After watching the perils of Kevin Na last week, and all the pontificating about the trouble he's been having starting his swing, it occurred to me that this is actually a problem common to a lot of golfers. Especially when you're under pressure, with trouble on either side of the fairway or green, it can be really hard to make a confident swing. And a confident swing starts with an unimpeded takeaway.
Most sport psychologists will tell you that you need to make golf a reactionary sport, like tennis or a batter in baseball. In those sports, you don't have much time to think. You have to get in the flow and just let the swing happen. You see the ball coming your way, and so you step in and hit it. The best golfers have figured out a way to "step in and hit it."
According to Golf Digest Teaching Professional Butch Harmon, it begins with a swing trigger, and just about every top player has one. Here are three you can try, as practiced by three major professionals:
1. Kick in your right knee: This was the trademark for Gary Player (see video below). Just before he takes the club back, he moves his right knee in toward his left, which serves to get his body--and swing--in motion. Golf Digest Teaching Professional Jim Flick once told me that the key to this move is to do it slowly, at the same pace you want to swing the club back. A fast, jerky knee-kick will do more harm than good. Make it smooth, and your swing will be smooth.
2. Turn your chin: Jack Nicklaus used this trigger throughout his career (see video below). Just before taking the club back, he tilted his head so his eyes focused on a spot about a foot behind the ball. But he still saw the ball out of the corner of his left eye. He told me a couple of years ago that the way he cocked his head served as a preview for the path of his club. In other words, if he wanted to hit a draw, he turned his head so his eyes tracked on a slightly inside path. For a fade, they moved along a line slightly to the outside.
3. Bend your knees: About midway through Tom Kite's career, he made a significant swing change, working with Golf Digest Teaching Professional Chuck Cook. Chuck had Kite widen his stance, and flare out his left foot. Then he told him to keep his left heel down, flat to the ground, on the backswing. (Kite's left heel used to come well off the ground.) But the final wrinkle to Kite's new swing was a slight bend of the knees just before he took the club back. This move got Kite feeling more athletic at address, but it also served to trigger his swing.
So if you're having trouble getting your swing started, adopt one of these techniques. Or develop one of your own. You'll find that under pressure, it's much easier to take the club back and make a confident swing.
Good luck with your game this weekend, and remember to follow me on Twitter @RogerSchiffman.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
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Weekend Tip: Like Tiger, check your posture
Tiger works on his setup under the watchful eye of swing coach Sean Foley at this year's Masters. They both say the key to his swing is posture. Photo by Dom Furore There has been a lot of chatter the last few months about Tiger Woods' swing changes under Sean Foley. But last week the specific subject of Tiger's posture at address came up--first in a self-made video from Tiger, then in some remarks by Foley. They said that Tiger's problems at Augusta mostly revolved around his posture at address. The week before, at Bay Hill, Tiger must have had his posture in good shape--he struck the ball beautifully off the tee and won by five.
Tiger's trademark has always been a ramrod-straight back at address, a slight bend from the hips, and legs flexed. But Foley alluded to the fact that Tiger had gotten too crouched at address, which he says can happen when you practice and play in the wind.
Certainly, it is difficult to stand to the ball nice and tall, bending from the hips so your arms hang straight down. But that position at address allows the arms to swing back and through freely, so the club can release fully.
Here's what Foley had to say to Rex Hoggard on GolfChannel.com:
"Alignment and posture was really the main thing. Once that changes, you can have the best swing in the world, but it doesn't matter. When you get too far away from the ball and [your] pelvis is losing its tilt, the shoulders get turning too level in the backswing and the hips go into early extension on the downswing so the club [gets] stuck under.
"If someone is playing in the wind for three days the ball starts moving back (in a player's stance), they start leaning on their left leg. Now all these angles change. It's the same swing but now at impact it's totally different."
What can you learn from this?
If you're having trouble with your shots and are not sure why, Golf Digest Teaching Professional Jim Flick says to check your alignment at address by placing clubs along your stance line and the target line on the range. Check to be sure you're aligned where you think you are. Then, look at your address posture in a mirror or reflection in a window.
The main thing is to make sure you're not standing too far from the ball. Reaching for it at address is the most common problem, according to Flick. That causes you to take the club back on too flat a plane, which usually results in either a push-hook or an over-the-top downswing. Flick says it's better to be too close to the ball than too far from it. That allows you to stand tall and bend from the hips so your arms swing the club going back, resulting in a full shoulder turn to the top. If you stay in that good posture at the top, your arms and club can swing freely down and through the ball to a full finish. As Tiger and Foley would contend, it all starts with posture.
I hope this helps you to hit some great shots this weekend. Good luck with your game!
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Weekend Tip: 3 Ways to Regain Your Feel--Fast
So the weather across most of the country is finally starting to act like spring, golf course superintendents are beginning to mow their greens down to mid-season levels, and golfers are starting to turn up at the first tee, ready to put their games on display. At my own club, New Seabury on Cape Cod, this weekend's tee sheet is jammed full, and our Saturday morning group has more players than ever.
But what if you're one of those golfers coming out for the first time this year, and you feel like, as Dan Jenkins once said, the golf club feels like a parking meter in your hands? That's where this column will help you. Here are three tips, from some of the game's top feel players and teachers, to get your touch back fast. The last thing you want to do is three-putt all day, or take extra shots from just off the green, or snap-hook your tee shots.
1. Feeling your hands. When you haven't played in a while, your hands feel weak. So it's only natural to grip the club tighter to compensate. Resist that and do the opposite. As Davis Love Jr. and Bob Toski wrote in How to Feel A Real Golf Swing, with Bob Carney, "Your hands generate clubhead speed. They control the face. They shape the path of your swing. But nothing can sabotage a good grip or good swing quicker than excessive or inconsistent grip pressure. Tension is the enemy of the swing, and it emanates from the grip. Pick up a pencil and write your name. How tightly did you hold the pencil? Just tightly enough to accomplish the task at hand. Which is how you hold your steering wheel, how you hold a book, how you hold your sweetheart's hand. For most golfers, holding a golf club only as tightly as enables the club to swing will seem much lighter than normal." So remember to hold the club lightly, and you'll regain your feel in no time.
2. Feeling the putter. Gain control by giving up control. Sport psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella once told Paul Azinger that he could see tension and artificiality in his stroke. In his book, Putting Out of Your Mind, Rotella recounts how he told Azinger to putt like he hit bunker shots. "I just look at where I want it to go," Azinger said, "splash the sand, and it goes there." Rotella told Paul he had to become relaxed, even nonchalant, at the moment of truth in putting as well. Try it and your stroke will free up and become more natural. You'll regain your stroke very quickly.
3. Feeling your feet. When you've had a long layoff, usually your feet and legs are a little slow; you've lost some agility. Get that footwork back by trying this piece of advice, from Tommy Armour's book How to Play Your Best Golf All the Time. "In simplifying footwork, I'll give you one little tip that probably will greatly improve the hitting portion of your swing. Have the right knee come in fast at the right time. The knee action in a good golf swing is practically identical with knee action in throwing a baseball."
So give these thoughts a try and good luck with your game this weekend. I'll be pulling for you (unless I'm playing against you).
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
But what if you're one of those golfers coming out for the first time this year, and you feel like, as Dan Jenkins once said, the golf club feels like a parking meter in your hands? That's where this column will help you. Here are three tips, from some of the game's top feel players and teachers, to get your touch back fast. The last thing you want to do is three-putt all day, or take extra shots from just off the green, or snap-hook your tee shots.
1. Feeling your hands. When you haven't played in a while, your hands feel weak. So it's only natural to grip the club tighter to compensate. Resist that and do the opposite. As Davis Love Jr. and Bob Toski wrote in How to Feel A Real Golf Swing, with Bob Carney, "Your hands generate clubhead speed. They control the face. They shape the path of your swing. But nothing can sabotage a good grip or good swing quicker than excessive or inconsistent grip pressure. Tension is the enemy of the swing, and it emanates from the grip. Pick up a pencil and write your name. How tightly did you hold the pencil? Just tightly enough to accomplish the task at hand. Which is how you hold your steering wheel, how you hold a book, how you hold your sweetheart's hand. For most golfers, holding a golf club only as tightly as enables the club to swing will seem much lighter than normal." So remember to hold the club lightly, and you'll regain your feel in no time.
2. Feeling the putter. Gain control by giving up control. Sport psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella once told Paul Azinger that he could see tension and artificiality in his stroke. In his book, Putting Out of Your Mind, Rotella recounts how he told Azinger to putt like he hit bunker shots. "I just look at where I want it to go," Azinger said, "splash the sand, and it goes there." Rotella told Paul he had to become relaxed, even nonchalant, at the moment of truth in putting as well. Try it and your stroke will free up and become more natural. You'll regain your stroke very quickly.
3. Feeling your feet. When you've had a long layoff, usually your feet and legs are a little slow; you've lost some agility. Get that footwork back by trying this piece of advice, from Tommy Armour's book How to Play Your Best Golf All the Time. "In simplifying footwork, I'll give you one little tip that probably will greatly improve the hitting portion of your swing. Have the right knee come in fast at the right time. The knee action in a good golf swing is practically identical with knee action in throwing a baseball."
So give these thoughts a try and good luck with your game this weekend. I'll be pulling for you (unless I'm playing against you).
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Weekend Tip: Swing easy, hit hard
I just played a round of golf yesterday with a colleague who is also an inspiration. He's 11 years older than I am, yet he hits the ball every bit as far as I do and often hits it past me. I've been playing with this older whippersnapper for more than two decades, and I can't recall ever hitting it by him on a regular basis.
"Why is that?" I found myself muttering under my breath after another one of Bob's drives airmailed one of my best hits. The answer is, he swings with abandon. And usually it goes straight down the middle, as Bing Crosby would have crooned.
Then I was reading about young Keegan Bradley for an upcoming article in Golf Digest. At a rail-thin 180 pounds (same weight as me) he averages 299.2 yards off the tee. How can this be?
Then I watched Fred Couples win another Champions Tour event last weekend, where he made that effortless-looking, smooth backswing, looped the club on an inside path, and powdered his drive on the last hole straight down the middle, 290. Of course, he birdied the hole and captured the tournament by a stroke. He could actually be a contender at Augusta this week.
So what gives? What's their secret to obscenely long drives? I know that while the backswing is important, it's the through swing that gives you distance. As teacher Tim Mahoney once told me, "You don't hit the ball with your backswing."
But there must be more to it than that.
So I asked Jim McLean, Bradley's teacher who also coaches LPGA long-hitting phenom Lexi Thompson, for his insight. He says the key is to get your hips to line up under the shoulders (McLean calls this getting stacked). Then from this coiled position, swing the club through the ball--not to it--swinging with abandon. Bradley looks as if he's swinging about as hard as he can. But he stays in balance on the backswing (remember, coiled at the top), all the way to his finish, which McLean tells him to hold for at least two seconds, every time.
As Julius Boros used to say (and even wrote an entire book by the same title): "Swing Easy, Hit Hard." Especially when you're under pressure, try these keys. Not only will you hit the ball farther, you'll probably hit it straighter, and have a lot more funl.
Good luck with your game this weekend. And remember to follow me on Twitter @RogerSchiffman.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
"Why is that?" I found myself muttering under my breath after another one of Bob's drives airmailed one of my best hits. The answer is, he swings with abandon. And usually it goes straight down the middle, as Bing Crosby would have crooned.
Then I was reading about young Keegan Bradley for an upcoming article in Golf Digest. At a rail-thin 180 pounds (same weight as me) he averages 299.2 yards off the tee. How can this be?
Then I watched Fred Couples win another Champions Tour event last weekend, where he made that effortless-looking, smooth backswing, looped the club on an inside path, and powdered his drive on the last hole straight down the middle, 290. Of course, he birdied the hole and captured the tournament by a stroke. He could actually be a contender at Augusta this week.
So what gives? What's their secret to obscenely long drives? I know that while the backswing is important, it's the through swing that gives you distance. As teacher Tim Mahoney once told me, "You don't hit the ball with your backswing."
But there must be more to it than that.
So I asked Jim McLean, Bradley's teacher who also coaches LPGA long-hitting phenom Lexi Thompson, for his insight. He says the key is to get your hips to line up under the shoulders (McLean calls this getting stacked). Then from this coiled position, swing the club through the ball--not to it--swinging with abandon. Bradley looks as if he's swinging about as hard as he can. But he stays in balance on the backswing (remember, coiled at the top), all the way to his finish, which McLean tells him to hold for at least two seconds, every time.
As Julius Boros used to say (and even wrote an entire book by the same title): "Swing Easy, Hit Hard." Especially when you're under pressure, try these keys. Not only will you hit the ball farther, you'll probably hit it straighter, and have a lot more funl.
Good luck with your game this weekend. And remember to follow me on Twitter @RogerSchiffman.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Saturday Morning Tip: Supinate your wrists like Hogan
The more I study the instructional thoughts from the great players and teachers of the past, the more I realize that the principles they espoused are just as valid today as they were then. For example, take the idea of supination and pronation that Ben Hogan spoke about so clearly and precisely.
In his book Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf, Hogan said: "There is one position of such signal importance that it warrants closeup study. This is the position of the left wrist and hand at the actual moment of impact. [The publisher printed the following words in all caps, but I'll put them in bold so they are easier to read here./RS]
"At impact the back of the left hand faces toward your target. The wrist bone is definitely raised. It points to the target and, at the moment the ball is contacted, it is out in front, nearer to the target than any part of the hand.
"When the left wrist is in this position, the left hand will not check or interrupt the speed with which your clubhead is traveling. There's no danger either that the right hand will overpower the left and twist the club over. It can't. As far as applying power goes, I wish that I had three right hands!
"Every good golfer has his left wrist in this supinating position at impact. Every poor golfer does the exact reverse. As his club comes into the ball, he starts to pronate the left wrist--to turn it so that the palm will be facing down."
In other words, Hogan did not want your arms and wrists pronating on the downswing. (Pronate only on the backswing.) He wanted your arms and wrists to turn counterclockwise (to your left as you're looking at the ball) into and through impact, but in a way that your left wrist was slightly bowed and your right wrist bent backward at the moment of truth. This is the classic impact position you see in the small circular image on the cover of the Five Lessons book shown above, as well as on the cover page inside. The result will be a more powerful strike because you are delofting the club through impact while turning the clubface from open to closed, which also creates extra clubhead speed coming into the ball.
It's why really good players--and all tour pros--make that classic ball-then-turf contact resulting in a more penetrating ball-flight. Less-skilled golfers often turn their arms and wrists in the opposite direction--clockwise (to your right as you're looking at the ball) through impact, which cups the left wrist and adds loft to the club. This results in a weak slice and a softer ball flight. As Hogan said, "At the very point in the swing in which [the golfer] should be increasing the speed of his hands, by pronating he slows them down."
So if you want to improve your ball flight and hit your shots farther with more consistency, take a tip from Ben Hogan and supinate your arms and wrists through impact. You might want to combine this move with some gym work with light weights to be sure your arms and wrists are strong so you don't injure yourself. Click here for a Fitness Friday how-to video.
And for more classic images of Ben Hogan swinging the club, click here.
Enjoy your game this weekend, and be sure to follow me on Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
In his book Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf, Hogan said: "There is one position of such signal importance that it warrants closeup study. This is the position of the left wrist and hand at the actual moment of impact. [The publisher printed the following words in all caps, but I'll put them in bold so they are easier to read here./RS] "At impact the back of the left hand faces toward your target. The wrist bone is definitely raised. It points to the target and, at the moment the ball is contacted, it is out in front, nearer to the target than any part of the hand.
"When the left wrist is in this position, the left hand will not check or interrupt the speed with which your clubhead is traveling. There's no danger either that the right hand will overpower the left and twist the club over. It can't. As far as applying power goes, I wish that I had three right hands!
"Every good golfer has his left wrist in this supinating position at impact. Every poor golfer does the exact reverse. As his club comes into the ball, he starts to pronate the left wrist--to turn it so that the palm will be facing down."
In other words, Hogan did not want your arms and wrists pronating on the downswing. (Pronate only on the backswing.) He wanted your arms and wrists to turn counterclockwise (to your left as you're looking at the ball) into and through impact, but in a way that your left wrist was slightly bowed and your right wrist bent backward at the moment of truth. This is the classic impact position you see in the small circular image on the cover of the Five Lessons book shown above, as well as on the cover page inside. The result will be a more powerful strike because you are delofting the club through impact while turning the clubface from open to closed, which also creates extra clubhead speed coming into the ball.
It's why really good players--and all tour pros--make that classic ball-then-turf contact resulting in a more penetrating ball-flight. Less-skilled golfers often turn their arms and wrists in the opposite direction--clockwise (to your right as you're looking at the ball) through impact, which cups the left wrist and adds loft to the club. This results in a weak slice and a softer ball flight. As Hogan said, "At the very point in the swing in which [the golfer] should be increasing the speed of his hands, by pronating he slows them down."
So if you want to improve your ball flight and hit your shots farther with more consistency, take a tip from Ben Hogan and supinate your arms and wrists through impact. You might want to combine this move with some gym work with light weights to be sure your arms and wrists are strong so you don't injure yourself. Click here for a Fitness Friday how-to video.
And for more classic images of Ben Hogan swinging the club, click here.
Enjoy your game this weekend, and be sure to follow me on Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Weekend Tip: March Madness on the course
This idea came from Golf Digest Assistant Managing Editor Jeff Patterson, who usually leads the staff in assists each month. He points out that as we stay glued to the TV set this weekend watching college hoops and sweating out office pools leading to the Final Four, you might also think of some basketball analogies to help your golf game. Here are three, from the recent pages of Golf Digest. And here's hoping they help your game this weekend, whether it's played on a court or a course.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
First, we hear from Stan Utley,
Golf Digest Professional Advisor:
Believe it or not, shooting a basketball equates perfectly to putting. For a right-handed shooter, power comes from releasing the right wrist (left photo); the left hand provides the direction. Wrist action and the role of each hand are the same in putting. Difference is, you're aimed at the ground.
Next, Todd Anderson, Golf Digest Teaching Professional, weighs in:
Loading up your backswing is very
similar to passing a basketball away from a defender and to a teammate. This image (right) puts your arms in the perfect backswing position.
Finally, a setup tip from Tom Watson, Golf Digest Playing Editor:
When I set up, I think of a basketball player in the guarding position.
Defenders in this ready stance can move side to side or forward and back and stay in balance -- I remember from my basketball days in high school. They have to be on the balls of their feet with knees flexed and feet about shoulder-width apart. Just like that basketball player, you want to be on the balls of your feet -- not the heels, not the toes. That's the key to balance. Click here to link to the full article.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
First, we hear from Stan Utley, Golf Digest Professional Advisor:
Believe it or not, shooting a basketball equates perfectly to putting. For a right-handed shooter, power comes from releasing the right wrist (left photo); the left hand provides the direction. Wrist action and the role of each hand are the same in putting. Difference is, you're aimed at the ground.
Next, Todd Anderson, Golf Digest Teaching Professional, weighs in:
Loading up your backswing is very
similar to passing a basketball away from a defender and to a teammate. This image (right) puts your arms in the perfect backswing position.Finally, a setup tip from Tom Watson, Golf Digest Playing Editor:
When I set up, I think of a basketball player in the guarding position.
Defenders in this ready stance can move side to side or forward and back and stay in balance -- I remember from my basketball days in high school. They have to be on the balls of their feet with knees flexed and feet about shoulder-width apart. Just like that basketball player, you want to be on the balls of your feet -- not the heels, not the toes. That's the key to balance. Click here to link to the full article.Weekend Tip: Use Your Think Box and Play Box
Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott are perhaps two of the most successful teachers in the game today. I say that because they coached Annika Sorenstam when she was dominating the LPGA Tour, and they also give advice to Yani Tseng, who is currently dominating the women's game. But make no mistake, Nilsson and Marriott, founders of the Golf54 academy and Vision54 Coaching for the Future, also work with plenty of male golfers, including PGA Tour stalwart Kevin Streelman.
Nilsson and Marriott have written three books on golf with Golf World's Ron Sirak. The latest, Play Your Best Golf Now, crystallizes the concept of the Think Box and the Play Box. Their first book, Every Shot Must Have a Purpose, however, introduces the concept. I think their approach will help you shoot lower scores almost immediately. Hey, if it works for Annika and Yani, why not give it a try.
Basically, Pia and Lynn contend that every shot has a decision line. That's an imaginary line that divides the area where you do all your thinking and strategizing (the Think Box) from the area where you simply hit the shot (the Play Box). Annika was superb at this, says Sirak. Once she entered the Play Box, she never hesitated or became distracted. She simply went through her routine, trusted her technique and pulled the trigger. She left all of her thinking behind--in the Think Box.
Here is a short excerpt of the first book. Try their approach this weekend, and I bet you'll play better golf.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @Roger.Schiffman
As you stand in the THINK BOX you should consider all the variables for the shot: wind direction and strength, the lie of the ball (is it below your feet and will it thus fade away from your body?), the hazards you need to factor in, and, if you are in competition, the point at which you stand in the match. VERBALIZE your intentions for the shot. "I am going to hit a
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Nilsson and Marriott have written three books on golf with Golf World's Ron Sirak. The latest, Play Your Best Golf Now, crystallizes the concept of the Think Box and the Play Box. Their first book, Every Shot Must Have a Purpose, however, introduces the concept. I think their approach will help you shoot lower scores almost immediately. Hey, if it works for Annika and Yani, why not give it a try.
Basically, Pia and Lynn contend that every shot has a decision line. That's an imaginary line that divides the area where you do all your thinking and strategizing (the Think Box) from the area where you simply hit the shot (the Play Box). Annika was superb at this, says Sirak. Once she entered the Play Box, she never hesitated or became distracted. She simply went through her routine, trusted her technique and pulled the trigger. She left all of her thinking behind--in the Think Box.
Here is a short excerpt of the first book. Try their approach this weekend, and I bet you'll play better golf.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @Roger.Schiffman
As you stand in the THINK BOX you should consider all the variables for the shot: wind direction and strength, the lie of the ball (is it below your feet and will it thus fade away from your body?), the hazards you need to factor in, and, if you are in competition, the point at which you stand in the match. VERBALIZE your intentions for the shot. "I am going to hit a
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Weekend Tip: For faster progress, make swings without a ball
I just heard an interview on PGA Tour radio (John Maginnes on Tap) with former PGA Tour player Phil Blackmar and his Hall of Fame teacher Jim Flick. You can hear the entire 22-minute interview by clicking on the link here. They talk about a wide range of subjects, including Flick's overall teaching philosophy. But something that struck me was Blackmar's answer to a question about what you can do in the off-season to keep or get your swing in shape. He said you should make swings without a ball, because it's easier to work on your positions and your fundamentals, and swing changes will come faster. Why is that?
Almost 20 years ago, I helped the noted teaching professional Hank Johnson, for years the No. 1 teacher in Alabama, write a book called How to Win the Three Games of Golf. In that book Hank broke golf down into three separate games: the Golf Swing, the Golf Shot and the Golf Score. He contended that the Golf Swing should be learned or changed away from the range and course. The Golf Shot should be rehearsed on the range. And the Golf Score is something you think about only on the course.
"When you are trying to concentrate on learning the various positions of your body and club at address and throughout the swinging motion, the ball only serves as a distraction," Hank wrote. "It automatically shifts your focus to performance rather than learning. It is difficult to concentrate on making a mechanically correct swing and hit the ball at the same time. When you are making a practice swing, you are learning. When you are hitting a golf shot, you are performing."
So this weekend, when you are away from the course and the range, work on the following fundamentals. Remember, do this without hitting balls.
-- Correct grip (hold the club in your fingers, your V's pointing at your right cheek or shoulder)
-- Precise ball position (practice setting up to a ball but don't hit it)
-- Athletic posture at address (check in a mirror or window that you have a fairly straight back, slight bend at the hips, slight flex in the knees, arms hanging straight down)
-- Smooth takeaway (also in a mirror or window, check your club's halfway-back position and that you stayed in your posture)
-- Good weight transfer into your right leg at the top
-- Transition into the ball by starting your downswing from the ground up (left foot, knee, thigh, hip, in that order)
-- Unrestricted follow-through made with relaxed grip pressure
-- Full finish held for two to three seconds so you know you are in balance
Do this for five to 10 minutes every day, and when you get back on the range or the course, you'll be amazed how quickly you'll regain your feel for the club and hitting solid shots.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Almost 20 years ago, I helped the noted teaching professional Hank Johnson, for years the No. 1 teacher in Alabama, write a book called How to Win the Three Games of Golf. In that book Hank broke golf down into three separate games: the Golf Swing, the Golf Shot and the Golf Score. He contended that the Golf Swing should be learned or changed away from the range and course. The Golf Shot should be rehearsed on the range. And the Golf Score is something you think about only on the course.
"When you are trying to concentrate on learning the various positions of your body and club at address and throughout the swinging motion, the ball only serves as a distraction," Hank wrote. "It automatically shifts your focus to performance rather than learning. It is difficult to concentrate on making a mechanically correct swing and hit the ball at the same time. When you are making a practice swing, you are learning. When you are hitting a golf shot, you are performing."
So this weekend, when you are away from the course and the range, work on the following fundamentals. Remember, do this without hitting balls.
-- Correct grip (hold the club in your fingers, your V's pointing at your right cheek or shoulder)
-- Precise ball position (practice setting up to a ball but don't hit it)
-- Athletic posture at address (check in a mirror or window that you have a fairly straight back, slight bend at the hips, slight flex in the knees, arms hanging straight down)
-- Smooth takeaway (also in a mirror or window, check your club's halfway-back position and that you stayed in your posture)
-- Good weight transfer into your right leg at the top
-- Transition into the ball by starting your downswing from the ground up (left foot, knee, thigh, hip, in that order)
-- Unrestricted follow-through made with relaxed grip pressure
-- Full finish held for two to three seconds so you know you are in balance
Do this for five to 10 minutes every day, and when you get back on the range or the course, you'll be amazed how quickly you'll regain your feel for the club and hitting solid shots.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Weekend Tip: McLean on Hogan, 7 pointers from a new book
A new book just crossed my desk, The Complete Hogan, by Golf Digest Teaching Professional Jim McLean, with Tom McCarthy. (Published by John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 216 pages.) There are a lot of really interesting photos here, taken from rare movie film of Hogan in the late 1940s, before his accident. McLean makes some great observations and brings a fresh approach to possibly the most analyzed and admired golf swing of all time. The quality of the photos (soft, shadowy and in black and white) is not great. But a keen eye can still find great details to learn from. And McLean certainly has a keen eye and the teaching experience to put Hogan's swing into usable advice for today's golfer.
One of the freshest chapters is toward the end of the book where Jim flops the photos, turning Hogan into a left-hander. I'm able to show you two of the photos below. Not only is this a lefty's delight, but with this unusual view righties can really see some key elements in Hogan's setup and swing that might surprise you. McLean writes extensively about each photo in the book, but here are some of his abbreviated observations that might help your game without you even looking at all of the pictures:
Address: Look at those soft arms! Just the opposite of the illustrations in Five Lessons. Copy this setup (below) and not those.
Takeaway: Hogan's chin points to the back foot. This is extremely important for a full, powerful coil.
Top of Backswing: The right knee has moved behind the ball, but Hogan's body is already falling (or transitioning) forward. I call this the "fall forward."
Move down: Hogan rotates the right knee over the right foot. Very athletic and responsive. A beautiful sit-down move and massive lag.
Impact: The front leg braces and begins to straighten (below). This is a major power move. Of course the famous bowed lead wrist is very evident.
Post Impact: Phenomenal extension. Perfect release of the arms.
Finish and Rebound: The all-time classic finish. It's great for everyone to copy.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
One of the freshest chapters is toward the end of the book where Jim flops the photos, turning Hogan into a left-hander. I'm able to show you two of the photos below. Not only is this a lefty's delight, but with this unusual view righties can really see some key elements in Hogan's setup and swing that might surprise you. McLean writes extensively about each photo in the book, but here are some of his abbreviated observations that might help your game without you even looking at all of the pictures:
Address: Look at those soft arms! Just the opposite of the illustrations in Five Lessons. Copy this setup (below) and not those.
Takeaway: Hogan's chin points to the back foot. This is extremely important for a full, powerful coil.
Top of Backswing: The right knee has moved behind the ball, but Hogan's body is already falling (or transitioning) forward. I call this the "fall forward."
Move down: Hogan rotates the right knee over the right foot. Very athletic and responsive. A beautiful sit-down move and massive lag.
Impact: The front leg braces and begins to straighten (below). This is a major power move. Of course the famous bowed lead wrist is very evident.
Post Impact: Phenomenal extension. Perfect release of the arms.
Finish and Rebound: The all-time classic finish. It's great for everyone to copy.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
Twitter @RogerSchiffman
Weekend Tip: How to get your feel back
It's only the beginning of February, but it's going to be golf weather this weekend in the Northeast. Which means much of the country will be playing today and tomorrow. So dust off those clubs that you stowed in that cold garage and get the rust off your swing. Let's go play a few holes!
But how do you get the rust off the swing? Here are three drills or thoughts to get your feel back fast, so you can have some fun this weekend. They are from Golf Digest's top teaching professionals, and I've put them into context here to get your game in shape quickly. Enjoy and good luck with your game--and remember you can follow me on Twitter @RogerSchiffman.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
1. Rick Smith: Trigger your chipping feel
After a long layoff, the part of your game that suffers most is often chipping. You just don't have much feel when you haven't been playing a lot, and the small muscles in your hands and arms are the first to go. Here's how to regain that feel in a flash:
To create the feel you need to chip it close, use the thumb and forefinger of your right hand to initiate the movement. Those fingers are crucial to controlling wrist hinge, which is the key to hitting accurate distances.
As you start back, squeeze the grip with a trigger-finger action, letting your right wrist hinge and the club move slightly inward and upward. Once you've done that, simply maintain that hinge as you pivot your body toward the target through impact. Your goal is to keep the shaft leaning forward and to make ball-first contact. Try it on the range a few times before you go play.
Click here for the complete tip from Rick Smith, as well as a bonus tip.
2. Hank Haney: Think of distance on the greens
Many golfers starting a new season forget that how hard you hit a putt determines how much break you need to play. And it's difficult to get the feel for the speed when the putter feels like a sledgehammer in your hands.
Reading break without thinking about distance leads to frustration. If you read the line perfectly on a 20-footer but hit the putt too hard or soft, you could be left with a four- or five-footer on your next putt. But get the speed down, and you can miss your read by a foot and still have an easy putt to finish.
The next time you play, approach your mid- and long-range putts thinking about a line behind the hole more than the break. This is the more important line in putting, and I visualize it a foot and a half behind the cup, like a little backboard. Try it. If you don't make it, you'll have a tap-in. Hit a few putts on the practice green with this thought in mind before you tee it up.
Click here for the complete tip.
3. David Leadbetter: Start down smoothly
After a long layoff, it's difficult to find the right rhythm in your swing. Until they play for a while, golfers are often too quick starting down. Rushing this change of direction results in a loss of distance and direction. So think of how smoothly the pros make the transition from backswing to downswing.
Imitate the movement of a roller-coaster car at the top of the track. As it goes up and over a peak and then starts down, its speed is roughly the same. The acceleration on the downslope is gradual and culminates at the bottom of the track. Your swing should resemble this.
Click here for the complete tip.
But how do you get the rust off the swing? Here are three drills or thoughts to get your feel back fast, so you can have some fun this weekend. They are from Golf Digest's top teaching professionals, and I've put them into context here to get your game in shape quickly. Enjoy and good luck with your game--and remember you can follow me on Twitter @RogerSchiffman.
Roger Schiffman
Managing Editor
Golf Digest
1. Rick Smith: Trigger your chipping feel
After a long layoff, the part of your game that suffers most is often chipping. You just don't have much feel when you haven't been playing a lot, and the small muscles in your hands and arms are the first to go. Here's how to regain that feel in a flash:
To create the feel you need to chip it close, use the thumb and forefinger of your right hand to initiate the movement. Those fingers are crucial to controlling wrist hinge, which is the key to hitting accurate distances.
As you start back, squeeze the grip with a trigger-finger action, letting your right wrist hinge and the club move slightly inward and upward. Once you've done that, simply maintain that hinge as you pivot your body toward the target through impact. Your goal is to keep the shaft leaning forward and to make ball-first contact. Try it on the range a few times before you go play.
Click here for the complete tip from Rick Smith, as well as a bonus tip.
2. Hank Haney: Think of distance on the greens
Many golfers starting a new season forget that how hard you hit a putt determines how much break you need to play. And it's difficult to get the feel for the speed when the putter feels like a sledgehammer in your hands.
Reading break without thinking about distance leads to frustration. If you read the line perfectly on a 20-footer but hit the putt too hard or soft, you could be left with a four- or five-footer on your next putt. But get the speed down, and you can miss your read by a foot and still have an easy putt to finish.
The next time you play, approach your mid- and long-range putts thinking about a line behind the hole more than the break. This is the more important line in putting, and I visualize it a foot and a half behind the cup, like a little backboard. Try it. If you don't make it, you'll have a tap-in. Hit a few putts on the practice green with this thought in mind before you tee it up.
Click here for the complete tip.
3. David Leadbetter: Start down smoothly
After a long layoff, it's difficult to find the right rhythm in your swing. Until they play for a while, golfers are often too quick starting down. Rushing this change of direction results in a loss of distance and direction. So think of how smoothly the pros make the transition from backswing to downswing.
Imitate the movement of a roller-coaster car at the top of the track. As it goes up and over a peak and then starts down, its speed is roughly the same. The acceleration on the downslope is gradual and culminates at the bottom of the track. Your swing should resemble this.
Click here for the complete tip.
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