movement in the lower body during the back swing. This may not be the case for you. You may not have sufficient flexibility. You may need to lift your left heel on the back swing in order to get a full turn. You may also need to move your lower body as part of the rhythm of your golf swing as does Colin Montgomery. However, the additional movements may be more difficult to repeat. We will refer to one part of the back swing as loading, because it is essentially a preparation to hit the ball. It is also the point at which we begin loading power or energy, which will be released in the swing. It is equivalent to a pitcher s wind up, where he turns away from the target to develop the power that will be delivered in the pitch. 54

55 The Back Swing During this portion of the swing, it is important to hold the center stable. In other words, you should try to pivot your torso around your spine. With a proper turn (with the center of your golf swing being the base of the spine), you will notice that the weight transfer occurs involuntarily. The weight shift should be the result of horizontal rotation, not of the abdomen moving back laterally (or sliding). The center of your golf swing is the base of your spine. As the rear leg is accepting the weight transfer created by the turn, you will notice increased tension in the thigh and buttocks. Do not let the rear leg straighten. Train the rear knee to remain flexed. Because it is preparation for the forward motion to come, the weight should be transferred to the inside of the right foot. This is perfectly natural. Imagine how you would distribute weight if you wanted to step or jump directly to your left. You would flex the right knee, creating tension in the thigh and right buttock, transfer weight to the inside of the right foot, and then release the tension as you spring to the left. This is similar to the movement in a golf swing. One important difference is that, in the golf swing, the movement is horizontal and rotary with the hip turn, not vertical as it is in a jump. The flex occurring in the rear knee during a golf swing can be found in many sports. A tennis player pushes off the back foot when stepping into the ground stroke. A boxer delivering a power blow uses the back foot as a fulcrum to transfer body weight and energy to the target. A batter pushes with the medial side of the back foot, putting his full weight into the ball. In each case, the athlete is concentrating on the forward movement and the simultaneous movement of the body. During this loading process, the left knee will naturally flex to accommodate the turning hips. The degree of bend will depend on your flexibility. We would prefer for the heel to remain on the ground 55

56 The Back Swing because this increases torque, or tension, in the back swing, which enhances power. It also helps with control and restricts sliding in the lower portion of the body. If flexibility is limited, then a very slight lifting of the heel may be necessary for a complete turn. The Center of the Golf Swing Where is the center of the golf swing? It is somewhere between the bottom of your spine and your navel. It is not your head, although the fallacy about controlling head movement persists. Don t think about your head. It serves only two purposes during the swing: a) It holds the brain that sends messages to muscles, b) It holds the eyes that see the ball. The swing s stabilizing force is in the abdomen. This, not your head, is the axis around which to rotate. Ideal rotation should allow for the back to be facing the target, or the chest facing straight back away from the target. It is not important that the club get to parallel. If the back is facing the target and the hands are still basically in front of the center of the chest, you have more than enough power stored for the downswing. 56

57 Be A Scratch Golfer By Spring! The Back Swing Maintaining Center of Gravity I m finding videos of tour players filmed from the back side of their golf swing. Why? Because tour players have caught on that although the path of your arms is important, players like Jim Furyk have proven that it is the maintaining of the spine angle and center of gravity, that really counts the most. Better said, if you can t control your arms, atempt to control your body rotation and the arms will behave before they get back to the golf ball or impact. Notice how Howell maintains his center of gravy or base of the spine steady. Yes his head can slide behind the golf ball, but what maters is the base of the golf swing, from the waist down. Same thing with Berhard Langer. Once they both reach the top of their back swing, their challanege is to turn right 57

58 The Back Swing from the top of the back swing postion and maintain the same pitch or angle throughout to the impact area to a balanced position at the end. Remember, balance is NOT a thing to do, it s a place to go. Here s the best example of this generation, Jim Furyk. Enormously successful however his arms take a trip to never never land on the way back from the ball. Notice one very important thing. His spine reains perfectly steady throughout the entire golf swing. The path of the arms is just a distraction! I ve seen several of these types of golf swings in my time. Lee Trevino, Tony Lema, Bruce Lietzke and of course that Spaniard with the pony tail, pony tail? Oh yea, Miguel Jimenez. Must be Jose s younger brother! My name...jose Jimenez! As you can now see, it s NOT keep your head down, it s maintain your spine angle constant! Learn to rotate around the base of your spine and you will have a very consistent golf swing. 58

59 Faulty Positions The Reverse Pivot The Back Swing Common Faults & Remedies Typical Cause: Attempting to maintain your head over the top of the golf ball. Remedy: Begin your set up with the head behind the ball and start your back swing with your left shoulder. Video Drills to Watch: Getting your head behind the golf ball, Shoulder rotation drill, Elbow drill, handle bar drill The Sway Typical Cause: Using the lower body to create weight shift. Yes weight is transferred from the back foot to the front foot HOWEVER, it must be as a result of the upper body turning, not the lower body shifting! Remedy: Turn the hips; don t slide. Video Drills to Watch: Chair drill for swaying hips, Stick right hip sway drill, Shoulder rotation drill, Elbow drill, Turning chest drill, Connection drill 59

60 The Back Swing The Top of YOUR Back Swing Position Place your frontal view here 60

61 The Back Swing The Top of YOUR Back Swing Position Place your down line view here 61

62 At the Top of the Swing: The left wrist should be flat. The left arm can be slightly bent (the left arm does not have to be stiff), and the club face angle should match the angle of the left forearm and shaft. This ensures that the club face is square to the swing plane and in a position to be easily returned to a square position at impact. The right arm should be generally straight up and down. A good analogy is to think of carrying a tray on your right hand. Top of the Back Swing Keep in mind that this is what one might call an ideal position. There have been touring pros that swing from a position other than ideal. However, most have come from a closed rather than open position. A great way to feel the proper top of the back swing position is to take a stance...lift the golf club up with your arms in front of you...then turn your body as if to make a back swing. You should find that your hands and arms are out in front of your chest, not behind your chest. The body turns...the arms lift! This might be the one concept that is difficult for the average golfer. Most sports require the swing plane and the body to revolve in unison i.e.. baseball or tennis. In golf, the arms and the body do NOT travel on the same plane! Body around...arms up and down! 62

63 Open Club Face Faulty Positions Typical Cause: Rolling the club face open on the takeaway, over-hinging of the wrists. Usually accompanied by a weak right hand grip. Generally folks that roll the golf club open are very active with their hands and wrists. Remedy: Keep the club face square to the path on the takeaway. This may feel to you as if your club face is closed. Make sure your right palm on the takeaway does NOT roll face up. Keep your right palm as if it were on the clock. At 2 o clock begin hinging the wrists. Video Drills to Watch: Takeaway drill, Hinging the club properly, Stick drill, Connection drill Closed Club Face Top of the Swing Common Faults & Remedies Typical Cause: Too strong a grip position, can be right hand or both. Remedy: Improve your grip, begin hinging the golf club with the right hand at 2 o clock. Video Drills to Watch: Stick drill, Connection drill. 63

64 The Transition/Down Swing The Transition: The transition from loading to unloading should be smooth and rhythmic. The tempo may vary from person to person but it is important not to make the transition too jerky. The downswing is always initiated from the ground up. Most people feel that they initiate the swing with the body. Because the body has a small circumference around which to travel, verses the very large circumference the club has to travel, it will feel like the arms must begin the downswing rather than the body. This is only a feeling. The video will show this to be the case. Many players have described the downswing as pulling down on a rope. Some may describe the downswing as a driving of the knees toward the target or swing path. In any case, the one thing a golfer must avoid is an unwinding of the shoulders first on the downswing. Since the body does have less territory to cover on the downswing, a premature unwinding of the shoulders will cause the body to be either ahead of the arms and cause the golf club face to be open at impact. This may cause a pulling of the golf ball if the club face is square to the path or a pull slice if the club face is open to the path. 64

65 Be A Scratch Golfer By Spring! The Transition/Down Swing Common Faults & Remedies Faulty Movement Starting Down with the Shoulders Typical Cause: Beginning as if in a baseball swing by turning of the shoulders first to pull the ball to left field. Remedy: Pull down with the hands and arms first, and begin the downswing with the knees driving toward the golf ball. Video Drills to Watch: Stick drill, 2 o clock drill, swoosh drill, outside stick drill, the lift over head drill, shoulder tilt drill SPECIAL WARNING: This is without the doubt the number one issue with most golf swings. Ben Hogan once said, this is the one big difference between amateur and professional golfers. The shoulders MUST tilt first before turning on the downswing! The hips clear not slide. I believe a large part of the source for over the top swinging comes from the improper alignment from the start as mentioned on page

66 66 Be A Scratch Golfer By Spring! Paste your down swing picture here The Transition/Down Swing

67 Keep in mind that when someone slices the ball, their body is moving faster than their arms and club. A person who hooks the ball too much is doing the opposite. Their hands, arms and club are moving faster than their body. Since most people slice the ball, it is easy to see that it is almost impossible to swing your arms too fast. The Swing Plane The Swing Plane The swing plane is the angle at which the club travels throughout the swing. There have been numerous theories about which swing plane is the proper or best swing plane. After viewing thousands of golf swings, both amateur and professional, our conclusion is that the swing plane has not been properly described to date. Ben Hogan considered the swing plane to be like a plane of glass resting on your shoulders. Most golf instructors today draw a line up the golf shaft and consider that the plane. I believe that the line drawn up the shaft is an indicator of where you want the club to be at impact, (within about three degrees to allow for the bowing of the shaft). If you are able to maintain a swing path that is parallel or directly on the original shaft angle at address, then your chances of returning to your original address position at impact increase. For example, if you were to swing the golf club very steep to the plane, or original shaft angle at address, then you must make a rapid adjustment to reroute the golf club back to the plane or address angle. Not impossible to do, but far more difficult. 67

68 The Swing Plane Here is a good example of keeping the golf club traveling on a proper plane. Notice that the address plane and the impact plane are not exactly alike. The golf club is in motion and your thrust toward the target will make the golf club attack the ball from an angle slightly higher than the address position. This is why the toe of your club head should be slightly off the ground at address to accommodate the higher plane at impact and the bowing of the shaft. Do keep in mind what we covered on spine angle. To attain this consistent path on plane one MUST maintain the spine angle constant throughout the swing. Finishing in a balanced position is vital to consistency. Balance is not a thing to do...its a place to go! You GO to a balanced position. You might find it difficult to balance because your swing path is so eractic. A path on plane is easier to balance. 68

69 Swinging over the top The Swing Plane Common Faults & Remedies Faulty Movement Typical Cause: Beginning the downswing with a turning of the shoulders first. Sometimes accompanied with an alignment problem of the feet closed or to the right and the shoulders open or to the left. This is the one significant difference between the average golfer and a touring professional. The golf club must travel from an inside position in order to hold the angular acceleration needed for club head speed. Remedy: Pull down with the hands and arms first, and begin the downswing with the knees driving toward the golf ball. Video Drills to Watch: Stick drill, 2 o clock drill, Swoosh drill, Outside stick drill, Stretch and reach drill, Short impact zone punch shot, Shoulder tilt drill, pull over head drill. 69

70 The Unloading Sequence Unloading: The primary goal of the unloading process is to transfer the weight to the left side, leading to a proper finish. You should have in mind the exact finishing position you desire as you progress through your swing. This mental image will help produce the downswing motion necessary to achieve a powerful and balanced downswing. If the proper position is achieved at the top of the back swing, it will not be difficult to get the club back to a square position at impact. There will be a rotation of the left arm on the downswing as you attempt to roll out the forearms heading through impact. In a proper downswing, the arms, hands and club head will travel on what feels like an inside-to-out swing path. As the body starts the downswing, a slight drop of the hands and arms should occur. This is the motion that allows the club to swing from the inside. Continued drills covered under the Golf s Best Kept Secret, (the punch shot drill) will help with improving your unloading process sometimes referred to as the release. Also please consider the Shoulder tilt drill in the same section. 70

71 Impact: In mechanical terms, impact is the moment that matters. Everything I do in the golf swing is in support of reaching the ideal impact position. I ve found that most great golfers end up in an impact position that is slightly higher than that of the address position. In either case, the most important thing to understand is that the golf club head must be as close as possible to 90 degrees from the path of the golf club in order to hit the ball straight. The Impact Position Your left wrist should feel slightly bulged at impact. The left leg also straightens at impact but do NOT be violent about it. Ask Tiger. The forearms begin rotating before and during the impact area. One might need to feel as though this is happening before the impact area, in order to accomplish the club face passing the hand position through impact. If these principles seem a bit abstract to you now, do not worry. They will become much clearer as we analyze your swing in more depth with the video camera. Just keep them in mind now and refer back to this section as you proceed through your instruction program. 71

72 The Impact Position Common Faults & Remedies Faulty Movement Scooping Typical Cause: Body too far in front of the arms. Can also accompany a falling back on your right foot. Remedy: Hold the golf club in your left hand and turn it counter clockwise as if to turn a giant screw driver. Repeat that feeling with short practice swings with only the left hand. Keep the left hand bulged at impact, limit the body movement in the swing. Video Drills to Watch: Short impact zone punch shot drill, Extension drill, Swoosh drill, Stretch and reach drill. Extended Front Arm Typical Cause: Trying to keep a stiff left arm. Remedy: Rotate your forearms through the impact position and allow your front arm to rotate and bend at the elbow. You may need to start rotating your forearms well before impact! Video Drills to Watch: Short impact zone punch shot drill, Extension drill, Swoosh drill, Stretch and reach drill 72

73 The Impact Position Common Faults & Remedies Your Impact Position Place your picture here 73

74 The Finish: A good finish is a very important part of the golf swing. The better the other components of the golf Balance is NOT a thing to do... it s a place to go! The Balanced Finish swing, the easier it is to achieve a proper, balanced finish. A good finish usually means a good result. In the balanced finish, the chest, hips and knees are turned toward the target and the shoulders are relatively level. The right shoulder will be slightly lower than the left. Most of your weight should be over to the left side of the body in a balanced, comfortable finish. You may need to feel as though you were leaning towards the target to achieve a balanced finish. One very important point that is often overlooked in the finish is the grip. The grip should be in the same position as it started at the setup. The hands should not move during the swing. The finish is up and not around the body. The ability to hold your balanced finish position is critical to consistent ball striking. If you are not willing to go to the same place or position every time, why should the ball respond accordingly? Hold your finish position and then take a complete inventory of where you are in the finish. If you completed a perfect shot, hold the finish and try to remember where your finish is so you can repeat it. Find the balance position and then teach yourself to GO to balance. 74

75 The Balanced Finish Your Balance Position Paste your picture here 75

76 Faulty Movement Reverse C The Finish Common Faults & Remedies Typical Cause: Body slides forward on down swing. Usually accompanied with the reverse pivot on the back swing. Remedy: Start with the arms first on the downswing and let the golf club and your arms carry you to the finish position. Video Drills to Watch: 2 o clock drill, Short Impact zone punch shot drill, Stretch and reach drill Too Forward Typical Cause: Trying to lead with the shoulders on the down swing Remedy: Start with the arms first on the downswing and let the golf club and your arms carry you to the finish position. Video Drills to Watch: 2 o clock drill, Short impact zone punch shot drill 76

77 Golf s BEST Kept Secret! Yes you will now know golf s BEST kept secret! For the life of me I can NOT understand why, what I am about to reveal to you, is NOT emphasized enough in golf instruction. On the prior pages you witnessed three successful touring pros with all three using different grips while creating three different methods for getting to the impact position. However they all found a way to square up the golf club face at impact! Squaring the club face up by having the face angle at about a 90 degree angle to the path of the golf club when approaching the ball is what any great golf swing is attempting to accomplish. THE IMPACT POSITION IS ALL THAT MATTERS TO THE GOLF BALL! That being the case, your swing path and club face angle from about three feet before you get to the ball to about three feet after you hit the ball is vital! Everything else you perform in the golf swing is nothing more than a method for getting to your through the impact zone movement. That means your takeaway, top of the back swing position, your down swing etc. is nothing more than a way, method or path to the impact movement. Having played golf now for 50 years, (I can t believe it s been that long) and having played on tour, played with the best players in the business AND having had the advantage of lessons from some of the most famous golf teachers known in the golf world...please take it from me...what I stated in the above four paragraphs is gospel. Ask somebody like Jim Furyk, Freddy Couples, Lee Trevino, Billy Casper and I could probably name a hundred more that have unusual quirks in their golf swing motion, yet they are among the most consistent. Golfers and golf instructors spend so much time on attempting to develop the perfect back swing, down swing and follow through, while neglecting the golf swing position that matters the most...impact!!!! If what I m saying is true, then the golf swing should actually be built from the impact position rather than from the full swing. Learn what to do during the hitting zone and then learn the rest of the golf 77

78 Golf s BEST Kept Secret! swing as support or preparation for the impact movement. Why work hard on the top of the back swing position if you DON T have an understanding of where you need to be at impact? I suggest that the one most important drill to practice which must be accomplished before moving on to anything else is the short impact zone drill. Hit short shots with a back swing no higher than about waist high and then a follow through that is equally waist high with the forearms fully rolled over and extended. (see picture below) Adding to this I would insist that on the follow through, one should hold their finish position. Make sure you are stretched out as if you were reaching out to a direction approximately where a second baseman would stand and again HOLD the position and take inventory. Run through this simple check list. Are you pointed at the second baseman position...is your left palm facing upward...is your head well behind where impact was, (or the ball)???? Once you are certain that ALL your positions are correct, try another drill shot. Please read the section in this action book on How To Do A Drill Properly. Your development will move along much faster practicing the drill deliberately and thoughtfully. This self evaluation at the end of the shot is CRUCIAL! You must know that you are in the right place or position. You could be practcing a faulty position even though it feels correct. As they say on tour, what you feel may NOT be real 78

79 Golf s BEST Kept Secret! The shoulder tilt, on the down swing, is another best kept secret, in a successful golf swing, which is NOT addressed with enough emphasis in my estimation. The shoulder tilt is a very important motion in the golf swing and possibly the one key factor that makes the golf swing very difficult for pull hitters in baseball. Baseball players that pull the ball are accustomed to leading with a turn of their shoulders first, before hitting the baseball. The best way to describe the golf swing to a baseball player is to ask them to hit the ball to the opposite field. Hitting to the opposite field will create the proper shoulder tilt. Take a look at my example here where I place a stick on my chest to help me measure my shoulder tilt. Once I am set at the top of my back swing position, I rotate the core on the EXACT SAME ANGLE OR PLANE that I am tilted on at the top of my back swing! The result will be my shoulders traveling at the same angle or plane as the original golf shaft angle at address. Actually it will be at the same angle but higher and parallel. Your ability to rotate on this plane or angle will directly influence your ability to be consistent. Turn on plane and you will swing the golf club on plane. In the case of someone like Jim Furyk, he turns on plane and rotates his chest and spine on plane. His arms do lift up on the back swing before joining the plane line on the way down to the golf ball. The arms moving upward are merely a distraction and are not as significant as most golfers think. As long 79

80 Be A Scratch Golfer By Spring! 80 Golf s BEST Kept Secret! as he turns his body on plane, he will recover and create a consistent swing path. Here s a front view of the shoulder tilt. Notice that the right shoulder is pointed down. The right shoulder should travel down and under in the down swing heading for the follow through. Why is this motion or angle so important? Look at the construction of the golf club. It is built with a lie angle, (an angle measured from the center of the shaft to the ground in degrees, see page 32). One MUST swing the golf club on that angle or plane through the golf swing, in order to return the golf club to the proper impact position, which is similar to the its original position at address. Take a look at the picture below. On the left, one touring professional demonstrates how the shoulders turn on plane and other on the right shows how severe the tilt looks from a frontal view.

81 Swing Builder Exams The Swing Builder Program Exams You may feel uncomfortable about taking an exam. In fact, this may be the first time you ever taken an exam on your golfing skills! My purpose and goal for this program is to educate you on the golf swing so that you can be somewhat self sufficient. Able to recognize mistakes you might be making and how to keep them in check, for the most part, and enjoy your golf game. Sure touring pros have a swing guru at their beck and call 24/7 but golf is NOT your living. You play for enjoyment. Sure many of my students are very competitive and enjoy playing in amateur golf events and yes I have some pros for students and high school through college golfers that are very competitive. Still, each golfer needs to learn everything they can about their swing, their attitude under pressure and their ability to perform when needed at their own level. In fact, it was Hale Irwin that spoke of the onlyness of golf. How golf is a game played with yourself and by yourself. The more you know about your golf swing and your emotions on the golf course the more success you will have. You can NOT fail the exam! In fact some of the questions do NOT come from the book. Why? Because I wanted to offer you some practical on course in competition experience in hopes it may help you play better and help you feel more confident. All the answers are in the answer key. Explanations as to why each answer is correct will be posted as a Workshop Bulletin. Please take the exam to make sure you know the material and can refer to the knowledge when you re on the golf course. 81

82 Swing Builder Exams 1) The initial direction the ball will travel is influenced by: a) The club face b) Your grip c) The swing path d) The shaft 2) A square club face will force the ball to travel: a) Straight b) Off slightly to the right c) Continue in the direction of the swing path d) None of the above 3) An open club face to a swing path headed left of the intend ed target will cause: a) A pull hook b) A pull slice c) The ball will start left and then curve to a point where the club face is pointed. d) A high to the right ball flight 4) Which of these statements is true: a) The club face angle determines where the ball will travel b) The path of the swing can determine the trajectory 5) The ball flight laws determine that there are: a) Three different directions the ball can travel b) Six different direction the ball can travel c) To the left, center or right d) There are nine combinations of ball flight 6) The ideal relationship between club face and swing path at impact is: a) The club face should be square to the path b) The club face should be closed to the path c) The club should be slightly open to the path d) The club face should be slightly closed to the path 82

83 Swing Builder Exams 7) The best way to get results from your practice sessions is to: a) Spend as much time as you can at the driving range b) Play more golf practice less c) Practice your drills often at home or office in short intervals d) Get a golf net for your back yard to practice in 8) I can identify my swing fault by: a) Watching the ball flight b) Watching my swing on video c) Watching my swing in a mirror d) All of the above 9) Before assigning a drill to do I must: a) Identify the swing fault b) Determine the best ball flight for my game c) Check out my golf clubs. d) Make sure I m using the right golf ball configuration e) Both a and c 10) Which of these statements is true: a) Swing faults come in pairs b) You fix swing faults one at a time 11) The grip is NOT that important if: a) My grip matches my impact position b) I compensate with a forearm rotation c) The grip is vital to consistent golf shots d) My grip matches my impact position with only minor subtle compensations for impact 12) A weak right hand grip can: a) Cause you to roll over your wrists quickly for extra power b) Make your swing steeper c) Promote a snap hook d) Promote a rolling of the hands to an open club face position at the top of the back swing. 83

84 Swing Builder Exams 13) To square the club face out at impact I should: a) Roll my wrists as fast as possible at impact b) Roll my hands through the impact zone c) Begin rotating my forearms early in the downswing d) Hit hard with my right hand just before impact 14) Too strong of a left hand grip could cause me to: a) Hang back after impact b) Hook the ball c) Hit a low hook with lots of roll d) All of the above 15) At address, my arms should: a) Reach out and away from my body b) Feel comfortable and loose c) Hang straight down. e) Both b and c 16) From a down line view, at address I should be able to: a) See my left arm straight b) See plenty of flex in my knees c) Seem as if I m aligned out to the right d) Draw a line from my arm pit to the balls of my feet 17) The most common error in alignment is: a) Standing too far away form the ball b) Standing too close to the ball c) Aligned to the right in the feet and open in the shoulders d) Setting up with a closed stance 18) The first thing I should do in alignment is: a) Take the wind into consideration b) Set my feet first c) Decide what club to use d) Determine aim. 84

85 Swing Builder Exams 19) In performing my back swing I should: a) Be able to see the golf ball b) Feel as though I ve shifted my weight to my right foot c) Turn with the upper body while resisting with the lower body d) Hold my back swing for just a second for tempo 20) The center of the golf swing is: a) Your head b) Your left shoulder c) The base of your spine d) Revolving around your neck 21) From a down line view, my left arm at the top of the back swing should: a) Reach out and up as much as possible b) Feel as though I were holding up a tray of drinks c) Extend parallel to my shaft angle at address. e) Be stiff and extended as possible for maximum power 22) The first thing I should do on the downswing is: a) Rotate my body as fast as I can for speed b) Turn towards the target c) Pull down with my arms d) Develop some separation between my arms and body speed 23) From a down line view, my golf swing should travel: a) Upward on the back swing and downward on the downswing b) Look like a loop c) Maintain the shaft parallel to the original shaft angle at address d) Steeper on the back swing than the downswing 24) My impact position should: a) Be relative to the direction I want the ball to travel b) Maintain the left wrist bulged and leading the downswing c) Have the golf club passing the hands d) Mirror my grip 85

86 Swing Builder Exams 25) My swing fell apart on the golf course, I should: a) Swing harder for tempo b) Narrow my stance and swing will all arms c) Turn my body more d) Narrow my stance and swing with an all arms feeling 26) I was interrupted during my pre-shot routine, I should: a) Go ahead and it, you re in rhythm b) Yell at the person who interrupted you c) Take a deep breath and continue the shot d) Start your pre-shot routine from the beginning 27) When I align myself to hit a golf ball, I should: a) Choose the starting point for the initial ball flight b) Take the wind into consideration c) Get behind the golf ball and make a line e) Make sure I m 90 degrees to the target 28) I have an out of bounds on the left side of the fairway, I should: a) Tee the ball as low as possible b) Use my five wood off the tee for accuracy c) Narrow my stance and swing will all arms d) Tee the ball as high as possible 29) When playing in windy conditions, I should: a) Swing harder b) Use less club c) Use more club and swing easy d) Hit a punch shot to keep it low 30) The most important part of the golf swing is: a) The stance, alignment and set-up b) Your rhythm and tempo c) The impact position d) An on plane back swing and down swing 86

87 Swing Builder Exam Key 1. c) Swing Path 2. c) Continue in the direction of the swing path - 3. c) The ball will start left and then curve to a point where the club face is pointed 4. b) The path of the swing can determine the trajectory 5. d) There are nine combinations of ball flight 6. d) The club face should be slightly closed to the path 7. c) Practice your drills often at home or office in short intervals 8. d) All of the above 9, e) Both a and c 10. a) Swing faults come in pairs 11. d) My grip matches my impact position with only minor subtle compensations for impact 12. d) Promote a rolling of the hands to an open club face position at the top of the back swing. 13. c) Begin rotating my forearms early in the downswing 14. d) All of the above 15. e) Both b and c 16. d) Draw a line from my arm pit to the balls of my feet 17. c) Aligned to the right in the feet and open in the shoulders 18. d) Determine aim. 19. c) Turn with the upper body while resisting with the lower body 20. c) The base of your spine 21. c) Extend parallel to my shaft angle at address. 22. d) Develop some separation between my arms and body speed 23. c) Maintain the shaft parallel to the original shaft angle at address 24. b) the left wrist bulged and leading the downswing 25. d) Narrow my stance and swing with an all arms feeling 26. d) Start your pre-shot routine from the beginning 27. a) Choose the starting point for the initlal ball flight 28. a) Tee the ball as low as possible 29. c) Use more club and swing easy 30. c) The impact position 87

88 88 Be A Scratch Golfer By Spring!

89 Swing Builder Drills Swing Builder Drills Section May I suggest that you take another look at the comments on How To Perform A Drill Effectively, pages Just like lifting weights, there is a proper technique required for desires results. I m sure you ve heard the same interviews of weight lifters that marveled how Arnold Schwarzenegger would develop techniques for turning his arms as he lifted weights, in order to build definition in his muscles which lifted him to competitive fame. The same is true when doing your swing drills. You isolate the faulty swing motion, (just like Arnold isolated the exact muscle group he intended to work on) and you attack the specific problem with enough repetitions to re-program the prior motion. Your ability to log sufficient repetitions in short and frequent intervals that will make your new motion becomes second nature. Never forget that once you re-program the faulty movement in your golf swing you are not necessarily cured. Old habits die hard. Unless you continue to nag your swing faults with a maintenance plan, you will risk returning to your old bad habits. One very BIG key is that it will be very difficult to log the sufficient number of reps of your assigned drills unless you do them at home or office as often as you can. I always say, practice your drills every time nobody s looking. If you re in a town where there s a tour event and you see a guy in front of a restaurant waiting for a cab and he s making a fool out of himself performing some silly movements that look golf related...i guarantee...it s one of the contestants in the tournament. Touring pros perform their drills in their sleep! If you can take 10 or 15 minutes on a daily basis in your back yard, your results will be far better than if you only do your drills once a week or at the golf course. 89

90 Swing Builder Drills Folder #1 - Grip and Set-UP Drills These drills are all related to the standing position BEFORE you begin your golf swing. Most of these drills are best done in front of a mirror. Grip - Grip-Drill.wmv - Remember your grip and your swing motion need to match up. The weaker your left hand grip the faster you need to be in rolling the golf club out before impact. I highly recommend that you purchase a training grip on it s own or the training grip with the golf club attached. If the grip is one of your set backs, these raining tools will do a world of good and shorten the time you need to be successful. If you would like just ask. I usually have one in stock for half the price of stores. Spine and Set-Up - Golf-Drill-Spine-Angle.wmv - Setting the proper spin angle at address and maintaining that same spine angle through the swing is a vital component that ALL touring pros have in common. It s not by accident. They work hard on maintaining spine angle because they value the importance. Ball Position - Ball-Position-Drill.wmv - The sole of the golf club determines the ball position. You must also consider your swing path and/or angle of attack to the golf ball. Lie angle has a major effect in this regard. Getting Your Head Behind the Ball - Head-Behind-Ball- Drill.wmv - The golf club is swung from your left shoulder, NOT out of your nose! This video will help in your ball postion as well. Head on the Golf Ball - Head-on-Ball-Drill.wmv - This video demonstrates the pitfalls of having your head on the golf ball. 90