Practicing the Shoulders Swing

You know that finshing your backswing is integral to hitting good shots. Yet pressure and impatience make it one of the first fundamentals you forget (the real problem is time - you tend to forget over time - in weeks - and the shoulders get lazy and the arms take over). First your backswing gets short, then your transition gets quick, and suddenly solid contact is elusive (and you start shanking!). This creates a nasty cycle: the more your ball striking deteriorates, the more you shorten and quicken your swing to compensate.

When something goes wrong, check your full backswing first. Your entire swing should feel long and slow, powerful but almost effortless. To make sure the backswing does't get short, Freddie Couples practices hitting shots without it. Instead of addressing the ball, start at the top of the swing, hold it for a few seconds, and then swing through. Hitting a few dozen balls this way not only helps your body get more comfortable with a full backswing position, it's a good way to work on your downswing timing and hand-eye coordination.