['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

Holy shit I had another little breakthrough on the range today. Even though I've committed to the golf grip and with the help of Hamas Jenkins showing me the handshake follow through I still felt like I want hitting the ball all that well.

I have been making great contact but felt like I was not hitting the ball in tempo. Turns out I have never had the proper takeaway. Toda, iI practiced the handshake on the backswing and discovered that I have always failed to get any wrist cock or lag. Included in that is the tendency to "pick" the ball.

Today, just on a whim, I decided to consciously use the handshake in the backswing which forced me to turn the club in the backswing. Low and behold, I was coming down in the right plane and hitting the ball AND TAKING A REAL DIVOT. And I was smooth through the backswing. I added 10 yards to my 7i without even trying. I was at Smiley's golf complex so it was easy to measure.
Hamas, if it were socially acceptable I would let phillfree blow you in front a stadium full of people for helping me. Thanks for doing it phillfree.



If I can translate this to the course I'll be thrilled.

What you are doing is allowing the clubhead to turn in sync with the arc of your golf swing. A good drill for that feeling is to stand straight up and hold the club straight out with your arms fully extended, like you're hitting a baseball on a chest high tee. Then, swing it straight back behind you. You'll notice that your right arm naturally rolls over as your left arm folds. As you swing it back to where the ball is, your arms will naturally close the clubface, and if you follow through to completion the clubface will be completely shut. That's pretty much what a golf swing should be, just on a different plane (one that matches the angle of the shaft relative to the ground at address).