The first part of the golf swing really does pave the way for what happens in the rest of the swing. It’s quite common to see players initiate the start of the swing with their arms, hands and club, without any use of the body. A swing initiated by the hands and arms which pushes the club away from the body will result in a wide gap between the two and no turning of the navel. A swing initiated by the clubhead will cause a separation of the elbows and an opening of the clubface. The aim is to get the club arms and body moving away in unison from the ball. This is where the navel drill really helps…
NAVEL DRILL
Assume your normal address position and place the club into your navel, let the arms hang in their natural position. Now feel the navel club, hands and arms move away as one until you are in what we know as the 8 o’clock position.
As we reach this point the butt of the club is still in the navel. You will notice that the club shaft and head is still out in front of you and not behind you like it is when you start the move away with just the clubhead. Also, the upper arms are still resting gently against your upper chest, unlike when you start the move with just the hands and arms. As you look down the line you will notice there is no daylight visible between your arms… The key to a great start to the swing is getting the body, arms, hands and club working away in unison which is why the navel drill will help set you on your way to hitting more solid consistent golf shots.
Head down to the Leadbetter Academy at JA The Resort to pick up some tips to help you lower your scores next time you’re out on the course.
