Working on the striking motion

The striking motion.

The first stage of a clear understanding of the golf swing is to understand how the ball is struck, the motion through impact. The club strikes the ball with a descending blow. The ball is struck and then the turf. The divot is taken after the ball. The correct striking motion is that the ball is being driven forward and the loft on the club makes the ball go up.

Possibly the most destructive swing fault is the effort to lift the ball off the ground. This creates an ascending blow, the real reason for the majority of topped shots. An excellent drill to create the desired impact is to preset the impact position by pushing the right knee towards the left and allowing the heel to come up slightly. Push the hands a little ahead of the ball. Straighten the left knee slightly. This is a good impact position. From this point swing back a few feet and swing through until the club is level with the ground. The body should be facing the target.

This drill should allow you to feel the correct descending blow through impact. Notice that the divot is taken after the ball.

Terry Gingell, a PGA pro, is the Director of Instruction at Eagle Valley Golf. For more information on summer sports camps, junior golf camps and private and group adult lessons please call Terry, 887-7174.