One thing many golfers either forget or were unaware of in the first place, is the importance of the left shoulder during the swing. It is imperative that you get your left shoulder (for right-handed golfers) behind the ball. What does this mean? When you reach the top of the backswing, the ball is closer to the target than your left shoulder. So in essence, your shoulder is behind the ball.
One of the common reasons that golfers don ’t do this is because their chin gets in their way as they reach the top of the backswing. Golf lessons may possibly be at blame here, as many golfers are taught that the head needs to be locked on the ball from the backswing through the downswing until the ball is gone. This is partly true, with a disclaimer.
At the top of the backswing your eyes should still be on the ball, but your head should lift slightly up to allow the shoulder to get under the chin. You will continue to look at the ball through the bottom of your eyes.
There is another reason that many golfers don ’t get their shoulder behind the ball. They are simply not flexible enough. There are a couple of short cuts to help this problem. First, bend your left knee slightly more to compensate for the lack of flexibility. Secondly, if you’re extremely inflexible, lifting your left heel will also help. However, ensure you don’t move the left toe because your follow-through is going to need the left foot firmly in place to stabilize the finish.
Getting the shoulder behind the ball at the top of the backswing will add 30 yards to your shots right away. Combine this tip with the aggressive hip turn before impact (which we will talk about next) and together you have a powerful shot. To go even further, add to this combination the power generated from the wrist hinge, and you’re left with a deadly golf game that will dramatically knock strokes off your score.