If the golf club arrives
at the top of the backswing in the correct position it will be much easier to swing the golf
club back down into the back of the golf ball. The angle of the downswing has to be on the
steep side. If the golf club swings inside too much in the backswing the clubhead will not
return on a steep angle.
The steeper the angle of the downswing the easier it is for the leading edge of the golf club
to make contact with the turf. As the clubhead reaches the bottom of the arc, the leading edge
slides under the golf ball cutting into the turf and the club face makes contact with the golf
ball simultaneously.(#25)
Golf Pitching - Downswing Instruction - Impact
The only possible way for this impact to take place is for you to have the correct set-up,
swing the arms away from the golf ball in the backswing and swing the arms down in the
downswing.
Of course there are a number of things that can happen along the way however if you can get
into the correct position at the top it makes life a whole lot easier. The 8 and 9 o'clock
backswings are not nearly as difficult as the 11 o'clock backswing. It seems the longer the
backswing the more we want to help the golf ball get into the air. Another phenomenon is the
more loft the golf club has the more we feel we have to lift UP in the downswing to get the
correct amount of loft on the ball.
If you swing the golf club too far inside in the backswing the golf club will not go up enough
and when the clubhead returns to the bottom of the arc it will be too shallow at impact. If the
golf club returns too shallow the clubhead will not go under the golf ball and the leading edge
will strike the center or top of the golf ball. On the other hand if you swing the golf club
too far outside in the backswing the golf club will swing go up too much and when the clubhead
returns to the bottom of the arc it will be too steep at impact. If the golf club returns too
steep the clubhead will dig too much into the turf or you might hit the top of the golf
ball.
During the set-up the ball position, weight position and handle position play a huge roll in
swinging the golf club back on the correct path which in turn will insure the clubhead swinging
back down on the correct path with the correct angle.
As the clubhead swings away from the golf ball if your weight moves back with the golf club the
clubhead will not swing up enough and you will not have a steep angle in the downswing. This
mistake is a very common one amongst higher handicap golfers. If you can train yourself to keep
70% of your weight on your left side during the backswing you are half way
home.
