A Winter Improvement Program - Through Impact

We're now at the high point of the swing -- hitting the ball. In order to hit the ball straight, the clubface has to be square to the club path, which has to be headed right for the target. Add on that to make a clean strike, the club has to each its low point about an inch or two in front of the ball. All this with the club moving at about 85 miles per hour. It's a wonder we can ever do it.

When we do things that require precision, we use our hands. Only our fine motor skills can respond with the accuracy we need. The same applies to golf, or so many golfers think. You hear that hitting the ball well is a matter of hand-eye coordination.

The problem is that's the worst way to think about hitting the ball. While your hands can save a shot occasionally, more often than not they add to the confusion.

You also hear that the hands do nothing in the swing except hold onto the club. That's a better direction for you to go. You hit the ball with your swing, not with your hands.

This is, however, very difficult advice to follow. Holding a tool in our hands but not using our hands to make it do its job is something we never do anywhere else. The habit is so strong that it's hard to turn off when we play golf. Yet, that's exactly what we have to do.

You can practice the feeling of the handless swing by holding a club out in front of you with the shaft parallel to the ground. Now slowly, very slowly, swing the club back and forth around your body. Watch how when you swing to the right, your forearms rotate and your left hand ends up on top. When you swing back around to the left, your right hand ends up on top, and at no time do you have to make this happen. It is a natural movement based on the way our body is constructed.

When your swing is about to deliver the clubhead to the ball, merely allow this natural forearm rotation to act. Using your hands at this point will only interrupt what should be natural.

Practice this move a lot this winter. It gives you the best chance at getting the clubhead back to where it as at address, which is the way to good shot-making.


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