Four Keys To A Perfect Swing

What's the secret to achieving a perfect swing? According to one theory, it's matching four critical keys in your swing—clubface position, ball position, foot flare, and hip action. They must match to achieve a perfect swing—the one you strive for in golf lessons and read about in golf tips. If you slice or hook, chances are that one or more of these keys are mismatched. But match them up and you'll not only hit the ball longer and straighter, but also cut strokes from your scores and your golf handicap.

Clubface Position: Clubface position at impact is the most critical key. It controls shot direction, as stressed in golf lessons and written golf tips. If the clubface is open at impact, you'll hit a fade. If the clubface is closed at impact, you'll hit at draw. If the clubface is square, you'll hit it straight. Open clubface too much at impact and you'll slice. Close the clubface too much at impact and you'll hook.

What controls the clubface's position at impact. It's the clubface's position at the top of your swing. An open face at the top generally results in an open face at impact. A closed clubface at the top of your swing results in a closed face at impact. An open face at the top points toe toward the ground. A closed face at the top points the toe skyward.

Golf Tip 1: Learn to control where the clubface points at the top of your swing and you'll learn to control the direction of your shot.

Ball Position:

Ball position is the second critical key in the quest for a perfect swing. In general, the farther forward the ball in your stance, the farther left the ball will initially start at impact for right-handed players. Vice versa for left handed players. If you're a fader, you want to play the ball forward in your stance. If you play the ball back in your stance, you'll slice the ball. If you're a drawer, you want to play the ball toward the back of your stance, but not too far back.

Golf Tip 2: To achieve a perfect swing, match ball position with the position of your clubface at impact.

Foot Flare: Foot flare is a third critical key in the quest for a perfect swing. Turning out your front foot delays the formation of the "front wall" that triggers your release. De-flaring your front foot causes the clubface to release sooner. Flaring your foot delays the release. The maximum foot flare is 45 degrees. Be careful of foot flair/clubface mismatches. Like ball position/clubface mismatches, they can badly derail your swing.

Golf Tip 3: Control the timing of your release by flaring or de-flaring your foot. A flared foot dictates an early release. A de-flared foot dictates a later release.

Hip Action Hip action is subtler than the other keys, but just as critical. The more your hips move laterally before you turn, the more time the clubface has to rotate through impact. A lot of lateral hip action provides an open clubface the time it needs to square up. Too little lateral hip action gives the clubface much less time to square up.

As with the other keys, hip action/clubface position mismatches result in slices and hooks. Common mismatches are too much hip action paired with a closed clubface, and minimal hip action paired with an open clubface. Both end in disaster regardless of which side you hit from. Work on curbing lateral hip action.

Golf Tip 4: Aggressive downswing hip action gives the clubface more time to achieve a square clubface position at impact.

Clubface position. Ball position. Foot flare. Hip action. One theory holds that these are the four critical elements of your swing. To achieve the perfect swing you read about in golf tips and strive for in golf instructions sessions, says this theory, you need to match these four swing keys. Do that and you'll create a swing that will help you dramatically cut strokes from your golf handicap.


Copyright (c) 2009 Jack Moorehouse