Today's tip is an answer to a question from Ray McLeod who played baseball for 17 years and finds that he still rotates his arms during a golf swing like he does when he swings a bat. He asks, "Other than letting my right hand go dead and swing with just my left side, what drills can I do to correct this problem?".
Well, Ray, before we discuss drills, let's talk about how to correctly limit the amount of rotation in your swing so that you can hit the ball straight. First off, we need to recognize the differences in swing mechanics and equipment design between baseball and golf. In the former you have a cylinder (the bat) striking a spherical object. So more often than not, over-rotating your hands will not add a tremendous amount of spin to the ball as long as you hit it squarely.
But in golf, you have a flat surface (the club face) striking a spherical object which will always impart spin. The key here is the angle of the club face at impact. By over-rotating your hands you are also closing the face of the club so we need to concentrate on controlling the amount of hand and torso rotation so that the club face is square at impact.
Many instructors believe that the right, or rearward, hand is a "silent partner" in the swing and does not contribute much in the process. I don't believe that for a moment. To me, the right hand is the hand that controls club head rotation the most and therefore must be involved in making sure you don't over-rotate during the swing. So Ray, the thought you had about letting your "right hand go dead" is...just dead wrong!
Let's go back to the basics of the swing. As you begin your backswing, make sure that the club head enters the Catcher's Mitt in a toe-up position. Other than continuing to rotate your torso until the club head reaches the toe line that's all the rotation you need. Once on the toe line, all rotation stops as you lift the club to it's vertical position. Then just make sure you control the hand rotation on the downswing so that the club head enters the forward Catcher's Mitt in the same toe-up position before you begin lifting the club vertically to a T-Finish.
As far as drills go, I discussed one a few weeks ago where I placed a stick out on the target line just at the point where the club begins to go up the forward tree. Here's the link. Another way to help you ingrain how your hands and arms should rotate during the swing is the SwingTECH plane trainer we feature in our product catalog under "Golf Training Aids". It is the only device I've ever found that completely mimics the Peak Performance Golf Swing.
So, just learn to use your right hand to control the amount of club head rotation in your swing, Ray, and it will be "Fairways and Greens" before you know it.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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