By Maxx Johnson
It is nearly impossible to hit a good golf shot and have your optimal swing speed if your balance is not maintained throughout the golf swing. All Top 100 teachers like Butch Harmon and Rick Smith would agree. It sounds pretty simple, just keep your balance. However, with a lot of tension in your grip, arms and shoulders, it is very difficult to make a good golf swing and maintain your balance during your swing.
Golfers hear all the time that you do not have to swing the golf club hard in order to hit a long drive. The example of Ernie Els swing is used often when trying to illustrate this theory. Ernie has talked on many occasions that he depends on his timing to create his power with an efficient swing as opposed to plain brut force. You can learn a lot about the golf swing by watching good players like Ernie Els and watching how they stay in balance.
You can first find your balance at address through the feelings in your feet. First understand that balance works two ways in your feet. As you set up to the golf ball, first find your balance in your feet by feeling more weight on your toes and then your heels until you are centered. Once your have found your balance from back to front, do the same going from left and right.
Now make your golf swing. During your golf swing, you should not tighten muscles in your shoulders, arms and hands. When this does happen your muscles contract and become shorter. Using that picture it is easy to see that without manipulating the club, the ball will be hit higher or more towards the equator of the ball. This will result in a thin shot or even a worm burner. Most people manipulate the club to try to get back down to the ball correctly. When in balance, your goal is to take a divot that starts just on the target side of the ball with all irons.
Once in your finish position, hold this position for a count of three seconds. Most golfers are so out of balance that they have a hard time not falling over. As you continue to make swings, slow down until you are able to stay in balance for that count of three. Again, your weight should be in balance with your weight positioned underneath your shoe strings of your target side foot.
As you are at the practice facility, start with your wedge and take a few three quarter swings. You need to ask yourself three questions. Before you swing, ask yourself .Am I in balance?. This will be checked through your feet. Second, after your swing, again ask yourself "Am I in balance?" This will be monitored by checking your posture after counting to the number three. Finally, ask yourself if during your swing you had tension in your shoulders, arms and hands. If the answers are yes, yes and no then you are on your way to shooting better scores.
Maxx Johnson of VGS Golf Click to learn how to create more Clubhead Speed. Click for more info on Golf Instruction.
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