This is my cheat sheet for the range—because who can remember it all?
Current Focus Items
These are the things our club pro and friends told me to focus on
- Keep a proper spine angle (back to target)
- Pressure on the inside of my trail foot in the takeaway (helper)
- Keep trail knee flexed, push off to swing
- Get my shoulder under my chin in the backswing
- Keep wrists engaged (from takeaway to release)
- Take half swings
Drills
These are the drills I’m currently working on as I attempt to wrangle my swing into submission. I pretty much start with these.
- Feet Together Drill
- Weight Shifting and Tempo (shift turn shift turn), arms fall, release
- Reverse Spine Angle Drills (hunching my back helps a bit)
- Push Away Drill (to help with takeaway)
- Shallow the Club Drill (Todd sent this)
- Half Swing Drills
Golf Fix Drills
- Reverse Spine Tilt at the Top
- Hanging Back At Impact Drill
- Lack of Weight Shift at Impact
- Lack of Shoulder Turn at the Top
- Collapsed lower body at the top
- Overswing at the Top
Thing to Remember
- Neutral to Strong Grip with fingers, not palms
- Shift Turn Shift Turn with chest pointed down and back to the target.
- Put pressure on inside trail foot on takeaway, push off to swing
- Make a full shoulder turn (think lawn mower), but don’t overturn arms
- Swing with your arms, chest and hips ‘connected’
- Wrists engaged always
- Keep right leg flexed
- Take your time, feel the matrix
- Roll your forearms (to close clubface)
- Let the toe of the club ‘win the race’ against the heel through impact
- Swing towards the target
- Keep your head down – watch the divot 18″
- FOLLOW THROUGH (on trail toe)
If’n when I start topping the ball …
- Lifting: I’m losing posture (standing up).
- Hanging Back: My weight is stuck on my trail foot.
- No Rotation: My chest and hips aren’t turning through impact.
- Arms Taking Over: My arms are “flipping” instead of staying connected.
If’n when I chunk it …
- Early Release: Are my hands behind the ball at impact?
- Weight Back: Am I stuck on my trail foot?
Swing Too Steep: Poor weight shift, steep plane, or bad body tilt? - Over-Swinging: Am I going too far back and losing control?
- Ball Too Forward: Is the ball positioned poorly in my stance?
Interesting that weight shift is a common denominator. I would love to get my body to do that better. Soon.