Over the years I have noticed one swing position common to almost all tour pros regardless of their size or build. If you study the swing sequences from month to month in Golf Digest or Golf Magazine, you too will notice this position.
I don’t believe there is only one way to swing a golf club; however, I have studied countless tour swings. After seeing this common thread among the best in the world, I have made getting students into this position a top priority when teaching the golf swing. I know from experience that if I get my golfers into the pro position in the backswing, they will have the ability to play confident, consistent, top-level golf.
Here are the facts: Most pros keep the clubhead outside the hands when the shaft is parallel to the ground during the backswing (as shown in the photo). This not only ensures the club is on a great path, it also creates tremendous width, which maximizes distance. That’s one of the reasons the pros hit it so far. Even the smaller guys like Ricky Fowler pound it. He really exaggerates this move.
Most amateurs take the clubhead inside the hands and feet by the time the shaft is parallel to the ground during the backswing. The problem with this faulty technique is that once the clubhead comes inside the hands, you are more or less on a recovery mission for the rest of the swing.
This is the point where the body intuitively attempts to compensate for incorrect swing positions, which make it very difficult to be consistent or to hit quality shots at important times during the round. This leads to bad habits and shots being hit impressively and embarrassingly off-line in multiple directions.
End result: shattered confidence.
When I get my golfers into the pro position, they no longer fear that they will hit the ball very far off line. Once that fear is eliminated, they can swing freely. Confidence replaces fear. Not only will my students’ accuracy dramatically improve, but so will their distance.
The great thing about adapting to this swing adjustment is that it happens so early in the swing. It is easy to incorporate without feeling you are getting too technical. Once you have made it to this position, the only thing left to do is commit to a full, firm swing. Then, if you get to the finish line, chances are that you’ll hit an awesome golf shot.
For those of you who whip the clubhead inside during the takeaway, when you first start to work on getting into the pro position, it will probably feel awkward, as if you’re taking the club on an exaggerated outside path.
But as Butch Harmon says, “Feel and real are two different things.” If something feels awkward, I say, “Great.” It is easy to “feel” what awkward is. It means you’re doing something different. So embrace that awkward feeling until it feels natural.
To incorporate this move, alignment sticks work great. Here’s how you do it: take an alignment rod and put one end on the ground on your right toe (if you are a right-handed golfer) parallel to your target line (the sticks are usually 3 feet long). Then take your other alignment rod and poke it in the ground vertical where the other rod ends. With the rods in this position when you swing the club back, if you tick the rod with your clubhead you know you are taking it too far inside on the way back. Work on it a little—you’ll get it.
I’ll explain more about this move in my next lesson.
Fred Fruisen is the coachofgolf. Fruisen is a PGA Professional and the golf coach at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs. For more lessons go to his website, www.coachofgolf.com. For personal instruction call (518) 565-7350.
