Bobby Eldridge Golf

THIS IS HOW TO LET IT GO!!!

The lesson today is titled “Releasing the Golf Club in the Downswing”.  I was tempted to call it “You CAN NOT Release the Golf Club in the Downswing unless you are in the Correct Position at the top of the Backswing”.   I thought it was a bit long.

I know many of you have struggled over the years with releasing the golf club.  Furthermore I know how frustrated you are reading all of the articles that have been written on the subject.  The problem is simple.  You can not release the golf club if you are not on the correct plane at the top of the backswing. 

If you are not on plane and you do release it you will swing the club either into the ground or on the top of the golf ball.  The lesson I am going to share with you today is going to explain how you can release the golf club into the BACK of the golf ball.

Most of you don’t have to worry about turning too much in the backswing.  However if you do turn too much in the backswing when you release the club in the downswing you will swing over the top of the ball.

Let me tell you exactly how you can teach yourself the correct way to turn in the backswing.  If you are lucky enough to have a small slope on your practice facility you are in business.  I will give you a visual of what the slope should look like and how to use it.  When you address the golf ball on the slope it should be above your feet.  The ideal lie would be where the golf ball was between your ankles and your knees.  DO NOT USE A SLOPE THAT IS BELOW YOUR FEET. 

Once you have addressed the golf ball make sure you sit back on your heels slightly.  From this lie you will develop the feel of turning in the backswing.  As soon as you start the golf club back the right shoulder will turn out of the way and your arms will swing up.  This is what we refer to as staying on plane in the backswing. 

The first 25 shots will feel odd; you might top a few or hit the ground behind some of them.  Give it time and you will begin to see the results. 

If you don’t have a slope to hit from I have another idea.  Address the golf ball and then lift the club head off of the ground three or four inches.  From this position you can simple turn and swing the arms up. 

Isn’t it funny that I haven’t mentioned the release very much?  The reason is simple.  If you get yourself in the correct position at the top of the backswing most of the time the release happens naturally.   

Don’t forget if you have any questions feel free to contact me by opening the Contact Bobby tab.  Come back tomorrow and I will have the continuation lesson on backspin.

Golfingly yours,

Bobby

Tags: Driver, Full Swing, Golf Instruction, Solid Iron Shots by admin
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Stop Slicing Your Driver…Today

Yesterday I told you there are two ways of slicing a golf ball.  Either the face is open at impact or the path the golf club is swinging on is coming to much from outside to inside.  Before I tell you how to fix this mistake I should tell you in a bit more detail what an out to in swing path is. 

When we address the golf ball we have to stand to the side of it.  If you draw a line on the ground from your target (the flag) straight through the middle of the golf ball and pass through it for three more feet that line is referred to as our target line.  It also represents one more thing.  When we swing a golf club back away from the golf ball the club head has to swing away from that line on an arc.  When you swing the club head back down to hit the golf ball it has to return on the exact same path back to the golf ball.  At the moment of impact it is square to that line (only for an inch or two) and then it has to swing past the golf ball on the arc again. 

If you swing the golf club back and forth on an arc (with a square club face) the golf ball will start straight and fly straight at your target.  However if you swing the golf club too far OUTSIDE the target line in the downswing the club head will swing too much to the INSIDE after impact imparting left to right spin on the golf ball.

That is exactly why your golf ball starts off in the left hand rough and ends up in the right hand rough.  OK, now how do you stop it?  #1. Check your ball position.  It is probably too far forward in your stance.  #2.  Check your shoulder alignment.  They are probably aiming too far to the left of your target.  #3 Check to make sure you swing the driver back down on an arc. Draw an arc on the ground behind the golf ball so you can follow it in the downswing.

There is one last thing to keep in mind.  Because the driver has a flatter faced club in your bag, it slices the most.  If you make the same swing with a five iron, the five iron won’t slice nearly as much as the driver.  If you make the same swing mistake with a five iron it will start left but it will fly straight left.  The five iron puts more BACKSPIN on a golf ball and not as much SIDESPIN.

Come back tomorrow and I will have the next couple of steps for creating backspin.

Golfingly yours,

Bobby

Tags: Driver, Fairway woods/Hybrids, Full Swing, Golf Instruction, Hybrids by admin
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IMPORTANT UPDATE: I’m excited to announce my new Golf Video Tips site over at igolffixes.com. I recommend you take a look at my new Golf Driver Slice Module in the new Golf Swing Driver section of the site.

Stop Slicing Your Driver…Today

February 7, 2009

If you have struggled with slicing the golf ball with your driver I have something that is going stop it NOW. A slice is caused by an open clubface at impact, an out to in swing path or BOTH!!! Ouch. Let’s do some self diagnosis for starters.

I will describe some slices and you see if one them fits you. #1. Do you hit your driver down the center of the fairway and then at the last second the golf ball turns off to the right, hits the ground and spins further to the right? Sound familiar? #2. Do you hit your tee shots towards the left rough only to see it wind up in the right rough? Let’s spend a couple of minutes discussing these two very different swing mistakes.

The first mishit is a club face problem and the second one is a swing path problem.

When you hit your tee shot down the center of the fairway only to see it curve to the right that means the clubface was open at impact. There is some great news. There is nothing wrong with your GOLF SWING. However there is something wrong with the clubface. There are two different reasons why the clubface is open at impact.

#1. You are gripping the golf club too weak. A weak grip means your hands are too far to the left on the golf club. When you look down you can’t see any knuckles of the left hand at address. If you can’t see any knuckles of the left hand, simply turn both hands to the right and the face will begin to close in the downswing resulting in a square clubface at impact. #2. The second reason is called grip pressure. If you grip the golf club so tight you look down and your knuckles are white, the clubface is never going to close in time at impact. I have often said you should grip the club like you were holding a baby’s hand. The lighter the grip pressure the quicker the clubface will roll over in the downswing.

I know this will help you stop slicing the golf ball immediately.

If you know you slice the golf ball because of your swing path, come back tomorrow and I will have a great lesson that will help you.

Golfingly yours,

Bobby

Tags: Driver, Full Swing, Golf Instruction by admin
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