I want to share my answer to a frustrated golfer with you. Skip has been a friend for many years.
He knows about Concept Golf, but has had little time to absorb the principles.
What Skip is saying here is that he keeps hitting behind the ball, and by his assessment,
it is because he is getting ahead of the ball during the backswing. He transfers all his
weight to his back foot but then leans over to his front foot before his through-swing begins.
At the top of his backswing his weight is on his front foot instead of his back foot.
This forces his arms to make up for the lack of power that is available from his legs.
Fat, short, crooked shots are the result.
My response follows his letter.
Skip's Letter
Dear John,
Once again I am compelled to challenge our friendship by pleading for some help with my golf game.
Yesterday I was coupled with the only other "walk-on" at a great golf course (Musket Ridge,
Myersville, MD) who turned out to be a professional golfer playing on the Nation Wide Tour.
This alone added some pressure as I preferred not to make a total fool of myself.
As bad luck would have it (bad luck and bad game seemed to show-up immediately after
being told my playing partner was a pro) I hit 70% of my shots FAT and not just a little
fat but sometime 6 inches behind the ball. I tried keeping my head very still (knowing
full well that this goes against everything Concept Golf teaches), staying behind
the ball, slowing down, speeding up, and even said a few prayers.
Nothing worked to correct my dilemma.
My own analysis is that I, in spite of my best efforts, naturally transfer my weight
from my right leg to my left leg far too early. From this position I am forced to flip
at the ball with my arms. My question is: why am I seemingly unable or incapable
of staying on my right side? I know the five principles and have often been able
to apply all five with spectacular results.
I am tired of hitting the big ball first and scoring far above my potential.
Help,
Skip
P.S. I was putting and chipping superbly and shot 92.
My Reply to Skip
Dear Skip:
Thanks for the great material!!!!! Let me answer your question.
The solution to your fat shots is quite simple. You are dealing with the fifth Concept Golf swing principle.
Once your weight has transferred to your back leg during the backswing, make sure your back
leg is flexed -- quite flexed -- and stays flexed. The scientist would say that your power
leg should be flexed about 64 degrees during the backswing. I'm not sure you will sense
exactly how much that is, but in your case you will be quite sure your knee will touch
the ground during your backswing. You won't touch the ground or even get close,
but your stupid senses will yell that to you. Ignore them. Flex your leg.
Your senses will also tell you that flexing your leg that much will insure
that you will hit behind the ball. Not true.
By keeping your power leg flexed during the backswing, your weight will be
on your power leg as your swing reverses. You will not be able to get your weight on
your front leg before your through swing. By being flexed, your power leg is in position
to push against the ground to create your through swing. Your arms have little (really nothing)
to do during the through swing.
Your senses will say to you that the swing is a "squat, thrust" motion. Squat during
the backswing and allow the automatic thrust during the through swing.
The swing will become automatic, thoughtless. This is a very good thing. You will start to realize
that the exact distance you want with short wedge shots comes from the thrusting of your power
leg. It may seem that the power leg would be too strong for a delicate shot. The truth is that
it requires real strength to be delicate and your power leg is the right thing to create
the right distance for short shots. You use your power leg to throw a dart, pitch a penny
or toss a ball underhand. It seems quite natural with those activities.
Get two grass stains on your right knee and call me in the morning.
Your Coach,
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