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BALLANTYNE | tee it up
forced to hunt for the ball, as well as compensate by lunging back into the ball on the downswing.
When shifting your weight by moving your upper body back and behind, the ball literally moves within your line of vision. As your upper body shifts back toward the target during your downswing, your eyes have to search to locate the ball. This moment of hunting will kill your hand- eye coordination and your consistency.
Instead, focus on a pivot that will make the swing more effortless. The best players throughout time make a minimal move away from the golf ball as they rotate their shoulders in a circle around their center. The center of the shoulders should remain fixed throughout the swing to help the club bottom out in the same place every time. By not shifting your weight, and rotating your shoulders correctly, you will create a more centered backswing. As a result, you do not have to rely on timing, and will find the low point in front of the golf ball more consistently.
I hope you enjoy the best golf season ever, and look forward to seeing you at the Dana Rader Golf School. To schedule a
lesson, contact me at akiger@danarader.com, visit www.danarader.com or call 704-542-7635. If you are looking for more golf tips, visit www.drewkiger.wordpress.com for my video blogs.
Check out the video version of this tip at www.ballantynemagazine.com and www.danarader.com.
94 BALLANTYNE MAGAZINE Drill # 1
To keep your body centered in the backswing, have a friend hold a shaft with the grip end an inch behind your right ear (for a right-handed golfer). If you are swaying back in your backswing, you will feel the grip touch your ear. In the backswing allow your left shoulder to turn down more toward the ball, and underneath your chin so that your shoulders are rotating in a circle correctly.
Another version of this drill is to find a door frame at home. Without a club, practice your backswing while keeping the right side of your head against the door frame. This will not allow your body to sway back behind the ball.
Drill # 2
Another great drill is to practice hitting the ground in the right spot. Draw a line in the ground or use your clubs to mark where you want to start your divot.
Practice hitting the ground just ahead of where the golf ball would be, taking a divot ahead of the line. This will help you find the right low point, and you will start catching the ball on the downswing just like the tour pros you'll see this spring at the Wells Fargo Championship. This will result in more pure shots and hitting more greens in regulation.
SEE THIS TIP IN ACTION. Click the icon to watch.
SPRING 2012