 Guest Pro Tip
I feature golf instruction tips from guest professionals here - we can't have you getting bored
with my tips, now can we? Here's the latest installment. (See also the archive of previously posted guest pro tips.)
Do you hit behind the ball?
by David Nevogt
author of The Simple Swing
If so, the cause may be easier to fix than you think. You may not realize it, but your back shoulder may be dipping towards the ground. This move forces the club to hit the ground too early -- most of the time this happens when you're really trying to
get into the ball. Imagine...You're 200 yards out and you've chosen to hit the 4 iron. When you've got it in your head that you have to hit the ball hard to get it there, it's a natural tendency to start your downswing with the hips in an effort to
"really get into the ball." That may work in baseball, but not in golf.
I'd like to take you through what happens if you make that move in golf. First, get in your setup position, now take your backswing and hold it at the top. Now move only your hips horizontally towards the target, and notice the way it forces your back
shoulder to "dip". If you've made that dip with your back shoulder, it's over. You are going to hit behind the ball 90% of the time, and if you do make good contact, you'll probably end up with a killer slice. Lateral movement is no good for
the golf swing.
To avoid this problem, and to simplify your golf swing, don't move the lower body laterally towards the target. Imagine yourself in a garbage can... you can't move away from the target on the backswing or towards the target on the downswing with your
hips because this would cause the garbage can to tip over. Most golfers over-emphasize the weight shift, and in doing so, they move too far horizontally both away from the target on the backswing and towards the target on the downswing with their hips.
If you imagine yourself in a garbage can you will understand that the correct golf swing is AROUND your body. So if you really want to get a hold of the ball next time, TURN your hips, don't SLIDE them. The turning movement you just learned will go a
long way to get you making more solid impact with the ball.
For more get David's book, The Simple Swing
Also see the Guest Pro Tips Archive for previous tips from guest pros.
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