Practicing your golf swing is all about getting your repetitions in, but it doesn’t mean you have to smash balls all day – Alex Noren style!
he most common thing I see on the range is when a player slices one shot then over-compensates and hooks the next shot. They don’t have enough control over their movement pattern or swing shape. Work on your most natural movements to develop your swing and do it in a way where you are not reacting to poor shots by over compensating! I get my students to develop their movement pattern, using the following exercises for around 5-10 minutes before hitting balls – and it really pays off.
1. TWO THUMB PRACTICE
A. Set up in an athletic golf posture with your arms hanging under your shoulder-line. Make two fists with your thumbs pointing out like you’re holding a car steering wheel 10 to 2.
B. Start your motion using your right shoulder, keeping your hands under your shoulders until the classic 9 o’clock position. When you reach that spot, spiral your thumbs ‘Back and Up’ to get a sense of loading the wrists, arms and shoulders to the top of the backswing.
C. Slowly turn the right shoulder back into its original position, returning your arms and thumbs squarely into impact. If done correctly there should be pressure built up and the hips will have started to open automatically at impact. Repeat this drill and become fluent at it, like learning a dance routine!
2. LEFT HAND ONLY
Place the club in your left hand and repeat the motion. This time, try and keep the right hand mirroring where it would be on the club. Notice how the club points at the belt-line (primary line) until it reaches the 9 o’clock position.
Slowly work your club up to the top of your backswing and back to square at impact. Repeat until it flows (might feel like a workout for some of you!)
3. BOTH HANDS
Finish off with two hands on the club, starting the motion with the right shoulder and spiralling the thumbs ‘Back and Up.’ Hit some balls to finish incorporating the changes.
