Golf Swing Step 4 The Actual Swing !

The Golfer begins the address from behind the ball, looking down the target line. the clubhead is placed immediately behind the ball, squarely on the target line. The proper grip, stance, and body position are assumed.

When it comes to describing the desired path of the club around the body, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Therefore, the following series of photographs will provide stop-action snapshots of the various phases of the swing.

Addressing the Ball. The player begins the address from behind the ball, looking down the target line. As the player approaches the ball, the clubhead is placed immediately behind the ball, squarely on the target line. The proper grip, stance, and body position are assumed as the player positions himself next to the ball. At this point, the right elbow is tucked in toward the body to promote a unified movement of arms and body during the swing.

Initiating the Backswing. The backswing is begun by slowly swinging the clubhead away from the target with a coiling action of the shoulders, torso, and hips, along with no lateral movement of the head, spine, or right knee. Notice that as the body coils, the toe of the clubhead points skyward when the club is about hip high in the backswing.

Initiating the Forward Swing. The forward move is the key action in the swing, and probably the most theoretically diverse in terms of how to initiate it. The forward swing of the clubhead is most simply described as merely uncoiling what was previously coiled on the backswing. This uncoiling action, which results in nearly all of the body's weight being transferred rapidly to the left side, might be initiated in one of several ways. Each of these ways had its proponents among the myriad modern day teachers as well as among teachers from different eras in the history of golf. Each new golfer had to experiment and see which swing keys work for him or her.

 

Swinging the clubhead. If golfer simply focused on the feeling of a heavy clubhead being swung in a relaxed fashion under the chin and toward the target, the body's weight should cooperatively shift left along with the swinging clubhead. Swing the club with the same motion as you would a weed cutter, just back and forth with a natural, relaxed, balanced, rhythmic swinging action.

Some images that might help in generating this swinging motion of a heavy clubhead are the action of a park swig, or the rotation of a tether ball around its pole, or the weighted ball of a hammer thrower. Reflect for a moment on the force generated by these various swinging actions. It would not be pleasant to be hit by a hammer thrower's ball just before it was released. Or imagine a soccer ball positioned at the bottom of the arc of a park swing, and the force of the swinger's foot kicking it while swinging by. In a similar fashion, consider the centrifugal force generated by a weighted clubhead swinging at the end of a golfer's fully extended arms and dynamically constructed club shaft.

Clearing the left side.  An alternative approach for initiating the forward uncoiling action of the golf swing is to key on clearing the left side of the body out of the way in anticipation of the golf club swinging toward the target. Such a clearing action might be initiated by bumping the left hip toward the target as the first move of the forward swing. Another alternative initial move might be to slam the left heel down to the ground. Or the left hip might be simply turned out of the way as the whole body is directed toward facing the target. The effect of any of these left side maneuvers is to thrust the body's weight over to the left side with the anticipation of the arms, clubshaft, and clubhead following swiftly behind.

Driving with the right side. Still another approach for initiating the forward swing is to power through with the right side. More specifically, the first move of the forward swing is a turning action of the right hip toward the target. A feeling is generated that the right hip is driving past the ball with the clubhead again about to follow close behind.

Although teachers may argue over which approach for initiating the forward swing is best, effective swings using any of the above techniques are likely to look similar to the casual observer: An uncoiling action of the hips, the body's weight beginning its shift to the left side, and the club making an initial move toward the target with the wrists fully cocked., This doesn't mean that the debate is purely academic. From a mental standpoint, it may be very important which swing key the golfer is focusing on in producing an effective swing. That is, it may be important for some golfers to focus on the hands and clubhead as the guiding force in the forward move, whereas other golfers may benefit from focusing on the movement of the left or right sides of the body as the leading edge of the swing. Each golfer has to experiment to see which approach works for him or her.

The Hitting Area. Notice that as the hand move into the area of the swing arc where the ball is actually struck, the eyes are focused on the ball and the wrists are cocked and waiting to release all their power as the hands move over the ball. Te subsequent release of energy into the ball happens so quickly that describing it or catching it on film is virtually impossible. Suffice it to say that if the forward swing is initiated as described above, the action will unfold automatically. Notice that after the ball has been struck the head is still in position over the spot just vacated by the ball, and the arms are fully extended toward the target with the toe of the club pointing skyward. Observe also how the body's weight has shifted almost completely to the left side at this point in the swing.

The Follow Through. A powerful swing of the clubhead through the hitting area leads to a result of standing up fairly straight on the left leg, the hands high over the left shoulder, and the body facing the target. It's also at this point that the right shoulder will naturally bring the head up, allowing the body to turn fully toward the target. A conscious reminder to bring the head up is not necessary. Indeed, the greater challenge is in keeping the head down long enough to make solid contact with the ball.