March Pro Tip

by Richard Robinson /PGTAA

Even though we are in the midst of one of the worst winter blizzards in memory, infallible groundhogs inform us that winter will linger, snow bound golfers can still work on preparing for an improved game in 2010.   In previous tips, suggestions were offered to improve flexibility and control tension. The goals of such efforts are to recognize that a good golf swing requires freedom of movement, and increasing the capacity for full range of motion in our joints, and learning to apply an appropriate but not excessive level of muscular effort and thus tension will benefit your golf game and your health.  A third fundamental fitness component to good golf is balance.

Good balance begins at address. One way to improve balance is to become comfortable in addressing the ball  without grounding the club. It is interesting that most players avidly mimic the mannerisms and preferences of great players. Yet, Jack Nicklaus’ technique of not grounding his club at address is not widely emulated. In fact most players not only ground the club, but actually lean on it to compensate for poor address position and technique.

Whether you actually adopt this technique for routine shot making or not, it is a good practice routine. It is especially beneficial to practice indoors without the distraction of swinging or hitting a ball.

The key to proper use of this technique is to grip the club with your arms extended in front of you and then lower the club to the ground. (For those of you who have attended The Original Golf School this procedure is explained more fully in your instructional manual.) As you lower the club to the ground, let the weight of the club control the degree of extension and flex of your relaxed arms and wrists. The club may stop several inches above the ground. If this is so just add a little knee flex until the club head is a fraction of an inch above the ground, as if just brushing the grass. This will provide a feeling of the club hanging from you hands arms and shoulders.  It is quite different if you place the club on the ground first and then lift it into position. Lifting it will create a feeling of tension in the hands, arms, shoulders, and neck, and destroy the freedom of movement and swinging motion that is most desired. 

Additional Balance drills:

Our individual capacity to maintain balance is dependant on a number of factors, and specific evaluation and training is important to realize personal potential and control. Yet significant improvement in balance can be made with a few simple drills. 

Before explaining a drill however it is important to be aware of safety in practicing balance. First, improving balance requires testing our limits to control being slightly off balance. Thus, there is an inherent risk of falling. Be careful. Second balance requires muscles to work in ways that will stabilize some joints while others are in motion. When we are off balance, our muscles tend to overcompensate until the balanced position is learned and becomes comfortable. Progress may be slow and should be practices incrementally and for short periods for best effect.

A very good golf specific balance drill is to merely stand with feet shoulder width apart and gently shift weight from one foot to the other. The goal is to be aware of the changing pressure along your entire foot as your weigh transfers form one to the other. At first keep both feet in contact with the ground and strive to transfer almost all weight from one foot to the other with out lifting either foot.  This is very similar to the action occurring in the golf swing and offers a safety measure for retaining balance.  You may expand this drill by practicing the weight transfer lifting one foot completely off the ground and trying to balance on one foot for up to 30 seconds.

A second drill to help you find a solid back swing balance position.

• Stand as if addressing a golf shot and place a chair a few feet to your side so that you can simulate a back swing and grasp the top of the chair back with your lead arm to help maintain balance.  The goal is to turn your shoulders so your chest is facing the chair while feet maintain the address position with weight evenly distributed right and left, keep your knees flexed  

• Using the chair for support, shift balance to the leg closest to the chair. ( A right handed golfer would have the chair to the right side, turn  right as in a back swing, grasp the chair with the left hand, then shift balance entirely to the right leg ) 

• For many people it is more difficult to balance when the upper body is turned than when facing straight ahead. Practicing this position is important though since it closely approximates what happens in the swing.  If you feel off balance experiment with increasing of decreasing the amount of knee flex. Increasing knee flex will tend to increase the feeling of pressure on your foot and provide more stability. 

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