Spanish Wells December Newsletter 2019 P2_STM81927 December Newsletter | Page 7

NOTE FROM THE TEACHING PROFESSIONAL
To Pause or Not to Pause-December
After watching golf swings over the years, one common tendency I see is a lack of
awareness during the backswing and the transition into the forward swing. This presents
several problems over the duration of the golf swing including; lack of rotation, limited
width, improper swing path, and ultimately a backswing that reduces our chances for
success at impact. As this backswing transitions into the forward swing, the tendency is
to pull down aggressively with the arms and reduces the role the body should play in the
downswing. As 3-D Motion Measurement (K-Vest) has shown us, we know for the best
players in the world, the golf swing begins with the lower body not the arms.
A great swing thought to begin this transition is, “Finish your backswing, before you begin
your downswing”. For most golfers, making a full coil and rotation into their “Trail” side,
will improve the swing path, increase accuracy, and ultimately add distance. The first step
to improving the backswing is attempting to be more deliberate in the first two feet of the
takeaway and engaging the shoulders to take the club away, not the hands. As we gather
everything to the top of the backswing, now is the opportunity to introduce a “small”
pause. The secret to success now, is how we come out of the “pause”. Most golfers will
tend to try and catch up and swing aggressively with the arms. If we want to emulate and
tap into the success of great golfers like Nancy Lopez, Ernie Els, and Vijay Singh who all
paused at the top of their swings, we will come out of the transition with our lower body
and not by pulling down with the arms.
Play Well,
John Mousley
PGA, TPI
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