Keep your swing on track

By John Carco

The best and most comprehensive drill I‘ve ever seen to build a solid repetitive golf swing is the “Toe-up to Toe-up Half Swing.” This drill allows you to practice all the key elements of a good golf swing from grip to follow through and can even be used to get out of trouble on the course. The essence of the drill is comparing where you are at key points in the swing against where you should be.

Mechanics

There are fundamental positions for both the golf club and body during a full swing. By comparing where you are against the “text book” swing you can build a solid and consistent swing.  Here’s the checklist (for a right-handed golfer):

GRIP: Use light pressure and make sure you see three knuckles on left hand. The hands should feel like a single unit.

ALIGNMENT:  Pick an object a few feet in front of ball that’s in direct line with target and square clubface to it, set-up parallel to target line. Try to use the image of railroad tracks with the target line on the outside rail, while your feet, hips and shoulders are on the inside rail.

SET-UP: Feet should be shoulder-width apart, knees flexed and you should be slightly bent at hips. Try to feel balanced and athletic like a shortstop. Your chin should be up and your back straight. Make your arms form a triangle with shoulders and butt of club pointing at your navel .

TAKE AWAY: Push club back with left hand until it is in line with inside rail. Keeping your left arm relatively straight. Push your weight onto right leg with left foot until 80 percent of weight is on the back foot. 

TRANSITION: Your right foot initiates the downswing moving down target line (inside rail) and slightly toward the ball. Hands should naturally drop slightly into the delivery position and weight moves toward left foot.

IMPACT:  “Slap” through the ball as the toe of the club closes and squares just before impact and continues to close until the leading edge is perpendicular at waist high.  The right arm should be relatively straight and the left arm begins to fold.

FINISH: Ninety percent of your weight is on your left foot with your right shoulder pointing at the target, knees touching. You are in balance and can hold this position until your ball lands.

Progressing to a full swing

This half swing, half speed drill is 90 percent of a full swing. Once you’re hitting the ball solidly with good ball flight you can add the last 10% by folding your right arm up until your hands reach shoulder height.

Rule of 3

This swing drill system will make you a better and more consistent ball striker. It will allow you to understand your swing and fix it when something goes wrong. A great way to employ this drill is with my “rule of 3.” Start with your 7-iron and do the drill until you hit three consecutive balls well and  then expand to a full swing and continue until you hit three consecutive balls well (move  back to a half swing if you struggle).  Next, move up to a hybrid and repeat the process and finally, when you succeed, move up to your driver and complete the process. 

Once you’ve done the drill a few times and understand how to compare where you are versus where you should be at key points in the proper swing sequence you can abbreviate the check points to set up, waist-high, and finish.

Follow those keys – and stay on the tracks – and you will build a reliable swing and lower your scores.

About John:

A former standout pitcher at Tufts who played semi pro ball for several years, John Carco says he turned to golf “when I no longer could get anyone out.” The long time Peabody resident studied under legendary swing coach Jimmy Ballard and has served as an instructor at Carriage Pines at Rowley Country Club and Quail Ridge CC in Acton as well as serving as the Acton-Boxboro golf coach for the last 10 years. Log on to johncarcogolf.com to learn more.