TAO
Tips
© Sensei Mark Anthony 2001
Don't try to change your swing, just learn a new shot. The long, straight one.
Most of the high handicappers that I encounter, especially the ones who've been playing many years without any noticeable improvement, tell me, "it's too late to change my swing my swing now."
"Fine." I say, "don't change your swing, learn a new shot."
There are many different shots in golf —the knockdown, punch shot, pitch-and-run, etc. All of these shots have their own set of rules, such as ball placement and set-up.
The
main problem is that most people use a sand-shot swing and set-up for
all of their clubs. What I mean is, that they use the swing that is most
effective for hitting out of a green side bunker for hitting the long
clubs. They're swinging the club the same way that they are supposed to
swing a sand wedge.
I'll illustrate with a sand-shot. On a green-side sand shot, you would generally set-up with an open stance, swing very steeply and be flat-footed at impact. This set-up and swing with a short club doesn't cause much of a slice because the loft is greater than the amount of side-spin that is put on the ball at impact. The ball generally goes in the direction in which the club face was aimed, no matter what the set-up and mechanics are.
The problem is however, is that most short-hitting, high-handicappers use these same mechanics for a shot with their driver.
Here's why the ball slices. The longer club will provide more club head speed because of centrifugal force. This makes the ball come off the club face at greater velocity and lower trajectory. With less loft, the ball's side spin will greater than the backspin. Now, combine more club head speed, less loft, and a flatfooted, outside-in swing. What you get is a humiliating, left-to-right slice that travels half the distance that it should. It's a recipe for disaster. Now, it's no big deal. Its probably that no one told them how to move to hit a long club. In this article, I'm going to show you a new shot to learn.
The long, straight shot.
This shot is useful when you need to hit the ball long and straight off the tee or fairway. Keep in mind here, that I'm not asking you to change your swing. I'm just showing you a new shot. The only thing that I'll ask of you is that you open your mind and enjoy the learning experience. You'll be able to go back to your other shots later.
For now, focus on this particular shot. A couple of small adjustments you may have to make will be your set-up and body movement. With the straight shot, you need a square set-up. This is when your feet are parallel with the target line and your club face is perpendicular to it. These two lines should form a perfect letter "T." The body movement part is simple. In order to hit a lower-lofted club on target, you have to get your center through the point-of-impact. In addition, you have to swing without any muscular tension in your upper body.
There must be absolutely no conscious muscular contractions going on while you swing. Muscular tension, before, during and after the swing holds the greatest risk of injury and must be avoided.
One parallel to my martial arts training that I'll mention is footwork. With martial arts students, especially beginners and intermediates, the difference between good technique and sloppy technique is generally footwork. In addition, footwork is the first thing that is taught to a person the first day that they walk into the dojo. Think about this for a second. Ask yourself, if it's the first thing they learn, it must be pretty important right? Right. How can you do a martial arts technique if you can't efficiently get to the place that you need to do it? This in fact, is what is built upon in your whole time in training. It never stops. Without the proper footwork, you may as well not train.
Today were going to apply this fundamental to your golf swing. I'm going to show you what every tour player does off the tee for a powerful accurate shot. Whenever you see a pro or, an ace amateur for that matter, hit a good, long tee shot, two things will be consistent.
First, at impact, the right heel will be slightly lifted off the ground.
Second, at the finish of the swing, the right foot goes vertical and the only part of the right foot that is touching the ground is the toe. The heel is pointing directly 90 degrees up off the ground.
A very easy way to drill this feeling into your body is the golf-angle shoulder turn. While standing up straight, point your toes out and slightly bend your knees. Place a club behind your head. Now, lean into your golf angle.
Here's an easy way to test your posture. Place a club down your spine while standing up straight. Feel where the points of contact are. Here's the trick. When you lean into your golf angle, the points of contact should not change. In fact, it should feel like you're sticking your butt out.
Now begin moving. Focus your head on the center and begin turning right-to-left as if you were dancing. Use a waltz tempo. As you make your "back swing," make absolutely sure that you're keeping the right knee bent. As you turn through to the left, you should come all the way up on to the right toe.
Here's another hint.
Imagine that your right foot is stuck to fly paper. As you begin to turn to the left side, "peel" the right foot off the sticky paper. Remember: peel, don't pivot. Practice that movement for a few minutes. You'd be surprised at how many repetitions you can get in about two or three minutes. If you do this exercise in a mirror, you'll notice that your hips, legs, shoulders and feet are all doing the right thing at the right time automatically. The only things that you may have to focus on is the toe drag and that you do not lock the right leg on the back swing. Other than that, you'll be making a textbook swing from your shoulders to your feet in about a minute or less.
Apply this body movement to your swing with a middle iron. I suggest a seven-iron, as that is the one that I learned on. Remember to set-up square with a shoulder-width stance, no wider. If you're over thirty, you'll most likely lack the flexibility to get your center through the ball with a wide stance.
In one sentence:
Set up square, swing with a total absence of muscular tension, and finish with a toe drag. You'll be hitting longer straighter shots than you ever imagined. That is the "Tao" or, way to hitting longer straighter shots every time.
Here's a little rhyme for you to remember this lesson by…
To hit long and low,
wherever you go,
peel that heel,
And drag that toe!
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