A Sure Fix For Improving Your Swing
Most amateurs sway on their backswing, plain and simple. It’s about the easiest thing to do in golf. And it’s very destructive to consistent shot making.
Your hips may not move, but if your cervical spine moves away from the target as you make your backswing, you’re going to have a difficult time making consistently good contact. In fact, it’s almost impossible.
Note, I said move away from target during the swing. Setting up with a spine tilt is required for many shots.
The spine is the axis about which the hips and shoulders rotate. If the spine moves other than rotationally during the backswing, then you have to make a compensating move on the way down to get it back to where it should be.
This changes the degree of difficulty of the swing from a 5 to a 10. The spinal column, particularly the lumbar area, does move a little on the downswing, but’s that a discussion for another time.
The active tilting or swaying of the cervical spine during the backswing causes a problem with every shot from the putter to the driver. Try taking some s-l-o-w swings with attention on your cervical spine and see if it’s moving. Correct it and you’ll see immediate improvement in your game.
Let me warn you, it’s not easy to correct this fault. It requires a lot of practice to make a change in mechanics stick. As soon as you focus on something else it will creep back into your swing. Repetition is the key to success and this is something you can practice at home without hitting a ball. I find it helpful to start with chipping and work up to the full swing.
On the full swing, if you coil beyond your flexibility limits, then it’s almost guaranteed that you will sway. Solid golf shots are mostly about timing, smoothness and tempo. If you try to coil more than your flexibility allows, you’ll destroy your structural integrity and a consistent swing will be all but impossible.
Related posts:
- Swing Keys vs Swing Thought
- Fix a Shank and a Lot More
- Out of Position Right Knee in the Golf Swing
- Cure For The Shanks
- Hip Slide To Stay Behind The Ball
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Comments
Hi Freed,
Well you summed it up perfectly in your opening line, “To get a perfect swing is a dreams for every golfer, but to make it consistent it really difficult.”
And it is a dream for EVERY golfer – pro and amateur alike!
However, the one “time-tested” unequivocal solution for getting more consistency is (drumroll . . . .)
PRACTICE.
Gee, who ever heard of that, right!? The more you put in the more you get out. Actually pretty simple.
Doug
Doug, you’re right on – practice, practice, practice. Of course it has to be the right practice. I’d put stretching on the same level if you want to be consistent at any age.
Great article,
Usually I have found the quickest fix for the sway as mentioned is slowing everything down. When you do this you’ll find it easier to keep your legs quiet and your spine in a better position during the golf swing.
Cheers
To get a perfect swing is a dreams for every golfer, but to make it consistent it really difficult.
Great information I get here, thanks.