If you were to watch any of the PGA Tour players
on slow-motion video, you could see how well they
hit down into the turf as they swing through the
golf ball.
Whether the legends of the game from decades
ago or today’s young guns, they all sustain
the same downward angle until after they’ve
contacted the ball.
It is always exciting to see the faces on amateur
players when they achieve this same impact position.
It is a great feeling when the clubhead strikes
the ball first and then the ground. This type
of “trapping” sensation allows the
ball to compress against the ground, which results
in a penetrating ball flight that achieves maximum
distance.
It is a common error to see a clubhead that is
moving upward as it reaches the ball. Often times,
inexperienced golfers try to help the ball up
into the air with a scooping action rather than
allow the clubhead to strike down into the ground.
To achieve a descending clubhead path through
impact, the clubshaft needs to be returned to
the ball leaning forward. To accomplish this,
you must have a bent trailing wrist, the right
wrist for a right-handed golfer. If your trailing
wrist is bent at impact, the clubshaft will lean
forward. When the clubshaft leans forward at impact,
the clubhead will be moving down and accelerating.
The key is to keep this descending angle not
just to the ball but also beyond impact so that
the swing’s low point is reached a few inches
after contacting the ball. The low point of the
swing will be reached when the trailing arm has
straightened. This will feel as if you are pushing
down with the right arm. This is great if it is
sustained through the ball to this low point after
impact.
Secondly, with a descending clubhead path, you
need to support this motion by allowing your weight
to be on the lead (left) foot at impact. To achieve
a proper divot in front of the ball, your weight
must shift to the left along with some rotation
to open the body toward the target.
A useful checkpoint is to feel air under the
trailing heel at impact. This assures that you
have shifted most of your weight to your lead
side.
When practicing, hit several half to three-quarter
punch shots. Keep your backswing to a minimum
and hit shots while trying to keep the finish
down and abbreviated. Start by not allowing the
clubhead to travel above the left hip during the
finish. We call these “impact zone swings.”
They allow you to educate yourself on the feeling
of compressing the ball with a downward blow.
When you commit to keeping the clubhead down,
your body must respond and do the right thing.
Start with these little punch shots and then work
your way up to fuller swings as the proper motion
through impact becomes automatic.
