PICK A TINY TARGET I find that focusing on a very small, specific target heightens my awareness of it and increases my chances of hitting the fairway. First, I choose a tiny target in the distance – eg, a bush or part of a tree – in line with where I want the ball to start. Using my driver shaft, I then trace a line from this spot all the way back to the ball ( photo, previous page ). This helps me identify an intermediate target a short distance in front of me – such as a leaf or broken tee – which makes it easier to align my clubface and body (photos, above). There’s no clutter. When I look up, I no longer see a fairway, I only see my target.
FOLLOW THE BODY Whenever my swing gets off, I know to slow down my transition. This helps me get back to the proper sequencing of movement on the down- swing, which is critical to making solid contact. My lower body is what initiates the downswing, not the arms and shoulders – which is what happens if I rush things. As my weight trans- fers forward, my hips rotate through so that my body is already facing the target at impact ( photo, right ). My shoulders are just now squaring up to the target and have yet to catch my hips. That’s big: The arms follow the body and not vice versa. Key on this transition thought and you’ll not only hit it straighter, you’ll hit it further, too.
LET BIG MUSCLES TAKE CONTROL Outside of hinging my wrists halfway back, my hands play no role in the backswing. My shoul- ders initiate the motion, because with these large muscles in control, it’s much easier to swing the club back on the desired path. I also rely on the big muscles in my legs – my quads and glutes – to keep me centred over the ball ( photos, above ). By feeling a strong connection to the ground in this athletic, squat-like stance, I’m able to rotate back instead of swaying, a mistake I see a lot of amateurs make. If you stay centred over the ball, you’re more likely to stay on plane and de- liver a square clubface into the ball.
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 43
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025
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