{ FOR THE
OF LEARNING }
THE SEQUENCE
OF LEARNING
THE GOLF SWING
SUELLEN
NORTHROP
The following steps is a golfer's learning sequence. Learning these
fundamentals out of order will often lead to poor swing habits and
definitely poor ball flight. Let's keep learning how to keep the golf
club moving better and faster.
A golfer's primary focus should be to swing the club
rather than hit the ball. What does that mean? Since
it is the club that strikes the ball, let's remember two
important things: 1) arms and hands swing separately
from body turn 2) the roll of wrist movement in clubhead
speed. The flight of a golf ball, (airtime) and distance the
ball travels depends on the speed of the clubhead.
" Hold " on the club allows the arms to swing well
enough and correctly enough to rhythmically pivot the
shoulders. The shoulders can then affect the hips and
weight shift. Longtime golfers have already learned
to swing their arms and hinge the wrists so the body
coils. This makes their shoulders turn and a weight shift
becomes a noticeable and natural occurrence for them.
Make sure your hold on the golf club doesn't prevent the
hinging of the wrists. Check your grip, paying particular
attention to thumbs not being on top of grip (at 12
o'clock), but rather slightly on opposite sides. Left thumb
at 1 o'clock and right thumb at 11 o'clock. - See photo.
Since we stand on the side of a golf ball, the club will
constantly be opening and closing like a door. The golfer
needs to start the club face square and perpendicular to
the target line like a door jamb. Check that the scoring
lines (the grooves on the clubface) start perpendicular
to the target line and picture them extending into the
middle of your stance for most golf shots.
Learn to properly hinge the right wrist at the top of the
golf backswing so you can unhinge into impact and
rehinge the left hand on the follow through. A poor grip
will prevent any hinging and thus remove the whipping
of the clubhead.
As your clubhead picks up speed, whipping on the swing arc, you
will notice that the clubhead whip will allow an athletic weight shift
and rotation that feels fast, whipping and effortless. Your hands and
arms will move the hips and the shoulders, followed by your feet.
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