The Swing Imagined As a Closing Door

I already have a good swing.  However, I have this problem of topping the ball.  I cannot seem to be able to naturally get a divot.  I always struggle with this, my club coming back behind the ball or topping the ball.  Never a consistent depth, so to say.

One of the things I work on is fully cocking the club with the left hand until it pulls my left shoulder. This works and the club really digs in but I tend not to do this full cocking every time.  Another thing is full cocking is really not needed in every shot.

One of the things I have been tinkering on is imagining the swing like a door. Bring the club up along the open door (ala Nicklaus) and at the top, just slam the door shut.  This means that the ball is hit while the body is already past the ball - which may be the correct way.  We will see. Time will tell.

Well, here it is, day 2.  This idea of a closing door has some merit but it does not feel natural to me. However, seeing a swing of Rory McIlroy on the TV commercial of Rolex watch, reminded me about his right hip being the engine of his swing. His right hip moves first and the upper body just follows.

To make the story short, if I bring up the club up to the point where the right forearm and biceps are fully anchored on my right side - like a door fully opened -  I can actually bring my right hip forward and around, the club is pulled in automatically with that NATURAL feeling.  In addition, the clubhead comes back to the ground on the same spot it was on setup.  What else can I ask for?  This discovery seems to be a natural progression to the one I was writing about in the previous posting - so this is how I should play right now - the Rory McIlroy's way.

Just remember, the important thing here is the upswing finishing with the right upper body (right side) feeling the arms (biceps) very tucked in on the right side and with a feeling of very well connection (like glued) to the body (and therefore, the right hip).  So when the right hip starts, I can feel my arm, the club and everything being pulled by it - and bang - big hit and divot!

Golf, Ready, Set, Go

What could be the best way to remember how the golf swing should be executed.  It should also be a reminder that is so simple enough that you can use it while you are playing golf... that is, if you are forgetting how to play golf while playing.  This situation has happened to all of us a lot of time.  What could we do to fix the problem?  Well this might be one way of doing it.  Just remember to say to yourself, "Golf ready, set, Go!"

Golf

On this topic, we should always remember the set-up.  Go through the correct grip, stance, etc.  Do not put too much emphasis on this topic.  I myself just want to make sure that my grip is solid, the left hand more on the neutral position.  I like to slightly drop my right shoulder and check my club angle in order to avoid skulling the ball (my tendency as a result of a flat swing).

Ready

Here I will be thinking first of starting the takeaway with the left hand on a steep trajectory - along the same alignment as the two feet, almost pointing the club upward - twelve o'clock when cocked (see Set below).  Pretty much, I imagine the golf plane to be steeper.  This word reminds me that the left arm takes the club up - along the same alignment of the two feet.

Set

Set to me means that I have to cock the club at the top - still with the left hand and wrist.  It is worthwhile to mention that the takeaway is all done with the left arm and left wrist/hand.  Also, the cocking is done almost pointing perpendicular - twelve o'clock -  to the ground as I tend to be flat on my plane.  Having a flat plane leads to skulling the balls.  Having a steeper plane promotes the divot.

It is also noteworthy to mention that the takeaway is a smooth pronating movement of the clubhead from the ball to the cocking at the top - very connected feeling... all orchestrated by the left hand (pronating along the steep plane).   THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BECAUSE THE TAKEAWAY IS ALSO A PULLING FORCE.  THE LEFT HAND STARTS ON THE GRIP GOING UP AND SMOOTHLY PULLS THE CLUBHEAD UP UNTIL IT REACHES THE TOP - SOMETHING LIKE A SLING ACTION BUT SMOOTHLY DONE.

Go!

Go means "Go SPIN The Body!"  The forward swing is never done with the arms or the hands.  It is all the upper body spinning around and pulling the arms and the club up the picture perfect finish.  IT IS THE SPIN, STUPID! The force comes from the spin or turn and pulling action of the upper body - not the hips as envisioned before.  RORY DOES IT THIS WAY!

DO NOT FORGET

Everything in golf is a pulling action.  The TAKEAWAY is a good example - as explained above.  However, the golf hit although it is a pulling action is not particularly done by pulling but by spinning the body (a pull but not just a pull).  Also, since the main force is the pull, particular attention must be rendered on having a solid grip.