The Grip

Since the grip is your only contact with the club it has to be a key fundamental. The goal is for your hands to work together as a team; they should fit together like 2- puzzle pieces. In my grip, I like to feel that my two hands are connected and become one big hand. My grip pressure is secure but not tight. A good grip will help you to square the club face at impact and give you a consistent ball flight.

Make Two-Full Turns

A full turn is critical for creating club head speed in a golf swing. To build this club head speed, your body must turn twice; it must wind-up and then un-wind. This two-turn concept is created by first turning your back to the target on the backswing, then turning again to face the target as you finish the downswing.

Make Two-Weight Shifts

Think of Peyton Manning throwing a 60 yard pass; Roy Halladay throwing a 95 mph fastball; Venus Williams hitting a fore-hand winner, a proper transfer of the weight is essential for producing power. In golf, the first transfer of weight occurs on the back swing and if performed correctly you should feel about 75% of your weight on the inside of the back foot. The second “weight shift” occurs on the downswing and if properly completed you will feel 99% of your body weight over the front foot.

Maintain Spine Angle

This concept is a key thought for all golfers. If your posture is correct at address, your upper body will have a slight tilt leaning towards the ball. The goal is to maintain this exact tilt or spine angle during your back swing and through impact. Keeping the same spine angle through impact almost guarantees solid contact on the center of the club face. Remember, when you hit a ground ball, your not lifting your head, your usually lifting your body.

Finish in Balance

The final key piece of every great golf swing includes a “finish” facing the target in total balance. Setting up with good posture and producing a swing motion with smooth tempo will enable you to attain this final goal. Good balance starts in your feet and works up through your body. All great golfers have a solid foundation and terrific balance. You will never see a touring pro out of balance. To test your balance, I recommend holding the finish position for at least 3 seconds.

A common mistake for many golfers is to straighten or lock the back leg on the backswing. By locking that knee, you lose the usage of your lower body and have to rely on only your upper body for your power. Besides losing distance, players often develop an “over the top” swing which leads to pulls or slices. A easy drill you can do at home is simply to take a backswing, stop at the top, and check to see that your knee is still flexed like it was at address. This is a crucial piece to staying athletic throughout your golf swing. A simple phrase I like to use when instructing is “turn onto a flexed back knee”. Work on this position and your power will return.

Golf is definitely a game of targets. From the tee its usually the fairway, from the fairway its the green, when pitching it could be a 15 ft. circle around the pin, when chipping maybe a 5 ft. circle, when putting its usually the cup!! Notice the smaller “target circle” in the photo; for this chip shot that small circle is my target. If I can chip to that target then my ball should wind up next to the pin. The point is your “great players” always have specific targets for each shot. Unfortunately, for most amateurs, the GOLF BALL is their target. Placing your focus on the ball restricts the proper motion necessary to hit the ball down your target line and finish properly. Remember the golf swing is a full circle and the goal should be to hit “through the ball”, not “to the ball”! Whether I’m hitting a full shot, pitching, chipping or putting, my focus is always on a specific target! Remember, your golf ball is NOT your TARGET. Now go practice your full motion.