In this video we discuss how to create the elusive impact alignments which are mandatory when it comes to consistent ball striking. Many golfers will succomb to the ‘hit impulse’ I describe in my book The Art of Compression. Once you understand where you body should be at impact it is much easier to educate your body to move in the correct sequence.

Notice where the handle of the golf clubs is at impact. You should never feel as if you are flipping the club towards the ball. Wrist angles should remain intact deep into the forward swing, and this can only happen when you have moved into the left hip to initiate the forward swing. Feel as if your feet are gripping the ground, what I call ground pressure, and that will allow you to make an explosive move left.

I recently gave a lesson to a golfer with a common problem and very misunderstood component of the swing. When golfers change direction (backswing to forward swing) it seems only natural to swing the golf club towards the ball with your arms. This is why so many golfers are”over the top” or “out to in.”  Shots can fly everywhere when this takes place..pull hooks, pull slices, pulls, who knows !

Here is a simple drill that will assist you in correcting this problem. Use a short iron and take your normal set up. From this position I want you to move the right foot straight back so the right toe is in line with the left heel. Once you establish this position, make a few slow practice swings, keeping the weight centered in the stance. When you turn the torso during the backswing you will find it is easy to feel the arms moving in unison with your body. Once you reach the top of the backswing, move the weight into the left hip socket without moving the upper body towards the target, you will get the correct feeling of unwinding from the ground up to the torso. Pay attention to how the hips win the race back to the ball. This is the correct sequence you must produce for establishing correct impact alignments. 

Practice this drill and I can assure you the swing path will improve dramatically.

I haven’t been on the blog lately due to some out of town business. I was playing the NTPGA Pro-Pro event in Shreveport, La.  We had terrible weather the Saturday and Sunday prior to the event and I wasn’t even sure we could get the tournament started. Once we did, we played well and eventually won the golf tournament. My partner and I played great together and overcame a two shot deficit the last day. The victory came after I made a nine foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole.

If you have ever competed then you understand how great it feels to win. It is very difficult to do so in any sport, especially golf . That is why I am amazed how Tiger can statistically win 50% of the time. Many PGA Tour professionals who win once or twice consider that a successful career, and I would not argue. Pressure, making the right decisions, execution, are all factors that must be perfect in order for an individual to step into the winners circle. It is a feeling that I know I want to have many more times in the future!

The first major of the year is right around the corner, grass is greening up finally, and Tiger is coming out for his 2010 debut. The Masters will be more exciting than ever this year because golf’s number one will be there. Is anyone really surprised ! I know I am not !

I not sure if Tiger will be the favorite in this one though. I don’t think the lack of playing competitively will make a huge difference because he is that much better than the rest of the field. I doubt distractions will be a factor either. Maybe the fact he has proven to the rest of the players he is human may just have been the edge he lost.

I had the good fortune of watching the Masters in 2000 when Vijay Singh won. It was beyond every expectation I have ever dreamed. Augusta National is the most beautiful golf course that you will ever see.. period. It truly is unbelievable how hilly it is, and how many vibrant colors can be seen there. If you ever get a chance to attend, do not pass !

This Masters may be the most watched of any golf tournaments, and Tiger will be shown every step of the way, even more so than usual. I am hoping for a great tournament and I am sure we will not be dissapointed.

I guess you have heard Tiger has been seen hitting balls and playing recently at Isleworth in Orlando. I have had the good fortune of playing there and it is so isolated it seems impossible to me that anyone could see him unless they went through the secured entrance undetected which is not going to happen. I have been told that you can actually place a bet whether Tiger will return before the Masters, which is the first week in April. I would feel confident he will play Bay Hill as a tune up before the Masters. It would be easy for him to drive to Bay Hill, which is literally down the road from Isleworth, in less than ten minutes.  This means he could leave his gated  community and be minimally exposed to the public. Look for him to committ several days before the Friday 5pm est week before the event deadline.

Let’s remember one thing, Tiger  is not  a role model, he is nothing other than a great golfer. We need to have men and women who actually can make our society a better place to live as our role models. Such as the scientists who spend a lifetime developing cures for disease, or our school teachers who spend more time with our children than we do as parents. What athletes do is purely for entertainment. None of our lives would be affected if Tiger never played golf again, but if our house was on fire and firemen did not show up we would be in a world of trouble. So let’s keep Tiger in the entertainment business and forget about him as a role model.

I recently was told by a golfer that he hits his short and mid irons well but struggles when it comes to the longer irons and metal woods. There could be several reasons for this, but let me address the most common causes.

When you hit longer clubs your swing speed increases compared to short irons. Any swing faults will be exposed at higher swing speeds and certainly less loft of the club will add to the problem. Often short irons will mask an existing flaw. This being said, if you struggle to make solid contact and getting the longer clubs airborne, you should check a couple of things.

First, look at ball position. Is it right of center with longer irons ? If so, you will never hit it up in the air from this position. Check where the ball is located in relation to your left heel with your longer clubs to rule out this possibility.

The most common cause of lower ball flight and unsolid contact is the golf club is steep into impact. What I mean by this is the shaft does not travel into impact from inside the target line. This is also known as over the top or out to in. Moving the upper body towards the target on the forward swing will certainly cause a steeper angle of attack and flatten ball flight. Have a friend hold a golf club with the grip end just right of your left ear (assuming a right handed golfer) while you make a half swing. Does your head move forward during the downswing and bump the grip being held next to your ear? If you hit a few balls like this you will begin to feel how you must begin the forward swing from the ground up, which will shallow the angle of attack.

There are other causes that may influence lower ball flight, such as closed club face angle that should be examined. I offer online video lessons where you can send me a video and I will analyze the footage, email back to you with audio and slow swing analysis using V1 digital swing analysis software. This is the best way to accurately diagnose your swing faults and offer solutions.

We see in this video how important it is to allow the arms to work with the body pivot throughout the golf swing. The majority of golfers will instinctively want to “hit” from the top of the backswing, throwing the arms violently towards the golf ball. Making such a move will make it impossible to create solid impact alignments, no matter how long you practice. Blending the arms with your body also helps create consistent tempo.

Notice how my arms are moving with the body during the golf swing. It looks like an illusion that the arms are even swinging. This is exactly how I want you to feel during your golf swing. Maintain your spine angle during the backswing and simply move the arms with your body as you begin the rotation and you will generate effortless power and consistent strikes.