The impact position

Terry Gingell

The most important part of the swing is the impact position. This is after all, the only time that we influence the ball.

I often here people say that their golf buddy has a terrible swing yet seems to hit the ball consistently. The reason for this is simple; the golfer has a decent impact position. The golfer can overcome a lot of imperfections in the swing by doing a few things well at impact. Here are some reference points for the impact position:

The hands should be slightly ahead of the ball.

The club and left arm should be in a straight line.

The right knee should be bent towards the left with the heel slightly off the

ground.

At least 75 percent of the weight should be on the left foot and leg.

The left leg should be straight due to the hips having turned slightly.

Practice this position using a mirror.

A great drill to develop a good impact motion is to hit balls with a short swing. Come to a complete stop when the club is level with the ground. At this point the club and arms are in a straight line to the target. The hips are almost facing the target as are the shoulders and chest. The right knee is along side the left and the sole of the foot is facing directly away from the target. The clubface should be vertical. Your head should have started to rotate to face the target. Use a pitching wedge for this drill, it will help develop sound technique for more consistent golf.

Terry Gingell, is the PGA Director of Instruction at Eagle Valley Golf and can be reached at 690-7970. He's now taking registration for junior program and adult group lessons.