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Leave it to me to be as ignorant about the golf swing as I have for the last 2 years.

Do you ever have those times where multiple people tell you whats wrong with your swing or they give you advice on how to fix something, and you try and get it, but you don’t GET IT. Then, you have an epiphany moment on the range or on the course and you say to yourself.

Holy cow! Thats it!

For the last 2 years, I have been fighting an over the top swing. Don’t believe me, just view the videos page. Those videos are from Pinehurst in March, but as you can tell, I look ‘decent’ going to the top, though a little steep, but on the downswing there are ALOT of major problems happening that will kill any accuracy or power you are hoping your shot will have.

Yesterday, I played 18 holes. It might be one of the worst driving/3-wood days I have ever had in a long time. I probably his 5 balls out of bounds, REALLY FAR LEFT out of bounds. You know why, because I am still doing what I did in those videos. I come over the top, I get crunched at impact, and so either the clubface is closed at impact and the ball goes 50 yards left of the target line, or it goes 50 yards right of the target line.

In my case, I happened to also block one of my drivers maybe 100 yards off line. No joke!

Lon Kinney, head pro of Harbour Trees Golf Club, while in his proshop yesterday offered me one bit of advice.

Bryan! Get your weight shifted to your right side. Its not even moving. Of course your gonna come over the top, your not even getting behind the ball

. Straight and too the point, but you know what, he was right. Look at my side view of my swing in the videos section, you will see my left side barely moves. I have good rotation, but no weight transfer.

So on a good day when my timing is good, I am able to hit the ball fairly straight, except subconsciously I am making small swing adjustments on the downswing to compensate for my lack of a weight transfer to the right side.

So today, during lunch, I went over to a local range to hit a $6 bag of balls.

My goal during this quick 45 minute ball hitting session. To focus my attention on getting my weight, on my backswing, to the right side.

For the last 2 years, people have told me this, and for whatever reason, I “thought” I was getting to the right side, but in reality, I wasn’t. Sometimes it takes video to tell you that, but even I didn’t recognize it.

So on the takeway, I start transfering the weight, which at address is neutral, maybe 40% left leg, 60% right leg. Its important to keep your right side from SWAYING. Thats a NO NO. We are rotating our body and shifting weight to the right side. Your right leg should stay pretty close to its same position as when you are setup at address, except you will have more tension, torque, and weight on it when you get to the top of your backswing.

For me, today, I had one of the best ball striking sessions in probably 2 solid years.At times, I actually hit a draw.

The big issue was with my driver, which has been my ultimate nemisis in those 2 years. I would setup, start my backswing, shift my weight, and this allowed my arms to “DROP” on the downswing more effectively, hence removing much of my over the top. Now, granted, I didn’t have a video recorder on me, so I am sure I came over the top a little because of habit, but it was much better.

What I witnessed was a better ball flight (height wise), a more accurate tee shot with, at worst, a 20 yard fade on it. That is most likely due to this being the first day I am working on this. Now I have to fine tune this swing, but its a step in the right direction.

I was hitting high straight iron shots, solid 290 yard + drives, and a heightened confidence in my swing, all do to WEIGHT TRANSFER.

Its just amazing that 1 small tip that has been shouted in your ear for months can take that long to “click”.

But hey, better now then never.

Posted in: Golf Tips

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