Swing Solutions

Your straight leading arm in the back swing is the key ingredient to help you correct your swing.

To help you change from an over the top swing, you may want to try positioning your feet for a draw swing with a closed stance [point your leading foot directly at the hitting line (not flared) and your lagging foot shifted 1 or 2 inches back from the hitting line].  Keep your lagging elbow bent near your side.  Sergio Garcia points out that this helps you swing from inside to out (to eliminate those crazy slices).

After getting the feel for your new inside to out swing, your swing pattern will change and you may want to eliminate the draw stance or minimize it.  Just change back to a normal in-line stance but keep your club coming from the inside instead of over the top.

To overcome the bent leading arm in your back swing you need to learn a NEW swing.

Correct stance (possibly a draw stance for extreme over the top hitters, see October 15 BLOG), light grip and keeping your eye on the ball are all required. Each person will have their own problems remaining from their existing swing and a lesson may be required. I’m also suggesting that you try the approach that I learned from the pros and Sergio Garcia. You need to put some effort into learning your new swing and then focusing during every swing. Repeating a poor swing will never solve your problems.

To help with your swing cadence ( and to block out all external thoughts ) I find it helpful to say the same phrase during each swing. By doing this you think of nothing else during your swing:

“Straight Arm . . . . . . . . . . Sweep in aaaand Finish”

Start your swing at rest with a reminder of your practice with GOLFSTR to keep your leading arm straight through the back-swing by saying to yourself: “Straight Arm” (as you breathe and relax your shoulders and grip).

Then say the following as you complete your swing:

“sweep” as you start the takeaway by rolling and hinging your wrists to point the toe of the club up,
“in” as you keep your lagging elbow into or near your side (Power Plane by Sergio Garcia),
“aaaand” during the smooth transition at the top aim at the inside back portion of the ball (swinging from inside to out),
“Finish” [at the point of impact] as you swing to a photo finish with your belt buckle pointing at the target.

“Straight Arm . . . . . . . . . Sweep-in-aaaand-Finish”

This is just a suggestion as it has helped others during their transition to their new swing. Saying these words will help you slow down your swing and smooth out the transition at the top of the swing.

Changing your golf swing is not easy. GOLFSTR is an important aid to help you get there.