NOT FOUND: 1101-january-nsn-final-new_Page_13_Image_0027.jpgThe golf swing is about timing certain parts of your body in order to make solid contact with the golf ball. The swing is still taught to be a sequential order of movements to achieve that goal of a good connection with the ball. So much any more whether it be golf instruction or fitness-related, talks about using your core or strengthening your core. We instruct our students to start the backswing with the hands and arms and even some wrist action, followed by the rotation of the shoulders and hips. It would seem this sequentail series of movements would be more difficult to time than it would if all of these parts moved more in sync at the start of the backswing. Too many problems can occur when you just use your arms and hands in the backswing. The arms seem to get lost and don't know where to go in the backswing, also creating a "hit" impulse from the top of the swing.
It is not easy to coordinate the movement of the arms with the rotation of the body. If you start using your core area(hips) to start the backswing, the arms take more of a follow the leader role which will produce more consistent shots. Go back and think of your putting stroke. Many players employ a hands and arm approach instead of allowing the shoulders to make the stroke. Using the shoulders keeps the stroke more steady and creates the pace of the stroke which is what you need for better distance control. Players get the so-called "yips" from using too much arm and hand action during the stroke. With the pressure of those four to six foot putts on your shoulders, you will steady the stroke and make more of those.
NOT FOUND: 1101-january-nsn-final-new_Page_13_Image_0028.jpgNow just apply this concept to your full swing, but focus on the shoulders with the short irons (PW-6) and the hips with the long irons, hybrids, and driver to start the backswing. You will discover that your pace becomes better and it is much easier to improve the timing of the swing when you use the larger muscles to start the swing.
How do you work on your core to improve your swing? Doing drills that don't require having the golf club in your hands will acclamate you to use your core muscles more. This is one of my favorite drills. Place a basketball,soccerball, or medicine ball between your legs and try to squeeze the ball with your thighs. Now rotate your torso while keeping your legs and knees steady with the ball. You will feel how to use your core to generate power in your swing and this drill will also help you learn how to resist with the lower body and not over coil with the hips. This is a backswing drill although you should also turn back to the left slightly until you return to the set-up position.
Another drill to practice is to hold the ball, a medicine ball or large beach ball will work, and practice holding the ball in front of you then swing it back and through and go all the way to the finish position which should be having your chest face slightly left of your target. Make sure you keep the ball in front of your chest and do the swing slowly back and forth. Again you will feel the use of your torso more. Once you are getting the feel of your torso and using your core in your swing, take a 7-iron and make practice swings, but try to initiate the backswing with a slight pivot of your hips while the arms start back. Once you get the hang of this, you may discover that it is much easier to time your swing and develop that pace or "tempo" that is important for your swing. This method should also minimize the "hit" impulse at the top of your swing.