DOWNSWING: GIVE THE BALL A PUNCH WITH YOUR PELVIS Forward shaft lean at impact is key to getting the right contact and trajectory on your distance-wedge shots. You produce it by first shifting laterally into your lead leg as you start down. You then use the ground to rotate your body towards the target as the club moves through the bottom of the swing. The common mistakes are too big of a backswing and decelerating in the downswing with minimal lower- body movement. To help you get a feel for the correct action, set an alignment rod in front of your lead hip (or imagine one) at address. The goal is to bump that rod as you swing down ( below ) and then rotate towards the target with your body. That’s what I call a “pelvic punch,” and it’s the engine of your distance-wedge game.
BACKSWING: REGULATE THE MOVE As I mentioned, your backswing should be short enough that it prompts you to rotate your body towards the target in the down- swing. How short? I’ll give you two backswing lengths to practice so that you’ll have two distances you carry the ball with each wedge. Set up square to a ball positioned evenly between your feet in a slightly narrow stance. Take the club back slowly and pivot away from the target with your weight remain- ing fairly even from one side to the other. Rotate back until your lead arm is parallel with the ground and the butt end of the club is pointing directly down behind the ball on its target line ( photo, opposite page ). That shortened backswing will encourage you to use your body to deliver the strike. The second backswing is even shorter. The butt end of the club should be pointing at the ball upon its completion.
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 95
MARCH/APRIL 2024
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