subject: Golf lessons - Mini swings: Hands and arms [print this page] Golf lessons - Mini swings: Hands and arms
Many people think that the most effective way to develop a consistent golf swing is to stand on the range whacking balls until you get it right. But the best way to develop a consistent golf swing is to break the swing down into pieces. Only after you have the first piece mastered should you move on to the next one. I start with what I call miniswings.
Position yourself in front of the ball. Now, without moving anything except your hands, wrists, and forearms, rotate the club back until the shaft is horizontal to the ground and the toe of the club is pointing up. The key to this movement is the left hand, which must stay in the space that it's now occupying, in its address position. The left hand is the fulcrum around which the "swing" rotates. The feeling you should have is of the butt of the club staying in about the same position while your hands lift the clubhead.
After you get the hang of that little drill, try hitting shots with your miniswing. Let the club travel through 180 degrees, with the shaft parallel to the ground on the backswing and then back to parallel on the through-swing; your follow-through should be a mirror image of the backswing. The ball obviously doesn't go far with this drill, but your hands and arms are doing exactly what you want them to do on a full swing: Cock the wrists, hit the ball, recock the wrists.
After you have this move down, it's time to turn on the horsepower and get your body involved in the action.
