HOW TO BUILD A REPEATING SWING by Shawn Humphries and David Denunzio
Published in Golf Magazine
- , March 2007
Maybe 2006 was the year for you — the one when rounds came together and the ball flew from the clubface exactly as planned. If it was, congratulations! And don’t change a thing. But if you’re like the rest of us, it was an inconsistent year at best. A good shot or a great round here, a lost opportunity or a wicked slice there.
If 2007 is going to be the year for you, compensations and luck won’t get the job done. You need a swing you can replicate every time you take your stance over the ball. But where do you start? The answer lies on the following pages, where we break down every segment of the swing you want and provide insights and checkpoints you can use to improve every position. Our guide is simple because even adding just a few new wrinkles will pay huge dividends. And since perfecting one segment of your swing makes the ones that follow automatic, lasting improvement will come more quickly than you expect.
PRE-SWING
A three-point stance builds the foundation for success
The majority of your swing errors — and the need to make compensations — are the result of mistakes in your setup. Copy the positions at left to put your backswing on autopilot and set the stage for all the other components of your swing to fall into place.
TAKEAWAY
Move your shoulders — and nothing else — to start the club back
Your takeaway exists for milliseconds and consists of just a few inches, but what a critical few inches! If your takeaway is solid, you’ll easily generate two key features of a repeating swing: a wide swing arc and an on-line path.
TO THE TOP
Make an “L” then move it up to achieve maximum width and power
It’s not important how far back the club is at the top — it’s how you get there. The key is to maintain the width and plane you established in the takeaway and ratchet up your power.
TRANSITION
Move from backswing to downswing without moving your head
The top of your swing is the moment when you need to seamlessly transition from backward movement to forward motion. The key is to let gravity do its thing.
DOWNSWING
Keep your right shoulder back for increased arm speed
You made your takeaway and backswing using mostly your shoulders. Now it’s time for your arms to power the club into the back of the ball. At this point, excess body and shoulder action is typically the cause of your swing moving off plane.
DOWNSWING
Keep your right shoulder back for increased arm speed
You made your takeaway and backswing using mostly your shoulders. Now it’s time for your arms to power the club into the back of the ball. At this point, excess body and shoulder action is typically the cause of your swing moving off plane.
IMPACT
Rotate the club through impact with your arms, not your hands
If you’ve followed the plan to this point, quality impact will happen by itself, but knowing where you should be when you strike the ball is an important step in improving the other elements of your swing.
IMPACT
Hold the “L” then open the door.
RELEASE
Release your arms past your body to improve your impact
Your release is an extension of your downswing and impact positions. But don’t take it for granted — keep on rotating the club all the way to the top.
RELEASE
Release your arms past your body to improve your impact
Your release is an extension of your downswing and impact positions. But don’t take it for granted — keep on rotating the club all the way to the top.
THE FULLSWING
Focus on parallel and perpendicular
The final step is to put this sequence of positions into motion. The unifying move is creating the “L” and maintaining swing width. If you do that, your swing breaks into a series of alternating vertical and horizontal shaft positions that you can consistently repeat.
Photo Credits: Leonard Kamsler