Golf Information

Big Backswing: If your backswing passes parallel at the top it can be the problem or part of the problem. Big backswings do not automatically contribute to faster swing speeds. Most often they only contribute to higher scores. The big backswing causes you to become handsy at the top and loosen your grip on the club. When the hands get involved you can create all kinds of errors in your shots. It is one cause of casting the club outside from the top of the swing. Shorting the backswing is the cure. Practice the cocking drill. Keep the hands firm at the top. This can be accomplished with about one month's hard work.

Straight Right Leg: During the backswing there is a tendency to straighten the right leg. When the back leg straightens, the back shoulder is in a higher position than it was at address. As the swing begins the first pendulum (arm pendulum) no longer drops down and inside. If you straighten your leg on the takeaway it may be causing you to swing out-to-in. Work on keeping your right knee bent and the weight to the inside of your right foot throughout the backswing. Go back to Section Three. This is a problem that you can work on away from the golf course, and in about sixty days you should have it corrected.

No Separation: When you rotate you must have separation between the hip and shoulder rotation. This separation is 45 degrees. If there is no separation or insufficient separation between the hip rotation and the shoulder rotation, this will cause the shoulders to over-rotate and align themselves open to the ball-target line. This will cause the first pendulum to swing on an out-to-in swing path. This problem is usually combined with footwork problems. Check your right foot. Is it perpendicular to the ball-target line? You can expect to take about three months or more to correct these problems. Concentrate on Sections Two, Three, and Four.

Second Pendulum: The release of the second pendulum (the wrist cock) in relation to the alignment of your shoulders is critical to the in-to-out-to-in swing path. The fundamentals are fairly basic and deal with the laws of physics. Remember, the second pendulum will be traveling in an opposite direction from the first pendulum if you do not make a full shoulder turn on your backswing. In order for the second pendulum to match up with first pendulum and swing along the ball-target line, it must be released while the shoulders are turned to the rear (closed) to the ball-target line. That is where the two pendulums line up. You do not control this release, but you need to make a sufficient shoulder turn so that it can happen. If you try to control this timing you will either release too early and end up casting from the top, which produces an out-to-in swing path, or release too late, which produces an out-to-in path. In either case trying to control the release is not a solution. The solution is to let it happen.

You can get a good feel for what happens by setting up facing a wall. To start use a short iron. Make your normal backswing and wrist cock. Watch as you slowly return the club to the ball. The uncocking of the club must occur while the shoulders are turned to the rear or there will not be enough room for you to swing through without hitting the wall. Swing the club with increasing speed until you are comfortable that you will not hit the wall. Expect to take about thirty days to correct this problem. Concentrate on Section Four.