There are so many ways to swing the golf club and I have witnessed many of them. What this tells me is that each individual is different and needs to, as the King Arnold Palmer says, “Swing your swing.” This is the best advice for 100% of the golfing population. However, there are some key factors that are a must in every golf swing. You have seen my writings in the past discussing the three most important parts of the golf swing which actually happen prior to swinging the club. Grip, alignment, and setup are the keys to having a chance to swing properly. One other important key is the direction of the clubface at impact to your target line. With this said, let’s dive into the swing and get you on the right path to success in swinging the club properly, using your swing.

Assuming that your first three fundamentals are solid, the sequence of motion for swinging the club are that your club, hands, arms, shoulders and torso turn away from your target. At the top of your backswing your back is to the target. With this in mind now, I want to back up to your set up and have you imagine that your backside (butt) is up against a wall. Both cheeks are braced there. For a right handed golfer, when you make your backswing, at the top of your backswing your left butt cheek will come off the wall. This means that you have made a full turn into your right side. 

Now to make the downswing unfold properly, the first move you will make is to feel your left butt cheek return back to that imaginary wall.  Remember that the lower body initiates the downswing. After that rotation of the lower body, the torso, shoulders, arms, hands and club will follow back to the impact area on the proper swing path. If you watch any of the Tour Players, men or women, you will see this move. Their beltline remains reasonably level. You are not sliding forward, you are rotating. It creates more torque and speed in your swing without trying to swing harder. Your balance will improve as well when you get this motion ingrained into your swing.

If you have any questions about this or any other part of the golf swing, please feel free to contact me. It is my goal to have every golfer enjoy the game more, so you will play more.

As a side note, I have hung my shingle at Tres Rios Golf Course in Goodyear and started Great Golf Academy. I will be giving golf lessons and helping golfers enjoy this great game. For more information and lesson rates, feel free to email me at gellisdog@cox.net.

Be sure to tune in to the Bunker to Bunker Golf Show every Saturday morning from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. on ArizonaSports now on 98.7 fm or on the internet at www.arizonasports.com for more tips and updates on all of the week’s golfing news in the Valley and around the world. Join Greg, Jim Hill, and Marty Monaghan for a comprehensive look at the golf world for the week.