What is Golf’s Golden Rule for Consistency?

To consistently hit a golf ball there is only one Golden Rule: The distance from your shoulders to the ball at address must be identical at impact. That is why repetition of a simple consistent swing is the only way to improve your game. Unfortunately our minds and our flexibility continue to change throughout each game of golf. Adrenalin, extraneous thoughts, aching muscles, energy release from food and the ever changing turf & conditions of the golf course are fighting against your success.

To solve these problems I found a few ideas that you may want to consider:

1/ Mike Bender, a Golf Digest Top 5 Teacher and 2009 PGA Teacher of the Year, has used the secrets he learned from his “robot golfer” to transform the games of multiple PGA Tour Champions like Zach Johnson and Jonathan Byrd. He uses a swing plane board to train for a consistent single plane takeaway and the identical return to the ball. Unfortunately most of us are not designed to swing in a single plane like Iron Byron (the machine that tests golf balls) and the amazing Moe Norman.

We can’t swing or think like a “robot golfer” because the human body has so many moving parts. Power comes from our legs, hip rotation, shoulder rotation and the whipping action from our arm and wrist release. Even Mike Bender adapts the swing into 2 planes: one plane below his shoulders and another above his shoulders. The one thing that we should take away from Mike’s approach is that a simple consistent straight leading arm swing is the only way to hit the perfect shot every time.

2/ Bryson DeChambeau is a new PGA Professional using irons which are all cut to the same length. You still need to learn to use a longer shafted driver and fairway metals for more distance so this approach is not a complete solution. Adopting his concept would force you to reinvent your game and to pay for a pretty expensive specialty set of clubs.

3/ Straight Arm Swing:  We are already accounting for the distance from our shoulders to the ball in our setup using conventional clubs. After we adjust each setup for each hit with the right club selection, grip and stance, we really do need to swing with a similar motion to hit our drives, fairway shots and approach shots. Rotation of your hips, shoulders and straight leading arm, while holding you head in the same position, is the key to your consistent impact with the ball. Rory McIlroy does it so well.

Real progress comes from repetition without adding extra movement during your swing.  Of course there is a weight shift back and then a hip bump in the transition as your weight shifts forward to your leading leg in your downswing. You need to practice the correct straight leading arm motion for the takeaway, backswing (with wrist lag) and downswing (wrist release). Consistency is the key to success. Use an athletic, balanced setup with a straight leading arm. Maintaining the same knee flex and spine angle throughout the rotation of your backswing and down swing with a straight leading arm will create the consistent distance to your ball.

If you are bending your leading arm during the backswing and downswing, you will just add to the complexity of your swing. Timing the return to a straight arm at the point of impact is a problem that you don’t need.

Improve your swing by practicing with GOLFSTR+ to keep you leading arm straight and your leading wrist flat for more consistency. Buy one on line at www.golfstr.com