Connect with us

Instruction

Kelley: How to generate speed with a “shorter” swing

Published

on

A common complaint when golfers see their own swing on video is how long their backswing actually is, yet they feel they have no speed or power. This long backswing is usually caused by “over-rotation” and can easily lead to bad contacted shots and a loss of distance.

Amateurs are always impressed with how simple looking golf swings can still produce such high ball speeds. Current number one player in the world Jon Rahm usually comes to mind.

A simple, short looking golf swing just doesn’t have to be for professionals. When attempting to shorten a swing for simplicity that still produces speed, conceptually understanding how to shorten your swing for speed and repeatability is crucial. Here are three key components.

1. The set-up

It starts with the set-up position. The key here is to have the trail shoulder below the lead shoulder. This is established by a slight tucking of the trail arm, making it bent and soft. This will put you in a good position for an efficient takeaway. Note the green lines in the video below.

 

2. The takeaway

The first few feet the clubhead swings back will set the sequence for the rest of the swing. Since the clubhead has to travel the furthest in the golf swing, it needs to move first. When the clubhead moves first, the shaft will then move the hands and arms. The arms eventually pull the shoulders, chest, and finally hips around to the top in that sequence. This enables the club to travel a great distance without much body turn required to do so. This is demonstrated with a trail arm drill and feel.

 

3. Direction of the upper and lower body

The direction the body moves is also critical to an efficient, shorter golf swing. After set-up angles are established (part one) the body can coil around its original angles established at address. This is best felt through a “pull and grab” motion. Note this is just the feel of how the lead and trail side of the body moves, not how the arms work in the swing

A shorter looking golf swing that produces speed and high ball speeds doesn’t simply lie in the look of the shaft reaching a shorter distance at the top of the swing. There is an origin to this look of simplicity for the swing to still be dynamic.

www.kelleygolf.com

Twitter: @KKelley_golf

Your Reaction?
  • 66
  • LEGIT11
  • WOW1
  • LOL6
  • IDHT2
  • FLOP5
  • OB4
  • SHANK16

Kelvin is a Class A PGA golf professional in San Francisco, California. He teaches and has taught at some of the top golf clubs in the Bay Area, including the Olympic Club and Sonoma Golf Club. He is TPI certified, and a certified Callaway and Titleist club fitter. Kelvin has sought advice and learned under several of the top instructors in the game, including Alex Murray and Scott Hamilton. To schedule a lesson, please call 818.359.0352 Online lessons also available at www.kelleygolf.com

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. sjn

    Oct 6, 2023 at 11:22 am

    this idea of the ‘clubhead must go first cos its got to go further’ ? nope, it can go faster to acheive the same thing

  2. ed

    Mar 15, 2023 at 6:32 pm

    what are you talking about?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Instruction

Clement: Stop ripping off your swing with this drill!

Published

on

Not the dreaded headcover under the armpit drill! As if your body is defective and can’t function by itself! Have you seen how incredible the human machine is with all the incredible feats of agility all kinds of athletes are accomplishing? You think your body is so defective (the good Lord is laughing his head off at you) that it needs a headcover tucked under the armpit so you can swing like T-Rex?

Your Reaction?
  • 0
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW1
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

Instruction

How a towel can fix your golf swing

Published

on

This is a classic drill that has been used for decades. However, the world of marketed training aids has grown so much during that time that this simple practice has been virtually forgotten. Because why teach people how to play golf using everyday items when you can create and sell a product that reinforces the same thing? Nevertheless, I am here to give you helpful advice without running to the nearest Edwin Watts or adding something to your Amazon cart.

For the “scoring clubs,” having a solid connection between the arms and body during the swing, especially through impact, is paramount to creating long-lasting consistency. And keeping that connection throughout the swing helps rotate the shoulders more to generate more power to help you hit it farther. So, how does this drill work, and what will your game benefit from it? Well, let’s get into it.

Setup

You can use this for basic chip shots up to complete swings. I use this with every club in my bag, up to a 9 or 8-iron. It’s natural to create incrementally more separation between the arms and body as you progress up the set. So doing this with a high iron or a wood is not recommended.

While you set up to hit a ball, simply tuck the towel underneath both armpits. The length of the towel will determine how tight it will be across your chest but don’t make it so loose that it gets in the way of your vision. After both sides are tucked, make some focused swings, keeping both arms firmly connected to the body during the backswing and follow through. (Note: It’s normal to lose connection on your lead arm during your finishing pose.) When you’re ready, put a ball in the way of those swings and get to work.

Get a Better Shoulder Turn

Many of us struggle to have proper shoulder rotation in our golf swing, especially during long layoffs. Making a swing that is all arms and no shoulders is a surefire way to have less control with wedges and less distance with full swings. Notice how I can get in a similar-looking position in both 60° wedge photos. However, one is weak and uncontrollable, while the other is strong and connected. One allows me to use my larger muscles to create my swing, and one doesn’t. The follow-through is another critical point where having a good connection, as well as solid shoulder rotation, is a must. This drill is great for those who tend to have a “chicken wing” form in their lead arm, which happens when it becomes separated from the body through impact.

In full swings, getting your shoulders to rotate in your golf swing is a great way to reinforce proper weight distribution. If your swing is all arms, it’s much harder to get your weight to naturally shift to the inside part of your trail foot in the backswing. Sure, you could make the mistake of “sliding” to get weight on your back foot, but that doesn’t fix the issue. You must turn into your trial leg to generate power. Additionally, look at the difference in separation between my hands and my head in the 8-iron examples. The green picture has more separation and has my hands lower. This will help me lessen my angle of attack and make it easier to hit the inside part of the golf ball, rather than the over-the-top move that the other picture produces.

Stay Better Connected in the Backswing

When you don’t keep everything in your upper body working as one, getting to a good spot at the top of your swing is very hard to do. It would take impeccable timing along with great hand-eye coordination to hit quality shots with any sort of regularity if the arms are working separately from the body.

Notice in the red pictures of both my 60-degree wedge and 8-iron how high my hands are and the fact you can clearly see my shoulder through the gap in my arms. That has happened because the right arm, just above my elbow, has become totally disconnected from my body. That separation causes me to lift my hands as well as lose some of the extension in my left arm. This has been corrected in the green pictures by using this drill to reinforce that connection. It will also make you focus on keeping the lead arm close to your body as well. Because the moment either one loses that relationship, the towel falls.

Conclusion

I have been diligent this year in finding a few drills that target some of the issues that plague my golf game; either by simply forgetting fundamental things or by coming to terms with the faults that have bitten me my whole career. I have found that having a few drills to fall back on to reinforce certain feelings helps me find my game a little easier, and the “towel drill” is most definitely one of them.

Your Reaction?
  • 11
  • LEGIT1
  • WOW2
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP2
  • OB0
  • SHANK8

Continue Reading

Instruction

Clement: Why your practice swing never sucks

Published

on

You hear that one all the time; I wish I could put my practice swing on the ball! We explain the huge importance of what to focus on to allow the ball to be perfectly in the way of your practice swing. Enjoy!

 

Your Reaction?
  • 0
  • LEGIT0
  • WOW0
  • LOL0
  • IDHT0
  • FLOP0
  • OB0
  • SHANK1

Continue Reading

WITB

Facebook

Trending