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IMPROPER SHOULDER TURN PROPER SHOULDER TURN
ALIGNMENT
Thumb pushing is one of the top reasons average golfers are short off the tee.
joint. Lighter hands allow for better clubhead speed and better clubface control through impact.
FAULT 2: ROTATING HANDS TOO EARLY IN THE START OF THE BACKSWING In our minds, we perceive the need to lift the club in order to get it to the top of the swing. That causes our lead hand to rotate, causing the club to go too far inside in the backswing. Once that happens, the arms and shoulders will feel a need to open early to start the downswing, leading to an over-the-top swing. This is referred to as,“ over-thetop downward plane,” causing golfers to slice or hook the ball, making it difficult to hit most of their longer clubs. It basically means that your club, when in the downswing, is coming down from outside in.
A simple correction is to stop rotating the lead hand in the backswing. Unfortunately, that’ s easier said than done. One thing I suggest to my students is to feel as if you are using a putter to take the club back. Envisioning the club as a putter will make it very difficult to rotate the hands in the takeaway of the club. Once you stop rotating the hands in the backswing,
your club will have a better backswing plane, leading to a better downward plane, making it easier for you to hit your longer clubs.
FAULT 3: CASTING THE GOLF CLUB Casting is largely misunderstood, because people are not aware they are doing it. Take a moment to grab your golf glove. Now inspect the thumb. If you have black grips and a white glove, the problem will be evident. The wear and darkness on the thumb will surprise you. Here is my question to you: When in the swing process, are you marking up your glove? For most, it’ s at the start of the downswing.
The shaft is resting on top of the thumb. For a regular golfer, the hands and arms start the swing, and the thumb pushes the club to get the swing started. The more a golfer pushes with the thumb, the more power they feel they are generating— false. The more a golfer pushes, the more the power is reduced in the swing. In my opinion, thumb pushing is one of the top reasons the average golfer is so short off the tee. Awareness is key: Once you realize you are pushing you can begin to make a change.
FAULT 4: ALIGNMENT Golfers tend to aim by looking over the
shoulder, and for a right-handed golfer, that means the player is aiming 20 to 30 yards right at address. Aiming right will promote an outside-to-in swing plane and lead to massive internal confusion as to why the player cannot consistently hit the target at which they are aiming.
Proper alignment involves the clubhead aiming at the target and the feet aiming left of the target. Set up a station with two alignment sticks or club shafts. One shaft aims at the target while the feet aim left of the target. This correction may look awkward at first, but it will soon prove to be the proper answer.
Now that you have identified your primary fault, it’ s time to put a whole movement together.
Start with proper alignment. Second, start the takeaway without rotating your lead hand. Once you are at the top of the swing, do not initiate the motion with the thumb pushing on the club. Instead, use the lower body to pull the club down as you turn toward the target.
Lastly, keep your hands relaxed on the way down and through the ball for more power and speed.
Fernando Martinez, PGA, is a senior staff instructor at the Raspberry Golf Academy.
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