Trouble Straightening back leg?

Another great question comes in this week from the Dewsweepers mailbag.

A Dewsweeper is struggling with the issue that they are straightening their right (back leg) during their back swing and it is causing them problems. They aren't sure how to fix.

Like I always say here on the Dewsweepers it helps to first understand why this is happening. Most of the time when a golfer is straightening their back leg it is because without doing so they feel as if they can't make a big enough back swing and feel as if they wont have enough power. It is key here to remember that the straitening of the right or rear leg causes you to give up the coil that you have built up during your back swing and makes you less powerful, even if it allows you to get the club further back.

It is next to impossible to fix this while making swings at full speed with a ball in front of you. You will continue to make the same mistake and swing over and over. The best, fastest and most effective way to fix this is to make slow correct rehearsals in front of a mirror without the ball. This will insure that you are making the correct motion and give you the opportunity at this slow speed to learn what the correct motion feels like. Learning in this way will give you an opportunity to change your mechanics over time and be able to take them to the golf course.

One great training aid we use here at the Hank Johnson School of Golf is the Leaderboard. It can be found easily online and is wonderful for learning how to make a proper back swing with a stable and supportive lower body.

Struggling with Fairway Woods?

A Dewsweeper writes in that he needs help with his fairway woods.

One of the problems I see with people struggling with their fairway woods is that they are trying to sweep the ball off the turf and lift the ball into the air. The Key to success with fairway woods is to play them exactly as we have taught you to hit iron shots here on the Dewsweepers. That Key is to remember that the low point of the swing needs to be in front of the ball. The ball with a fairway wood still needs to be compressed against the turf in order to be hit solidly.

Golfers who struggle with fairway woods too often try to lift the ball in the air which causes them to lean back, swing up and never get turned all the way through the ball to their front foot.

Next time you hit a fairway wood. Look in front of the ball. Make sure the club hits the ground in front of the ball and try and keep your shoulders level and finish on your front foot.

Remember keep your ball position up in front near the logo on your golf shirt.

Question- Should there be hip slide

Question comes in from a Dewsweeper out there....Should there be hip slide?

You are going to here more about the roll of hips in the downswing and its effect on your power in the series on POWER with Hank Johnson.

As for this question it is my preference that there be no hip slide. Lateral movement in the golf swing does not provide you any advantage in fact it reduces your power. You also know from listening here on the show how much I stress the creation of a pivot for consistent and improved play (look for previous tips on pivot).
I also have found that most of the time where there is a lateral slide it is not the primary problem rather the slide is a result of another flaw. The slide has developed in order to help you create time in your swing in order to get the club back in front of your body.

If you struggle with lateral slide make sure you get some help from a teacher who can help you find out why you have lateral movement in your swing.

A tip to work on taking the slide out. Take a patio chair or a bag rack from your range and place it next to your left foot (for a right handed golfer). Make swings next to this chair without bumping the chair or bag rack forward. You will find that to do this you will need to rotate your left hip out of the way and rotate through the ball rather than slide into the hitting area.

Try this and you will e on the way to an improved swing and lower scores!

What Part of the Ball?

Another great question comes in this week from the Dewsweepers.

T- I am Confused what part of the ball am I really trying to hit?

A great question and one that is often misunderstood. Many time I'll ask a student where they are trying to hit and the answers vary from "the ball, to the back of the ball, to I'm not sure"

First remember all of our previous Dewsweeper lessons and that the correct low point of the swing (which is a big circle) is in front of the ball.

Second imagine as you look down that the ball is a "pie" sitting on the ground. Now imagine that the "pie" is cut into four quarters. You want the club to strike the inside quarter of the pie. The club is swinging down and out as it comes into the ball.

Here is a great tip. Take a sharpie and place a dot on that inside quarter of the ball. Now try and drive that dot down and out into the turf in front of the ball.

If you accomplish this you will find that begin to hit more solid iron shots and begin to get them started more online.

If you are struggling with balls starting too much to the left of your target (for a right handed player) try this it may help you get your ball flying at the target and your scores coming down!