Category Archives: Full Swing

Famous Golfers Swing Videos

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Here are some videos of great professional golfers.  I present these videos to show that even though their back swings look different from each other, they all have common motions in the down swing that must be incorporated to be consistent and efficient.

Common traits:

  1. Precise Setup
  2. Personal Rhythm
  3. Swing in Balance
  4. Efficient Swing Motion
    • Loading the right side with the snap down of the back inside of the ball of the right foot down
    • Snapping down of the top inside of the right latissimus dorsi
    • Snapping up of the front outside corner of the ball of the left foot
    • Snapping down of the right upper arm that results in circular and horizontal motion

Ben Hogan

Amy Yang

Mickey Wright

Jack Nicklaus

Lee Trevino

Sam Snead

Bobby Jones

Byron Nelson

Rory McIlroy

Lydia Ko

Inbee Park

Bryson DeChambeau

Jin Young Ko

Lorena Ochoa

Tiger Woods

Attitude: Do the Same

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Same is a word that is seldom used in describing the golf swing.  If you want to be a good golfer, you need to focus on doing the same. Same is not the goal of the poor player.  The obvious discrepancy occurs when comparing the practice swing and the swing used when the ball is present.  Most poor golfers have a much better practice swing.  When the ball is present, poor golfers use a different swing, not the same swing that was used for the practice swing.

Same starts with a consistent pre-shot routine.  The pre-shot routine should put you in the mind set of doing the same routine.  If you use a practice swing, focus on using the same swing when the golf ball is present.  Poor golfers have smooth swings for their practice swings but use a jerky swing when the golf ball is present.

Same is the focus in using the same rhythm during the golf swing.  Most poor golfers are not even aware of their rhythm or if they are, they are not using an effective rhythm.  Good golfers have an effective rhythm and they repeat the same rhythm with every swing.

Same is the focus when building and releasing energy during the golf swing.  A big trap is the driver swing.  Good golfers swing the driver using the same swing that they use to swing the wedge.  Poor golfers use a harder swing to swing the driver.

One way of focusing on the doing the same is to take the person out of the swing.  Poor golfers relate their swings to something very personal such as “I need to make a good swing”, “don’t hit it into the water”, “I need to make a par”, etc.  All of these thoughts and all other similar thoughts focus on what the golfer must do.  Good golfers have a different attitude.  Good golfers focus on executing the same swing.

Taking the person out of the swing is not easy.  You must look at yourself not as a person, but as a machine, platform, or robot that is built to swing the golf club.  A swing machine is expected to do what it is designed to do the same way every time: produce good golf shots.  Your focus is to only do the same thing and not let distracting thoughts make you to swing differently.

One tip that helps to take the person out of the swing is given by Ben Hogan in his book Five Lessons.   In his book, Ben Hogan says to visualize a pane of glass resting on your shoulders that slants from your shoulders to the ball.  The objective is to keep your back swing and down swing below this pane of glass.  If you lift your arms too soon you will break through the pane of glass.  The “engine” of the golf swing is the right side that controls the arms and hands.  On the down swing feel the right side, or “locomotive”, pull the arms and hands “the caboose” down and through the “tunnel” formed by the imaginary pane of glass.  Now you have an image of a tunnel formed by an imaginary pane of glass and a train locomotive pulling a caboose down and through a tunnel.  It is no longer about the person needing to accomplish a goal.  Your focus is about making that locomotive go through the tunnel using the same for each swing.  Ben Hogan called the movement of the hips, upper body, arms, and hands as “the machinery”.  Ben Hogan is telling you the secret on how to develop a repetitive swing.  Think of machinery swinging the club instead of a person swinging the club.

The best way to become a good golfer is to not get distracted and to do the same for each swing.  The best chance to not get distracted is to take the person out of the swing.  The best way to take the person out of the golf swing is to think of a machine swinging the club.  One way to take the person out of the golf swing is to use Ben Hogan’s tip to have the machine swing the club back and through while keeping the arms beneath the pane of glass.

If you are serious about improving your golf swing, develop one swing that you can focus on doing the same.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do More by Doing Less

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Do more by doing less.  This concept is so foreign and so difficult to embrace by the average golfer.  If you want to be a better golfer, you must understand the concept of doing more by doing less.  The final step is to fully embrace and practice this concept.  Just talking about it will not work.  The true reflection of how much you accept this concept is seen in the improvement of your golf shots.  When you actually do less, your golf shots will improve.

In my previous blog, “Channel Adult Training in Golf”, I discussed how the training to become a successful adult interferes with playing golf. We are trained that trying harder (doing more) will result in better outcomes.  We are also trained that doing a little extra (doing more) will give more benefits.

The most important concept about the golf swing is that, in golf, trying harder never works.  We also know that even though doing the extra credit problem on a test will give you a higher grade on the test, but doing a little extra in the golf swing will give you a failing grade in golf.

When I talk about doing less I am talking about the amount of force and motion that is used in the golf swing.  The average golfer “just swings” and is not really aware of the amount of force of the swing.  In most cases the force of the swing is the result of a violent swing instead of a rhythmic and efficient swing.

I want to bring up the business concept of The Law of Diminishing Returns. This is a concept that states that as you add more resources to a project, the returns will improve proportionally.  But a point is reached where additional resources will actually result in diminishing returns. This applies to how much force you use in your swing.

The length of the back swing controls the amount of force in the down swing.  Being aware of the length of the back swing is foreign the average golfer.  In order to do determine your maximum back swing length, you must be precisely aware of the length of the back swing.  You want to find your personal point of diminishing returns.

The best way to do this is on the driving range.  Go through your pre-shot routine, use your rhythm, and swing in balance to make a swing that uses about what you feel is 40% of your maximum back swing length.   The ball should go straight.  Note the distance the ball travels in the air.  Swing at 40% of maximum back swing length for five to ten shots until you hit shots that are fairly consistent.  I determine the length of my back swing by focusing on how I raise the right upper arm and the hands.

Now increase the length of the back swing to what you feel is 50% of maximum.  The shots should still be going straight but a little farther in the air.  Again, swing at 50% of maximum back swing length for five to ten shots until you hit shots that are fairly consistent.

Keep increasing the length of the back swing you use by what you feel is 10% more back swing until you reach a point where the ball does not travel further in the air or is no longer going straight.  You have reached the point of diminishing returns.  Now drop back down to the previous back swing length and your shots should now be going straight and about the same distance.  This is the length of back swing you should be using for your full swing.

You will feel that the length of back swing that produces the best result is a lot less than their “normal” swing.  This drill will show the concept of “do more by doing less.”

The most difficult part is to embrace the concept to do less is a requirement of an efficient golf swing.  As soon as your shots get worse, it is because you tried too hard.  You reached and went past the point of diminishing returns.  You will do more by doing less.

The reason the ball travels farther when the length of the back swing is increased is because the muscles are increasingly stretched.  The reason for reaching the point of diminishing returns is because the stretch in the back swing transforms from the stretching of the muscles to tightening of the muscles.  Once the muscles tighten, the energy dissipates.  What is thought to be building more energy by increasing the length of the back swing is nullified by the tightening muscles.  Tight muscles result in shorter distance.  What feels like 50% of your maximum back swing length is your maximum back swing length.  Just because the back swing is increased does not necessarily mean that more distance will be gained.  Golf is a crazy game.

 

What Causes a Missed Shot?

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Golf is a game of misses.  Ben Hogan said that in a round of golf where he had 36 full swings, he only hit two perfect shots.  A perfect shot means the shot went the desired distance, direction, and trajectory.  Two out of 36 shots is less than ten percent!  More than ninety percent of Ben Hogan’s shots were misses.  Similarly, Tiger Woods said that he had two to four perfect shots per round.  Again, that is approximately ninety percent of his shots were misses.  Of course, the misses of Ben Hogan and Tiger Woods are much better than our misses.

What causes a missed shot?  The answer to that question is actually very easy.  Here is the answer that you have been waiting for:

A missed golf shot is caused by a swing rhythm that is too quick.  

That is it.  It is not more complicated than that.  Now when you hit a bad shot, you can be certain that your rhythm was too quick.  What happens when the rhythm is too quick?  The result is the incomplete gathering of energy.  The body will react subconsciously to try to make up for the less energy by moving the body, the arms, and hands in a jerky motion.

A quick rhythm is caused by pause at the top of the back swing that is too short.  A quick rhythm does not allow the upper body and the right upper arm to completely gather the energy that is required for a good shot.  My blog article, “How to Feel Rhythm,” describes how to feel the correct pause.  A rhythm that is too quick by even one millisecond will result in a bad shot.

If you have a rhythmic swing and still have a bad shot, the cause is allowing the right hand to try to hit the ball or to try to lift the ball in the air by using diagonal or horizontal motion.  My blog post, “How to use the Fingers,” describes how to engage the fingers to prevent the right hand from trying to hit the ball or trying to lift the ball in the air.

My blog post, “Feel an Efficient Swing,” describes how to use vertical motion to snap the right upper arm down and feel the club snap down and up towards the target.  Using diagonal or horizontal motion means the golfer is focused on hitting the ball which prevents the focus of executing a graceful golf swing.

Correcting a bad shot is not about focusing on what you did but instead about focusing what you did not do.  When you hit a bad shot, ask yourself:

  1. Did I feel the pause?
  2. Did I feel vertical motion of the right upper arm?
  3. Did I feel the constant engagement of the fingers?

The answer will always be NO to one or more of the questions.  Not doing any one of the above actions will cause the loss of synchronization between the right side and the right upper arm.

One of the good aspects of the game of golf is you will have a chance to create a good shot on the next swing if you can focus on feeling the pause, the engagement of the fingers, and feeling the vertical motion of the right upper arm.

Patience is the key to allow yourself the time to do the correct motions.   My blog article, “Patience in the Golf Swing,” describes the patience required to execute a successful golf shot.

The cause of a bad shot is no longer a mystery.

 

Timing of the Hands in the Down Swing

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One of the differences that I notice when comparing a consistent golf swing and an inconsistent golf swing is the difference in the down swing motion.  A consistent down swing looks smooth and balanced.  An inconsistent down swing looks jerky and unbalanced.

A key reason for a jerky motion is the improper timing of the release of the energy that is built in the back swing.  For this discussion I will assume that the energy is released in the proper sequence: starting from the ground up through the feet, hips, upper body, arms and hands.  I would like to cover the correct timing of the release of the hands.

I am writing this when the London Olympics has just started.  In the spirit of the London Olympics, I will use a sprinter as an analogy to discuss when the hands must release the energy in the down swing. The sprinter accelerates out of the starting blocks when the starting gun is fired and reaches maximum velocity that is maintained all the way past the finish line.

In the down swing, the starting gun is the right upper arm.  The snap down of the right upper arm is the firing of the starting gun.  As soon as the right upper arm snaps down, the right forearm will automatically snap down and the hands will automatically accelerate down past the right hip.  This acceleration of the hands feels like a snap.  After the snap of the hands, the hands reach their maximum velocity that is maintained twelve inches past the ball.  The hands must not stop at the ball.  You must think that the ball just gets in the way of the swing.

An inefficient and jerky down swing occurs because the hands snap too late: at the ball.  The hands snap too late because the golfer is focused on the ball instead focusing on snapping the hands at the right side of the body.  Focusing on the ball causes the golfer to use the hands in order to hit or lift the ball.  When the hands snap too late, the snap really becomes an inefficient jerk of the hands.

Using the sprinter analogy, snapping the hands too late is like being left in the starting blocks when the starting gun fires.  A smooth and efficient down swing is created when the hands snap down as a result of the snap down of the right upper arm.

Don’t be left in the starting blocks.

Efficient Swing

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In order to improve your golf swing, you need to need to be efficient on how you build and release energy during the swing.  The secret for creating good golf shots is efficient build up and release of energy.  Inefficient motion creates poor golf shots.

Before discussing efficient energy build and release, you should have a precise setup.  This means you need to have a proper grip, a proper aim, a proper stance, and a proper posture before you start your swing.   This should not be minimalized or ignored.  In fact, most golf “problems” are attributable to poor setup.  It is very easy to develop flaws in your setup.  In fact, when PGA Tour professionals need to fix their swing, it is usually something in the setup that needs attention.

Once you have established a proper setup, an efficient golf motion will improve your golf swing.  The most important part of an efficient golf swing is to ensure that the right upper arm is precisely synchronized with the movement of the right side.  The efficient swing should begin from the ground up.  This means the feet start the back swing and the down swing.  The term “from the ground up” refers to motion starting from the bottom of your feet continuing up through your ankles, hips, upper body, and upper arms.

The lower body supports the movement of the upper body which in turn supports the swing of the arms and hands.   The lower body supports the upper body and responds to the efficient movement of the upper body.

An efficient swing creates tension in the muscles of the legs, upper body, arms, and hands.  You may have heard or read that tension is bad for a golf swing.  In fact, it is tightness that is bad for your swing.  If your muscles get tight, the tightness restricts movement.  Consider the bow and arrow.  If there is no tension built up in the bow and bow string, the arrow does not travel very far or straight.  Another analogy is when you snap your fingers.  If the fingers do not press against each other to create tension, there is no snap.  You feel tension build up quickly in your fingers and the most tension is felt just before the snap or release.

The upper body and arms coil in the back swing while the lower body supports the coil. The tension is felt in the hips, upper body, arms, and hands.  The tension is the feeling of the muscles being engaged and stretched.  Creating this tension is the result of a resisting or counter motion.  Just as opposing resistance during a tug-of-war creates tension in the rope, opposing motions creates dynamic tension that you feel in your muscles.  When the upper body is coiling in the back swing, the firm right ankle and supporting lower body provides resistance to create the stretch that is felt in the hips and upper body.

What about the hands?  Most golfers use the hands to “flip” the club at impact.  This tends to add loft to the club head.  This is a very inefficient way to use the hands.  A more efficient method is to try to “do less” with the hands.  What you should feel in the fingers of the hands is tension created by the engagement of the fingers as described in my blog, “How to Use the Fingers.”  As your hands are moving down past the right side during the down swing, the fingers should feel the centrifugal force and the force of gravity.  This little stretch in the fingers will prevent the hands from lifting at impact.

Focus on executing an efficient swing instead of trying to hit the ball.

 

 

Balance

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If you focus on using your pre-shot routine, your rhythm, swinging in balance, and being efficient, you will improve your swing. You should not do anything with your swing that will negatively affect your balance. When you are off balance during the swing, the chance of making solid contact is very low, if not impossible. George Knudson, one of the best ball strikers on the PGA tour in the 1960’s and 1970’s, said “Never do anything at the expense of balance”. Most golfers rarely focus on a balanced swing. Their focus is on hitting the ball. The better golfers swing in balance. This is one of the biggest differences between a consistent ball striker and an inconsistent ball striker.
Balance should come from bottom up. You must feel that the bottom of your feet and your ankles support your body. When you coil in the back swing, the bottom of the right foot and a firm right ankle must support the coiling of the upper body. When you start the down swing, you must feel the bottom of the left foot and a firm left ankle support the transition from the finish of the back swing to the start of the down swing.
Work to make your rhythm and balance to be your primary focus. This means you will always use your rhythm to swing in balance. Once the rhythm and balance are consistent, the task of achieving efficient build up and release of energy is straight forward. Being efficient is not easy because the moves are counter intuitive. But if you are using your rhythm and are balanced, the feel of the efficient swing will be easier to learn.

Rhythm

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Rhythm is the most important component to improve your golf swing.  When PGA Tour professionals have a good day, they say had good tempo.  When the PGA Tour professionals have a bad day, they say they struggled to find their rhythm.  If you have good rhythm, the swing becomes automatic.

What is a good rhythm?  The best rhythm is measured as the time it takes for the club to start moving away from the ball in the back swing and return back to the ball on the down swing.  This time period should be approximately one second in duration.   When they measured the rhythm of professional golfers, they found that the time period varied from 0.9 seconds to 1.3 seconds depending on the person being measured.  Each professional had their own rhythm and was very consistent in using their rhythm.  Each professional golfer had a rhythm that took about one second.  The book, Tour Tempo, discusses this in detail Tour Tempo on Amazon.

How to you find your personal rhythm?  It is easy.  Start by snapping your fingers at a rhythm of one second between snaps.  Try going a little bit slower and then a little bit faster until you settle on a rhythm that you feel is just right, not too fast and not too slow.  You should feel that you can maintain this rhythm for an extended period without thinking.  That is your personal rhythm.

How does your finger snapping relate to the golf swing?   Start snapping your fingers at your rhythm and the first snap is the start of the back swing and the second snap of your fingers is when the club hits the ball.  About 80% of the time of your rhythm is taken up by the back swing and the remaining 20% of the time is used for the transition and the down swing.

It takes patience to develop a good rhythm.  Patience is needed at the end of the back swing before the start of the down swing.  There should be a one-tenth second pause at the end of the back swing before the start of the down swing.  This pause will feel like a one-half second pause, but in reality it will only be a one-tenth second pause. This pause is where the most energy is created for an efficient down swing.  This increase of energy is felt in a slight increase of the stretch felt throughout the body.  It requires patience to feel this increase in energy.  My blog post, Patience in the Golf Swing, describes how to create an automatic pause.  If the pause is not felt, the down swing will not be rhythmic.

When you are having a good day, you are using your rhythm.  When you are having a bad day, your rhythm is just a little bit off.  In the 2012 US Women’s Open, the winner Na Yeon Choi had a couple of bad swings that cost her some shots.  She said she got back to playing well by deciding to focus on her rhythm.  Knowing your rhythm and focusing  on your rhythm can help you improve your swing.

Feel the Golf Swing

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What should you feel in the golf swing?   What I mean by feel is the senses that you feel in your body.  If you are walking, you feel the pressure of the bottom of your shoes on the ground.  You feel the pressure of your feet in the shoes.   You feel the movements in all parts of your body: ankles, calves, knees, hips, body, and arms.  You also feel your body moving forward.  The golf swing is no different.

The feel of the golf swing starts with the setup.  You need to feel the proper grip as your hands are placed on the grip and the grip pressure is enough to control the club but still allow your wrists to move.  Feel how far you stand from the ball so you can aim the club head behind the ball and perpendicular to the target line.  You feel the stance that you make in relation to the end of the club.  Your posture has your hips pushed back to allow your spine to tilt forward and allow your arms to hang from your shoulders.  You feel the weight distributed along the bottom of your feet with your ankles supporting the structure of your body.  Creating the feelings in the setup is the function of your pre-shot routine.  The pre-shot routine must be the same for every full swing shot.  Practicing your pre-shot routine should be a major part of the time you spend on the driving range.  Yet, very few golfers practice their pre-shot routine.  No wonder they have problems being consistent.  You must practice your pre-shot routine until you can feel your setup without thinking.

The golf swing back swing and down swing starts from the ground up.  This means you feel the back swing begin by engaging the bottom of your feet up through your ankles to the rest of your body.  Also, you must feel the bottom of your feet initiate the down swing by providing a solid base through a firm left ankle to unwind the right hip, right upper body, arms and hands to whip the club towards the target.

In order for you to create the whip of the club, you must first build up energy by feeling the upper body rotate around your spine while you feel your lower body resist the coil.  As your right hand raises the club, feel your left hand resist.  This resistance by the left hand creates a feeling of your left arm and left side being stretched.  As soon as you feel the maximum stretch, initiate the down swing.

The amount of time, starting when you feel the start of the back swing until you feel the club contact the ball, is a period of approximately one second. This is a rhythm that you should feel.

As you can see, the golf swing has a lot of feeling associated with it, more than the feeling of walking.  Whether you are walking or swinging a golf club, you must feel the motion and not think.

High Percentage Golf Learning System

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I am Sidney Wong, a long time golf student.  I have been taking golf lessons for 30 years and this is my opportunity to share, online,  what I have learned about this great game.  I wrote a book, High Percentage Golf, which describes the basic golf skills, mental and physical,  that a golfer needs to develop in order to be a consistent golfer.  An e-book version is on this web site.

I am now on a journey to develop a High Percentage Golf Learning System to help golfers quickly improve their golf game and enhance their focus on the golf course.  The system will be a series of videos on the full swing and the short game.  The system is based on my book with additional items that I have developed since I published the book.

The following is a high level description of the High Percentage Golf Learning System:

Full Swing

  1. Setup
  2. Rhythm
  3. Balance
  4. Efficient build and release of energy

Short Game 

  1. pitching
  2. chipping
  3. putting

The High Percentage Golf Learning System teaches what you must feel and what you must focus on instead of positions and swing mechanics.

The intent of the High Percentage Golf Learning System is to teach golfers the process required to develop a basic  set of skills.  I consider  taking golf lessons on the driving range the same as learning how to ski on the bunny slope. Skiers want to learn the basics of skiing on the bunny slope so they can go up on the mountain and really learn how to ski.  Golfers should quickly learn the basics on the driving range so they can take playing lessons on the golf course and really learn the game of golf.

High Percentage Golf Learning System will quickly provide the basics so the golfer can enjoy the game and move on to the next level.