Often times during a golf lesson, I only need to watch a person
set up and I can tell what the results will be when the person
strikes the ball.
Often times during a golf lesson, I only need to watch a person set up and I can tell what the results will be when the person strikes the ball. The reason is that the position you are in at your set-up is most often the position you return to again at impact. Therefore, it is extremely important to set up properly if you want to return to the proper hitting area position.
When striking an iron off the turf set up with your hands slightly in front of the ball so that the shaft of the club points at your left hip area. The reasoning is as I mentioned earlier because this is where we want you to be at impact as well. Having your hands in front of the ball helps promote a downward arc swing into the hitting area. Thus, you can strike the ball first, then the turf, putting backspin onto the ball and providing it with the lift it needs.
A common mistake is that at the set-up the hands are behind the ball so the shaft of the club points up at your belly button. This often causes a person to flip the wrists into the shot causing you to strike the ball on the upswing instead of the downswing. Check your set-up and the club shaft angling up to the front hip in a full length mirror. Then swing and freeze your position at impact. Hopefully it’s in a similar position.
Remember, when all else fails take a lesson, you’ll be surprised how much we can help.
To schedule a lesson with PGA-certified instructor Don DeLorenzo, call Gilroy Golf Course at 848-0490.
