Rotate left elbow briskly through your shot

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

To hit your ball consistently, you need to picture the shot you want to make before you select your club. Once you’ve picked up your club, you need to waggle it several times so you can hit your ball toward your target.

To hit the shot called for, you need to swing your club on the proper path. Importantly, your swing path should vary depending on the shot you want to make. When you hit a draw, for instance, you need to swing your club differently from when you hit a fade.

To let your club work on a different path, just picture you’re gently curving your shot left or right. Then, waggle your club with the shot vividly in your mind. That way you’ll swing your club on the proper path and plane.

Once you’ve completed your last waggle, swing your club back and forth the way you’ve waggled.

To hit your ball longer and straighter, don’t rush your backswing to finish your backswing turn, starting your downswing leisurely. Then, just rotate your left elbow or your whole left arm vigorously once your left elbow points toward your ball. Your left elbow will face your ball roughly halfway down, about waist-high.

Of supreme importance here is keeping your back facing the target when your left elbow points to your ball. That prevents you from coming over the top, ensuring you whack your ball properly from inside the target line. That also promotes good rhythm and tempo, encouraging you to hit your ball at a timely moment.

Besides, rotating your left elbow vigorously ensures you square your clubface and increase your swing speed through your shot. You’ll eventually hit your ball far and straight to your target.

Rotating your left elbow correctly, you’ll swing your club on an arc. Put differently, you’ll swing your club from inside to along your target line to inside again. Swinging your club on the correct arc promotes straight shots or soft draws.

After all, if you hit your ball by turning your left elbow, your club will automatically work left to inside your target line.

It will happen naturally, but keep your left heel down on the ground as you swing your arms and hands down. Your transition from backswing to downswing needs to be a quiet move. Just let your left arm and club fall down into the correct powerful downswing slot. Toward this end, you need to keep your right foot planted. Or rather, you need to roll your right foot inward, on the inner rim of your right foot. That prevents you from mistakenly spinning your shoulders prematurely, allowing you to hold your wrist hinge until the last second.

More importantly, that helps your left elbow point toward your ball properly roughly halfway down. You won’t rotate your upper body prematurely, ensuring you hit your ball from slightly inside your target line. This encourages you to release your club at a timely moment, sending your ball far and straight to your satisfaction.

Undoubtedly, to hit your ball farther and more accurately, you first need to grip your club properly and set up correctly. How you grip your club and address your ball controls your clubface, which decides your ball flight.

Adopt a slightly strong grip, with your hands turned away from the target and your palms parallel to each other. Taking too weak a grip, with your hands turned left toward the target, you are apt to hit a slice. Let the heel of your left hand press down on the handle of your club as you grip your club. Doing this correctly, you’ll hold your club lightly but firmly with the last three fingers of your left hand.

Place your club in your right hand so the club shaft lies across the top joint of your two middle fingers. Make sure the handle of your club rests at right angles to your fingers. You need to hold your club in your fingers, not in your palm. Let your right thumb sit on the left side of your club shaft just a fraction.

Importantly, avoid gripping your club too tightly. Too tight a grip prevents you from releasing your hands freely through your shot. You need to make sure you take a soft, light grip.

Improving your stance at address helps you achieve your correct ball flight and thus hitting your ball far to your maximum.

Stay clear of standing too narrowly when you hit your ball off the tee. Take your normal stance with your feet roughly shoulder width apart. Stick your bottom out just a fraction. You need to leave your bottom protruded during your entire swing, at least until well after you hit your ball.

Then, drop your right foot back a few inches away from your target line. Your head will naturally move back a little to your right side. Also, your spine will properly tilt away from your target, your right shoulder dropping downwards. That way you’ll hit your ball slightly on the upswing, increasing your carry distance. Critically, you’ll deliver your club to the ball from inside the target line, presenting you with more chances of hitting powerful draws.