How to Plug in a Repeating Swing

Nick Faldo
 

For the better part of 20 years, ever since the reconstruction of my swing in the mid-1980s, I have focused on this halfway-back position via what's become known as an 'early wrist set'. It's quite simple: I look for my wrists to be fully hinged and the club 'set' up on a good plane by the time my left arm is at horizontal.

From here, the swing is pretty well plugged in.

My ultimate goal was to build a swing that I could rely on under pressure, and by simplifying this early move I firmly believe that you can similarly enjoy a more repeating swing - one that rewards you with a noticeably more solid and consistent ball striking.

The beauty of working on this halfway-back position is that all the details of a technically sound swing are encapsulated within it: you have a full wrist hinge, the club is swinging up on plane, and you maintain good body angles. Completing your shoulder turn gets you to the top, whereupon unwinding the body invites the hands and arms into the perfect hitting position.

Turn & hinge: that's my key thought as I prepare to move, and it's one that can help you to enjoy making a better swing more often.

 

Get into the slot and let your body assume control

 

To set the wheels in motion, it's important that you try to get the clubhead swinging as early as you possibly can - hence the value of a good waggle. You don't ever want to move from a static position, so hinge the right wrist back on itself a couple of times to waggle the clubhead and prime a swinging motion.

The key then is basically to combine that free- flowing wrist and arm action with the turning of your upper body to arrive at this halfway- back checkpoint. Rehearse in front of a full- length mirror. The muscles in your hands and arms should be relaxed so that you create a real sense of flow as you swing the weight of the clubhead up.

Remember: turn and hinge.

Once you have the knack of this move, all you have to do is complete a full shoulder turn over the foundation of the hips and knees for a sound backswing. Here I am using an 8-iron, and so the clubshaft, as you would expect in a compact swing, is short of parallel.