Lesson #3

Impact Drill

Turning your hips prior to impact is the next most important thing you should practice. This is what they call "clearing" the hips. This is where most of our power will come from. When we turn back to the top of our swing, it is very easy to just return our hips where they started - square to the ball (or our left and right hip are in a line pointing at the target - the way we set up). This is not enough. Our right hand at impact will be pointing the club face right. The hips must turn past this point (to about 45 degrees) or to as much as you are flexible enough to do it while staying in balance and not swaying forward. If we look at Tiger, the most flexible person on the planet, he is rotated completely around to where his right and left are hip in a line pointing 90 degrees left of the target. His right hand has the luxury of hanging way back and staying very cupped - a very powerful position. Us mortals have to settle for less turn prior to impact, but can get great results if we do this just enough to get the body turning for power and the hands staying cupped for accuracy. Use the big leg muscles for power and the little hand muscles for control.

Indoor drill:
The first lesson is a stretching exercise: Find a tall flat wall (I use a closed door). Take a normal setup address where your left foot is against the door and the right foot is away from the door and your left shoulder touching the door. With or without a club, take a slow swing back, and stop at the top. Then begin the down swing slowly with the hips and rotate them ONLY. The rest of the body (the shoulders and arms) will follow naturally. Get your hips square against the door so that your belly is also pressed against the door. Your left arm should be stopped at the door and not allowed to pass. This is what the impact position should feel like. This may be uncomfortable at first, but get there slowly by doing this drill several times a day. Don't hurt yourself if you feel pain. Try to hold as much of this stretch as possible for as long as possible. Your lower back will get the most benefit from the stretch and you will teach your body that this is the correct position to try to get to. The more you practice this, the easier it will be to get here in a full swing.

Range drill:
The second lesson is done at the driving range. Using the 7-8 iron, stand with your feet very close together (right together is too much, just a little apart will do) and point your toes 45 degrees out towards the target. Our toes point 90 naturally and maybe the left toe will point out to 85 degrees helping the balance in the follow-through. With the toes at this 45-degree position, this is simulating the feeling of your hips at impact "pre-turned". Now hit some shots. Try to use mostly the shoulder turn back and through. Keep the hips generally still. They will want to turn back a little naturally, and try to turn through a little naturally. This is good. Having your feet close together will make you keep your balance and force you "turn" and not slide. If you slide to the ball, you will fall down. Not a good thing to do with others watching.

Don't hit more the 10 shots like this. Go back to the normal stance and try to get your hips to the 45-degree or even more.