Whether on the range or as part of their pre-shot routine, I will often see amateurs taking the club away and stopping to check its position when the club is parallel to the ground. I often wonder, Do they know what they’re looking for?
Many think that seeing the toe of the clubhead pointing directly towards the sky is a sign that their swing is in sync, but the truth behind making a pure strike is a clubface that looks slightly closed at the halfway point of the backswing.
Earlier in the year, we discussed the ‘mini-move’ you should incorporate at the start of your swing, so now let’s concentrate on the ideal position of your arms when you take the club away.
Another misconception I hear a lot – which is important to consider at this point – is the idea of a ‘turn’ in the golf swing. It’s not a ‘turn’ of the body, but a rotation around the spine. If we ‘turn’ our shoulders, the right arm will collapse underneath the body and you will create a flat swing that takes a significant movement to correct on the through swing.
When you take the club away to the point where it is parallel to the ground, your right arm (for right-handers) should be almost directly on top of your left arm. The arms need to be in this position to remain connected and allow you to generate the desired width in the swing as your body moves to the top of the backswing. But we’ll get into that next month…
Next time you start the backswing, stop at the halfway point and get your right arm more on top of your left. By doing that the clubface will naturally close slightly and will be in a much better position when you get to the top.
If you have any questions, e-mail Jason at [email protected]
