Article #2
Featured Teacher: Pinky Paxton
(to meet this week's teacher go to www.oneputpress.com/teachers_paxton.cfm)
It kills me to watch people come out of their socks swingin' at the golf ball. Of course, they think they're gonna get more power if they turn their body faster, but for most folks, turnin' the body faster actually makes the club go slower.
Swingin' hard steals extension!
Picture Ernie Els swingin' the golf club. It doesn't look like he's goin' after it too hard, does it? But, the ball comes off his club like it's been shot out of cannon.
Now, I know there aren't too many of us who can swing like Ernie, but if you'll perform this simple little experiment with me, you'll understand why it is great players hit the ball a mile even though they look like they're hardly swingin' at all.
Choke up a little on an 8-iron, set up like you're addressing a ball, and take the club to the top of the backswing. Next, take your left hand off the club (assuming you're right handed). Now, stay tilted over in a golf posture as you extend your right arm straight up until your elbow is about as high as your ear, and your palm is facing straight up like you're holding a tray of glasses. That's a pretty wide swing arc you just created (probably wider than you normally have), but let me show you how people still manage to lose it.
With the first swing from this position (we still just got one hand on the club) pull your arm down as fast as possible as you rotate your body as quickly as possible. Weak? Uncoordinated? Narrow? You're darn right, but this is how most people try to generate power.
All right, the second swing: This time, from that nice, extended position, rotate your body at a snail's pace-I'm talking slowly-concentrating on hitting every hour on the clock as come from the top of the swing (12 o'clock) to impact (6 o'clock), and on through to the finish. Powerful? Balanced? Wider? You betcha.
Well, the same relationship exists with your normal, two-handed swing. In other words, when you pull hard with the arms (and/or rotate too quickly) you're weaker, less coordinated and narrower-the same with two hands as one. So, next time you feel yourself swingin' out of control, I suggest you take a few choked up, one-handed swings to get a sense of what proper, power-producing tempo is all about. Do it every time you practice and you'll start feelin' like some of them players you watch on Sunday afternoon.
And, by the way, as long as we're talking about extension, you might oughtta work toward getting your right arm in that good, extended position with two hands on the club. But, that's another lesson… I hope this helps.
Signed,
Pinky Paxton
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