There is a recognizable difference in hip rotation between top tour players and amateurs at impact. Simply put, better players have more of it. It’s a hallmark of power and accuracy and something top players consistently work on. That’s because rotation is the engine of the swing. Without it your swing lacks power and overall performance.

Rotating through impact can be felt in different ways, such as a pull with the left side, push with the right side, downward push off the right foot, inward kick with the right knee, left hip clearing, etc. There are numerous ways to feel the body’s rotation. It doesn’t matter what your feel is as long as it starts with the lower body. It’s not a passive role by any means. There must be a conscious effort to turn the body all the way until the finish.

A great thought is turning the belt buckle to the target as quickly as possible as you swing through the ball. It targets a key area – the hips – and engages the lower body and creates speed in the unwinding process.

Notice my belt buckle in this picture facing the target after impact. That’s a good signal my body has rotated all the way through impact.

I recently interview one of the world leading experts in golf bio-mechanics, Dr. Robert Neal, about the degree of rotation tour players have with their hips at impact. He said the majority of tour player’s range from the low 30’s to the high 40’s (the extreme low was in the high 20’2 and the extreme high was in the mid 50′s). Furthermore, women tend to have more rotation than men because they’re more flexible. He also added that players on the higher end tend to be better ball strikers. No doubt some interesting points to consider. I also asked Dr. Neal if the degree of rotation had any correlation with club head speed. He said that it was not the degree of rotation, but the speed of rotation that influenced club head speed. It explains why men are less open at impact than women, but still generate more club head speed – they just rotate faster. Check out Golf BioDynamics for more information about Dr. Neal.

In this picture my hips are approximately 45-50 degrees open to the target at impact. More importantly, my shoulders are trailing. This is a great signal I’m leading with the lower body and unwinding at high speed.

But remember, rotation must be sequenced correctly.The lower body shifts weight first and rotation to the target comes second. You maximize everything you got by following that sequence. Some amateurs do the opposite and rotate too early. This tends to throw the club outside the target line and cause slices and pull hooks.

When the body fails to rotate its called a body stall. It’s a very common swing fault that puts added pressure on the hands and arms to release the club and finish the swing. This can cause inconsistency and drain power from your swing. The following is an excellent drill using one of my favorite training aids, the tempo teacher.

The Tempo Teacher is a small and lightweight plastic rod that attaches to your belt buckle. It should extend in front of the outside of the left hip (for right-handed golfers)

When your body does not rotate through impact, the hands run into the tempo teacher. That’s the definition of a body stall. Instead, focus on moving the tempo teacher to the left to clear a path for the hands and arms to swing.  It will force the lower body, specifically the hips, to rotate properly through impact.

If you hit the rod your not rotating enough. The feedback is instantaneous. In my opinion, there’s no other training aid that works easier and better. Check out their website, tempoteacher.com for more information.

Although it’s counter-intuitive, your sense of control will increase by using the hips instead of the hands through impact. ”Passive hands,” is a common description tour players use to describe the feeling. It means they’re relying on the bigger muscles to release the club which are more powerful and easier to repeat, especially under pressure. So next time you hit the range, grab a Tempo Teacher, and focus on releasing the club with your hips. It will greatly improve your swinging motion.

Long and Straight,

Adam

After leaving the PGA Merchandise show you realize there’s no other game quite like golf. No other sport generates so many products and services on par with golf – no pun intended. The PGA Merchandise Show is the mecca for golf pros. People fly in from all over the world to see the latest and greatest in golf technology and gear. You might even run into golf celebrities such as Jack Nicklaus or Greg Norman, just to name a couple.

 As a teacher I spent a lot of time in the Teaching and Training Aids section. I made two rounds walking through all the booths just to make sure I didn’t miss anything. Here’s a list of products that I bought. These are some of the best training aid products on the market.

PSP – the little one

- An incredible aid for center contact, accuracy, and concentration. Hit 100 balls with this club and I guarantee you’ll hit more solid iron shots.

Tour Striker

-This aid forces you to lean the shaft forward at impact – unlike most amateurs who do the opposite. It’s the best aid on the market for striking down on the ball like the pros.

SwinGyde

-This aid works like magic for any player who has too much clubface rotation throughout the swing. It also corrects wrist hinge and the top of the backswing position.

Impact Ball

-The Impact Ball improves the coordination between the body, arms, and club on the backswing and follow through. You can’t flip the club through impact with this aid because it nearly eliminates early wrist break at impact.

Orange Whip Trainer

-This aid will slow down your transition move at the top of the backswing, which is one of the biggest problems for amateurs who rush the club into the downswing. It will also improve your tempo.

However, there’s a new wave of products hitting the golf scene that use the iphone and ipad. It’s a great signal that golf won’t be left behind in the smartphone/tablet revolution. These products – either attached to the club or resting on the ground – track several parameters such as face angle, path, angle of attrack, total distance, etc. So, every time you swing, club and impact data is recorded and displayed on your smart phone and/or ipad through an app.

Not a bad idea right? Well, I’m not completely sold. Software is updated every year, if not, every month. There’s something better that will come out in 2013, so why should I buy the product in 2012? In my personal opinion the least amount of technology the better. Anything that needs a battery doesn’t make total sense to me. I’m not saying I never use new technology. In fact, I use JC Video for video analysis in almost every lesson. It’s an incredible tool when used properly. I may even buy a product or service that uses the iphone or ipad at some point.  But I’m going to wait on this one. I can sense there’s a bigger wave on the way in the next few years. For now, I’m a much bigger advocate of hard good training aids such as the ones I mentioned earlier. Please visit their websites to get more information (Each name is linked to their respective website).

Lexi Thompson, the young golfing phenom who’s secured her LPGA Tour card in 2012, happened to be at the Cobra/Puma booth when I was walking by. I know Lexi well from my time spent as Jim McLean’s teaching assistant. Lexi is a regular at the Jim McLean Golf School and works with Jim McLean on a frequent basis. I had to stop by and wish her luck in 2012.

Long and Straight,

Adam

Scooping is a tendency in players who try to help the ball get airborne. It leads to a medley of fat, thin, and topped shots. It’s also why most players struggle with their iron game. They don’t understand the concept of hitting down on the ball, and, they’ve never been taught a technique that consistently strikes the ball first and ground second.

As mentioned, the origins of scooping come from not utilizing the loft of the club to get the ball airborne. Instead, the player tries to help the ball into the air by flicking the club with the wrists. A scooping motion takes form as the club moves quickly in front of the hands with a large break in the wrists.

Scooping is terrible for every aspect of your game because it leads to a breakdown in the left wrist (see bottom left). That makes it impossible to strike down and through the ball, which is a necessity, especially for all iron shots. Notice the difference in the left wrist in the picture below.

 Also, the handle of the club does not lean forward (also known as shaft lean, see bottom right). This is what you will see in better players who strike down on the ball. The shaft is either vertical or leaning slightly backwards at impact (also know as backward shaft lean, see bottom left). You no longer can hit down on the ball from this position.

The solution to the problem starts by hitting shots while focusing on a flat left wrist and more weight in the left leg. When you do the handle of the shaft will lean toward the target, not away. That’s the key to hitting solid iron shots. One of the great training aids we use at the Jim McLean Golf School to accomplish a flat left wrist is called the Taly.

Connect the Taly to your lead arm and extend the rod like the pictures below.

 As you take a practice swing don’t allow your club shaft to pass the extended rod on the Taly. This will keep your left wrist flat and develop some shaft lean at impact.

To order your Taly, please visit Taly.com.

Long and Straight,

Adam

For better players sometimes the hands and arms trail too far behind when the body unwinds on the downswing. This is called getting stuck or disconnected. The result positions the club behind the chest, not in front.  When overdone it creates pressure on good timing and a two-way miss. Tiger Woods used to get stuck often because his hands and arms couldn’t catch up with his fast moving lower body on the downswing. The club was literally stuck and left behind.

Players who get stuck typically have worked on starting the downswing with the lower body or developing lag for years and overtime gone too far. However, getting stuck or disconnected doesn’t happen only on the downswing. It can also happen when the hands and arms snatch the club away on the takeaway ahead of the rotation of the body. The club moves ahead of the chest, not in front. This move on the backswing increases the chance of getting stuck on the downswing.  That’s why you always want to maintain a tight relationship between the chest and club from start to finish.

The movement of the right elbow is a good indicator of whether or not the player is getting stuck. The wrong move is when the right elbow glues itself to the right hip. This literally sticks the right arm to the body and prevents the club from freely moving through impact on the correct plane. See below.

To prevent getting stuck the player should focus on starting the arm swing earlier on the downswing. Speeding up the arm swing will move the club more in sync with the rotation of the chest. This will keep the club in front of you, not behind. As a result, the right elbow will move in front of the right hip instead of sticking to the body.

The Spoke Drill is excellent for curing a stuck position that we frequently use at the Jim McLean Golf School. Notice the relationship between the chest and club in the following pictures.

Practice the spoke drill until you feel a tight relationship between the chest and club. Anytime the club moves independently from the chest your at risk of getting stuck. This puts added pressure on the hands to steer the club, which is a recipe for inconsistency.

Long and Straight,

Adam

Your key to unlocking power in your golf swing starts by focusing on the movements that start your downswing. You can create tremendous power when they are coordinated and timed properly. There’s no other move that contributes more potential for speed. The real secret is utilizing the ground with the lower body. Amateurs do the opposite. They start from the top down – that means they use the hands and arms or prematurely rotate the shoulders. Either way will not utilize the ground and result is a loss in speed.

Jamie Sadlowski is one of the longest hitters on the planet and won back-to-back RE/MAX Long Drive Championships in 2008 and 2009 (he recently got beat in 2011 in the semi-finals by new champion, Carl Wolter). Jamie’s swing is an excellent model for learning the correct movements on the downswing and how to use the lower body. Let’s take a closer look at these key moves.

Lower into the Ground

Notice how much Jamie’s head lowers on the downswing. Is this a good thing? Absolutely. It lowers the body’s center of gravity before impact, which primes the legs for last minute thrust. Tiger Woods is another great example. His head drops considerably, which helps him leverage the ground to create speed. The opposite would be raising your head.  This destroys tension in the legs and eliminates potential for power.

Build Energy in the Legs

Starting down Jamie’s knees separate, level out, and increase flex. Sam Snead called it the, “squat move,” and Jim McLean calls it, “compressing the ground.” Both perfectly describe the body lowering itself in order to use the ground as leverage.  It’s a similar move you see in athletes before leaping (watch a basketball slam-dunk contest and notice how much they increase their knee flex before jumping).  The effect generates tension, or energy, in the legs at the beginning of the downswing. As the club enters the impact phase the legs push off the ground and release all the energy creating additional club head speed. That’s the essence of leveraging the ground for added power.

Imagine playing tug-a-war with someone. You’d use your legs in the same way, constantly lowering yourself and pushing off the ground to win the war. Would you keep your legs straight? I doubt it….if you did, you’d lose.

Brandon Smith is a leading expert in strength and conditioning. He trains top players and amateurs using an extensive knowledge of biomechanics and the golf swing to improve their performance and overal consistency. Here’s what Brandon had to say about using the ground for power.

In the Strength & Conditioning world, Adam is talking about Ground Reaction Force (GRF). In order to maximize the effectiveness of the GRF, it is crucial to develop leg and hip strength, but even more important to develop core strength. Ground Reaction Forces travel from your feet all the way up the body, through the arms and exiting through the shaft of the golf club, producing optimal club head and ball speed. Balance, leg strength and hip strength are crucial, but if the core is weak, all the energy developed will be lost by the time it gets to the golf club. A strong core will transfer all energy from the lower body to the upper body. This is what golf pros are referring to when they say swing sequence and start from the ground up. The most simple exercise to begin with is a core plank. Working this exercise will help transfer energy from the lower body to the club head.

For more information about adding additional club head speed click here

For more information about the Jim McLean Golf School click here

Long and Straight,

Adam

What’s the most important move in golf? It’s the first move on the downswing. Most experts call it the magic move – the one move that great ball strikers have in common. Why is it most important? If you start the downswing correctly you could loop your swing more times than Jim Furyk and still hit a great shot. That’s the power of the first move on the downswing. There’s no other move that has more influence over the flight of the ball.

The two-way move

Before getting into the details, you need to understand an important concept called the two-way move. The two-way move was coined by top player and teacher, Ken Venturi, which I learned directly from Jim McLean. It describes the simultaneous backward movement of the upper body while the lower body reverses direction. In other words, for a split second the lower body moves forward while the upper body continues to coil on the backswing. This creates tremendous power and torque in the body. The two-way move proves there’s no stopping point at the top of the backswing. It’s a fluid motion, which is a hallmark of great ball striking.

So what actually starts the downswing?

The first move on the downswing is a lateral move with the lower body. Where its felt is different for every player. Some feel a downward push off the right foot, forward movement with the knees, or forward movement with the hips. It doesn’t matter what your secret is, as long as it starts from the waist down – that’s the key.

The first move on the downswing happens below the belt. It can be felt by a downward push with the right foot, forward movement with the knees, or forward movement with the hips.

How shouldn’t you start the downswing?

Never use the hands and release the club too early from the top (this has been done by top players, but, only players with tremendous leg drive). Also, never unwind the shoulders before the hips. That’s a real sequence killer. You’ll never consistently strike the ball with power and accuracy when you start the downswing from these areas.

Long and Straight,

Adam

Maxing out distance has a lot to do with an important parameter called attack angle. According to Trackman, attack angle is the vertical angle at which the club head is moving at impact. It ranges from positive to negative. So when you hit the ball on the upswing (when the club head is ascending), attack angle is positive. When you hit the ball on the downswing (when the club head is descending), attack angle is negative.

Explained in a different way, there’s a time when the club is going down and a time when the club is going up. With an iron, you want to strike the ball when the club is going down. That’s how you compress the ball and take divots with the bottom of the arc after the ball.

With a driver you want to hit the ball when the club is going up. That’s called hitting the ball on the upswing. The bottom of the arc is before the ball.

There are a number of benefits with a positive attack angle. It allows the player to use a less lofted driver without sacrificing a higher launch. The result is less spin and much more distance. Take a look at the following data provided by Trackman. Launch angle and spin rate are both optimized for both attack angles.

(Source: Trackman Newsletter, 2008)

It’s clear what these numbers tell us. You’re going to maximize your distance when you hit up on the ball with a positive attack angle. In fact, with the right launch and spin you might see almost 30 extra yards. That’s huge. So how do you do it? Click here and keep reading.

Note: it’s okay to hit the ball at the bottom of the arc with a driver. That means your attack angle is 0. Just make sure it never gets into negative territory because if your looking for the most yards possible, you need to strike the ball on the upswing.

A great tip for catching the ball on the upswing is tilting your spine away from the target. Your right shoulder is already lower since you grip the club with your right hand below the left, however, you want to make a conscious effort to add a little extra spine tilt with the driver when you address the ball. This has several benefits such as encouraging a weight transfer into the right leg on the backswing, a takeaway to the inside, and contact on the upswing. In the photograph below notice my right elbow and right shoulder below the left. That’s a good signal I’m tilting away from the target with my upper body.

For more information on getting more distance with your driver click here.

Long and Straight,

Adam

The belly putter has gained attention over the passed several months because of top PGA Tour players like Keegan Bradley and Webb Simpson (Both have two victories in 2011). Neither are ranked exceptionally high in putting statistics (Webb is 57^th and Keegan is 97^th in the strokes gained statistic as of November 7^th, 2011), but both players know how to get the job done, and have done so in dramatic fashion.  As a result, their success has created a tipping point in the next big thing in golf, the belly putter revolution. The following is a brief examination of the benefits of the belly putter, plus tips for finding the cup and getting the right fit.

First of all, there’s no need to change your set up. You can use the same grip, posture, and stance. If you were trying the long putter, that would be a different story. But you’re safe with the belly. It’s easy to make adjustments and putt well the first day you pick one up. Here’s why.

Anchoring the putter has many advantages. First, it has a magical effect of throwing mechanics out the window. Thoughts such as keep the putter low to the ground, arc the putter to the inside, and keep a flat left wrist are all useless. You no longer have to manufacture a stroke; the putter swings itself.  That’s the self-proclaimed feeling everybody is talking about who’s made the switch. But it’s true, once you get the putter moving, it motors through the ball.

The second advantage is the pendulum effect, which means the putter swings back and through with incredible consistency, unlike conventional putters. This is the wonderful effect of using a fixed point, A.K.A. your belly button. Recent tests using the SAM Puttlab have proved this remarkable consistency. The SAM Puttlab measures 28 parameters such as center contact, tempo, path, and face angle. It’s a tool for anyone looking to learn more about their stroke and/or getting the right fit. In this particular study, the belly putter had a consistency rating of 75.3%. This was 55 points higher than the conventional stroke (For more information check out SAM Puttlab and the December issue of Golf Digest). Furthermore, the head weight of a belly putter is 15-20% more than conventional putter heads. Scientifically, this makes it harder to alter its path, producing a feeling of automaticity. Recent tests prove that greater head weight produces greater stability on miss hits. That means putts off the heel or toe won’t come up as short. That can be the difference between a miss and a make. (This information came from the December Issue of Golf Digest).

Belly Putter Tips

Anchor the putter in your belly button. Don’t apply too much force, just enough so the butt end won’t slide across your stomach. However, on shorter putts you might want to crouch lower and feel the butt end more deeply in the belly. This gives you a secure feeling and more confidence.

Keep your eyes inside the ball-target line. Some teachers will disagree, but take a look at Keegan Bradley. He sets his eyes well inside the ball-target line. I think he’s done pretty well with it. Plus, the more inside you stand, the easier the putter will arc. That means the putter swings slightly inside, back to square, and slightly inside again.

Know where you’re aiming. This might sound like an obvious tip, but with a belly putter it’s even more important. If you start with good aim the putter will likely return with good aim. That’s the pendulum effect. It’s like magic.

Focus on good tempo. Once you start practicing with the belly putter you’ll discover the feeling of the putter swinging itself, but only if you allow it. Steering the putter or forcing the putter to accelerate is bad technique. Good tempo comes from thinking like a metronome.  Tic-Toc. There should be an even rhythm on the backstroke and forward stroke.

The length of your putt determines the length of your backstroke. When you learn to correlate length of backstroke with distance, you’re distance control will improve. But it may take some time if you’re new to the belly putter. Make an effort to practice this way before every round.

Belly Putter Fitting Tips

Length should range between 39-43 inches. Some manufacturers only sell 43-inch belly putters, but I disagree with a one-size-fits-all approach. Try different lengths and see what feels best.

Loft should range between 1-2 degrees. Again, some manufacturers only sell one loft. It usually falls between 3-4 degrees. That’s too much loft, especially when you’re catching the ball on the upswing. Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley use less than 2 degrees, so shouldn’t you.

Head weight should range between 390-450 grams. That is much heavier than conventional putters. A conventional putter head weighs 340-360 grams. So if your thinking about putting an extension on your old putter, you need a ton of lead tape (For example, if your old putter head weighs 350 grams, you’re going to need approximately 25 4-inch strips of lead tape to make it 400 grams. That’s a little crazy. I recommend buying a putter that’s already 400 grams, or one designed for the belly).

Lie angle should be around 69-71. This will depend on the length of the putter and distance you like to stand from the ball. Your lie angle is when the sole of the putter lies flat on the ground (The toe nor heel is not off the ground).

If you’re still on the fence, here’s what Dave Pelz had to say about the belly putter in the December issue of Golf Digest, “For 10 years I’ve had every student in my schools try putting four ways: conventional, left-hand-low, belly, and long putting. And I’ve noticed they make the most short putts with the belly putter.”

For more information about the Jim McLean Golf Schools, Click Here

Make More Putts,

Adam

Keegan Bradley’s rise to stardom is no surprise considering his length and accuracy, especially off the tee. But there’s something else that makes Keegan great – his mental game. Do you remember when Keegan Bradley made a triple bogie on the 15^th hole  during the final round of the PGA Championship? Everyone thought Keegan’s chances were over, including myself. But on the next hole Keegan didn’t flinch. He drove it right down the middle of the fairway, setting himself up with a 9 iron, which he stuck 4 feet. His birdie on 16, and 17 put himself back in major contention. How did Keegan recover so well? I’ll give you a clue: it wasn’t his swing technique.

The best way to improve your mental game is to work on your pre shot routine. Keegan’s pre shot routine is unique. Recently, some have taken shots at Keegan’s pre shot routine because its looks like he hesitates – he starts to walk into the shot, but then backs away. He might even back away three or four times. One commentator even called it a balk. Although it appears like hesitation, or a balk, Keegan is going through a highly disciplined mental process.

Visualization

When Keegan stands behind the ball he visualizes the ball flight. He doesn’t move beyond this step until he has a crystal clear image of the shot he intends to play. This is a trait of all great players. Jack Nicklaus, arguably the greatest golfer of all time with 18 major victories, calls it going to the movies. He said you have to see yourself hitting the shot, even the ball landing near the pin. This is step number one. A crucial step in the routine.

Commitment

If Keegan doesn’t feel 100% committed to the shot he backs away, which is what you see on TV. It’s a mistake to think he’s hesitating because hesitating correlates with a lack of confidence. Keegan is the opposite. He’s full of confidence. What’s really happening is a highly disciplined self check system Keegan uses before every shot. If he’s not 100%, he backs off. It’s a simple concept every golfer can learn from: don’t walk into the shot if you don’t feel 100%. If you have doubts, negative thoughts, or even the wrong club, why not back away and start over? Keegan does.

Long and Straight,

Adam

A major fault for most amateurs is releasing the right arm too early on the downswing. It throws the club outside the target line and leaks power before impact. What causes the right arm to straighten? It’s possible you have a simple misunderstanding of how to hit the ball. You’re thinking about hitting at the ball, rather than swinging through it. This type of thinking can cause mechanical breakdown.

Skipping a rock across the surface of a pond or throwing a baseball are great visuals for learning to hit through the golf ball. Jim McLean made this concept very clear in the X Factor Golf Swing. He’s a pioneer when it comes to making the golf swing feel natural. He states the law of an athletic throw starts by shifting weight to the front foot. This is followed by torso rotation and then the extension of the right arm. There’s tremendous power when these elements fall into sequence.  But, sometimes amateurs fall out of sequence and prematurely extend the right arm. Let’s look at the right arm action of some of the great ball strikers.

In this picture, Tiger Woods is ready to unload tremendous power on the golf ball. Notice his right arm – there’s flex in it because it’s in the process of straightening. This is a big problem for amateurs. They don’t maintain the flex in their right arm because of an effort to hit at the ball, rather than swing through it.

Mark Wilson has two victories on the PGA Tour in 2011. He doesn’t hit the ball very far, but his mechanics through impact are a great example. This picture was taken exactly at the moment of impact. His right arm is still bent and in the process of straightening.

Ben Hogan is possibly the greatest ball striker of all time. Notice his right arm after impact – it’s still bent, and in the process of straightening. Remember, Ben Hogan was only 5”8’. He used every power source possible, and used it very well. You can just see the softness of his right arm.

You might be thinking, so when should the right arm straighten? The natural straightening of the right arm occurs differently for every player. There’s no right answer. But it has to occur after impact. That’s the rule of an athletic throwing motion.

Long and Straight,

Adam