Generate maximum power at impact.
A misconception among many amateurs is that at impact you want to recreate the position you began with at address. To feel how ineffective that position really is, take a practice swing and try to have your hands in line with the clubhead when it swings through.
The pressure in your feet has to shift to your back foot when you do this. We want all our energy moving towards the target at impact and for that to happen we need the hands to be leading the way.
A common problem I see is that a lot of golfers stall in their movement, release early and the clubhead passes the handle through impact. That leads to an early extension in the left wrist (for right-handers) rather than the flexion we want to maintain through the downswing and into the impact zone.
If we get the whole left side back in line – knee, hip and shoulder – we can open up hard, forward and left. The hands are forward, the chest is open, the hips are open and everything is driving forward down the line. That’s the power move every player wants.
If you have any questions or are interested in undertaking some online lessons, e-mail me at
[email protected]
Quick Tip
Although it is often said that the hands release the club through impact, it is more productive to think of how the body and arms rotate through the impact zone. It is the rotation of the body and the forearms that causes the rotation of the hands. Active hands lead to an inconsistent strike; let the movement of the body control the club.
