Do you find yourself getting frustrated around the greens, turning an easy par into a bogey or double from bad contact? This month, I am going to take you through my exact setup process and technique to get you closer to the hole around the green.
To start, have your feet a clubhead-width apart at setup with the ball in line with your right toe. Starting with the feet close together and ball position back helps set you up for solid contact.
Grip down to the bottom of your grip. Once you have gripped down and your ball position and stance width are correct, stand tall and hold your arms straight out in front of you with your club, pointing your thumbs down and squeezing your elbows together. (Ladies, for these shots, I find it’s easier to keep your elbows close together to help have better contact if you have your arms resting on top of your breasts.)
From here, slowly hinge from your hips, pushing your hips back slightly and lowering your clubhead to the ground. Keep squeezing your elbows together at setup. From here, lean towards your lead side as if you are leaning against a wall and point your grip towards your lead side, where your hands are in front of the ball to start. Keep your weight on your lead side throughout the entire swing and your hands in front of the clubhead throughout the entire swing.
To swing, keep your arms long and extended, your weight on your lead side, and rock your shoulders back and through. Be sure to finish tall with your arms extended and long. For impact, focus on hitting the ground in front of the ball as you rotate, finishing with your entire body facing the target.
Drill No. 1: Place an alignment stick three inches behind the ball, and if you hit the alignment stick, this means your weight was on your trail side instead of your lead side throughout the swing.
Drill No. 2: Have the same stance width and ball position, grip down to the bottom of the grip, having only your trail hand on the club. Point the grip towards your lead hip, having your hand in front of the golf ball. Have your weight on your lead side the entire swing. From here, keep your hand in front of the clubhead the entire swing and finish with your palm facing the target, not the sky. If your palm finishes facing the sky, you used your wrist and hand, making a scooping motion instead of rotating your body and allowing the clubhead to fall down to the ground as you rotate.
Explanations of Technique: Why do you finish tall? If you finish in a bent-over position, a lot of times that means your head got lower throughout the shot, which will cause you to top, skull or chunk the ball. Also, if you finish bent over, that makes it harder to rotate and easier for your arms to separate through impact, causing a fat, thin or topped shot.
Why do your feet have to be so close together? This restricts your head, keeping your head still throughout the swing, and makes it easier to keep your weight on your lead side and not sway.
Why does your weight have to be on your lead side? This helps you hit the ball first, eliminating fat, topped and skulled shots.
Follow me at kirsten_pgapro for more tips to lower your scores.
Kirsten Pike is the Director of Player Development at Las Colinas Country Club. For more tips, follow @kirsten_pgapro on Instagram or call or text 972-399-9040. Please visit www.kirstenpikegolf.com.