Low Pointing

This is a good question. It is something I focus on a lot during my lessons, especially for quality iron play.

There are a few things that have to happen so that the low point of your swing is on the target side of the ball.

First we need to understand how the lower body works. There is a slight counter movement into the trail side, more load on trail foot on the backswing. Then there needs to be a weight shift into the lead side on the forward swing. It is very similar to how your body would move to throw a ball. We just don’t step with the lead foot, we shift. At impact we need to be able to have approximately 75% of the weight on the lead foot. If we do not get the weight over there it is virtually impossible to bottom out your club on the target side of the ball.

Additionally we need the handle of the club to lead the clubhead into the ball. I was always taught “the handle wins the race to the ball”. Most people try and make the club head arrive first and they flip or unhinge the club prematurely.

What I have done through the years is to try and explain how the body should move and also how the club should work. When I teach on grass I bury a tee in the ground about an inch past/target side of the ball. I tell them to strike the ball and dig the tee out of the ground. When I teach on turf/mats I will put a piece of duct tape about and inch past/target side of the ball and tell them to strike the ball and peel the tape off of the ground. I will also set up a practice swing piece of tape near the ball and have them try and peel the tape off of the ground with their practice swing.

This is something they can do on there own when they practice, but what I have also found is that this is a very feel based concept. They are not thinking about anything mechanical. They are just swinging their club to a spot past where the ball is. As a whole, this has been a very successful concept for my customers.