Andrew Rice Golf

Posts Tagged ‘shoulder plane’

The Set Up for the Shoulder Pivot Drill

The Start of a Flat or Level Shoulder Pivot

One thing I have been seeing in my lessons recently has been a tendency for golfers to rotate their shoulders on a flat plane (like a merry-go-round!).  This is, I believe, in an effort to extract as much turn as possible from the backswing.  By doing this you create a situation where the arms are too wide (stretched), the upper body is ‘pulled’ off the ball by the turning of the shoulders (the lead shoulder runs into the side of the jaw) and due to the flat pivot action the right forearm is visible below the left when the left arm reaches parallel (for right-handers) – all elements that none of the top golfers employ in their swings.

Here is an excellent drill that will provide you with the appropriate feel for a correct shoulder pivot:

This drill is designed to help convey the feel of getting your body into the correct position at the top of your swing.  Assume your address as if you are preparing to hit a 7 iron. (It is best executed with a ball in position.) Place an iron across the tops of your shoulders and cross your arms to support. Be sure to have the grip end off your lead shoulder and the clubhead flat against the opposite shoulder. During the pivot action of your swing, try to get the butt of the club to point at — or slightly above — the ball. Feel how the lead shoulder moves down as

The "Top" of the Shoulder Pivot Drill

the shoulders wind into the backswing. This drill will also illustrate how the lower body needs to free up in order for the shoulders to pivot on a steeper plane. Sure, this drill is slightly overdone, yet it is rare for someone to get the shoulders to pivot on a plane that is too steep.  As you do this drill try to feel how the shoulders are now tilting more like a ferris wheel than the flat, merry-go-round plane from before.

There are many ways to swing a golf club, but only one way to hit a golf ball correctly.

The whole idea behind my philosophy is the above statement.  When looking at the top players of all time, there are no two golfers that swing the club the same way, however they all manage to impact and strike the ball in a similar fashion.  How is it possible that Lee Trevino, Ray Floyd and Nancy Lopez can make the ball get to the target the same way that Ben Hogan, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods do?  The only answer can be impact.  A position where the weight is well on the front foot, the handle leads the clubhead into the ball (with irons) while the head remains over or slightly behind the ball.

Today I will identify a few key factors that facilitate a sound impact position.  Swing the club any way you want, but obey these few simple points, because the vast majority of the greatest golfers follow them. (Sounds like a good idea to me!)

Grip:

A Slightly Strong Grip

Almost every champion golfer has a grip that favors the strong end of the spectrum vs. the weaker side.  I can only find one legendary golfer that utilized a weak grip and that would be Ben Hogan – all the others were strong, with a few being neutral.  A strong grip encourages the hands to lead the clubhead into the strike – an integral part of a proper strike on the ball.

Set-Up:

The Set-Up

At address it is important for the head to be centered between the feet.  This will leave the spine relatively verticle and the shoulders fairly level.  Stance width should favor narrow over wide and the ball should never be too far forward.  Keep in mind this set-up is in place to allow the golfer to get into a proper impact position as simply as possible.

The Pivot:

There are two important points to note in the pivot motion: the plane upon which the shoulders pivot and whether or not the body stays within the 84 degree line.  The plus here is that the better the shoulder pivot, the less likely the body is to move laterally and get across the 84 degree line.

In the shoulder pivot, the lead shoulder must move down and then across vs. simply turning across and behind the ball. Notice how Nick Price’s right forearm is above his left halfway back. This is due to the fact that his shoulder have pivoted on the correct, steeper plane.

The 84 Degree Line

As the body winds to the top and just before transition begins, the back side of the body should be flush up against the 84 degree line.  This loads the energy in the swing efficiently and prepares the body to glide effortlessly into a sound impact position.  If you do happen to break the line with your hips or upper body here, you will be challenged to get to the proper impact position.

Notice how all of the above factors are in place to facilitate the body being able to get to impact in an efficient manner.  This is the secret to all of golf’s greatest players’ swings: they all had different swings, but everything they did allowed them to get into the proper position to deliver the club onto the ball correctly.  You would do well to incorporate a few of these elements into your swing.