I’ve conducted a few lessons recently that have centered around the same general topic, so I thought I’d briefly write about it.
The topic is connection, or another way of describing it would be pressure.
Are you applying pressure in the correct manner and in the correct places during the swing?
Are you applying pressure under your feet? your arms against your torso? your hands against the club?
In many cases, chances are you’re not – and anyone of these pressure points described above (if not applied correctly) can have a debilitating effect on your swing.
I could go on for hours about the feet being connected to the ground, or why the three pressure points in the hands are so important. But one issue that seems to plague golfers the most is an inability to keep the arms connected to the torso.
There are a number of ways of building up the correct sensation. Place a tee peg under each arm pit while swinging. The objective is to hit balls without the tee pegs falling out from under your arms.
You can train with a Tour Striker Smart Ball. Click here to watch the video by Martin Chuck
Or you can place a towel under your arms and practice hitting balls while keeping the towel firmly against your torso. The only way to do this is by keeping your arms pinched against your torso throughout the whole move.
This kind of connection is essential as it not only keeps your arms and body connected during the takeaway and backswing, but it will help you feel your upper body pulling/rotating during the transition into your downswing which pulls your arms down back in front of your body. This could be described as the upper left torso pulling the upper left arm. If there’s no connection – there’s no pulling!
And if there’s no pulling, there’s no LAG!
Don’t forget the literal translation of LAG is “Something that lags behind something else”..
The body pulls the arms, which pull the hands, which lags the club head behind.
If the body isn’t pulling/rotating to begin your downswing, you can bet by the time your club reaches impact the shaft isn’t leaning forward enough. You’ll hit top shots, thin shots and your ball striking won’t be very consistent.
Here’s a short video illustrating the Towel Under The Arms Drill.
Where does the pressure point or in what sequence do the pressure points start and end ?
Thanks,
Walt
Hi Walt,
You want all you pressure points activated and ready to fire during the setup. Meaning, they are switched on and ready to do a job (aka make a good swing at the ball) without losing any attachment.
The feet against the ground, the hands attached to the club and most definitely the arms against the torso.
Try and think about your arms as being steel rods. This way you’ll start to operate them in a rigid manner with some structure.
Although the pressure moves into the right foot during the start of the backswing, it should be back under the front foot by the top of the swing.
Also, at the top, try and feel an increase in pressure in the right hand trigger finger (PP#3). This is when the right hand is bent to it’s maximum and the left hand is starting to bow. This not only help keep the club head being the hands longer coming down but also helps keep the left arm straight. You want to then feel the right hand trigger finger driving the club through and post impact. The right hand should still be bent through impact.
As for the arms, as mentioned, the objective is to keep the arms against the torso throughout the entire swing. The Tour Striker Smart Ball is great training aid. But just to get going, pinch some tee pegs under your armpits and keep them there though the swing. Go slow and small to begin with, it gets easier..
Hope that helps
wow, someone who is trying to teach the truth in the golf swing!
I’ll look into getting a tour striker smart ball.
Thanks James
James ,
Watched your videos this morning. Great stuff! I like the early wrist break with the feeling of the club head in your fingers. I worked with the magic move early wrist break, and simple golf Terry Bradley feet pressure , grip, posture and head behind the ball. All good teachings. So far your explanation on takeaway is understandable. I’m definitely missing keeping my arms connected to my body. I know I swing to hard at times. I can shoot low 70,s to mid 90,s, very frustrating. When I’m swinging good there’s no effort. Unfortunately I don’t know why I’m swinging good? It seems that I might move on to different swing thoughts that get sent to me and loose focus on basics?
I go to Fredericksburg, VA at least once a month from Pgh. Pa. Do you schedule lessons? I think it would help to have a live lesson?
Again, thanks,
Walt
Thanks! I’ve just sent you a email regarding booking a lesson.
James,
I have to get back to you. I have a driving net , Radar swing speed sensor in my back yard.
Just came in after watching your videos. Feet pressure, keeping my arms connected to body ( elbows tight), one piece takeaway out over right foot, early wrist break and hands pressure? That sounds like a lot, but it seems to happen automatic when you keep your arms connected to the body , use feet and early wrist break? Anyway , my swing speeds have increased 10-12 MPH consistently with minimum effort, good finish with excellent balance. Hope I can keep it!
Thank you for your insight!
Walt
Thanks Walt, you’re welcome.
Hello James mate. Great video and as I get back into playing more recently this little drill will be really helpful.
Thanks for all your uploads and spreading the love of the game as a true scholar of the sport. You’re awesome.
Will stay in touch for sure. Cheers buddy, Sam
Thanks Sam. Hope You’re well…
“Maintaining these connections through the swing, should give the feeling that the arms and the club form one unit creating what most teachers refer to as a “triangle with the shaft emerging as a spire at it’s apex.” Although the connection of the arms to the torso are constant, these initial locations of the connections are not. Both will change during the back-swing. The right arm (furthest from the target) will change the most.
Excerpt From: Mike Stair. “Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons.”
Agreed!