7-point advice on making compact three-quarter swing

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

To hit your ball far to your satisfaction, you need to synchronize your swing with your body turn. More importantly, you need to speed up your club so its speed peaks through your ball. Toward this end, you’d better make a compact three-quarter backswing. Seven-point advice here will help you whack your ball successfully to your satisfaction with a simple three-quarter swing.

First, rotate your forearms as you swing your club back, keeping the distance between your elbows staying intact. That helps you widen your swing arc and create your torque to the full. Don’t spread your arms and lift them as you complete your backswing. That prevents you from controlling your body on the downswing. If you cannot control your body and club, you cannot square your clubface, let alone hit your ball solidly.

Take care to let your arms remain close together, and hinge your wrists properly as you rotate your arms. You will create a bigger swing width and build up greater power. You will eventually hit your ball as far as you want.

Second, shorten your backswing. Speeding up your club to the maximum does not call for a high, long backswing. To increase your swing speed, you’d better make a more compact swing, keeping your arms staying close to your torso. If you keep your arms close to your body, your arms will work better together in harmony with your body.

Also, for a fast swing speed, you need to keep your arms relaxed at address.

Third, increase your swing width to the full. To this end, you need to keep your right arm remaining straight during the backswing. This, coupled with your full wrist hinge, will help you produce a powerful three-quarter backswing.

Critically, you need to swing your club back with a little rotation of your right forearm. That will correctly leave the toe of your club pointing straight up about hip-high. Also, you need to make sure your club shaft sits directly over your toe line when your club shaft becomes horizontal. Your club shaft will get horizontal and parallel to the target line when you swing your club back roughly hip-high.

Fourth, move the handle end of your club back slightly inward to the 4 o’clock position. That allows you to swing your club back on plane and on the correct path. Once you’ve swung back that way, just rotate your shoulders about hip-high to coil your torso. Granted, you need to hinge your wrists fully to complete your backswing. Snap your wrists to hinge them fully. You need to create an L-shape between your left arm and club shaft when your left arm gets horizontal.

If you complete your backswing properly, your left thumb will sit under the handle of your club and support it. Your hands will rest below your right shoulder and in front of you rather than behind your body. Your left arm will sit across your chest.

Avoid trying to turn your hips to the full. Don’t turn them more than 30 degrees. Focus on turning your shoulders fully to create torque between your upper body and lower body.

Fifth, keep your head steady to start your downswing. That will allow you to start your downswing with your lower body, shifting your weight toward your left toes. This will allow your arms to drop to slot your club into a downswing path. You will be in the perfect position to deliver your club to your ball from slightly inside the target line.

Simply turn your body through your shot so your chest “covers” your ball as you hit it. Important here is keeping your posture the same as at address. This helps you swing your club on a consistent plane all the way down to your ball. The faster you rotate your body, the more clubhead speed you will create.

Sixth, hinge your wrists to make an L-shape between your right arm and club shaft when your right arm gets horizontal. This shows you’ve released your club fully through your ball and squared or slightly closed your clubface. With this move, you will always hit your ball far and straight, often enjoying beautiful draws.

Seventh, no less important than your swing mechanics is your swing tempo. It is natural to get nervous when you’re hitting your first tee shot or when you are under pressure. It is also natural to swing your club too fast. That makes it hard to hit your ball solidly, robbing you of your distance and accuracy.

Try to swing your driver with the same easy pace you swing a wedge. It will take a touch longer to swing your driver. But whatever club you swing, you must keep your pace or tempo remaining consistent.

Don't shorten your turn on the backswing and rush your downswing. Critically, don’t try to “steer” your ball into play. Complete your shoulder turn and change your direction from a backswing to a downswing at your normal pace. That way you can speed up your club freely through your ball.

A good practice drill is alternating your shots with your wedge and your driver. Your goal is to swing them at the same tempo. You need to swing every club in your bag at the same relaxed, leisurely pace. Just re-create the same tempo when you are playing. You will finish in perfect balance every time you swing.

Indeed, a well-balanced finish shows you’ve hit a perfect shot. If you over-swing or swing too fast, you cannot keep your balance. Losing your balance, you cannot hit your ball with perfect timing. Also, that pushes you to alter your posture, making it impossible to hit your target. If your driving is erratic, chances are you’ve lost your balance or rather your swing tempo was too quick. Take care to swing every club in your bag at no more than 80 percent of your top speed. You will immediately stop swinging your club helter-skelter and start whacking your ball at your best.