Randalls Island Golf School
Swing Tips
Check in here for swing advice for your game.
Build a Solid Base
Build a solid base with an athletic stance, knees flexed, bend forward at the hips, back straight, arms hanging and feel like you are in a ready to move position or a solid "New York won't be pushed off my spot stance". Now watch the tour players on TV or in the magazines and look at the top of their backswings and take note of their right legs. They don't look like they have gone anywhere on their backswings, not much straightening or lateral move, and they haven't, legs separated and knees pretty level. If you have the flexibility try this for yourself. Your flexibility might not allow as big a swing as you are used to, and this might not be for you.
Better Putting
How's your putting? Next time you're watching golf on TV, look for these two things. Leg/hip movement and putter shaft angle. You'll see that the pros don't move their hips/legs during their strokes. To get the correct feel either have someone hold your hips while you putt, or at home hit some putts with your seat against a wall, don't let your seat move. As for the shaft angle, get in front of a mirror(either putting towards or away from it) and match the angle of the shaft to the angle of your forearms. You might have to slide up or down the grip or change your distance from the ball to get in line. Once there you might find you need a putter adjustment. Make both of these changes, keep your head still and you'll be making more putts.
Club Head Lag
We all want more clubhead lag, that's where the
power is, we see it in the slow motion replays every weekend. Lag is
the head of the club trailing the handle on the downswing, the
longer it trails the more power.
Lag is a result,
meaning it happens instead of trying to make it happen. First,
you've got to get the tension out of your wrists and arms, loosen
up. Second, you've got to get moving. To get moving and feel motion,
get moving with some "related sports" motions, such as: throwing,
start with a small tossing motion and build to a long throw,
bowling, same thing, small roll to faster roll, fly fishing, start
with small casts then cast it further and further. Notice how you
use your body more and more to add more energy to the motion, and
how your body moving in the direction of the throw leads the action.
Now grab your club and pretend it's a fishing pole, cast back and
forth, back and forth, further and further. Now make some swings
using the same body motion to lead the forward motion. Make sure
your back swing has motion too. The whole thing will probably feel a
bit out of control, and that's a good thing. When we "hit at" the
ball we aren't "swinging through it", like the ball isn't there.
Lagging the clubhead is especially challenging because you won't
feel like you are aiming and controlling the club, but that's how it
works Give it a try.
