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