There are some real similarities when it comes to tour players' swings. The two biggest areas of similarity is the takeaway and impact. The takeaway is classified as the moment where the club reaches parallel to the ground. All tour players barring a few have the club head and the hands either forming a straight line when the club reaches parallel to the ground or has the club head in front of the hands.
This is mainly due to the important relationship between the club and the body. The goal is to keep the arms in front of the body during the backswing. If the takeaway is followed as mentioned above it will ensure that the arms and body are connected. If the club head though gets behind the hands at the first position it can cause a chain reaction throughout the swing where at impact compensations will most likely have to be made. This can often cause 'hook' shots or 'slice' shots.
The other aspect that is very similar is the impact area. There is only one way to hit a golf ball optimally. What you will see with all elite players is the hips turning through the ball while moving onto the front foot. You will also see them maintaining spine angle and the hands staying in front of the clubface. This is the most athletic move in the golf swing but once practiced, you will see an increased ability to strike the ball correctly.
To practice this I will often ask my students to rehearse impact before they start their backswing. This gives them the feel of where their body needs to be. This works very well as sometimes the best way to incorporate a new move is to work backwards and feel the end movement first.
If your takeaway and impact are great then the rest of the swing in particular the top position of your golf swing doesn't have to be perfect.
If you'd like any further help in mastering these two distinct areas let me know and we'll organise a lesson.
Comments