Friday, April 16, 2004
Question: For years, I have been overswinging.
Q: For years, I have been overswinging. I take the club so
far back that sometimes I hit the back of my head. I would
appreciate any tip you can give me on what I can do to stop
taking the club back so far. I have time to practice in a
dome until the snow melts, so I promise to work hard on
whatever you suggest. -- Tom M., from the Web
A: I find that most players who overswing as much as you
describe slide their hips and knees too far to the right
(for right-handed golfers) on the backswing. This leaves
you with only your arms and hands to elevate the club to
the top, and without the support of your lower back and
shoulder muscles your arms collapse in toward your head
at the top of the backswing, causing your swing to lose
width. Part of this problem is conceptual; when I
question a golfer with this problem, she or he believes
that the head should not move during the swing. But for
most golfers (all but the most flexible), this is not the
case. So if you are trying to keep your head rock steady,
forget it. Let your head move with the momentum of the
swing. Next, do this test. Assuming you are a right-handed
player, take your address position without a golf club and
put your left index finger on your belt buckle and your
right index finger just under your neck. Now take your
normal backswing turn and notice where these two fingers
are. They should both be over your right instep. If you
have the "slide" problem your left index finger will be
more to your right than your right index finger. Practice
until the correct move becomes second nature. Notice that
when you do it correctly your head will make its own little
"mini swing" -- that's as it should be. What you are doing
in this exercise is turning around your spine in a complete-
ly different manner, one that allows you to coil your back
and shoulder muscles and eliminate the need to take the
club back with only your hands and arms. It will feel
completely different, so be patient.
DoubleWall Titanium Driver
far back that sometimes I hit the back of my head. I would
appreciate any tip you can give me on what I can do to stop
taking the club back so far. I have time to practice in a
dome until the snow melts, so I promise to work hard on
whatever you suggest. -- Tom M., from the Web
A: I find that most players who overswing as much as you
describe slide their hips and knees too far to the right
(for right-handed golfers) on the backswing. This leaves
you with only your arms and hands to elevate the club to
the top, and without the support of your lower back and
shoulder muscles your arms collapse in toward your head
at the top of the backswing, causing your swing to lose
width. Part of this problem is conceptual; when I
question a golfer with this problem, she or he believes
that the head should not move during the swing. But for
most golfers (all but the most flexible), this is not the
case. So if you are trying to keep your head rock steady,
forget it. Let your head move with the momentum of the
swing. Next, do this test. Assuming you are a right-handed
player, take your address position without a golf club and
put your left index finger on your belt buckle and your
right index finger just under your neck. Now take your
normal backswing turn and notice where these two fingers
are. They should both be over your right instep. If you
have the "slide" problem your left index finger will be
more to your right than your right index finger. Practice
until the correct move becomes second nature. Notice that
when you do it correctly your head will make its own little
"mini swing" -- that's as it should be. What you are doing
in this exercise is turning around your spine in a complete-
ly different manner, one that allows you to coil your back
and shoulder muscles and eliminate the need to take the
club back with only your hands and arms. It will feel
completely different, so be patient.
DoubleWall Titanium Driver
