Move Over... Then Hit It -2

Going nowhere...

The reverse pivot is one of the most common and destructive faults in golf. Invariably, it kills all hope you might have of creating a good back swing coil and hitting solid shots.

When your weight lingers on your left side as you reach the top of your back swing, not only do you destroy the fluency of your motion but you create a situation which, inevitably, will result in your, weight traveling away from the target as you unwind back to the ball.

In other words, if you are susceptible to a reverse pivot, your weight transfer is fighting the direction (and the logic) of your swing. The result? A weak and choppy attack on the ball, poor distance, poor accuracy.

Turn, and get on to your right side

Don't be afraid to move off the ball and really get behind it when you make your back swing. You simply must get across and on to your right side if you want to give yourself any chance of releasing the club head at speed through impact.

Many people worry about moving the head during the swing. Don't. Watch the best players in the world and you will notice they move their head a little to the right to facilitate a full shoulder turn and thus encourage a full wind-up.

Shifting your weight in harmony with the direction of the swing is particularly important for women when it comes to creating power. As a swing key, think about getting your left shoulder across to a position above your right knee. Achieve that, and you will be in good shape.

As the body turns, the arms swing... freely

I feel that my swing is more or less controlled by the turning (rotary) motion of my upper body. But at the same time I do like to focus on swinging my hands up high to achieve a good position at the top, the club parallel with the ball-to-target line.

In this position, my weight is supported on my right side, and from here I am aware of a great sense of 'unwinding the spring' as I accelerate freely into the back of the ball. The conclusion to all this is that I 'free¬wheel' to finish with the majority of my weight now on my left side, my body having turned completely through the shot.

The thoughts contained within this article suit my game and help me to play consistent golf. If you can spend a little time to put these ideas into action, I guarantee you will hit better and longer shots.