| It seems as though many golfers are unaware of the | | | | hinge at the top of the backswing, return the club to |
| importance the hands play in the execution of the | | | | square at impact, and release the club afterwards. In |
| golf swing. Obviously, we know that the hands grip | | | | order for this to occur the hands must be passive! |
| the golf club and attach the body to the club. But | | | | What do I mean by passive? |
| what is the importance of them during the swing? | | | | You cannot force the hands to move through the |
| The answer has to do with releasing of the club. | | | | golf swing and release the club. This creates tension |
| Let's go back and do a quick golf biomechanics | | | | in the golf swing, affects tempo, and, overall, results |
| review. During the swing, from address position to | | | | in poor shots. If you do not believe me, go to the |
| follow-through, the hands are active in a passive type | | | | driving range, grip a club as hard as you can, and |
| of manner. | | | | attempt to swing. The results will be much less than |
| Let me explain. The goal of the golf swing is to | | | | optimal. |
| move the club on the correct swing plane to induce | | | | I think Dean Reinmuth, ranked by Golf Digest as a |
| the intended golf shot that you want. This occurs | | | | top-30 teaching pro, puts it best when speaking |
| through the body's moving through a series of | | | | about the hands in the golf swing. He discusses "feel" |
| positions. These positions are found within the | | | | as an integral part of the golf swing. He states that in |
| different phases of the golf swing. | | | | order to have a successful golf swing you must be |
| The phases of the swing are address, take-away, | | | | "tension free." |
| backswing, transition, downswing, impact, and | | | | "Feeling" the club move on the swing plane is an |
| follow-through. During all of these movements the | | | | indicator of being "tension free." And in order to have |
| body is performing, the golf club is being moved upon | | | | this feeling, your hands must be relaxed (i.e. passive). |
| a swing plane. The swing plane is the path upon | | | | How do you develop good hands in your golf swing? |
| which the golf club is to travel. Proper impact with | | | | Easier said than done. In order to develop "feel" in |
| the golf ball requires the golf club's traveling upon the | | | | the golf swing, remove "tension" from your golf |
| correct swing plane. | | | | swing and develop great hands, you must develop |
| In order for the club to travel on the correct swing | | | | three fundamentals. |
| plane it is necessary for the clubface to open and | | | | Fundamental number one is an understanding of the |
| close. Oftentimes, in golf terms the opening and | | | | golf swing. In order to know what the body and golf |
| closing, of the clubface is termed "releasing of the | | | | club are to do during the swing you must know the |
| club." This is where the hands become an integral | | | | biomechanics of the golf swing. If you don't, how are |
| part of the golf swing. | | | | you going to know what the body and club are to |
| If you talk to almost any instructor, they will say | | | | be doing during each phase of the golf swing? |
| that any good player has "great hands." This | | | | Secondly, you must develop the mechanics of the |
| statement refers to exactly what was described | | | | golf swing. Your body and mind must integrate the |
| above (the releasing of the club correctly). It's | | | | movements of the golf swing into a repeatable |
| obvious if you look at players such as Tiger, Phil, or | | | | movement. This occurs through proper instruction |
| Vijay. | | | | and practice of the correct golf swing mechanics. |
| I even remember walking the course at Doral in | | | | Finally, it is necessary to develop the body. Yes, the |
| Miami with top-5 teaching instructor, Rick Smith. One | | | | body! Your body must have the flexibility, strength, |
| point he continued to return to in terms of discussing | | | | endurance, and power to perform the golf swing |
| the golf swing was "hands." He stated more than | | | | correctly. If the body is inflexible, weak, and |
| once how any PGA Tour player has great hands. This | | | | powerless, how are you going to be able to perform |
| just provides additional support for how important | | | | the mechanics of the swing correctly? |
| the hands are in terms of the golf swing. | | | | The obvious answer is: you are not! Developing great |
| But what does this all mean? Well, we know the | | | | hands in your golf swing comes down to developing |
| hands are involved in the "opening and closing" of the | | | | a "basket" of fundamentals within your golf swing. |
| clubface during your swing. This movement allows for | | | | Understand the biomechanics of the golf swing, |
| the proper release of the club. As I mentioned, the | | | | develop the proper mechanics within your golf swing, |
| hands are "active in your golf swing, but in a passive | | | | and develop a body to support your swing. These |
| manner." | | | | are the keys to developing great hands in your golf |
| Again, to open and close the clubface during the golf | | | | game. |
| swing the hands move back during the backswing, | | | | |