Golf Swing Turning Drill - The Best in Golf Page 5

by Steve Fontaine
Valley Golf
Saginaw, MI
copyright 2003
All rights reserved
FREE Full Printable Version of "The Best in Golf" Golf Tips

Developing golfing skills through training: The Turning Drill for Improvement on Your Golf Swing

The turning drill -- More Swing Training

Start from a normal golf set-up with good posture. Your posture is your balance. Don't just bend at the waist, you'll have too much weight hanging out over the ball. Push your hips and rear back with slightly bent knees. If your rear is pushed back a proper distance, it will act as a counter weight and allow you to maintain your spine angle with perfect balance. Before you start, cock your wrists upwardly until your club shaft is parallel to the ground. Your arms should still be hanging straight down. A paint stick, ruler or short shaft works well in place of a golf club.

The turning motion starts clockwise, as it would in a normal back swing. The right shoulder should lead, but it will be hard to feel because we do not lift or bend the right arm while doing this drill. Turn the shoulders until both shoulders are even with the right hip. Stop here and compare your mirrored image to that of the diagrams. This part of the drill is shoulders only. Don't encourage the hips to turn . They will turn slightly on their own. The arms should not go up and down at all. The hands should keep the shaft pointing to the center of your body throughout the motion. Figures 1A and 1B represent this position. They are the same position shown from two different mirror angles. It helps to imagine a level table top surrounding you. Imagine the shaft resting flat on the table top. When you turn the shaft slides level along the surface of the table as it follows your shoulders. If done correctly your spine angle should never change. From this position you are ready to start the forward turn.
The forward turn should be level. The shaft should remain on the table, pointing to the center of your body, all the way to the finish position. The right leg should support the turn as the left shoulder takes the lead. The left shoulder should not drag or pull the right side of your body. It should lead with only enough effort to clear a path for the right side to come through. Maintain your spine angle and hold it while in the finished position. If you cannot hold your finish, be smoother or adjust your posture at set-up until it allows you to finish in perfect balance. Smoothness should be a priority as soon as you obtain the ability to perform this move. Figures 2A and 2B show the finish position from two different mirror angles. Place these illustrations on the ground or next to your mirror, so you can compare as you train. Make these moves as athletic as possible, don't just go thru motions like a robot.

Left-handed version of "The Best in Golf" -- Golf tips for training