You see it on every range and course you play – someone with a swing where their front heel lifts off the ground at the top of the backswing. And while for some players, this is a necessary swing adjustment in order to produce a solid turn, for most, its actually hindering the creation of tension and coil between the upper and lower body. This same resistance is what helps generate and create power in the downswing. In the video below we look a little closer into this swing fault, but with a focus on the weak lower body, characterized by your knees being very close together at the top of your backswing. We call it over-rotation, and it often leads to over-swinging at the top. Both faults tend to produce similar swing results – a lack of power, distance and consistency at impact.
This drill is designed to help you feel the proper tension/resistance at the top of your backswing. By simply turning your lead foot towards the target, you make it all but impossible to have a weak lower body, or over-turn at the top. Your torso muscles will resist the movement. For those of you who lift your front foot at the top – try this drill for awhile, and then swing normally focusing on keeping your front heel on the ground — take notice of the similarities in feel. For those of you who tend to rotate your lower body too much, focus on keeping your knees equidistant to each other throughout the swing, and facing perpendicular to your target line until impact.
With a little practice you should see a big difference in the amount of power you can create, and distance the ball will travel. See the video below.
Accuracy is a characteristic we all are looking to have in our games, especially with the shorter irons. Apart from some fundamental keys, like solid balance, there is one particular swing trait all accurate golfers seem to have adopted. On their downswing they get their shaft in line with their lead arm.