Every effective swing is built on three basic technical concepts. Idiosyncrasies in style are the automatic result of developing a swing built on these principles.
Form Follows Function
Even though this concept has been alluded to earlier, a closer examination merits a brief discussion.
The golf swing, perhaps more than any other motion in sports, is subject to an unspoken, unwritten idealized image. In layman’s terms, we tend to judge the value of a golf swing by its appearance.
Based on my thirty-one years of teaching, I have come to the conclusion that many amateur golfers entertain the idea that function (results) is a by-product of form (aesthetics). I’ve played with golfers whose swings resemble the histrionics of a maniacal lumberjack. Yet they score in the eighties consistently.
A swing that isn’t pleasing to the eye just can’t be right.
Low handicap players understand that the pursuit of perfect style is a slippery slope. If you discover a technique that produces quality shots and the form meets our criteria of aesthetics, then you are lucky indeed.
Using your innate swing as the foundation, you can (with the help of a competent instructor) gradually introduce improvements in technique. The addition of these new bricks will automatically produce a change in form.
How do you apply the form follows function principle?
Let’s get started by looking at the three cornerstones which are the foundation of every effective swing; the essentials of effective stance, ideal wrist motion and optimal body motion.
How To Determine Your Ideal Stance
What are the key ingredients of the ideal stance? They include balance and freedom of motion. The standard guideline for a functional stance is shoulder width. Let’s take a closer look to determine the finer adjustments that will produce the best results for you.
For a right-handed golfer, the right leg must remain at a constant angle in the backswing and the left leg must support your body rotation in the follow-through.
Wow! I bet you haven’t heard that before.
Grab your seven iron and take your normal address position. (If you are indoors make sure the valuable antiques are outside the range of your swing arc). Slowly swing to the top of your backswing and stop. Note the angle of your right leg. The knee will flex slightly, however, it should remain inside your right foot.
If your stance is too narrow, the right knee will move laterally over your shoe laces. Too wide a stance will lock the right leg and inhibit a full shoulder turn.
Return to the address position. Take a few minutes now to find the optimum position for your right leg. Experiment with the angle of your right foot.
Once you’ve established the ideal angle, close your eyes for 10 seconds and feel the position. Now for the left leg.
Make a slow motion swing and hold your finish position for a count of ten. Your left knee should be directly over the shoe laces of your left foot and the right foot balanced on the toe.
Since we are all built differently, the angle of the left foot will vary, but the relationship between the left knee and shoe laces remains constant.
Have you ever used a tripod? What happens if you forget to lock one leg in place? When you rotate the camera, the leg slips and the camera ends up filming either the sky or the ground (nice shoes!).
Imagine your torso is the camera. As long as the legs remain firmly in place, the camera rotates on a level “plane.”
While the tripod analogy is an oversimplification, it presents a clear image for establishing a stable platform.
The Ideal Grip: Strong, Weak or Somewhere In Between
Let’s take a look at your grip. There are as many grip variations as there are logos on Dustin Johnson’s shirt.
If you’ve been playing for more than two weeks, you may be tempted to skip this section.
Before you zip through, please make sure your grip produces the ideal motion discussed below. A slight tweak in your grip may lead to a breakthrough!
You’ve probably heard about the position of the “V’s” and the number of visible knuckles, holding the club like a bird and the strong versus weak position.
Do you know the criteria for judging the true effectiveness of the grip?
The ideal grip allows the correct wrist motion to happen automatically (imagine you are raising a bottle of beer to your lips). The wrists must hinge towards you. In order to achieve this motion, there are two critical positions – one for each hand.
For a right-handed golfer, the heel of the left hand must be on the front of the club. Most grips have a logo just below the top of the club. The heel of your left hand should cover the logo.
The majority of mid to high handicap golfers hold the club with the heel of the left hand underneath the grip. This position contributes to inconsistent wrist motion and a loss of clubhead control.
Here comes the litmus test. Grab your seven iron again.
Lay the club diagonally across the palm of your left hand and tighten your grip. Notice how the wrist can move freely. Now relax your fingers and set the club under the heel pad. You should be able to support the weight of the club with the little finger, ring finger and middle finger.
Can you feel the difference?
Imagine you are hammering a nail into a wall directly in front of you. The hammer moves with a back and forward motion. Contrast this with the incorrect movement of the left hand when it moves like a door opening and closing (left to right).
Let’s move on to the right hand.
The motion of the right wrist mirrors the left. Place your right hand on the club. Look at your right thumb. Is it directly down the center of the shaft? If so, your hands are fighting each other.
Would you be able to drink a bottle of beer with your right hand, when your thumb is directly on top of the bottle? (I’ll wait for a minute if you want to run to the refrigerator and grab a bottle.)
Alright then, place your right thumb directly on top of the bottle. Feel the wrist lock? It’s pretty difficult, if not impossible, to get the bottle to your lips. In order to free up the wrist, you automatically move the thumb off-center to the left.
Take a look at the grip on your iron. Is the rubber worn down where the right thumb rests on the club shaft?
When the right thumb is directly on top of the shaft, the natural tendency is to push on the thumb just before impact. This pressure causes the clubface to open (you’ve just discovered the fundamental cause of a chronic slice).
In order for the right wrist to co-ordinate with the left, the right thumb must be off-center (to the left). When the right thumb is off-center, the pressure point alters just enough to automatically trigger the correct wrist motion.
Grip the club with both hands. As you look down, the right thumb and forefinger should form a trigger around the club.
Take a moment now to see and feel the position of your right thumb. This simple tip could make a huge difference in your distance and control with the driver.
So what about the “V’s” and the knuckles and the pressure points? Why are there so many variations in these apparent essentials? Simple - these are guidelines or reminders.
Once you’ve determined the ideal grip for you, then use these checkpoints to insure that your hands are in the same position for every shot (Putting being the exception of course)
Intelligent experimentation will help you determine the personal adjustments that produce the best results.