Finish Facing the Target

Whatever happened to the concept of finishing facing the target? In golf we call that finishing square because the body, in facing the target, looking straight at it, is perpendicular to the aiming or target line. Today, whenever I watch the PGA, LPGA, Nationwide tours and amateurs wherever I play, it seems 90 percent plus of all the players turn so far past the target that their shoulders are pointing at or even past the target. Did you notice that I did not include the Champions Tour? That is because 90 percent plus of all those senior golfers finish square to the target the way they were taught and played their whole life. Why do these senior champions still finish square?

I believe it is because what they learned and used for all their years of playing before and then on the PGA Tour has stuck like glue in that, like all sports, you finish square, looking straight at your target. That goes for throwing a ball, shooting a basketball, hitting a tennis ball, throwing darts and shooting pool. These senior tour players have stuck with what worked and brought them to the Champions Tour. Another point I find interesting, that must play a role is I have only gone to two Champions Tour events and there is something missing on the driving range and course that you see all over the PGA Tour. The cadre of golf instructors is missing. I can'€™t remember seeing one big name instructor roaming the practice tee or putting green or walking the course with a player.

These Champions Tour players know their swing and trust it as it has worked for 30, 40 or 50 or more years and made them all champions. I guess they go by the old adage, '€œIf it isn'€™t broke don'€™t fix it.'€ I think it is obvious and appropriate to say that they did not succumb to falling in line with the new big turn, rotational swing theory that arose in the early nineties. This swing now dominates the majority of all golf instruction, both in teaching the teachers and the players, from beginners to tour pros.

Before the early nineties, the world of golf instruction taught what I call the high hands at the top of the backswing position, and a square and balanced finish looking straight at the target. Davis Love, when he came out on Tour was the epitome of this backswing with his hands high above his head at the top of his backswing. Davis also finished square to his target very much in the same T – Finish position we teach in the PPGS. Besides being square to the target, the other defining characteristic of the T '€“ Finish is that the hands and club finish directly over the center of the left or forward shoulder (for right handed players) with the right hand perpendicular to the ground and close to almost touching the left ear. Tom Watson and Hale Irwin are your role models for the finish. This is critical as it is the only place for the finish to end in good dynamic balance and with no tension and strain in the neck, shoulders and back.

So if you are finishing facing left and past your target, and your bottom hand on the club is palm down to the ground and outside of your left shoulder, and are having trouble staying in balance, and have a lot of stress and strain, never mind hitting a myriad of bad shots, it is TIME to get back to '€œFINISHING SQUARE TO YOUR TATGET'€ in the T '€“ Position.

The simplest way to swing to the T-Finish is to focus on swinging your hands and club up and over the left shoulder, close to your left ear, and right shoulder close to the right ear for lefties. The key is that your hands must be perpendicular to the ground. I tell my students this is the same as swinging a heavy bag of cement up and placing it on your shoulder to carry it a long way or a package of shingles up and onto your shoulder to climb the ladder to the roof. Heck, even Santa does it right when he slings his bag of toys up and over his shoulder.

Play golf swinging your club over the center of your left shoulder facing forward like Santa does his bag of toys and you will see your ball striking improve. You will hit it LONGER, STRAIGHTER and finish in BALANCE with less to no STRESS, STRAIN and PAIN.

The Surge!