How to check your golf swing at home by using mirrors

To do this exercise you will need a long mirror, like one on the inside of your cupboard door or in your passage. Obviously the more you can see the easier it will be. By using mirrors you will be able to check your setup, posture, alignment, ball position and swing set pieces.

As in all practice, lines will help you get your swing on plane.
To get started you will need to put a club down at your feet and put a ball down as a marker. From here you can take your position and check your posture, if want more information on the stance and posture then check out my previous blog.

It is ideal to have two mirrors. One facing your chest {in front} and the other opposite your right shoulder {behind} to capture the back and top of the swing.

To check your takeaway you will use the mirror in front of you.

During the takeaway you want to maintain your height and start with a good shoulder turn. When you have turned to the point that the club is parallel to the ground you should have your clubs toe pointing to the roof. This position of the club is square.
From here you will use the mirror behind you. The club now goes up. When turning up, check the mirror behind you and if the club is going on a good path, the shaft should be going through your right shoulder. Once you have made a full turn, your club should be parallel with the club at your feet.

At this point you can check the mirror in front of you and ask some questions.

1. have I made a complete shoulder turn
2. is my right knee still flexed
3. how straight is my left arm
4. have I maintained my height
5. is my left foot still on the ground
6. is my weight on my right side
7. is my shoulder behind the golf ball

If you answered yes to all of them, then you are good to go to start the downswing.

To initiate the downswing you start turning your hips and legs towards the target. The club should come down on the same line, or slightly inside the line of your backswing. Inside the line means that if you are looking at the mirror behind you, the club will come down to the right of the backswing line. In other words the backswing is going up through the shoulder and the downswing is going more through the arm.

Once you get to the impact position you want to check for the following:

1. is my head still behind/right of the golf ball
2. have I cleared my hips
3. is my club head square
4. are my arms extended
5. have I maintained my height
6. is my right heel leaning towards the target, but still touching the ground
7. is my right knee still flexed
8. are my shoulders square to the target

If you answered yes to all of them, then you are looking good at impact.

The final step is the follow through:
Once you have rotated past impact and the club is parallel to the ground it should mirror your backswing. This means that the toe of the club should be facing the roof as it did on the backswing. This is what releasing the club is about. Your arms at this point are still extended with your right hand above your left. As you keep turning through, your right shoulder will bring your head up.

Points to check when follow through is complete:

1. have I turned completely having my chest and hips pointing at the target
2. have I maintained my height in my follow through
3. have I transferred my weight onto my left side
4. have I finished in balance

If you have answered yes to all of the above then you have completed a good practice session at you house. Keep repeating these drills and you will get a better feel of the correct sequence in your golf swing.
Good luck

How to setup for long drives and accurate iron shots

I`d like to start by saying that I have been playing pro golf since 2002 and all the infomation I am going to share with you is from years of trial and error with regards to research and development in my own golf swing and game from tee to green.
Today I will discuss the setup for a good and powerful swing, enjoy!

1.  Stance - this is the base of the swing and should be strong and in balance.
Your feet should be roughly the same width as your shoulders - too wide and the tendency is to slide or sway instead of turn. To create power you need resistance. Too narrow and balance becomes an issue.
2.  Spine angle - try to keep your back as straight as possible; this will help you turn easier and there will be less strain on your back during the swing.
3.  Distance from the ball - when addressing the ball you want to feel like your arms are hanging down freely and that you are not reaching for the ball.
4.  Keep your chin up - when turning to the top of your backswing your shoulder will fit under your chin, this will also help you to maintain your height through the swing.
5.  Ball position - this is very important in every shot and one should be aware that is makes a big difference on your ball flight and the angle of approach for different clubs. The driver for eg. ball position is opposite the left heel because the ball is on a tee and requires more of a sweeping motion. A sandwedge, however, is more in the middle of your stance because the angle of approach is much steeper.

Whenever I practice or try new ideas on the range, I always put a club down at my feet parralel to my target. You can learn alot on the range if you know what to look for, but I mainly do this to see if the ball is going where I am aiming. The fundamentals of this great game are easily one of the most important parts of golf and there is alot i have to share. This is just an introduction to what I know and have experienced in the game and I hope that it helps you....