Starting Your Golf Swing
From Top to Bottom

Starting your golf swing from the top position is something that is talked about a lot. Terms such as 'cast' or 'casting the golf club' have been used in the past, or 'pulling the handle' in order to start the golf club back down towards the golf ball.

As I pointed out in lesson seven, when you are at the top of your back swing with your lower body resisting, you will be tightly coiled (but relaxed) feeling the need to uncoil and swing back towards the golf ball.

Golf Swing Tip:

When you get to the top of your golf swing, think 'pull' to start your swing back on the same path as you went back.

The first thing to happen when you start your golf swing is the right arm will begin to unhinge and straighten back to the exact same position it started in, secondly your left hip will move an inch or two towards your target and turn out of the way to allow your hands, arms and club to swing back down on the same path as it went up.

Golf Swing Tip:

The start of your golf swing can be from your left hip moving an inch or two towards the target.

Club head speed is generated from your hands, arms and club swinging wide back down the same swing path as it went up. This can only happen by turning the hips out of the way. The left shoulder will now be turning towards the target, with the right shoulder turning towards back to the exact place it started.

Golf Swing Tip:

The left hip must swing out of the way so the hands, arms and golf club can have a place to swing after impact.

Your left arm should not be rigid and locked, but long and relaxed. As you moved the golf club to the top of the back swing it swung back on an arc. The arc was slightly inside a straight line away from the target. The club has to swing inside and up on the arc. When the club passed 9:00 it has to start swinging up.

Now your moving! As the left hip moves out of the way, the left knee will move back towards its address position. When the club head gets halfway back down, your right knee will turn towards the target and your weight will move from your right side back to the middle of your stance.

This is the end of lesson eight, in lesson nine will discuss the downswing. And getting closer to what its all about, impact!

Lesson Nine The Downswing