Old-school devices still carry weight, so if you want to develop a heavier blow into the golf ball head to your garage for an old tire. A golf club and tire can work in similar ways to a boxer training on a heavy bag or a lumberjack chopping wood.
Don’t get me wrong, I love today’s high-tech training equipment. But as coaches and instructors we need to find ways to help our students transform the digital data to something they can feel.
If training with a tire, use a steel-shafted club. For full swings, hit the outside of the tire to feel the impact of a heavy blow and develop a square clubface in the hitting zone. Firing on the inside of the tire is good for training an explosive pivot through the impact zone.
If you set a goal to move the tire 2 feet with several blows you’ll quickly feel the need for an effective pivot to get the job done. Utilizing modern technology is great, but a bit of old-school training can be complementary to get you more quickly to your targeted goals.
In other words, an old tire can get you on the fast track to a more powerful swing and consistent contact.
Geoff Murtha is a member of the Australian PGA and the director of instruction at Dove Canyon Golf Club in Orange County. He can be reached at (800) 279-0235 or pro@golfacemyonline.com.
