The Back Swing

The Set Up:

Preparation: Do it right or pay the price.

By: Bruce Munch

Head Professional, White River Golf Club, Rochester, Vt.

Did you know that better than 50% of the success of the shot you are about to hit is dependent upon things that happen before the club ever starts forward. Grip, stance, posture, ball position and backswing are things that we can all control, but many golfers fail to do so and thereby make the forward swing an adventure.

Touring pros understand this and they deal with it by following a very precise pre shot routine. Before we can formulate a routine for our golf swing, we must understand the basics of a proper setup and backswing.

In golf we are imparting a force, using the face of the golf club, to an object, the ball. Our only contact with the face of the golf club is our hands, placed properly on the handle of the club. Please notice that I used the word "handle". This is because people tend to grip the "GRIP" way too tight. The proper grip for a right handed golfer (apologies to you lefties) is to place the left hand on the handle of the club in a position, so when looking down at address, two knuckles of the left hand are visible. This position places the left thumb on the right side of the club shaft. A three knuckle grip is considered strong, and would promote a hook and a one knuckle grip is considered a weak grip and promotes a slice. You must hold tight with the last three fingers of the left hand and failure to do so will result in re-gripping at the top of the back swing, a difficult thing to do. If you find that you are wearing out your golf gloves in the heel of your hand, you are probably re-gripping at the top. To correct this, practice easy swings, using only the left hand. This will cure the problem.

Next, place the life line pocket of the right hand over the thumb of the left hand and be sure that the club is held in the fingers of the right hand. Your thumb and index finger of the right hand should just touch. If the thumb of the right hand passes the tip of the index finger, you have the club too deep in the palm and you should adjust.

At address, the handle of the club should not point at your belt buckle, nor should it point at your left hip. It should be somewhere in between, thereby creating a relatively straight line from shoulder, through your wrist, to the club head. This position is designed to duplicate the position we will be in a impact.

Your stance should be athletic, with knees slightly bent and the left toe pointed slightly out toward the target. You should be bent at the hip joint, far enough so your arms can hang in front of your body. Your back should be straight and your chin raised to allow your left shoulder to pass under it on the backswing.

You initiate the backswing by turning as though you were handing the head of the club to someone standing directly behind you. At this point the club should be parallel to the ground with the toe pointing almost vertical (11 O’clock, not 12) and the handle of the club should be pointing at the target. The hips have turned 40 to 45 degrees and this is as far as they should go. Next you break your wrists and allow the hands to come to about eye level. This places the club behind your neck with the face in about a 5 O’clock position with your hands under the club in an easy support position and the club shaft pointing at your target. The right knee should still be flexed and the weight on the inside of the right foot. Your left shoulder should be almost over the right knee and turned approximately 90 degrees from the address position.

If you have done these things correctly you will be in great position to initiate the forward swing. If things don’t feel good at this point DON’T SWING, start over. Remember there is no such thing as a balk in golf.

Practice this move in slow motion at home until you can put the club in the proper position every time. If you have problems with this you should consult your local Teaching Professional. Remember, proper setup and backswing lead to great shot making.