Swing Wide To Narrow To Wide

Average golfers tend to lift the club on the backswing, cast it with the right arm from the top and then collapse the arms through impact. That type of swing arc is called narrow-wide-narrow. Good players do the opposite: They extend their arms going back (wide), increase the wrist hinge on the downswing (narrow), and extend again through impact (wide).

Try the pump drill to get a feel for wide-narrow-wide. Stretch your arms on the backswing, and hinge your wrists (1). Then pump the club down in front of you three times, retaining your wrist hinge and the flex in your right arm (2). The clubhead will stay back, or lag, which in a normal swing sets up a late burst of speed. Then simply turn through and straighten your arms.

SOLID CONTACT

GET INTO A REVERSE-K SETUP

Golfers trying to create power tend to set up with the right arm and shoulder in a dominant position (below, left). This typically leads to a reverse pivot, the weight shifting to the front foot on the backswing and then falling to the back foot on the downswing. The result is poor contact, because the low point of the swing shifts too far behind the ball.

Instead, think of your body as forming a reverse-K at address, with your left side fairly straight and your right side kinked at the waist (below, right). From there, you're poised to load into your right side and then return to your left foot on the downswing. That will keep the low point of the swing just behind the ball, so you can hit on the upswing for a high driver launch.

STAT FACTS

To break 90, your goal should be to hit at least five greens in regulation (GIRs). My research shows that 72 percent of GIRs follow drives in the fairway. So to hit more greens, start by hitting more fairways.

Peter Sanders / shotbyshot.com