What works for John Daly will not work for the recreational golfer. If you are trying to break 100, 90 or 80 —- you need to focus on a GREAT GRIP and a CONTROLLED RIP. Training with GOLFSTR for a straight leading arm in the back swing and through impact is the right starting point but your GRIP and HINGE gives you the POWER.
Blog readers have heard me say this before: THIS IS NOT BASEBALL. Recreational players often grab their club like it is a baseball bat. This causes you to lose about 15 degrees of club angle in your back-swing and mobility at the point of impact — where club head speed is so important.
I am not going to give you a lesson on the GRIP as I am not the pro but I want to point out the key component that Sergio Garcia (and all other pros) use in their grip to get maximum power:
A baseball bat is gripped through the center of your hands next to the fat muscle at the base of your thumb. A golf club needs a gentle but firm grip along the base of your fingers. The difference in this grip gives you 15 degrees more angle from your leading arm to your club and allows you to hinge your club head 15 degrees further in your back swing. [BENDING YOUR ARM IN THE BACK SWING IS THE WRONG SOLUTION.]
The wrist hinge (not a bent elbow) in the back swing is where your power comes from. Holding the 90 degree angle (from your straight arm to the club) through the down-swing is called LAG. Instead of “casting” the club out at the start of the down swing you need to hold the 90 degree hinge or lag angle. Only release your wrists (like cracking a whip or skipping a stone) at the bottom of the downswing. CLICK FOR VIDEO: Rory McIlroy displays an amazing example of this swing in slow motion.
GOLFSTR just reminds you to keep your leading arm straight throughout the swing until impact. Practice the grip and full swing in slow motion at the driving range or in your practice swing. Get the feel for holding the hinge and lag until you release your wrists through impact.
