This is Lesson Four of Full Swing Lessons for the Driver. This is the Set Swing Lesson. This lesson is designed to help you make a good move through the ball. This lesson is a continuation of the Set Swing Backswing Lesson, as it takes you from that position and gets you through impact and to the Set Swing Follow Through.
Practicing this lesson will help you develop your rhythm and timing. Golf is all about having good timing. This lesson is a great way to develop your swing. You can use this lesson with any club. In fact you should because it will help you become a better all around ball striker.
It is very important that you have a good setup position. You could learn this lesson perfectly, but if your setup is out of position then you won't be able to take advantage of the great swing you have developed. In fact, a really poor setup can throw your swing off line, you may understand this lesson, but you won’t be able to execute it properly.
Much like in Step One...please do not move forward with this lesson until you feel comfortable with the backswing positions.
Your left arm should be parallel to the ground.
Your shoulders and chest should be fully turned away from your target.
Your weight should be centered between your feet and slightly behind your golf ball.
Golf Driving Tip #3 : The Downswing
Your initial move back to your golf ball should be as simple as throwing a ball. Please see Throwing the Ball Lesson for more details.
The first thing that should happen is that you should shift a little more weight onto your left foot. The Backswing starts from your shoulders and works it's way down to the ground...your Downswing will start from the ground and work it's way up.
The best way to feel this is to have the sensation of pressing your left foot into the ground. If you were throwing a ball you would be lifting that foot, stepping forward and planting on the ground to have more power. The golf swing is the same...we just don't move the foot.
After pressing your foot into the ground, it is just a matter of unwinding your hips and chest. Make sure you do this all at the same time. You don't want your hips to move without your chest, or either to move without your arms and club.
Remember how the Set Swing was also called the 'L' swing. To create power you want to maintain that 'L' until just before impact. You can see how your 'L' is still intact as you are making your move to the ball. This can only happen if you use your body to make your swing. If you try to swing the club by moving your hands alone...you will automatically lose your 'L' and your power.
Golf Driving Tip #4 : A Different Angle
To keep your club on plane (meaning on line to your ball) you must keep your right elbow close to your body. Much like if you were to skip a stone across the water. As you step into the throw your right elbow tucks in against your side. This is big part of your downswing because it will help maintain your 'L' for power, and keep your club on line for accuracy. If you start your downswing with your arms and hands then your elbow will drift away from your side and you will hit weaker shots that will fade...slice.
You can see in the picture that my weight has shifted a little more onto my left foot because my right foot is rolling onto its instep.
Golf Driving Tip #5 : Impact...The Moment Of Truth
Impact is the split second during your golf swing in which the club makes contact with the ball. All the movement your body does during your backswing and downswing, are simply trying to setup for a good impact position. If you can deliver your club onto the back of your ball properly...you are going to hit great shots.
There is a big difference between good contact and proper contact. Good contact will get you around the golf course...proper contact will help you shoot your dream scores. Let's try and work on making proper contact.
To make proper contact you will want to make sure that the back of your left hand is flat and facing your target. This is critical for making proper contact. It is the only way for your club to hit your ball at the proper angle so that you can use the natural loft of your club. A common fault is having the left wrist break towards the target. This increases the loft of your club and makes you hit the ball higher and shorter than it should.
After pressing your left foot into the ground on your downswing your weight should naturally move onto your left foot. This is because at impact your right knee should be flexing and moving towards your ball. This will make your right foot roll onto its instep. These two things will help drive your weight forward and through your shot.
Golf Driving Tip #6 : Impact...Front View
This picture is taken from the target side. The key thing to note looking at the impact position from this angle is how open your hips will be to your target. Notice how your hips will almost be facing your target already, even though you are only just at impact. This position helps generate a lot of power as well as proper contact.
Your shoulders are virtually square to your target line. Remember that your club always follows the line of your shoulders. Therefore, if your shoulders are square at impact then the path of your club should be straight to your target as well.
Golf Driving Tip #7 : Parallel Follow Through
This position should virtually mirror your backswing.
Your club should be parallel to the ground with the toe of your club pointing up to the sky.
This time your right wrist should be flat, as if you were shaking hands with someone. If your hand is in the position to receive a 'low five' from someone then you are out of position, and you will have unnaturally increased the loft of your club.
Almost all your weight should be on your left foot. So much so that you should feel the pressure of your weight on the target side edges of your left shoe.
Golf Driving Tip #8 : Set Swing Finish
This should be almost a mirror of your backswing. This time your right arm should be straight and parallel to the ground, while your left arm folds and stays close to your body.
Almost all your weight should be on your left foot and you should be rolling up onto the toes of your right foot.
Since your hips are turning through your shot, your left leg will naturally pull away from your target line and will be almost straight. This is a good thing because it is creating room for your club to swing though your ball. You may have also heard that it is good to 'hit against a firm left side'. Well the straightening of your left leg will help create that firm side which does lead to more power.
The most over used statement in golf is 'Keep your head down'. I have never said that in a lesson. Yes...you do need to keep your eye on your ball. However, keeping your head down can restrict movement of your follow through. If your head and neck muscles are relaxed then they should rotate naturally with your body. This will give you a much more free flowing motion.
Golf Driving Tip #9 : A Final Check
Make sure that your hips and chest keep rotating through your swing. If they stop turning you will lose a lot a power and consistency. If you have turned them properly then your belt buckle (or zipper if you are not wearing a belt) will almost be facing your target.
You can see in this picture how your left leg straightens and pulls back while your right knee flexes and moves toward where you ball was. This is simply opposite of your backswing move. Once again...a mirror image.
The most important part of the follow through is maintaining your spine angle. This is the angle between your hips and back. It should remain the same as it was at address. If you keep the same angle then you are much more likely to hit solid shots. If that angle changes, especially getting more vertical (commentators often call it coming out of your shot) you will end up hitting a lot of weak shots to the right.
If you go back to the Throwing the Ball Lesson you will notice that I was throwing the ball underneath a club held about belt high. This was to help get the feeling of staying down through my swing so I could maintain my spine angle. Keep this image in mind and it will help you make solid contact.
Thank you for taking the Set Swing Lesson for the Driver. This is a great way to practice not only the positions of your swing but your rhythm as well. Making solid contact using a half swing is not easy, but helps teach you to turn everything at the same time to make great consistent contact.
Please practice this stage of the swing until you can hit many solid shots in a row. There is not point moving onto
Lesson Five: Full Backswing Lesson for the Driver
until you are comfortable with this lesson. I hope you enjoyed this golf driving tip.
Good luck with your practicing and playing. May your 'Play Your Golf Dreams' sooner with the help of free-golf-lessons.com.
Congratulations to Steve Stricker on his victory at the 2012 Hyundai Tournament of Champions.
I believe the commentators said he has won 9 times in his 40s. That is amazing!I also agree with Sir Nick and Johnny Miller that his swing will be copied in the future. Technology has reduced the need for hand action in the golf swing to generate power. Watch the old videos of Bobby Jones to see how much action he created compared to that of Steve Stricker.
A great objective for any player is to eliminate any unnecessary movement. Stricker does a great job of that. His hands stay very quiet on the backswing. His wrists hardly hinge at the top of his backswing. You can see from the above video that his backswing is all shoulder turn.
His downswing starts from the hips and he simply turns everything through the golf ball at the same time. His hands and wrists release naturally without any effort. This is a great way to have a consistent rhythm through the golf ball on every shot. This swing delivers enough power to win on Tour.
European Tour Winner Quick Lesson
Congratulations to Louis Oosthuizen and his victory at the 2012 Africa Open.
Louis burst onto the scene with his dominating performance at the Open Championship. Many have predicted multiple wins for this player. His victory this past weekend is likely one of many to come.
In the video above pay really close attention to when the video ends. Take a look at his left foot. Notice how all his weight his on his left heel. This is a great sign that he has cleared his hips properly.
One of the key reasons for starting the downswing with your lower body is to clear your hips out of the way to create more room for your arms to swing through impact. It is a great indicator as to how well you cleared your hips, when almost all your weight is on your heel.
If your weight is leaning on you toes or even the middle of your foot then you have not rotated and cleared your hips enough through your downswing and past impact. You really want to feel the pressure of your weight on your heel like Oosthuizen.
Make sure you start your downswing with your lower body. At the top of your backswing; either pull your left knee or your left hip (right handed player) towards the target. Also make sure your hips keep rotating through impact and into your finish position with your weight on the heel.
