The first thing we must know to understand the body pivot is we must understand the movement of the golf club. The golf club moves in two directions: one being up and down because the golf ball is on the ground the second being around our body because the ball sets to the side of us. The combination between the up and down motion and the around motion decides the path that the club will be swung. How does this correlate to our body pivot? Well , set up to a ball and move nothing but your hips. You will see that the club starts to move around your body. Now set up to it again now moving nothing except tilting your shoulders the club automatically moves up and down. So we have determined that the hips control the around motion and the shoulders control the up and down motion. If we pivot out our body correctly and keep the triangle formed by our arms, hands, and shoulders directly in front of our chest the club will move in the correct path that allows the ball to stay on line, hit in the middle of the face and take the correct amount of turf.
Lets talk about how to use this information to practice. I would like you to use these four questions when you practice to help determine if your pivot is working correctly. These questions work if your arms stay in front of your body.
Hit a shot then ask yourself
I. The club was moving too much in which direction?
II. Not enough in which direction?
III. What part of my body controls that direction?
IV. What drill do I do?
For instance if you were to hit a fat shot
I. Too much up and down?
II. Not enough around
III. Hips control around motion
IV. Faster rotation of the hips – Pockets drill
Another top shot
I. To much around
II. Not enough up and down
III. Shoulders control up and down
IV. Steeper shoulder tilt – Airplane drill
Let me explain these drills.
Pockets-
Using a good setup position take your right hand and grab your left hip pocket, take you’re left hand and grab your right hip pocket. Now three things you need to stay focused on, knee stay flexed, back stay flat, and rotate till the shoulder touches the chin. Now pull with your right hand to make your back swing and then pull with your left hand to make a through swing and hold the finish. Turn the hips.
Airplane-
Stand straight up and down with your arms out like an airplane. Now rotate your body-don’t swing your arms-the arms will move but let the body turn. Notice your arms stay at ninety degrees to your spine. Now we will do the same thing from a normal set up position keeping our shoulders and arms ninety degrees to the spine to feel the tilt or up and down motion Use your body to turn your arms and hold your finish.
These are some very basic drills to help you understand the way your body is to work in the golf swing.
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