Golf Professionals have many ways of instilling fundamentals into their teaching when working with beginners or high handicappers. However, many other players who have carded lower scores but still have the ability to improve fundamentals can benefit from a better understanding of the “Imperatives” as defined by Homer Kelley in the Golfing Machine. I do not recommend reading his book unless you have a big golf IQ. However, his imperatives and many of his other concepts are at the center of golf instruction!
Keep the imperatives in mind to improve Impact!
The Three Imperatives are:
1) a “flat” left wrist
2) a clubhead lag pressure point
3) a straight plane line
Employing the first imperative teaches the student to compress the golf ball when they make “ball first” contact.
Watch the impact position of a tour pro and you will see what I mean here. The lead wrist (left for right handed players) is flat through impact and then swivels a bit after impact to accommodate the grip end of the club leading the club head.
Any time the handle or grip end of the club is moving backwards while the head of the club is moving forwards the player has hit on the collapse and this should be avoided at all costs. It is commonly seen on practice tees across America; however, it is the death move in my opinion.