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