Today's Golfer Magazine - Swaying and Inconsistent Contact'

This article was created by Steve Thomas and featured in Today's Golfer magazine for their 2024 October edition - Issue number 456.

The article content:

TOP 50 TEACHER Steve Thomas 

www.stevethomasgolt.com, Head of Instruction & Fellow PGA Coach

at Three Hammers Golf Academy, Wolverhampton.

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CRIMEWATCH

SWAYING… AND INCONSISTENT CONTACT

We can define a ‘sway’ as excessive lateral movement – away from the target – during the backswing. While an element of lateral movement is fine – it promotes good weight shift and helps create momentum in the swing – we will quickly run into difficulties if we let it get out of hand. In this article, we will take a look at how to recognise a sway and the problems it causes, before learning a couple of swing drills that will reinforce a stronger concept for you to build your motion around. Indeed, even if you don’t classify yourself as a ‘swayer’, these drills will improve your backswing mechanics. Let’s get started.

DRIFTING AWAY

Typically, a sway stems from the misguided concept that we need to get ‘behind’ the ball on the backswing… often related to the equally misguided idea that we need to help it up, into the air.Instead of a rotational move, the backswing becomes more of a lateral slide, the hips and pelvis drifting away from the target. The sway’s big revealer is the trail foot, which starts to roll onto its outside edge, the instep rising from the turf. Aside from the problems with path and power caused by the limited rotation, the sway’s biggest effect is inconsistent contact because it creates imbalance and pulls the swing’s low point behind the ball.

New idea: role reversal

The first step to dealing with the sway, then, is conceptual. Instead of thinking we need to get behind the ball and help it up, we need to hold the concept of turning around a centre point – which is more in the middle of the stance – and squeezing down on the ball. Sending the ball upward is not your job; it’s the job of the clubface, which is lofted for that very purpose. Leave it to perform its role, and focus on yours. Here are two exercises that will help…

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Foot wedge

Find an angled prop, similar to the orange wedge shown here, and put it under your trail foot as you take your stance. Anything that forces the instep to take your weight will do. With this new foot position in place, you will instantly note a resistance to any backward movement or sway, and feel primed to rotate more over the top of the ball.

Stacked at the top

Swing to the top. If you’re a habitual lateral slider, this will feel awkward at first. But after a few backswings, you’ll feel more comfortable with the more centred, stacked backswing that the rear foot wedge enforces. You should also feel signs of a better rotation; the trail hip moving more around behind you than drifting outwards.

Hip hold

While Exercise 1 helps you to find and feel a better move, Exercise 2 moves things on by getting you to do it yourself. Place an object in front of your lead hip – it could be an old chair or even your golf bag – and set up so you can feel your hip against it. As you prepare to make your backswing, keep your attention on that contact point.

Central station

Swing to the top again, but keep that lead hip in contact with your prop throughout the backswing. With no foot wedge, you have to work harder to find this centred rotation; but achieving it means the swing’s low point has held its position through the backswing. You’ll find it so much easier to make consistently clean, powerful contact from here.

Written by Fellow PGA Coach Steve Thomas

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