ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
components in an effective golf swing is the motion
of the body. Getting your body to move in the proper
sequence will result in more power and efficiency.
This pivoting motion is one of the most difficult
components to repair in the swing due to the uneducated
patterns players have acquired over time. Whether
it is a lift in the backswing, a sway or even
the dreaded reverse-pivot, most golfers have something
going astray in their pivot.
A former instructor of mine once stated, "If
you don't know how to use your body, you shouldn't
use it. However, if you know how to use your body,
then you should use it."
Body motion in the golf swing is a double-edged
sword. A faulty pivot can ruin a swing, but a
good pivot can be a solid foundation for power
and consistency.
The function of the body in the swing is to move
in a small, isolated area to produce efficiency
and power. If you are going to become a solid
ball striker, you must understand the sequence
of the pivot and how it relates to the overall
swing. The sequence of motion your body takes
can be defined in three simple terms -- load,
shift and rotate.
Load
Assuming you have a good setup position where
you have bent forward from the hips and tilted
the upper body away from the target, you are ready
to load into a solid backswing position. The goal
is to turn your shoulders around the back leg
while staying level. As you turn your shoulders,
the hips will turn as well, while the back knee
stays flexed. Be sure to not overcompensate your
turn, which may result in some sort of faulty
movement.
Notice that you have not moved laterally to the
outside of the back leg and that the upper body
is still tilted away from the target. At this
point, you should have more weight on your back
heel and may feel some tension in the right hip.
You are now ready to start the downswing.
Shift
One of the most common errors with the pivot is
starting the downswing with rotation in the upper
body. This throws the club off plane to the outside
and creates an out-to-in swing path, resulting
in pulls and slices.
Try starting the downswing with a lateral shift
in the lower body toward the target. As you do
this, you will feel the trailing shoulder move
down, creating more tilt in the upper body. Many
players explain this move as a bump with the lead
hip and the trailing shoulder working down and
under the chin. This is a very important move
to get the club started down properly. Now that
your weight has transferred to the lead foot,
you are ready to rotate.
Rotate
The final piece to the puzzle is to rotate to
impact and continue all the way to the finish.
It is mandatory that the downswing begins with
a weight shift first and then leads to rotation,
which is truly the hitting sensation. As you rotate
your hips to impact, you will create air under
the right heel, while the front leg braces for
impact. Continue this rotation all the way to
the full finish, where you are standing tall on
the front leg with the back foot now on the toe.
I would recommend that you first practice this
body sequence without a club. Try taking your
normal posture setup with your arms crossed. Place
a chair next to your back leg and another chair
about a fist's width from your front leg. Now
practice loading into your back leg without bumping
the chair and staying level. Once loaded, bump
the front chair by starting the downswing with
a shift. This is a great sensation, as you will
feel the proper amount of lateral motion on the
downswing. Once the front leg touches the front
chair, continue with the rotation to the finish.
Get comfortable with the sequence of the body
first without a club and then slowly add the club
and speed.
