Short Game

Footwork: Get In The Flow

By Hank Haney Illustrations by Chris Philpot
May 28, 2012
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You should feel the weight transfer in your swing in terms of load on your feet--not just the back or front foot, but where on each foot that weight is falling. It starts with a 50-50 distribution across your two feet at address, with the weight concentrated on the balls of your feet--not the heels.

As you swing back, your weight should transfer to roughly 65 percent on your back foot, specifically on the inside arch area. The first thing you should feel on the downswing is a slight left-hip bump to shift weight from the arch of your back foot to the base of the big toe on your front foot. This move will help you set the club on the correct inside path and prevent the common over-the-top sequencing problem many players fight. Swinging down and through to a full finish--where 90 percent of your weight is on your front foot--will help you make solid ball-turf contact instead of striking the ground too early.

Hank Haney, a Golf Digest Teaching Professional, runs the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy, in Hilton Head.