Tip of the Month

April 2004

By John Pallot
Director of Instruction

This year's Masters brought out the best in Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els. Augusta National, with it's rolling fairways, undulating greens, towering pines, and clouds of azaleas can do that.

I had the good fortune of attending the 1997 Masters. I enjoyed hours at the practice range making copious notes. Watching the best in the world fine tune their swings was a golf teacher's banquet. Following them as they coped with undulating precision mowed greens, yawning traps, Amen Corner, and Rae's Creek, was thrilling and unforgetable.

Here's something you shouldn't forget. This month's tip. Make a circular, rounded swing. Most amateurs swing too vertically resulting in an open club-face at impact. Look at the picture. The ideal swing is a tilted circle. This encourages a downswing towards the target and square club-face at impact. Try these 2 drills.

1) Practice swing or hit balls on a side-hill lie with the ball 12 inches above your feet. This makes it easier for your arms to swing around your body, promoting body rotation on backswing and hand, arm and body rotation on the front swing.

2) Got a baseball bat? Hold it in front, waist high. Swing the bat around your body allowing your body to rotate on backswing. On your front swing rotate your right arm over your left arm. This turns your body on the front swing.

Practicing these drills and picturing a circular swing at 45 degrees will greatly improve your ball striking. You might even end up at Augusta.