Fitting: | Teaching: | |
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Increase amount of motion – look at the length of swing. Parallel to the ground would be 100% with a driver. Look for which part is short ie, turn, arm swing, wrist cock and increase that amount.
Drills to increase amount of motion- Weighted club – use a weighted club and get in front of a mirror and practice swinging back until the club is parallel to the ground
- Shaft across shoulders – if your shoulder turn is short, hold a shaft across your shoulders and practice turning the shaft until it is perpendicular to the target line over your back knee.
- Right angle – if your arm swing is short, use the teaching aid “right angle” and set it at maximum bend and practicing swinging back until your back elbow bends at least 90 degrees.
- Tac tic wrist – if your wrist cock is short, use the teaching aid tac tic wrist and put it on your back hand and practice clicking the tac tic back on your backswing.
- Tee in butt of club – if your wrist cock is short, put a tee in the butt of your club and swing back until your lead arm is parallel to the ground. Then cock your wrists until you have at least 90 degrees of wrist cock which will point the tee at the ground. if you want to cock on plane, point the tee at the target line.
- 1-2-3 drill – this is a full swing drill that positions the club correctly at each position on the backswing including the full length of the backswing. At position 1 move the club back with just your turn until your hands are over your right foot. When you are in this position, the club should still be looking at the ball and the shaft is pointing at the target line. Then move to position 2 by folding your back elbow into your right side and cocking your wrists so that your lead wrist is flat and the shaft is pointing at the target line. Finish the backswing going to position 3 by pulling your back shoulder over your back heel taking the club to the top of the backswing.
- Balance mix of motion – look for the mix of motion. Each part should be at least 90 degrees. 90 degree shoulder turn, 90 degree back elbow bend and at least a 90 degree wrist cock. None should be more other than wrist cock. if one part goes more on the back swing then it will have to go more on the downswing causing the sequence to be interrupted.
Drills to balance the mix of motion:- Shaft across shoulders (see above)
- Right angle (see above)
- Tac tic elbow – if your back elbow folds too much it will cause the lead arm to break down. Using the teaching aid “tac tic elbow”, position it so that if the lead arm bends then it will click. Practice swinging until the device doesn’t click on the back swing.
- Tac tic wrist – if your lead wrist cups, it will tend to over cock. Position the tac tic wrist on your lead wrist and practice swinging back without letting the tac tic click on the back swing.
- Tee in butt of club (see above).
- 1-2-3 drill (see above).
- Create torque – look for over turn of hips and/or shoulders on back swing and over turn of hips and/or shoulders on the through swing. To create the right amount of x factor and x factor stretch on the backswing and start of the downswing, their should be about a 45 degree differential on the backswing and a 5 degree stretch as you start the down swing. The hip turn through at impact should equal the amount of hip turn at the top of the backswing and the shoulders should catch the hips by the time the arms are straight on the follow through. Without this acceleration/deceleration distance is sacrificed.
Drills to create torque:
On the backswing
- Bucket drill – this drill is designed to reduce hip turn on the backswing. When hitting place a large size (350 ball) range bucket upside down between your legs and try and swing back without your lead knee hitting the bucket.
- Moe Norman drill – this drill is designed using the great Moe Norman as a model. Stand with your feet as far apart as possible and practice hitting balls. This will give you the feeling of restricted hips on the backswing.
- Front toe out, back toe in – standing with the toes on both feet pointing 45 degrees toward the target, hit balls. You will feel the hip turn restricted.
- Spinners – using roto discs, practice making back swings and through swings with out letting them spin. This will give you the feeling of resistance
- Pillows – using pt training pillows, stand on them and make swings to feel resistance
- Foam rollers – cut a 9 inch foam roller in half with the length about 30”. Practice standing on them in three different positions to get the feel of resistance. The three positions are: set them on the rounded side to the floor and stand on them like skis and practice swinging back with tipping them in either direction. Then place them flat side down and stand on them as if you are standing on a rounded fence and practice making swings and then for a more difficult drill turn them over so that the rounded side is down and do the same thing.
- Big foot – using the teaching aid “big foot” practice hitting balls without letting the foot roll, lift or twist.
- Shear force drills – get a white board that you would use to write on in class and practice standing on the white board in your stocking feet and hitting balls. If you do it correctly, as you swing back your feet with turn to the target and as you swing down your feet will turn away from the target. Another shear force drill is to practice swinging your club and on your backswing jump in the air and move your back foot forward and your front foot backward and then reverse their movement on the downswing. You will feel the correct shearing in your swing.
- Spinners – (see above)
- Pillows – (see above)
- Foam rollers (see above)
- Create a narrower release interval – look for how long and how much wrist cock is held coming into impact. When the butt of the club is even with the back of the ball with an iron, the shaft should still be parallel to the ground.
Drills to create a narrower release interval:
- Chip, punch, turn – in this drill start by pushing your hands forward until your lead wrist is flat and the butt of the club is in line with the middle of your lead leg. This is the impact position you are seeking. From there keep the wrists locked in that position, keep the club face square back and through and practice hitting chip shots with a pitching wedge until you can feel yourself hitting down on the ball and compressing it. The shot should go low about 20 yards. Then after you can do that, start with your hands in the middle of your body the swing back until your lead arm is parallel to the ground and your wrists are fully cocked. In this position your back arm should be connected to your side, your lead wrist flat and the shaft should be pointing at the target line. from there rotate your hips aggressively toward the target and hit punch shots trying to hit the ball as low as possible. Finally, go through the punch backswing to a full backswing by pulling your back shoulder over your back heel and still feel punch through impact.
- Over board – take a 2 x 4 board and lay it sideways one grip length behind the ball you are going to hit. Then take a 7 iron and hit full shots without hitting the board on the downswing. you will retain your lag!!!!
- Painted line – get a can of golf course marking paint and draw a line on the ground perpendicular to your target. Then place your ball so that the back of your ball is on the line. Then practice hitting 7 irons until all you your divots are on the target side of the line.
- Increase rpm’s – look for the overall speed of swing. Some players just don’t swing hard enough. Rpm’s mean that the student should be able to swing as fast as they can and maintain proper ration between body, arms wrists and club.
Drills to increase rpm’s:
- Swish drill – take a driver and turn it upside down holding it just below the head of the club. Then swinging about knee high, try and make the loudest swish of the shaft as you can. After you can make a loud swish then try and make the loudest part of your swish right at the ball. It won’t do you any good to swish loudly before impact!
- Drawbacks – your body will only accelerate as fast as you can decelerate. To learn to decelerate correctly, take a driver and make 9 swings where you slowly swing the club to impact and then draw it back as fast as you can . Do this 9 times. Then take a 6 iron and do the same thing 18 times, then take the driver and turn it upside down and do the same 18 times then finish by going back to the driver right side up and doing the same 9 more times. This will teach you deceleration.
- Power fan – get the teaching aid “power fan” and make 5 really hard swings, then hit 5 shots with a 6 iron. You will feel your arms flying!
- Speed stick – get the training aid “speed stik” and practice swinging it 10 times as hard as you can. Then swing left handed ten times as hard as you can and then swing backwards and forwards ten times as fast as you can. try to do this 100 swings per day.
- Improve physical fitness – a student who is not fit will not be able to produce much power and need at least a minimum fitness level in the following areas: endurance, mobility, stability, strength and speed.