Golf is just around the corner!

It’s almost time ! The parking lot at the Golf Center at Sports Ohio actually had some cars in it when I showed up for lessons yesterday. It’s still a bit chilly out there, but its getting warmer every day.

I actually hit some balls yesterday, about 2 dozen. I was pleasantly surprised because I felt like the physical preparation is really helping. The question is, how do do quantify this improvement? I want to know that my exercise time is paying off ! After just a few balls, there was no doubt that I have improved in one particular area. 1. Stability. I believe I was more able to maintain my spine angle while moving the golf club to impact! I felt I was strong enough to be able to deliver a better impact position utilizing my pivot, while keeping my spine “centered”. There is no doubt in my mind that I had lost strength in my core, hip and leg muscles.

The progress that I have made is very encouraging. Not only for myself, but I know that many of my students can seriously improve with just a little proper exercise time. Thanks to Stephen Ladd at Human Form Fitness for all his help putting me on the right path.

Remember that instability at impact, or for example, moving ahead of the ball will result in improper club path causing multiple types of ineffective ball flights. What’s worse, the club cannot speed up when your body is moving forward. You are actually delivering the club with an improper pivot. This is probably the most common scenario in high handicap golfers.

Are you in this position at impact? If not, I am sure there are multiple reasons. If you want some answers, it’s not too early to get started! Lets get a game plan now! Visit me at the Golf Center at Sports Ohio in Dublin. Email: jkhpro@pga.com. Phone: 614-738-1851.

 

What about Rickie Fowlers golf swing, Part 2

Building on Rickie Fowlers golf swing Part 1, we are examining photos from the August 2012 issue of Golf Magazine. These are photos that will help you understand how to develop an inside delivery of your club head to impact.

In the last post, Part1, we took a look at Rickies “move away” position. I stated that I believe this “outside the hands” position begins and leads to a momentum “chain reaction” that moves the club on the downswing on an inside rather than outside swing path to impact.

Remember that all powerful golf swings begin with a connected move away of the forward shoulder in a “downward and backward” coiling movement. Note Rickie’s left shoulder position in picture 3.

Clearly, at the “left arm parallel position”, Rickies club is obviously in a much steeper position than in the “original shaft plane position” of picture 1. See below.

I think that putting the club in a steeper position at this point paves the way for a dropping down and backward movement to start the downswing, as seen in the swings of Jim Furyk and Sergio Garcia, both noted as great ball strikers, that have natural ” draw” ball flights. If you try this in practice, you would feel the loop movement, “outside to inside”. If you are currently coming “over the top” or “outside” on your downswing, you will feel the difference.

My point is as we will see in Parts 3 and 4 of this series, that this is an effective position to be in at this point in your golf swing. As I will show, it does in fact lead to an inside delivery of the club producing a ” right to left” or “draw” ball flight.

In the Amazing Angle Swing System training video, I state that “swing style” is not of significant importance to me. It is obvious that there are many different “looking” swings on the PGA tour. Eliminating your uncontrollable slice and establishing a consistent, effective ball flight is the significant issue.

Stay tuned for parts 3 and 4, and as always practice “slowly and deliberately”.