If you have a sack of potatoes in the kitchen pantry or garage, go get it. Not for dinner, mind you, but for use as a prop for a drill to get the feel for keeping your arms and body connected in the swing. We didn’t have a sack of potatoes at this photo shoot, so I used my golf bag instead! I recommend potatoes or a medicine ball, though, since they’re cheaper than your clubs.
The key to this drill is the initial lateral force as the knees turn for a rotational force with the hips and a vertical force with the lead leg. The arms are connected to the upper body, which is merely supporting the weight. Use a medicine ball in the gym and have someone video you to compare the motion to a good golf swing.
Learning to move your arms and body in tandem will result in more distance with minimal perceived effort. One of the flaws in most amateur swings is the overuse of the upper arms and shoulders when trying to attain distance. Understanding how the hips and legs work in conjunction with the upper arms and shoulders is what this visual is trying to convey.
Randy Chang is director of instruction at Journey at Pechanga in Temecula and also teaches at other locations in the Southland. He can be reached at (949) 331-2443 or randychang@pga.com.
