New Golf Instruction

I recently replied to a students comment about how he checks his balance by wiggling his toes just before he hits and I really like the idea of checking your Balance and being Centered, but prefer my method that also covers other concerns at the same time. My answer:

I see the concept behind the toe lifting as a way to check your balance. I use “Sit Down” with the club head behind the ball, to focus on the entire body being centered and sitting into an Athletic Position. This has the thighs ready to support the shoulder turn and automatically distributes the weight via natural instinct, meaning; as the knees bend to allow the backside to sit, the chest moves slightly forward as a counter balance proportionately still keeping the body centered. This is good, in that all clubs have different lengths of shafts and we want to maintain this Athletic Position Ratio (the more we sit, the more the chest counter balances equally) We need this “Sit Down” also for different lies and slopes (uphill, ball below feet, etc). This is a critical part of the routine and only takes a second to check. It is also great feedback that we are centered & balanced and ready to hit.

One small add-on to this moment in the Pre Shot Routine is that the shoulders must be “Level” as we “Sit Down”. Many, many golfers drop their back shoulder at this time causing another problem…. So, Shoulders Level & Sit Down …

An HD Video Lesson Series with Audio Practice for the range, on Learning and Grooving a productive Putting Routine by PGA Professional Ross duPlessis

Watch now as a Member
…or Download from iTunes for iPhone/iPad. Putting Routine

Setup like you are addressing and imaginary ball, with your back foot about 3′ from a wall. Now, imagine you are in the middle of the downswing just at impact. Also, imagine there is an elastic band attached from your hands to the wall you are pulling on. If you just use your hands to pull on the elastic band, you will get “X” feedback about how powerful that is (old traditional release the club technique). Now, imagine you are pulling the elastic band by turning or rotating at impact. Your whole body is pulling the band equally and together. This is what using Large Muscles and not just the hands feels like at impact. You have the “Mass” of your entire body and the “Speed” of your body rotation moving the ball. Plus, your radius is twice as long and the face stays square. Much more combined power. Much more reliability. Takes some practice to get the hands from taking over, but this technique is much more consistent once learned. I will shoot a video on this soon to demonstrate.

You could also setup with a club in a door way and simulate impact with a body rotation pushing at impact using your entire body for the same effect.

A 5 HD Video Lesson Series with Audio Practice for the range, on Learning and Grooving a productive Pre Shot Routine by PGA Professional Ross duPlessis . Now on iPhone/iPad soon on Android. Pre Shot Routine

One of my students stated that he thought that my method of using the “Turn” and Large Muscles to hit the ball was great but, it would be hard to not help with the hands in heavy rough. Here is my reply that addresses a common short fall of many golfers that want to change their swing:

Heavy rough can change things and yes it does take concentration to not feel the need to help using the hands. What eventually eliminates the use of the hands is practice, discipline and a routine that does not use hands but just uses the “Mass” of the body turn. Everything throughout the body, arms and club is moving the ball the ball equally. The more my students groove passive hands during the swing, the more the Large Muscles control the swing. Once this is trusted and becomes automatic, hands are not an option (because they won’t help just disrupt). This is evolved but attainable with players who practice and trust their routine and visualization. This takes discipline for about 12 sec per shot but, months of practice to learn Discipline.

One of my students asked me to design a Putting Routine for him. This helped him and will help you.

PUTTING ROUTINE:

1. TARGET SPOT: Look past the hole 2′ for level putt, more for an uphill putt or short of the hole for a downhill putt. Once you have your TARGET SPOT, imagine the ball rolling to it and remember this visualization for recall later.
2. GRIP: Grip the putter and lock the back wrist bent in a little. This will have the handle leading the club face.
3. HANG: Let all this “Hang” (Keeping back wrist locked).
4. SPOT: Pick a spot 6″ in front of the ball on a straight target line that compensates for the break (if any)
5. ALIGN: Walk up to the ball with arms hanging, and use your feet to snuggle up to the ball just inside your front foot (club still off the ground), align club face to your 6″ spot and “sit down” . When you look down, you should see the handle on, or slightly ahead of the ball and the club face just behind the ball. Do not touch the ground!
4. PINCH: This is very important: Pinch your knees towards each other and hold tightly for the entire stroke (this take practice).
5. TARGET SPOT: Look at your original spot from #1 and RECALL the ball rolling to get the speed needed for the stroke and think to yourself… “PUSH DOWN, PULL UP*” that will give you the feel for the speed you need.
6. BALL & GO: Look back at the ball AND GO!… PUSH DOWN, PULL UP* without moving your wrists or lower body or head.
7. Once the ball is gone, Look up and enjoy seeing the ball rolling on your line at the speed you needed and the ball going in the hole.

You must practice without any other thoughts. As you internalize these concepts, begin to replace with the “Bold Keywords”. The ritual of the Keywords does not allow any room for non-productive thoughts. You must listen to yourself, trust yourself, trust your routine. The more you practice this the more it will replace the old thoughts… Ross

* Push Down, Pull Up – is using the front shoulder only for your source of power. Push Down (front shoulder pushes down), Pull Up (front shoulder pulls straight up).

A easy game changer… watch

“Q” Without using the hands and wrists in hitting the ball, will there be a loss of distance compared to the traditional golf swing.

“A” Just the opposite… you get more distance and more controllable distance. This is because of there is more mass moving the ball and the club face is always square (sweet spot). Most golfers don’t realize that when they “Release” (really flip) their wrists at impact, they have cut their radius in half and the club is decelerating AND the body stops rotating for the split second the hands take over (so the body is not helping). When there is no flip, the length of the radius more than doubles because, the radius becomes the entire length of the shaft and the front arm and also connected to the core and all the body rotating… EVERYTHING MOVING THE BALL. This type of impact is very powerful and looks effortless because nothing happens at the ball; everything just continues to accelerate to the finish!… Ross

Don’t get left behind! That is what happens to the club and arms for many golfers that are learning to turn. They start the downswing correctly by unwinding from ground up but, the body gets ahead and leaves the arms and club trapped behind the back hip. Many times this is because they took the club inside instead of straight back. Here is a simple, powerful answer!

If you use your Hips, to Pull the Elbows Back Down in Front of the Body, as you are turning, you will be in a very powerful position and easily trap the ball, as long as you KEEP TURNING. This is powerful because all of the body is still unwinding and moving the ball together; meaning, the hands and arms are not taking over. The hands and arms remain passive, and let the large muscles control them.

Make sure you don’t cheat by trying to use your hands and arms from the top to get back down… THEY MUST BE PULLED BACK DOWN BY THE ROTATION. Please try this. You’ll be amazed at how solid and straight you’ll hit the ball…

Check out my Free app iFixGolf from the app store in iTunes… thanks, Ross

Just want you all to know, I’ve released a Cause/Fix and more iPhone/iPad app called iFixGolf. You can search iTunes or use this link to view iFixGolf If so inclined, please rate it. It is the first of many on the way… Thanks, Ross