Your clubhead position at impact is extremely important. But, having it in the right place in both the backswing and forward upswing is just as critical. That's because the position of the club at impact is directly determined by where it is in your takeaway and backswing. Where the ball ends up is largely based on your follow through to finish and whether or not the clubhead is toe up in the forward catcher's mitt.
If you under-rotate, you're going to end up with a lot of shots that are thin and mostly go to the right. Conversely, if you over-rotate, you are going to start hitting pull hooks because the clubhead is being turned over too much.
It’s all about controlling your forearm rotation. Remember that you want to be toe up on both sides. In your follow through, your thumbs should be at the target and then up and over the shoulder.
Check out the video above to see exactly where your clubhead should be.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
P.S. I would like to recognize the American soldiers who gave their lives to protect this country during WWII. 70 years ago today, many landed on the beaches of Normandy and forever changed the course of history. We will always be indebted to their ultimate sacrifice.
If you can't view the YouTube video above try CLICKING HERE. You must allow popups from this site for the link to work.
Comments
Guilty as charged : - (
Surge,
Your explanation today had me dashing outside between showers to swing on the front deck golf matt! Several weeks ago at the driving range I concentrated on rotating my forearms in the BUS with stunning results. On the course for some unfathomable reason I must have stopped doing so!!!!!
Results were not as good as at the range, but I put that down to ground conditions etc. Now there was possibly a different reason : - ( Love hitting off the wet mat as it is easy to see exactly where the club head bottoms out in the FUS. As soon as I started conciously to rotate the forearms to the toe up position etc, the club heads just skipped through the target area up to the T finish effortlessly. "Thumbs pointing at the target" will be a practice swing session point of note. [which will be shortly started after this wee blurb ; - ] GBSAPS-check. My grip seems to give me much better control of the clubhead during the forward up swing. Amazing how tiny tweaks can make such a big difference. Roll on the US Open next week.We will be glued to the screen down here in godzone.
As the commemoration of the Normandy landings are remembered I would like to recognise all those who gave their lives or who suffered injury,including the families of all who served, Soldiers,Sailors,Airmen and Marines. Let's not forget that this included service personnel from many countries, not just the United States. Nationalities too numerous to mention here took part in Normandy landings. Lest we forget....and in the morning we will remember them.
DH and DL in NZ
Nice guilt:)
Hey DH, nice to read your thoughts, especially on the memory of our armed service men. Amen. My Dad served in Korea, one Uncle in Europe during WWII and one as a medic in the Marines who was on the beach in Normandy on D-day. The boys in all other wars including Viet Nam and the Middle East and serving elsewhere deserve our praise too.
As for golf, what a game! I am so blessed to be able to play several days a week. Cindy and i have been teaching her son kory who has taken an interest and now has the bug. Uh oh!! He's coming right along. we're actually teaching him on the golf course. so he's learning etiquette, golf jargon and how to play as we go. You never realize how hard golf is and how much we have our own language and everything until you teach a complete novice. I also taught Cindy and my son Clayton from scratch but they were introduced over time while Kory knew nothing about golf really except "Tiger Woods". Started with all the Surge basics (ie., grip, posture....) but not to hard on the lad of course. He'll get it.
Cindy continues to play better each time out and I have been getting under 40 and 80 again inspite of my testy back. Shot a comfortable 39 this evening with 6 pars and 3 bogies.
I too am looking forward to the US Open. Sure hope Phil gets this one. Ladies on the LPGA are really fun to watch too. They have amazing games too. It will be interesting to see them play back to back at Pinehurst.
Play on DH and LH in NZ:) may you have sunny days down under.
Nice Guilt : )
Hi Robert,
Yes many of my family fought in all those conflicts during their service. Unusual one in WW1 my grandfather [enlisted under age] and his 4 brothers all served at the front and ALL returned safely home-including one who was a sniper whose position was over run in a german attack and he spent a year being looked after by a Belgium family as 'one of theirs' : - )
My father left the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry before the start of the war and transferred to the Royal Air Force-had he not done so he would have been with his regiment on D-Day! Another lucky laddie-must be the Irish in us Galloway Irish [Scots] ; - ) I was in the middle of Belfast the day 13bombs went off and never got a scratch!
Out shortly for a swing session to concentrate on the forward mitt after rotating the forearms in the back up swing!
My Kiwi fellow nutcase golfing mate in ChCh had an 85yesterday, 2nd in his grade with a 2 on his card-He did two things differently: 'equal pressure in both hands and weight on the balls of his feet-He said it gave him good solid shots and much more consistency : - ) [He was listening after all hahaha : - ]
Weather not looking good here-ho!hum~! Patience is becoming my middle name. See that InBee Park had 10 birdies no bogies for a final rd 61 for the win in Canada : - ) Now that is consistency for a near vertical swinger.
Good to see that both you and Cindy are prospering on the hallowed turf in Vegas.
Off before it rains for a swing ; - )
DH and DL in NZ [My wife is beginning to listen to my advice-shhhh! don't say a word hahaha] DH
Long time.
Since I posted on here. Yeah, I watch all the dailies, and play 2-3 times a week.
I had a stroke in late December that affected my vision, and have been working hard on compensating for that. It affected my depth perception and peripheral vision so I have to try very hard to make sure alignment is correct.
I have one club that I have total confidence in, and hit very well. My Driver that was built for me by Doc.
Birthday and anniversary and Fathers day gift rolled into one from my wife, I got to go to Columbia SC to Doc's new store last week and get a rest of the bag fitting. I hope to receive the clubs sometime within the next few days.
The makeup is specially designed for my slow speed, and I am really excited and anxious for them to arrive. This has been a goal/wishlist for more than 2 years.
Also as a benefit, Doc had a couple corrections for my swing while I was there, and I thought I would let him know, 2 days later, My partner and I won second place in our flight for the Member/Member tournament at my course.
Last year my team placed dead last. So much more fun, when you can hit decent shots and get decent results.
Thanks Surge, Doc, and all the people over the years that have made PPGS the go to method for us older folks to play at a better more enjoyable level.
Long time Mike
Mike,
Good to hear from you. Really encouraging to read how you are making the best of your new circumstances. You are a model of how we can get along and just work with what hand we are dealt. Yes Lynn is a good man and a fine club fitter and swing instructor rolled into one. I just recently communicated with him about some club building adventures I had of my own. My favorite shaft (for my driver) is the Aldila DVS XS. Any how the other day the head broke off one of my drivers and I lost about 2 inches off the tip of the shaft. It was 42 inches when I rebuilt it the other day with an oldie but goodie Hi bore Clevland head from 2008. Wondered how short is too short and how stiff it would be losing that much off the tip. Yesterday I played 9 with it. Much stiffer and I had mixed results as it was difficult not slicing it. However I got it figured out and on three drives got good results actually great results on one par for really nailing it. It does play too stiff now so I have ordered a couple of new shafts for it and another driver and will be playing fitter in my garage again soon. Have always loved the low profile of the Hi-Bore and am excited to see how it will play with the right shaft. I do have another very reliable driver already but I love tinkering with options on all 14 sticks and developing my tear 'em down and re-build 'em skills. Fun hobby and as the Beatles' sang, "It keeps my mind from wondering.... where it will gooooo :)"
Glad your recovering Mike and still in the game of life and golf:)
Golf on!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0I2ZrBuFdQ
Left knee
Don,
Thanks for all your instructions. They have helped me tremendously. I am 61 and now hitting straighter than I've ever hit.
One problem that started this year is in my left knee. I seem to be twisting it more in the follow through and can feel some discomfort. Can you address how the left knee should act in the follow through? Thanks, JimG
Left knee
You could try flaring the left foot more. I flare my foot about 45* to take the stress off the lower back & hip. You will have to keep an eye on your alignment when flaring more.
Left knee
Russty,
Before reading this I was swinging inside and decided to do just what you said-flared my front foot out to around 45*deg. Have not been able to get out and try it yet but noticed I was more stable at address and there was less stress on my front knee : - )
Hope all is well with you after last nights storm battering Auckland and the north.
Stay well, safe and keep on hitting them longer and straighter when the weather allows.
DH and DL
Gidday mate
Yes we've had 2 days of heavy rain & wind, but it's the first real rain we've had so far, as it has been drier than normal here. Makes my job easier when dry, so I don't mind. The extra flare does take a bit of stress off the left side, & helps me get to a good finish. I was playing really well back in March/ April, & took out the final of our 9 hole twilight with a 39. Had several 9 hole rounds under 40, until shoulder problems arrived. Have been struggling ever since, & found the only club in the bag I could hit well was the 21* hybrid. Because of this I am making some changes to my clubs, & will be running 4 hybrids [ 18,21,24,27 ]. 4 irons [ 6,7,8,9 ] 4 wedges [46,50,54,58 ] Plus the 3 wood off the tee, & putter. Can't remember the last time I hit a decent long iron shot, so there's no point in just hoping things will change. My wife & I did sneak out sarvo for 9 & things went much better with 41, that included some poor putting, so things might be looking up.
We are heading to the field days Friday/ Saturday, & weather looks ok. Hope you have a chance to get out. Hows that FT hybrid going for you? I have an FT 3 wood that was my driver for a long time.
Cheers Russty
Gidday mate
Glad that you are having better weather than we have been having almost non stop for ages. Great that you had success too. Like the comment about your club changes particularly the one about the hybrids-recently I added a 20deg Callaway 3H to my armoury and love it! between that and old faithful 24deg Rescue club have made my 4,5 and 6irons almost redundant. Still have the 5iron in the bag, but it is rarely used. I skelped the 20deg off a par 4 just for the heck of it last time out and was amazed at the result, long and straight as an arrow. My swinging has been reduced to nipping out onto the front deck golf mat during lulls in the rain. Even that is very beneficial when 'tweaking' set up and swing. I will be using the hybrids by playing them with the ball farther forward in my stance as Surge recently said-that together with an older tip from Kevin McGarraghan which I tried yesterday and it worked well for me. Will have a look at a FT 3W you never know ; - )
On your shoulder problems I sympathise totally after having my rear, right shoulder rotator cuff operated on years ago with the end of the collar bone removed...etc. The left one has been acting up for a while too.
Before playing [when I remember hahaha],I rub a small amount of virgin coconut oil into both shoulder joints and the top of my arthritic old brass neck. This has helped a lot-no anti-inflammatory drugs etc. After a post round shower I repeat the process and have not had even a twinge for a while : - ) My backup is 'Tiger balm' or 'cupping' with our own device.
Before leaving China I couldn't lift my arms up high enough to shave, comb my hair or brush my teeth-10 treatments of acupuncture and cupping combined and now I can whip my arms through at speed with the best of them! ; - ) Long may it continue.
On that positive note, we will be glued to Pinehurst all weekend whatever the weather does ; - ) May the best golfer on the day win.
May your weather continue to get you and your good lady out onto the hallowed turf for more success with the PPGS swing.
DH and DL far from the winterless north ; - )