lessonspin
By Paxton Clabaugh PGA
Strike the Ball
Solid – Manage
Your Mass
I get questions all the time – “How can I
strike the ball more solid?”
I give a lot of golf lessons during which
players want to hit the golf ball more flush,
gain distance and ultimately shoot lower
scores. In this article, I’m going to give a tip
on how to hit the ball better regardless of
your skill level.
I see too many players of all skill levels
who come on my lesson tee with unstable
centers (center of the shoulders and the
center of the hips). To have a good golf
swing, a player needs a stable axis point
and a stable inclination with the ground. To
create the framework for both, you need to
have the center of mass stable and centered.
Most amateurs I see have a shift in the center
of mass that is away from the target in the
backswing as shown below. As a result, I see
poor ball striking, decreased distance and
overall higher scores.
Better players and great ball strikers
through history show a common theme in the
center of mass – stability and centeredness.
With the center of mass stable and centered,
it allows the player to strike the ball better, hit
the ball farther, and ultimately shoot lower
scores. Shown below the center of mass is
staying more stable and centered at the top
of the backswing.
When I’m hitting the ball my best, I feel
as if my center of mass is more stable and
centered. Next time you go out to the course
to work on your game, feel as if you make
a stable turn keeping your center of mass
forward, and you will surely see better ball
striking!
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