Impact and Followthrough 

 

Click on any of the hyperlinks to rapidly navigate to another section of the review: Homepage (index); overview; grip; address setup; backswing; downswing; followthrough-to-finish
 

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In this section of the critical review, I am going to be using the swing of Aaron Baddeley as an ideal role model for the modern, total body swing. I obtained a video of Aaron Baddeley's swing from the V1 Home swing Analyser website (http://v2.v1home.com) [1]. I then created many screen captures of Aaron Baddeley's swing at different points in his swing, so that I could point-out certain important positions, movements, and swingpaths. However, there is no substitute for seeing a swing evolve in continuous motion, and I cannot do that in this critical review. I, therefore, highly recommend that you visit the V1 Home Swing Analyser website and download their free version of the swing analyser. You can also freely download Aaron Baddeley's swing from the website (the down-the-line Driver video and the face-on Driver video). That will enable you to play back his swing in slow motion, or frame-by-frame, while following this review. It will greatly enhance your ability to learn how to execute a perfect golf swing. I also encourage you to purchase the basic version of the V1 Home Swing Analyser for $39. The basic version has the advantage that you can play back two different versions of a golf swing, side-by-side. If you video your swing, you will then be able to compare your own swing to Aaron Baddeley's (or another PGA tour golfer's) swing at any point in the swing. You will then quickly learn if you are getting into the correct positions, and you may quickly learn what you have to do to improve your swing.

Note - Aaron Baddeley has recently made changes to his swing, and this swing video therefore doesn't necessarily represent his latest swing.

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Introduction

 

The "Swing Like a Pro" authors [2] state that impact is the "moment of truth", the only moment that really matters, because it is the only time during the swing that the golf club comes into contact with the ball. The SLAP authors believe that if a golfer can get into a picture-perfect impact position, that it increases his likelihood of eventually becoming an excellent golfer. They argue that one cannot become an outstanding golfer if one doesn't get into the impact position in a technically correct, dynamic way. I tend to agree with their beliefs and I have noticed that most PGA tour golfers have a similar "look" at impact. In this section of the review, I will examine the "look" and dynamics of professional golfers as they reach the impact zone.

Body position at impact

Consider the body position of Aaron Baddeley as he reaches the impact position.

 

Impact and immediate post-impact - from reference number [1]

In the downswing section of this review, I described all the body movements that bring a golfer to this desired impact position. Consider some of the salient features of an excellent impact position.

Most importantly, note that Aaron Baddeley has transferred most of his body weight to the left side, and >80% of his body weight is being supported by a firm left leg over a firmly grounded left foot. Another sign of good body weight transfer is the fact that his right heel is raised off the ground, and that's due to the ongoing right hip rotation that pulls weight off the right heel. Also, note that the hips have led the downswing and that the shoulders have still not caught up to the hips by the time of impact - the hips of most professional golfers are usually 20-40 degrees open at impact, while the shoulders are either square (0 degrees open) or slightly open (0-30 degrees open) at impact.

In this face-on view of the impact position, one can see that the hands are well forward at impact (compared to their position at address) and that the clubshaft has forward shaft lean. If one pays close attention to Aaron Baddeley's hands, one can see that his grip is neutral, and the back of his left hand, and palm of his right hand, are facing the target (like they were at address). However, note that the right wrist is significantly more bent and the LEFT WRIST FLAT - compared to the address position, where both the left and right wrists are both slightly bent/cupped if the hands are held centrally between the legs (see the glossary of wrists movements to clearly understand the terms "cupped" and "bowed"). In other words, Aaron Baddeley has incompletely released his right wrist at impact, and one can see that the right wrist is still significantly bent in the immediate post-impact phase. This is a critically important point. Many beginner golfers allow their wrists to flip when their hands are passing through the impact zone, and this "flipping" of the hands causes the right wrist to appear flat or bowed and the left wrist to appear scooped (bent) at impact. Any inward bending (scooping) of the left wrist is a major fault that causes weak shots, plus/minus an inconsistent ball flight due to variable clubface closure through the peri-impact zone. Nick Faldo states [3] that he deliberately maintains some "set" in the right wrist at impact because it allows the clubshaft and left arm to act as a lever which transmits swing power from the body to the ball. Homer Kelley in his book [4] on the physics/geometry of the golf swing states that there are three imperatives in a golf swing and the first imperative is a FLAT LEFT WRIST that is maintained throughout the full golf swing. The left wrist should never bend (dorsiflex) at any point in the golf swing, and it is critically important to have a flat left wrist at impact. If the left wrist is flat at impact, and the right wrist bent, this guarantees that one is maintaining some clubhead lag at impact (clubhead behind the hands, instead of flipping past the hands) and this allows a golfer to apply a solid compressive force to the ball at impact. If the clubhead flips past the hands prior to impact (a condition Homer Kelley calls "clubhead throwaway"), then one can no longer solidly compress the golf ball. The degree of forward shaft lean at impact depends on the club - being at its maximum level for short irons and at its minimum level for fairway woods. Many professional golfers even have forward shaft lean at impact when using a driver, although long-drive competitors often hit up on the ball at impact to obtain optimised launch angle conditions for a long ball flight and they therefore have slight backward shaft lean at impact.

One can easily note that Aaron Baddeley does not actively manipulate his wrists/hands through the impact zone by flipping his hands at the ball. Not only is there no evidence of "flipping" of the hands, there is also no evidence of any other hand or wrist manipulations eg. rolling the wrists over (right hand rolling over the left hand) or any deliberate "holding the clubface open" type of hand manipulation. Many beginner golfers mistakenly believe that active hand movements are required to square the clubface at impact, but that belief is incorrect, and the clubface becomes square to the ball at impact as a result of perfectly synchronised total body movements.

Consider another golfer's hand/wrist positions in the impact zone when hitting a driver - Tiger Woods.

Tiger Woods at impact - capture images from a Nike commercial swing video

Image 1 shows Tiger Woods at impact. Note the flat left wrist and bent right wrist (yellow line). Note that Tiger Woods maintains a bent right wrist and flat left wrist until the end of the followthrough - defined as the point when both arms are fully straight (image 4). 

Also, note that Tiger Woods' right elbow is still closely aligned to the right hip area, and that the right elbow is not completely released (straightened) at the time of impact - note that the right upper limb is still slightly bent at the elbow joint. One can think of the right hip area as being the right elbow's pivot point where release of the right elbow occurs. It is only after impact that the right elbow becomes fully straightened, and the right elbow pulled away from the right hip area. Also, note that both the right and left upper arms are still closely applied to the chest wall and there is no separation of the upper arms from the chest wall. In other words, the torso and upper arms should be conceived to be a single functioning unit moving through the impact zone in perfect synchrony, which is concordant with the idea of the modern golf swing being an integrated, perfectly synchronised total body swing - where the swinging arms are always directly in front of the rotating torso.

Finally, note that Tiger Woods' head is kept in a"fixed" position behind the ball, which causes the spine to be tilted backwards at impact (as the lower body leads the upper torso through the impact zone and moves the lower spine to the left). This is a key element that has to be got right! I have examined the video swings of many professional golfers and no professional golfer allows their head to move forward of the ball during the downswing. Keeping the head behind the ball allows the head to function as a stabilising support. The head and left foot can be thought of as two critical stabilising points that allow the body to pivot in a semi-circular movement around an imaginary axis located roughly in the region of the left armpit.

Clubhead swingarc and ball positioning

Although it may appear, from the face-on view photo of Aaron Baddeley's swing, that Aaron Baddeley is swinging his arms and the golf club straight down-the-line towards the target - it's actually an optical illusion. The golf club is always swung along an arc that is in-to-square-to-in, and the clubface is only perfectly square to the ball at the exact moment of ball-clubface separation. When using a driver, a good golfer will try and create a wide clubhead swingarc and a shallow U-shaped clubhead arc at the bottom of the swing, so that the clubhead's curved arc is not excessively in-to-in in the immediate vicinity of the impact zone. However, the clubhead is always travelling along a curved path and there is no time-point during the golf swing when the clubhead travels in a straight line. Harvey Penick has estimated that the ball remains in contact with the clubface for approximately 1/2 of 1,000th of a second. If the clubhead is travelling at 100mph at impact, then the clubhead remains in contact with the ball for a distance of 0.88". If a golfer wants to hit the ball straight, then the clubace must be square to the ball-target line at the exact moment of ball-clubface separation. That means that the clubface must be fractionally open (1-2 degrees open) at the moment the clubface first impacts the ball - because the clubface is closing continuously while it remains in contact with the ball. If one understands this important point, one should also understand why correct ball positioning is so important. If the ball is incorrectly positioned by as little as 1-2" it can have dramatic effects, because it makes it much more difficult for a golfer to ensure that the clubface is minimally open at the time of first ball contact and perfectly square to the ball at the exact moment of ball-clubface separation.

Consider a down-the-line view of the clubhead swingpath in the impact zone. 

Down-the-line view of clubhead path - from reference number [1]

In the face-on view photo of Aaron Baddeley's swing (previously viewed), a reader may have gained the impression that the clubface is square to the ball for many inches in the impact zone - because the clubhead "appeared" to be travelling in a straight line towards the target. However, this down-the-line composite photo (of two seperate images) demonstrates the fallacy of that belief. Note that the clubhead is approaching the ball from an inside direction and note that it moves inside again soon after impact. In other words, the clubface is only square to the ball-target line at one moment-in-time near the bottom of the clubhead swingarc, and a golfer has to ensure that his hands are in the perfect impact postion at the time of impact - if he wants to ensure a square clubface at the exact moment of ball-clubface separation.

If one looks at Aaron Baddeley's hands, one can sense that they are higher and further away from the body than they were at address. Also, one can see that the clubshaft is bowed downwards due to operant centrifugal forces acting on the clubshaft. 

The SLAP researchers [2] have conclusively demonstrated that the hands are higher and further away from the body at the time of impact (compared to their position at address).

Hands and clubshaft at impact - from reference number [2]

Note that the hands are higher at impact (grey image) compared to their position at address (blue image). Also, note that the clubshaft is bowed downwards. Therefore, to ensure that the clubhead is level to the ground at impact, one has to have the clubhead toe slightly off the ground in the address position.

Clubhead lie at address - from reference number [2]

Note that the clubhead lie must be slightly upright at address - if one wants the clubhead to be level at impact. One cannot be certain that the clubhead has the correct amount of upright lie by visually looking at the clubhead at address. A golfer needs to hit down on a special lie-board to determine whether the clubhead lie of his personal golf club is optimal at impact. If the lie is correct, then the impact board will make an impact mark in the centre of the bottom of the club.

The SLAP researchers [2] have not only determined that the hands of professional golfers are higher at impact (compared to their address position) - they have also noted that the hands are further forward (compared to their address position).

Body position at impact - from reference number [2]

Note that the hands are forward at impact, and that the clubshaft is tilted forwards of the ball. The hands may be as much as 3-5" forward, relative to their address position, and the clubface may therefore be too open if the golfer adopts a neutral grip. According to the SLAP authors, a golfer may consequently have to adopt a slightly stronger grip to ensure that the clubface is only slightly open (1-2 degrees open) at the moment of first ball impact. A golfer should keep this useful advice in mind if he has a persistent tendency to push-slice the ball despite an optimised in-to-in clubhead swingpath and perfect timing.

The above diagram is very informative because it demonstrates all the necessary body elements that are required to ensure a square clubface at impact - hips that are significantly open to the target, shoulders that are slightly open to the target, hands in a forward and slightly higher position (compared to address) and neutral hands. In other words, it is critically important that a beginner golfer understand that perfect total body positioning squares the clubface at impact, and not any last-minute, active hand manipulations. The hands merely hold onto the club's grip while the golfer ensures that his body adopts a perfect impact position (see the down-the-line photo of Aaron Baddeley at impact and note that he has all these necessary body elements optimised).

Consider another photo of a professional golfer that was taken soon after impact.

Ernie Els - from reference number [5]

This is a beautiful photo of Ernie Els that was taken soon after impact (actually at the end of the followthrough when both arms are fully straight). It captures many good impact body position features. Note that Ernie Els has open hips, slightly open shoulders, virtually all his body weight transferred to his left side over a supportive straightened left leg, and a "fixed" head position behind the ball. Note that the right heel is pulled off the ground, which signifies good leg action and good weight transfer to the left side. If a golfer's right heel remains planted at impact, it suggests "hanging back on the right side", and inadequate movement of the lower body to the left side. Note that "air" is visible between the knees which suggests that the hips have rotated adequately and that the right hip is closer to the ball-target line than the left hip. Most importantly, note that the two arms are fully extended at this point in time - the only time during the golf swing when the two arms are both fully extended - and this reflects the fact that Ernie Els has uninhibitedly released the club through the impact zone. 

Note that Ernie's hands are neutrally aligned relative to the clubshaft and that the clubshaft is aligned along a line that passes between the two arms towards the navel - suggesting that Ernie Els has rotated his mid-torso sufficiently through the impact zone to keep the clubshaft in front of his body. Note that the clubface appears slightly closed to the ball-target line, but relatively neutral relative to the clubhead swingpath arc. This proves that Els doesn't attempt to manipulate the club with his hands when hitting through the impact zone. Many beginner golfers attempt to actively manipulate the golf club during the downswing - hoping to square the clubface with active hand manipulations. Professional golfers are wiser, and they know that they cannot possibly manipulate the clubface at the last minute with their hands when the clubhead is travelling at 100mph through the impact zone, and they know that the primary function of the hands is to passively, but firmly hold onto the club as the clubhead passes through the impact zone!  

A straight ball flight requires a square clubface at impact (actually, at the exact moment of ball-clubface separation), and a square clubface at impact is unlikely to consistently occur if the clubhead swingarc in the impact zone is markedly in-to-out, or markedly out-to-in. A professional golfer can routinely drive the ball straight because he ensures that the clubhead approaches the ball from a slightly inside track, along a wide-shallow U-shaped arc, that will maximise the likelihood of the clubface becoming perfectly square at impact. A professional golfer must not only ensure that the clubface becomes square at impact, he must also ensure that the ball position is optimised relative to the low point of the clubhead swingarc so that he can hit the ball while the clubhead is still moving downwards (and not upwards). Consider the clubhead swingarc of Aaron Baddeley's driver swing.
 

Clubhead swingarc - from reference number [1]

Note that the clubhead swingarc is very shallow and U-shaped in the impact zone and that the low point of the clubhead swingarc (point X) is opposite his left shoulder. Note that the clubhead is descending down towards the low point (point X) in the late downswing, and if the ball is positioned behind point X (positioned further away from the target than point X), then the ball will be struck with a descending blow, which is very desirable.

Bobby Clampett [6] strongly believes that the low point of the clubhead swingarc should be about 4" in front of the ball - even when using a driver. If one is hitting a ball placed on the ground (and not on a tee) and the low point of the clubhead swingarc is 4" in front of the ball, then the deepest part of the divot has to be 4" in front of the ball. However, there is no fixed rule that determines the optimum length or depth of a divot. Homer Kelley [4] states that a golfer should not deliberately attempt to produce a divot, and that a divot is simply the end-result of the ball being positioned back of the low point of the clubhead's swingarc.  

Diagram demonstrating clubhead arc through the impact zone - from reference number [4]

This diagram demonstrates the clubhead's arc of attack (on the inclined plane) at the point of ball impact. If the ball is positioned back of the low point of the clubhead's swingarc, then the clubhead willl still be moving downwards through the impact phase (while the ball is still in contact with the clubface) and the angle of attack is dependent on the steepness of the clubhead's swingarc (steepness of the inclined plane along which the clubshaft travels) in the impact zone. The steeper the attack angle, the deeper the divot. That explains why short irons produce deeper divots than long irons - short irons are swung on a steeper angle than long irons. By contrast, the length of the divot is significantly determined by how far the ball is positioned behind the low point of the swingarc.

Here is a series of capture images of Tiger Woods two-iron's clubhead through impact - when he hits his two-iron stinger shot.

Capture images from a Tiger Woods swing video

When Tiger Woods hits a 'stinger shot' with his two-iron, he places the ball well back in his stance. Note that the angle of approach of the clubhead is not steep - because he is using a long iron, and not a short iron. Note how the clubhead is still moving downwards, even after the ball has separated from the clubface, and that the clubhead has still not reached its low point in image 4. The clubhead will continue moving downwards to its low point thereby producing a long divot. Note the forward clubshaft lean through the impact zone, which indicates that Tiger Woods is sustaining clubhead lag throughout the entire impact period, which enables him to solidly compress the ball. Finally, note that the ball is never compressed against the ground. In fact, the ball slides up the clubface before separating from the clubface, and the clubface never pinches the ball against the ground - even though one "feels" like one is attempting to "pinch" the ball against the ground.

I have repeatedly emphasised the importance of hitting down on the ball, and beginner golfers must resist any attempt to hit up on the ball in an attempt to get the ball in the air. The club's inbuilt loft is responsible for getting the ball to leave the clubface at a sufficiently high trajectory angle, and the golfer must not attempt to help get the ball in the air by scooping-up at the ball. Many beginner golfers attempt to hit up on the ball at the moment of impact by flipping the clubhead at the ball. This is a major swing fault that must be avoided.

Hitting through the ball - the release actions and the aiming point concept

In this section, I am going to introduce some complicated material from Homer Kelley's "The Golfing Machine" Book (TGM) [4] that will enable a beginner golfer understand how to avoid the common problem of swinging at the ball, rather than swinging through the ball, at impact.

One frequent sight on golf tee boxes worldwide is the sight of an amateur golfer taking a practice swing with his driver before he sets up to the ball. During his practice swing, he swings freely and fluidly though the impact zone - because there is no ball on which to fixate his gaze. However, when he swings at the ball a moment later, his swing breaks down and he loses all the fluidity and rhythmic flow that were present in his practice swing. I think that the main cause of the problem relates to the fact that the amateur golfer allows the presence of the ball to interfere with his mentally pre-programmed swing, and he starts to "hit at the ball" in an attempt to steer it at the target - by trying to get the clubhead to move along a straight line path through impact, and/or by trying to get the clubface to hit the back of the ball squarely at impact, and/or trying to steer the clubhead towards the target after impact. All these "steering actions" disrupt the clubhead's natural swingarc. A golfer should remember that his first goal should be the production of a smooth, rounded clubhead swingarc through the impact zone that is symmetrical to the ball-target line, and his second goal should be ensuring that the clubface is square at the exact moment of ball-clubface separation.

Here is a photo of Kevin Na's clubhead's swingarc through the impact zone.

Kevin Na's clubhead swingpath - capture image from a swing video [7]

If one looks at that swing video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0EKksPTyk0) one will note how freely and completely Kevin Na releases his club through the impact zone. There is a distinct sense that he is swinging through the impact zone, and that the clubhead merely impacts the ball while it is passing through the impact zone. In particular, note how completely he straightens his right elbow after impact, and how he gets to the straight left/right arm end-of-followthrough position seen in the above image. Beginner golfers must learn to mimic this complete release action.

I think that a beginner golfer would benefit if he understood the sources of swing power in his golf swing, and how he needs to fully release these swing power sources through impact. Homer Kelley described the mechanics of swing power generation in his TGM book [4] and he used the term "power accumulator". He stated that there are 4 power accumulators and he believed that one needs to load one's power accumulators in the backswing, and then release them fully during the downswing/followthrough.

The following composite photo will help one understand the "power accumulator" concept.  

Capture images from a Kevin Na swing video [7]

During the backswing, one loads one's power accumulators, so that they are maximally loaded at the end-backswing position (image 1). Power accumulator #4 is the angle between the left arm and upper torso between the shoulder sockets (blue lines) and during the backswing a golfer pulls the left arm up-and-across the chest wall thereby minimising the angle between the left arm  and chest wall in front of the left shoulder. Power accumulator #2 is the ~90 degree angle between the left arm and clubshaft (red lines) and that loading action occurs during the left wrist upcocking phenomenon that happens during the backstroke action. Power accumulator #1 is the roughly 90 degree angle between the right upper arm and right forearm at the right elbow joint (yellow lines) at the end-backswing position. During the downswing and followthrough phase of the swing, a golfer needs to completely release these angles in order to maximise the release of swing power through the impact zone - power accumulator #1 is fully released when the right arm is fully straight, power accumulator #2 is fully released when the left wrist is uncocked to a level (neutral) position where the left wrist is neither upcocked/downcocked, and power accumulator #4 is fully released when there is roughly a 90 degree left arm-shoulder angle at impact.

Image 2 shows Kevin Na in the mid-dowswing. Note that he has not yet released power accumulators #2 and #1, but he has significantly released power accumulator #4. At the start of the downswing, the downswing evolves in a certain sequence - the lower body moves first and then the upper body, and this combined torso rotary movement represents the downswing pivot action. The downswing pivot action slows down in the mid-downswing, and as the downswing pivot action subsides, the left arm is thrown off the chest wall, and this phenomenon represents the release of power accumulator #4. The release of power accumulator #4 causes the arms to move faster than the torso in the late downswing.

Image 3 shows Kevin Na at impact. Note that there has been a significant (but incomplete) release of power accumulator #1 and complete release of power accumulator #2. However, release of power accumulator #1 is not complete at impact, and there is still a slight bend in the right elbow at impact. Power accumulator #1 is only fully released at the end of the followthrough - defined as the position when both arms are fully straight (image 4).

To understand power accumulator #3, this frontal view series of images of Tiger Woods' swing should be helpful.

Tiger Woods through impact - capture images from a swing video [8] 

Image 1 shows Tiger Woods in the mid-dowswing. Note that he has not yet released power accumulator #1 (yellow lines) and power accumulator #2 (red lines), but he has significantly released power accumulator #4 (blue lines).

Image 2 shows Tiger Woods at impact. His right elbow is not yet fully straight, but he has significantly released power accumulator #1 (yellow lines). He has fully uncocked his left wrist and therefore fully released power accumulator #2. The green lines represent power accumulator #3 (called the transfer power accumulator). During the late downswing, the left wrist not only fully uncocks (thereby fully releasing power accumulator #2), the left hand also undergoes a 90 degree rotation so that the back of the left hand faces the target at impact. During this period of 90 degree rotation of the left hand in the late downswing, the clubshaft is not in a straight line relationship with the left arm. The clubshaft is nearly in a straight line relationship by impact (image 2), but only becomes perfectly straight-in-line soon after impact (image 3). This turning/rotation of the left hand (release swivel of the left hand) and progressive straightening of the left arm-clubshaft alignment in the late downswing and early followthrough represents the release of power accumulator #3, and it transfers swing power to the ball before the clubhead passes the hands through the  impact zone.

Image 3 shows the complete release of power accumulators #1 (straightening of right elbow), #2 (completed uncocking of the left wrist), and #3 (straightening of the left arm-clubshaft alignment) through impact. A beginner golfer needs to learn how to fully release his power accumulators #1, 2, 3 through impact, and he needs to do so in a fluid manner without any attempt to "steer' the clubhead as it passes through the impact zone. When swinging a golf club, a golfer should have the distinct "feeling" that the clubhead is still accelerating through impact, and that the clubhead would reach its maximum speed post-impact (if ball contact didn't occur). A beginner golfer can acquire the "feel" of maximally accelerating the club to a post- impact point-of-complete-release by reversing his hold on a driver - gripping the clubhead end of a driver and then swishing the grip end in a practice swing. If one has a correctly sequenced downswing action and if one is also fully releasing the club correctly, then the sound of the swish should be located just ahead of the ball position (roughly where Tiger Woods' clubhead is located in image 3).

If one looks at Kevin Na's clubhead and Tiger Woods' clubhead in the pre-impact and impact phase of the golf swing, one will note that the clubhead is moving downwards, outwards and forwards [note how Tiger Woods' clubhead is still moving downwards after ball impact - in image 3]. The clubhead only moves inwards and upwards and forwards well after impact. It is important that a golfer understand that the clubhead is still moving downwards and outwards at impact, and a golfer should think of hitting the inside quadrant of the ball with a downward blow. He should not attempt to hit the center of the back of the ball with a square clubface, and he should also not attempt to hit up-at-the-ball in a misguided attempt to get the ball in the air.

The following diagram depicts the optimal clubhead path and clubface alignment through the impact zone.

Diagram of clubshaft-clubface passing through the impact zone

 

Imagine a golfer staring down at the ball on the ground. The green curved line represents the blurred path of the clubhead during the downswing and followthrough - as seen from the golfer's eye position. The low point of the clubhead swingarc is the nadir of the clubhead swingarc, and the clubhead starts to move upwards, inside, and forwards after it passes the low point. Prior to that point on the clubhead's swingarc (low point) the clubhead is still moving downwards, outwards, and forwards. The dotted orange line represents the ball-target line, and the intended line of ball flight. The red dot represents the ball position. The blue lines represent the clubshaft and clubface - note that the clubface has a slight hook-faced appearance (relative to the clubshaft) that is inbuilt into the golf club. If one places the ball at a position on the ground where it will be slightly behind the low point (further away from the target than the low point), then the clubshaft will have forward shaft lean at the time of first ball impact and the clubface will be slightly open (relative to the ball-target line). The clubface will remain in contact with the ball for a distance of approximately 0.88" and the clubface should be square to the ball-target line at the time of ball-clubface separation, and this will result in a straight ball flight. If one placed the ball at the low point of the clubhead swingarc, then the clubface would be closed at impact (because of the inbuilt hookface - which I have exaggerated in this diagram), and the ball would be pulled leftwards.

A beginner golfer needs to fully understand the implications of this diagramatic representation. He needs to understand that he should first learn to swing fluidly and naturally, and release his power accumulators fully through the impact zone (accelerate the clubhead through the impact zone), so that he can produce a consistent clubhead swingarc that is naturally curved in an in-to-in direction. Once he has mastered the ability to produce a consistent clubhead swingarc, he should note where the low point of that clubhead swingarc (deepest part of the divot) is situated relative to his body - the low point should be roughly opposite the left armpit area and an inch-or-two inside the left heel area. He should then position his ball behind the low point - further away from the target than the low point. That will ensure that he hits the ball with a slightly open clubface while the clubhead is moving on a downward-outward path - and that will ensure that the ball flight will be straight towards the target at the exact moment of ball-clubface separation (a square clubface should happen about an 1" further along the clubhead's swingpath than the exact moment of first ball impact if the clubface is 1-2 degrees open at the exact moment of first ball impact). An experienced golfer with a consistent swing can experiment with fractional changes in ball position (relative to the low point of the clubhead swingarc) to regulate the degree the clubface will likely be open at the exact moment of first ball impact.  

Bobby Clampett suggests that one should practice this maneuver of hitting down-and-out in a bunker. Here is a photo of Bobby Clampett practicing in a bunker.

Bobby Clampett practicing in a bunker - from reference number [6]

Bobby Clampett has drawn a straight line in the sand, and this represents the ball position. He then practices hitting down on the ball, and he ensures that he gets his hands well ahead of the ball position when the golf club impacts the sand. Note his forward clubshaft lean at impact and his flat left wrist facing the target - perfect impact alignments. Bobby Clampett states in his book that one should aim one's hands ahead of the ball (at an imaginary aiming point), so that the deepest part of the divot is 4" ahead of the ball. It is very important to understand that one aims one's hands, and not the clubhead, at the aiming point. Bobby Clampett states that one's mind should be focused on the aiming point and that one should aim one's hands at the aiming point.

Here is a photo of Bobby Clampett demonstrating how one's mind and one's eyes should be focused on the aiming point, and not on the ball.

Bobby Clampett demonstrating the aiming point principle - from reference number [6]

Bobby Clampett recommends that one should aim one's eyes, and therefore one's hands, at an aiming point ahead of the ball. A beginner golfer needs to develop a "feeling" that he is pulling his hands down from the top of the backswing towards the aiming point in a straight-line thrust action. Although there is a "feeling" of pulling the hands in a straight-line thrust action down towards the aiming point, the true reality is the hands move in an U-shaped arc towards their impact position. Consider a composite photo of Aaron Baddeley's hand movements in his driver swing.

Aaron Baddeley's driver swing - composite photo created from capture images from a swing video [1]

I created this composite photo by superimposing a capture image of Aaron Baddeley at the end-backswing position over an image of him at near-impact, and I then blended the two images using Photoshop. The red line was created with a spline tool and it traces the movement of Aaron Baddeley's hands in the downswing - note the U-shaped movement, consisting of a straight line portion in the early-mid downswing followed by a curved, more-horizontal portion in the late downswing. The yellow-arrowed line is the straight line thrust direction between the hands at the end-backswing (top of the backstroke) and the hands at impact - and it reflects the aiming point concept of aiming one's hands at a point ahead of the ball (as recommended by Bobby Clampett). When hitting a short iron, a golfer should have the distinct "feeling" of aiming/driving his hands in the approximate direction of the yellow-arrowed line - aiming at a point well ahead of the ball. However, when using a driver, a golfer should have a "feeling" of aiming/driving his hands in a direction represented by the blue-arrowed line - towards an aiming point on the ball-target line that is at the ball, or even behind the ball. Why should the aiming point be adjusted when using a driver - relative to using a short iron? The reason relates to the longer clubshaft length of the driver (relative to a short iron). The longer the clubshaft, the wider the clubhead's swingarc and the greater the distance the clubhead has to travel during the downswing. It will therefore take longer for the clubhead to reach the ball - for a given hand speed and given release action pattern. Therefore, the golfer must adjust his aiming point backwards when using longer clubs, and ensure that the club's release point (usually at a point where the hand path changes from a straight line downwards-direction to a more-horizontal direction at the nadir of the U-shaped hand arc) is further back. How far back should a golfer adjust his aiming point when using a driver (or long iron) compared to a short iron? There is no "single" answer that is applicable to all golfers. It depends on an individual golfer's i) hand speed, ii) release action pattern, iii) club length and iv) ball position - and each individual golfer can only learn how to correctly adjust his aiming point by personal practice. A beginner golfer must not make the common mistake of trying to over-accelerate the hands at the start of the downswing when using a driver - based on the incorrect assumption that he must thrust the club down faster when using a driver because the driver's clubhead has a greater distance to travel (compared to a short iron). This attempt to over-accelerate the clubhead in the early downswing by swinging faster (more forcefully) may actually cause clubhead throwaway (casting) and a loss of swing power, or get the hands to outrace the clubhead down to impact resulting in pushes or push-slices (if the release swivel of the left hand is incomplete by impact). The correct action is to avoid over-accelerating the club at the start of the downswing - when using a driver. Annika Sorenstam states in her golf instructional book [9] that her primary swing thought at the start of her driver downswing is "to take it easy". She states that if her maximum driver swing speed is 10 on a scale of 1-10, that she tries to swing at a speed of 6. A beginner golfer should follow Annika Sorenstam's good advice and swing extra-smoothly when using a driver, and deliberately ensure that the start-down is free of any over-acceleration action.

A beginner golfer may think that this aiming point technique is too complex to master, and he may wonder whether he is doing it correctly with each individual club. The easiest way to ensure that one is doing it correctly, is to hit into an impact bag placed at the ball position. If one has perfected the action, then one should look like Aaron Baddeley at impact - the hands should be slightly forward of the ball position and there should be a small amount of the forward shaft lean at impact. The amount of forward shaft lean depends on the club - being minimal for a driver and maximum for a short iron. From a beginner golfer's perspective, the most important point is that the grip end of the club must always be ahead of the clubhead end of the club, and the grip end of the club must never be going backwards (away from the target), which will occur if he flips the clubhead past the hands prior to impact.

Here is a link to a very advanced impact bag - watch the 25 minute free video on the 3-D impact bag, as it will provide you with many additional insights on important facets of the optimum impact alignment.

http://www.thegolfingmachine.com/whatsNew/impactBag.php

Consider an example of a golfer who is flipping his clubhead past his hands prior to impact.

Anonymous golfer flipping his club through the impact zone

Note the bent left wrist and note how the clubhead has passed the hands, and note how this flipping action has caused the grip end of the club to move backwards (away from the target). A beginner golfer must avoid this flipping action and he must always ensure that the grip end of the club leads the clubhead through the impact zone. One common cause of flipping is "quitting" on the shot - which can be described as a deliberate slow-down of the hands as they near impact, and it is usually due to the mental habit of hitting at the ball, rather than swinging uninhibitedly through the impact zone to the end-followthrough position where both arms are fully straight.

Followthrough phase of the swing and hinging actions

In this section, I am going to discuss a critically important point - the angle of the clubface during the followthrough phase of the swing. The followthrough phase of the swing is defined as the time period from impact to the time-point when both arms are fully straight.

Tiger Woods' followthrough - capture images from a swing video [8]

In this composite photo, I have superimposed two capture images of Tiger Woods - at impact, and at the end-followthrough (when both arms are fully straight). The yellow colored zone represents the followthrough phase of the swing, and during this phase of the golf swing the clubhead starts to move upwards and inwards and forwards. While the clubhead is moving inwards and upwards, the clubface is constantly closing, and you can see that Tiger Woods' clubface is slightly closed at the end of the followthrough. This clubhead-closing phenomenon has a significant effect on ball flight because the clubhead is actually closing while it is still in contact with the ball, and the rate of closing/direction of closing of the clubface during impact significantly affects ball flight.

First of all, remember that prior to impact, the left hand undergoes a release swivel action whereby the back of the left hand undergoes a 90 degree rotation - from the delivery position to the impact position. 

Aaron Baddeley - composite image from a swing video [1]

Time point 1 is when the club is at the delivery position (clubshaft parallel to the ground and parallel to the ball-target line). Time point 2 is when the clubshaft is at impact. Time point 3 is when the clubshaft is at the end-followthrough position. Between time point 1 and time point 2, the release swivel occurs - the clubface and back of the left hand undergoe a 90 degree rotation. A swivel action implies a rotation of the left hand that mainly occurs due to left forearm rotation, while a lesser amount of the total 90 degree left hand rotation is due to rotation of the left upper arm which occurs at the level of the left shoulder socket and also due to movement of the left shoulder socket itself around to the left.

The followthrough phase of the swing occurs between time point 2 and time point 3, and during this time period the left hand (and therefore clubface) continues to rotate around to the left/backwards towards the tush line. However, this left hand rotation is not a swivel action, because the left hand rotation is not due to left forearm rotation, but it's due to rotation of the entire left arm (left upper arm and left forearm as a single unit) occuring at the left shoulder socket level. Conceptually, it's as if there is a hinge joint at left shoulder socket level, and the entire left arm is hinging around to the left at this location point, causing the clubface to rotate at the same rpm as the back of the left hand. In other words, the left hand (and therefore clubface) is rotating during impact and during the followthrough - but the rotation is due a hinging action (occuring at the level of the left shoulder socket) and it is not due to independent forearm rotation. It is very important that a beginner golfer understand that one should never rotate the right hand over the left hand (by rotating the forearms) while the hands are moving through the impact zone or followthrough zone. At time point 3, the back of the right hand is angled somewhat relative to the ball-target line, and many beginner golfers think that the right hand is rotating over the left hand during the followthrough phase of the swing - due to a forearm roll-over phenomenon (called a cross-over release action). However, that's a total misperception of reality. To make this point abundantly clear, I will provide another visual example.

Consider this swing video lesson by Jack Nicklaus - see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJ87eGG0svo

In this swing video lesson, Jack Nicklaus is demonstrating where to position the ball - roughly a few inches inside the left heel. The position of the ball is dictated by the clubhead's swingarc - the ball should be positioned just to the right of the low point of the clubhead swingarc. Jack Nicklaus is emphasizing two points that I have previously discussed - i) that the clubhead should be traveling in an in-to-square-to-in path, and ii) it should be moving downwards at the exact moment of first ball impact.

Consider Jack Nicklaus' swing from a frontal view.

Jack Nicklaus swinging through the impact zone - capture images from a swing video

Image 1 show Jack Nicklaus at impact. Image 2 shows him at the end-followthrough position (when both arms are fully straight). Image 3 shows him when his clubshaft is parallel to the ground and when the toe of the clubhead is pointing upwards. Between time point 1 and time point 3, the clubface has undergone a 90 degree rotation, and many golfers incorrectly think that it is due to a rotation of the right forearm over the left forearm. In fact, if one looks at Jack Nicklaus' right forearm in image 3, it appears that it is swiveling/rotating over the left forearm, and many golfers refer to this visual phenomenon as the crossover release action. However, the right forearm is not really swiveling completely over the left forearm during this time period. Consider this same time period - as seen from above.

Jack Nicklaus swing - capture images from a swing video

Image 1 is immediately post-impact. Image 3 is at the end of the followthrough phase - when both arms are fully straight. Image 4 is when the clubshaft is parallel to the ground and when the toe of the club is pointing upwards. Image 5 is later in the finish phase of the swing when the toe of the club has rotated further closed.

Note that the right forearm has not rotated completely over the left forearm at time point 4, or time point 5 - even though the clubface has undergone a marked degree of closing between time point 1 and time point 4/5. The reason why the clubface can close so much without a completed rotation of the right forearm over the left forearm is due to the fact that Jack Nicklaus continues to rotate his torso through the followthrough/finish phases of the swing, thereby always keeping the club in front of his rotating torso. There has been a certain amount of right/left forearm rotation between image 3 and image 5, and this represents the finish swivel action.

Note that the back of the flat left hand has rotated around to the left during the followthrough phase of the swing - between image 1 and image 3. The rotation of the left hand is not due to left forearm rotation, but due to rotation of the entire left arm (left upper arm and left forearm) at the level of the left shoulder socket. It's as if there is a hinge joint in the left shoulder socket that allows the entire left arm unit to hinge around to the left/backwards - like a door opening - while the clubshaft is travelling along the surface of the inclined plane.

In his TGM book [4], Homer Kelley represented this hinging action in a photo-illustration.

Horizontal hinging action - modified from reference number [4]

Note, from a conceptual perspective, that there are two hinges at the shoulder joint (1 and 3). The hinge at point 1 allows the left arm to move up-and-down as exemplified by the black arrows at point 2. During the downswing and followthrough, the left arm is angled at a certain inclination relative to the ground (conceptually due to a "fixed" degree of hinging at hinge point 1) so that the clubshaft can be kept on plane. The clubshaft is "on plane" as it moves through the impact zone and followthrough when the clubhead end of the clubshaft points at the ball-target line (traces the ball-target line). In the Jack Nicklaus photo, I drew a faint yellow line to represent the ball-target line (and intended line of ball flight if one wants to hit the ball straight). The blue dotted line is an imaginary line extending from the peripheral end of the clubshaft (clubhead end) and that imaginary line always points at the ball-target line (or its extension). It is imperative that a golfer swing his clubshaft along the inclined plane so that the peripheral end of the clubshaft always points at the ball-target line (or its extension), and this process is called tracing a straight plane line. If you cannot readily understand this concept of tracing a straight plane line, then you should read my "How To Hit The Ball Straight" review paper, where I discuss this concept in great detail.

The hinge point 3 is vertically aligned (like the hinge of a door) and it allows the left arm/forearm/hand unit to turn horizontally (like a door opening) while the left arm/forearm/hand unit is swinging along its inclined plane (white arrow in the above photo) during the followthrough. That horizontal hinging action causes the left hand to move around to the left, so that the back of the left hand (which is always perpendicular to the rotational plane of movement of the left arm) is vertical to the ground during the followthrough phase of the swing (point 4 in the above photo). While the left hand swings back horizontally so that the back of the left hand is always perpendicular to the ground (vertically-oriented like a door opening) it "feels" slightly supinated relative to the inclined plane on which the clubshaft is traveling - point 4 in the above photo - and a golfer "feels" as if the left hand is rolling slightly over (supinating) during the followthrough. Tiger Woods states that he he tries to get a "feeling" that the knuckles of his left hand start to rotate groundwards (supinate) immediately after impact, and what he is describing in simple "feel" terms is the "roll-feel" movement of the left hand during the horizontal hinging action. By employing a horizontal hinging action during the followthrough, a golfer is controlling the rate of closure of the clubface through the impact zone, and this action significantly affects the ball flight - causing the ball to a have lower, penetrating straight-flight with a slight draw at the end of the ball flight. Horizontal hinging action is the most common type of hinging action utilised by a professional golfer and it may be used in up to 80-90% of a tour professional golfer's shots.

This horizontal hinging action blends seamlessly into the finish swivel action that happens moments later as the followthrough phase of the swing evolves into the finish phase of the swing.

Ernie Els at the end of the followthrough and at the end of the finish swivel action

The first image shows Ernie Els at the end of the followthrough phase (when both arms are fully straight). Note how much the clubface has rotated over, and note that the clubface is vertical to the ground (which indicates that Ernie Els is using a horizontal hinging action) during the followthrough. Note that the back of the flat left hand is vertical (perpendicular to the ground) as the back of the left hand moves around to the left. The second image shows Ernie Els performing the finish swivel action that causes the clubshaft to lie "on plane" so that the butt end of the clubshaft points at the ball-target line. Note that the left hand has supinated so that the back of the flat left hand (and flat left wrist) lies against the inclined plane, and that the right hand has pronated over the left hand - and this dual "left hand supination/right hand pronation" movement (due mainly to a forearm rotary movement) represents the finish swivel action. Professional golfers frequently employ a combined horizontal hinging action and finish swivel action when hitting a driver, because they want the ball to fly straight and low and have a slight draw at the end of its flight - and this horizontal hinging action will maximise ball flight distance.

Although horizontal hinging action is the most frequent type of hinging action employed in the followthrough, a good golfer will selectively use two other types of hinging action - angled hinging and vertical hinging. I will start off by describing angled hinging.    

Angled hinging action - from reference number [4]

Note that the two hinge points are angled to the same degree, so that the back of the left hand will be perpendicular to the inclined plane of the left arm (and not ground) when the left hand moves around to the left during the followthrough. In other words, there will no "feeling" of the back of the left hand rolling over slightly (supinating slightly) during the followthrough phase of the swing, and this type of hinging action is therefore also called a "no-roll" feel-action (while horizontal hinging action is called a "roll" feel-action). That means that the clubface (which is always in-line [parallel] to the back of the left hand) is closing less fast during its passage through the impact zone and followthrough. This will result in a straight ball flight with a tendency to fade to the right at the end of the ball flight - a power fade shot. Professional golfers frequently use a power fade shot when driving towards a narrow fairway, because the ball lands more softly and doesn't tend to run far after landing. When performing a power fade shot, a golfer can use angled hinging followed by a finish swivel action. However, some professional golfers, who use angled hinging, prefer to hold-off the finish swivel action, and not perform a finish swivel action.

Nick Faldo's holding-off finish posture - from reference number [3]

Note that Nick Faldo has not performed a finish swivel action during this particular golf swing, and he is holding-off the clubshaft (by not allowing it to swivel over to lie along the inclined plane during the finish phase of the swing). Many professional golfers finish their swing like Nick Faldo, especially when hitting short irons into a tight green. The combination of angled hinging and a held-off finish swivel action allows them to produce a controlled fade and a soft-landing shot.

The third type of hinging action is vertical hinging.

Vertical hinging action - from reference number [4]

Note that, from a conceptual perspective, one can imagine that there is a hinge horizontally-oriented at the left shoulder socket level, and that the hinge's action causes the left arm and back of the left hand to face more skywards when the left arm is moving along its inclined plane during the followthrough - as if a door hinge was mounted horizontally, thereby causing a door to open skywards (like the hatch-door on a hatch-back car). If the back of the left hand is moving skywards during the followthrough, that means that the clubface (which is parallel to the back of the left hand) is moving skywards in a vertical direction. Vertical hinging produces a low-powered, high trajectory fade shot, which lands very softly. Professional golfers infrequently use vertical hinging, and mainly tend to use vertical hinging when hitting out of bunkers or when hitting pitch/lob shots. When performing vertical hinging, a golfer has to deliberately lay-back the clubface (open the clubface to the sky) through impact, and this action is also called a "reverse-roll" action because it is the exact opposite of the natural roll-action seen in horizontal hinging. This action requires deliberate/conscious thought, and it is not a naturally occuring hinge action - like horizontal hinging. If a golfer swings naturally through the impact zone to a full finish swivel position without thinking, he will naturally/automatically use horizontal hinging - even if he doesn't understand what he is doing during his swing. The process of using clubface layback (reverse-roll) is not automatic, and a golfer needs to consciously plan its execution prior to executing a vertical hinging action swing.

The easiest way of recognising what type of hinging action a golfer is using in his golf swing - is to observe the clubface-direction during the followthrough phase of the swing.

Here is a composite photo of Tom Tomasello demonstrating the three different hinging actions.

Tom Tomasello demonstrating the three hinging actions - from a Tom Tomasello swing video lesson

Tom Tomasello has attached a three inch white post to his clubface so that the white post is perpendicular to the clubface - this allows one to clearly appreciate the direction the clubface is pointing during the followthrough. In image 1, the clubface is pointing about 45 degrees to the ground, and parallel to the inclined plane that the clubshaft normally travels along during the followthrough, and this represents angled hinging (a "no-roll" action). In image 2, the clubface is pointing in a direction that is horizontal, parallel to the ground, and this represents horizontal hinging (a "roll action). In image 3, the clubface is pointing vertically skywards, and this represents vertical hinging (a "reverse-roll" action).

It is important to realise that the left hand controls the clubface and thereby controls the hinging action. With a neutral grip, the clubface is always aligned parallel to the back of the left hand, and the clubface will always point in the same direction as the back of the left hand. Therefore, a golfer must become consciously aware of the direction the back of his left hand is moving during the followthrough phase of the swing - if he wants to master the hinging actions. When using horizontal hinging, the back of the left hand must be perpendicular to the ground and must move horizontally around to the left (like a door opening). When using vertical hinging, the back of the left hand must face skywards and be moving vertical to the ground (like a hatch-back car door opening). Angled hinging is intermediate between horizontal hinging and vertical hinging and the left hand must move in an angled direction, so that the back of the left hand is perpendicularly-oriented to the surface of the inclined plane. It is also important to realise that the direction of movement of the back of the left hand during the followthrough is due to movements occuring at left shoulder socket level, and not due to variable degrees of forearm rotation.

Many golf instructors teach golfers to roll their forearms over while the hands are moving through the impact zone. This is a major swing fault and should be avoided. To re-emphasise that critical point, I am going to provide yet another photo-example.

Ben Hogan - from reference number [10]

Image 1 shows Ben Hogan nearing impact as his left hand is swiveling into impact. His left wrist is flat and the back of his left wrist/hand will be flat, vertical, and facing the target, by the time it reaches impact. Image 2 shows Ben Hogan well after impact, and one can see his right hand pronating over his supinating left hand, and this causes the toe of the club to point upwards (and the clubface to be horizontal to the ground) when the clubshaft is parallel to the ground. That means that the clubface has undergone a 90 degree rotation between impact and this clubshaft position. When beginner golfers see these two images, they frequently imagine that Ben Hogan must have rotated his clubface over via the biomechanical mechanism of a forearm rotary movement, while his hands were passing through the immediate impact zone. However, that perception is wrong - as I previously explicated, and will re-explicate.

Here is a series of images of Ben Hogan as seen from a frontal viewpoint.

Capture images of Ben Hogan - from a swing video [11]

Image 2 shows Hogan at impact - note that the back of the left wrist is flat and facing the target, and the right wrist is bent and the right palm is facing the target.

Image 3 shows Hogan nearly at the end-followthrough position - the back of the left hand has slightly turned to face left-backwards as a result of the horizontal hinging action, and the right palm is also facing slightly left-backwards as a result of the horizontal hinging action.

Image 4/5 shows Hogan starting to perform the finish swivel action where the right hand pronates over a supinating left hand. It is important to realise that the forearm rotation movement responsible for this finish swivel action occurs after the followthrough phase of the swing, and not during impact. There should be no forearm rotation (right hand pronation/left hand supination) while the club is passing through the impact zone. The forearm rotary movements occur after the followthrough phase of the swing, and during the finish phase of the swing.

A beginner golfer must never allow his forearms to roll-over while the club is moving through the impact zone (from near-impact - to about 12-18" after impact).

Torso rotation through the impact zone
 

If you look again at this series of images of Ben Hogan, you can clearly note certain features of his torso movement as he swings through the impact zone.

Capture images of Ben Hogan - from a swing video [11]

The first feature to note is how the entire torso continues to rotate through the impact zone and followthrough, so that the arms and clubshaft always seem to be in front of the turning torso. Note how the clubshaft points at his navel area in images 4 and 5, and that fact indicates that Hogan continues to turn his torso effectively after impact, thereby allowing him to keep the club in front of the turning torso throughout the followthrough and finish phases of the swing. Note how the pelvis is open at impact, and note that the pelvis continues to turn post-impact. Note how the right shoulder continues to move downplane (in the general direction of the ball) in the late downswing, and note how it moves under the chin in the followthrough. Note how Hogan swivels his head leftwards, without lifting his head upwards (and losing his spine angle), in the late followthrough. That swiveling movement of the head allows him to unrestrictedly open his chest towards the target, and it also prevents the chin from impeding the movement of the right shoulder through to the left. Note how the left shoulder moves up-and-away from the ball during the impact and  followthrough phases of the swing.

All these torso movements are part-and-parcel of the downswing/followthrough torso pivot action, and they allow Hogan to fully release his power accumulators to a both-arms-straight position at the end of the followthrough.

Contrast Hogan's efficient torso rotation with that of an inflexible, middle-aged amateur golfer.

Student of Oliver Heuler - from reference number [12]

I produced these capture images from a swing video of a student of Oliver Heuler. Image 1 shows the student at impact, and image 2 shows the student during the early finish phase of the swing. Note how the student flips his club at the ball, producing a bent left wrist at impact and backward shaft lean (hands behind the clubhead). Note that both arms are bent at the elbow joint at impact and after impact - this phenomenon is called "chicken-winging". Note that the student does not fully straighten his right arm post-impact and he is therefore not fully releasing his power accumulators through the  impact zone (as Hogan does). Note that his pelvis and shoulders are square at impact, and note that he doesn't continue to rotate his torso post-impact (as Hogan does). Note that he keeps his head down after impact and that this action causes his chin to impede the movement of his right shoulder under his chin (which should occur in the followthrough phase of the swing).

This golfer has a very ineffective downswing pivot action that doesn't allow him to fully release his power accumulators during the late downswing and followthrough. He is essentially slapping the ball with his arms in a weak swing action. He is not using his torso to power the swing via the mechanism of an efficient downswing pivot action (like Hogan). What can this inflexible golfer do to improve his swing dynamics if he has a sluggish downswing pivot action due to torso inflexibility and poor core muscle conditioning? I think that one optional method of starting a downswing pivot action is to assertively thrust/throw the right shoulder in a downplane direction, so that it induces a shift-rotation of his pelvis at the start of the downswing. The inflexible golfer then needs to continue the active right shoulder downplane movement into the followthrough phase of the swing, so that he can get the "feeling" of his right shoulder driving his torso rotation around to the left (like Hogan), so that his chest and abdomen face towards the target during the followthrough and finish phases of the swing - thereby allowing him to keep his club continuously in front of his rotating torso.

Young, flexible golfers shouldn't have a problem generating an efficient downswing pivot action, thereby avoiding the problem of chicken-winging. However, I have noted that many young golfers have this problem because they hit at the ball, instead of swinging through the ball. When they hit at the ball, their downswing pivot action "quits" prematurely and they don't rotate well through the shot. Bobby Clampett states in his book [6] that "the pivot is the workhorse of the golf swing -- and as you approach the impact zone, you simply "ride" your pivot motion through to the end of your swing, without making any conscious adjustment for hitting the ball. It's as if you were to imagine the ball as a soap bubble, and your fully loaded and lagged club swings right through it."

Shawn Clement also emphasises the point that one should swing through the impact zone, and not hit at the ball in his instructive swing video lesson. He emphasises the point that one should fully release the club through the impact zone, with the "feeling" that one is throwing/casting the club towards the target in a complete release action.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBFLHjDA7rw

The best example of golfers efficiently "hitting through the ball" is to watch long-drive competitors swing. They swing with an "all-out" effort, and they definitely don't quit turning their torso through the impact zone.

Here is an example of a long drive competitor - Mike Dobbyn - who has an extremely fast downswing pivot action and who swings through the impact zone to a full finish.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_4W8Z1m-lU

Another physical sign of a good downswing pivot action is the movement of the left pelvis upwards and leftwards during the late downswing and followthrough. 

Consider Tiger Woods' swing action from a behind-the-golfer perspective.

Tiger Woods - capture images from a swing video

Image 3 shows Tiger Woods at the end-backswing position. Image 4/5 demonstrates that Tiger Woods starts the downswing with a pelvic shift-rotation movement (hip squaring action) that causes his right shoulder to start moving downplane. Note how his right shoulder moves further downplane, and under his chin, in the late downswing and followthrough phases of his swing (images 6/7). Also, note how he opens his chest/abdomen towards the target post-impact without lifting his head and losing his spine angle (images 6/7). Note how his left shoulder moves up-and-away from the ball, and note how his left pelvis lifts upwards at impact (image 6).  

A beginner golfer should mimic Tiger Woods' torso action. In particular, he should acquire the "feeling" of the right shoulder driving under the chin after impact, while maintaining his spine angle. A good swing thought that will allow the right shoulder to flow freely through the shot without impedance from the chin is to ensure that the head swivels to the left during the late downswing and followthrough. This "head-laying-on-a-pillow" idea may help a beginner golfer learn to swivel the head - while avoiding any head lifting and 'standing up' at impact.

"Head laying on a pillow" image

The mental image of laying one's head on a pillow may encourage a beginner golfer to swivel his head, without lifting his head and losing his spine angle, during his swing. A beginner golfer must have the distinct "feeling" of the right shoulder actively moving under the chin during the followthrough/early finish phases of swing, and he must not "quit" rotating the shoulders during the late downswing. 

Annika Sorenstam has a famous, but idiosyncratic, head swiveling action in her full golf swing.

Annika Sorenstam head swivel - fom reference number [9]

Note that Annika Sorenstam starts to swivel her head towards the target even before impact, and that her head has already swiveled a large amount by the the end of the followthrough. An advantage of this early head swiveling movement is that it encourages one to rotate the torso freely and uninterruptedly into a well-completed finish position.

 

Golf tips (presented in question and answer format):

 

1. Question: What do you think of AJ Bonar's "magic move"?

Answer: I think that AJ Bonar's "magic move" is a terrible golf instructional idea. To understand what AJ Bonar teaches with respect to his "magic move" - read this 5 page instructional article.

http://www.golf.com/golf/instruction/article/0,28136,1565175-1,00.html

AJ Bonar explains his "magic move" on page 3 of that article.

This is what AJ Bonar states in that article-: "About two or three feet before your hands reach impact, assertively rotate them toward the target. Imagine you're gripping a screwdriver and turning it counterclockwise. This closes the clubface, generating big-time power." In other words, AJ Bonar is recommending that one actively rotate the hands and clubface through the impact zone. Here is the accompanying photo that he uses to illustrate his advice.

Photo-illustration from AJ Bonar article (see above)

What AJ Bonar is advising is an active left hand rotation movement through the impact zone. The left hand approaches impact with the back of the left hand facing slightly skywards (implying an open clubface) - image 1, then the left hand rotates to being vertical at impact with the back of the left hand facing the target - image 2, then the left hand rotates further so that the back of the left hand faces the ground (supinating left hand) - image 3.

This "active left hand rotation" golf tip recommendation is terrible advice, because the success of this "magic move" depends on perfect timing through the impact zone. Professional golfers don't use this "magic move" maneuver, because they cannot hope to time the move correctly. If a professional golfer cannot master this move, what's the likelihood of an amateur golfer mastering this "magic move"?  Even AJ Bonar concedes that perfect timing is required, and in his article he concedes that imperfect timing can cause a hooked shot (if the clubface closes too much by impact).  On page 4 of his article he answers a hypothetical question:

"Q. I'm hooking it. Now what should I do?

Don't panic. That means you're turning the face over, which is a good thing. But you're doing it too early. You want to feel that your right palm is facing the target at the moment of impact. Try holding off turning over your hands until they pass the ball. Also, experiment with opening the clubface even more at address. I like about 10 degrees, but more or less may work for you."

Note how he address the issue of a hooking problem due to imperfect performance of the "magic move". He states that the hooking problem is due to a too-early turn-over of the clubface (due to a too-early supination/roll-over of the left hand) and he recommends that the golfer should delay the clubface roll-over action. However, that represents a huge "timing" problem and it is very unlikely that an amateur golfer can perfect the timing required to consistently execute a perfectly timed clubface roll-over action. His second solution is even more ridiculous! He suggests opening the clubface at address by 10 degrees to compensate for a too-early clubface roll-over action. Now, a beginner golfer is forced to juggle with two interacting factors - trying to determine the amount the clubface should be open at address to counteract the effect of a too-early clubface roll-over action. 

After reading AJ Bonar's "magic move" article, I hope that readers will now understand why I explained the biomechanics of hinging actions in such great detail in this impact chapter - because hinging actions are the biomechanically correct method of controlling the rate of clubface closure through impact, and they are not dependent on active hand manipulations, which require perfect timing. A beginner golfer must learn to perform the hinging actions correctly, and he must studiously avoid trying to actively roll his left hand over through the impact zone. The hands only hold onto the grip end of the club, and they should not try and manipulate the club while they are moving through the impact zone.

 

2) Question: What do you think of Laird Small's power release suggestion?

Answer:  Laird Small's power release suggestion was published in the 2008 edition of Golf Magazine's soft-cover publication "The Best Golf Instruction Guide Ever", which includes golf tips from the 100 top teachers.

This is the photographic image demonstrating his suggestion.

How to make a power release - Laird Small

According to Laird Small, the key move is made by active wrists - he suggests that one should "slap" the ball with the right hand to release the club properly. He wants the right wrist to move from its pre-impact bent right wrist situation to an immediate post-impact bowed (arched) right wrist situation. That means that he is suggesting that a golfer should actively flip the right wrist while the hands are moving through the impact zone.

This is a terrible golf tip. Note the bent left wrist in his photographic image. Although he may possibly want a flat left wrist at impact (which implies forward shaft lean and clubhead lag), he advises golfers to flip the right wrist while it is traveling through the impact zone in a "slap release" manner. Beginner golfers should not use this method, because it depends on active hand manipulations and perfect timing. Homer Kelley wisely advises golfers in his TGM book to avoid any active hand manipulations in the impact zone. The right wrist must be bent (dorsiflexed) pre-impact, be bent at impact, and remain bent post-impact - to ensure that one always has a flat left wrist in the impact zone/followthrough, as demonstrated by Tiger Woods, Aaron Baddeley, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus in multiple images in this chapter.

 

3) Question: What is the most reliably consistent method of hitting a power fade shot, where the ball goes straight but then fades slightly at the end of its flight?

Answer: The "best" (most reliably consistent) method of hitting a power fade shot is to use the combination of a i) slightly open clubface and ii) angled hinging and a iii) held-off finish swivel action. As I described in great detail in this chapter, the clubface must be slightly open at the exact moment of first ball contact if one wants to hit the ball straight with a slight draw at the end of its flight. The ball will leave the clubface in a straight-towards-the-target direction if the clubface is square at the exact moment of ball-clubface separation. However, in the standard swing, there are two factors that produce draw spin even if the clubface is square at the exact moment of ball-clubface separation - i) the clubhead is moving slightly in-to-out while the ball remains in contact with the clubface (due to the fact that ball is positioned back of the low point of the clubhead swingarc) and ii) the clubface is always closing during ball contact due to a horizontal hinging action. One need not alter the clubhead swingpath (by swinging out-to-in) to produce a power fade shot. One should merely make sure that the clubface is more open at first ball contact by ensuring that the clubface is slightly more open at address. Then, one should use angled hinging (instead of horizontal hinging) because angled hinging ensures that the clubface doesn't close as much while the ball remains in contact with the clubface. The clubface should be slightly open at the exact moment of ball-clubface separation to produce a power fade. By varying the amount of i) open clubface at addresss, and ii) the degree of angled hinging used (degree of clubface closing relative to the degree of clubface layback), an experienced/skillful golfer can control/regulate the amount of fade. Using a held-off finish swivel action, instead of a completed swivel action, makes it easier to control the degree of angled hinging used during the followthrough phase of the swing. To fade the ball by an even greater amount, the clubhead swingpath should also be open to the ball-target line, so that the base of the inclined plane (on which the clubshaft travels through the impact zone) cuts across the ball-target line from out-to-in in the immediate vicinity of the impact zone.    

 

4) Question: When you suggest that one should try and hit the inside the quadrant of the ball, where on the inside quadrant of the ball should one direct one's aim?

Answer: To hit the ball straight, the clubhead arc should be in-to-square-to-in as it passes through the impact zone and the clubhead should be approaching the ball along an inside path. When the cluface first impacts the ball, the clubface should be slightly open and the clubhead should still be travelling downwards and outwards towards the low point of the clubhead swingarc. Therefore, one should have a "feeling" that the clubface sweetspot is going to hit the lower inside quadrant of the ball. However, the aiming point on the ball is only one-to-two dimples away from the center of the back of the ball - as demonstrated in this next image.

Ball impact point

The lower inside quadrant of the ball is colored in red. The black dot is the "aim point" on the ball, and one should have the "feeling" that the center of the clubface is going to first impact the ball at that spot, as the clubhead continues to move slightly downwards and slightly outwards through impact.

5) Question: I have a feeling of an incomplete release at impact and I tend to either fade the ball or push-slice the ball. What are the likely causative factors?

Answer: There are a number of factors that often work in concert to cause this problem. It is often a combination of a too-fast hip action whereby the pelvis outruns the upper body, combined with a failure to turn the upper body well through the impact zone (stalling of the upper body rotation through impact). To understand this point, consider the sequence of body movements in an efficient downswing pivot action.

When the downswing starts with a downswing pivot action, the lower body should lead the upper body through the early/mid dowswing.

Pelvic and shoulder rotation in the early-mid downswing - from reference number [2]

The first image demonstrates how the hips lead the shoulders during the early downswing, and the second image demonstrates how the shoulders are catching up to the hips during the mid-downswing.

By impact, the pelvis should be about 40 degrees open and the shoulders about 10-20 degrees open.

Pelvic and shoulder alignment at impact - from reference number [2]

Note that the pelvis is about 40 degrees open at impact, and the shoulders are only slightly open at impact.

Now, consider what would happen if the pelvis turned too fast (relative to the upper body) and became too open at impact.

Pelvis at impact - adapted and modified from reference number [2]

The photo-diagram is a cross-section of the pelvis at impact. The blue line demonstrates the degree of openess of the pelvis at impact. The solid grey line represents the clubshaft and clubface, and the red dot represents the ball. Optimally, the clubface should be slightly open at the exact moment of first ball contact.

If the pelvis rotates too fast, then it will be too-open at impact - represented by the green line. If the shoulders cannot keep up, the clubshaft will be delayed coming into impact (dotted grey line) and the clubface will be too-open at impact predisposing to a fade or even if a slice. This problem is compounded if the shoulders are moving too slowly through impact - due to a failure to turn the right shoulder actively downplane during the mid-late downswing and due to a failure to maintain active right shoulder rotation under the chin during the early followthrough.

The situation can become worse if the golfer allows his hands, and therefore clubshaft, to drift off its "correct" path through the impact zone.

The black dot represents the ball position. The green curved line represents the "correct" hand path through the impact zone, and the red curved line represents the "correct" clubhead path through the impact zone. Point "X" represents the hand position at impact - slightly ahead of the ball. Point "Y" represents the position of the hands at the end of the followthrough. The hands should be moving along a slightly inside track after impact, and during the time-period between time-point "X" and time-point "Y" the back of the flat left hand should be vertical and the back of the vertically-oriented left hand should be turning leftwards (like a door opening - as a result of the horizontal hinging action).

If the pelvis turns too-fast through the impact zone, and the shoulders cannot keep-up, then the hands, and therefore clubshaft, will have a tendency to drift off their "correct" paths in a direction that is towards the target, or slightly right of the target (represented by the blue arrows). When the hands drift "off-plane" towards the target, it will be difficult for the golfer to use horizontal hinging, and his left hand will adopt an angled hinging action during the followthrough (the back of the left hand will be facing more skywards instead of being vertical to the ground). The end-result will be a clubface that is moving too far rightwards through impact while the clubface is closing too slowly through impact (due to the failure to employ horizontal hinging), and this produces a push-slice ball flight pattern.

To correct the problem, the golfer needs to ensure that i) he slows the pelvis down and has a "firm left side" (braced left side) at impact; ii) that he turns the right shoulder actively through the late downswing and followthrough so that he can drive the right forearm, and therefore the clubshaft, in a rounded arced path around to the left, thereby keeping the clubshaft "on plane"; and iii) that he uses a horizontal hinging action during the followthrough.

In particular, the golfer must learn to brace his left side during impact, so that has a firm, supportive left side to hit against.

See this swing video lesson by Shawn Clement on "how to brace the left side".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI3i936JRd0

Under no circumstances, should a golfer try and correct his push-slice problem by using a hand manipulation technique - rolling the wrists over through the impact zone (as suggested by AJ Bonar - see golf tip number 1 above). That's another bad habit that will cause endless problems.

If a golfer has correctly solved this push-slice problem using the suggested solutions, then he should look like Trevor Immelman at the end-followthrough position.

Trevor Immelamn at the end-followthrough position - from a Golf Magazine article

Note the i) firm left side (straightened left leg with no evidence of excessive hip sliding or hip over-rotation); ii) the right shoulder moving actively under the chin and how it drives the clubshaft to move along an inside track post-impact; and iii) the vertical left hand which has rotated to the left as a result of the horizontal hinging action (thereby closing the clubface - note that the clubface is vertical to the ground and parallel to the back of the left hand).

 

Jeff Mann.

 

First version of this chapter: January 2007.

First major revision of this chapter: June 2008.

 

References:

 

1. V1 Home Swing Analyser website. http://v2.v1home.com

 

2. Swing Like a Pro. Ralph Mann and Fred Griffin.

 

 

3. Golf-The Winning Formula. Nick Faldo.

 

 

4. The Golfing Machine. Homer Kelly.

 

 

5. How to Build a Classic Golf Swing. Ernie Els.

 

 

6. The Impact Zone. Bobby Clampett.

 

 

7. Kevin Na Swing Video

Available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0EKksPTyk0

 

8. Tiger Woods Swing Video.

Available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZimy_vVXKM

 

9. Golf Annika's Way. Annika Sorenstam.

 

 

10. The Fundamentals of Hogan. David Leadbetter.

 

 

11. Ben Hogan swing video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL_6M_xZvq0

 

12. Oliver Heuler's Golf Lecture Presentation at the ECC Conference in 2003.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8561793647751887562