Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a GOLF.com series in which we’re sharing improvements, learnings and takeaways from amateur golfers just like you — including some of the speed bumps and challenges they faced along the way.
If you’re a mid-to-high handicapper like I am, there’s a good chance you’re constantly trying to improve your golf swing. Whether that’s watching videos online, reading tips here on GOLF.com, or actually going through a lesson with a teacher each week, the grind certainly never stops.
In my experience, the same type of swing flaws rear their ugly head over and over, which only add frustration (and plenty of strokes) to my golf game.
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Just when I think I’ve got things figured out, I go a week between hitting golf balls and, boom, I revert back to mishits and poor form. As I work towards breaking 80 for the first time, this type of stuff halts any progress.
If only there was an easy way to fix these flaws once and for all.
While describing this very scenario to GOLF Top 100 Teacher Mike Malizia, he didn’t just remind me that “it’s part of golf” to go through such ebbs and flows; he also gave me a golf swing drill that should help improve my ball-striking. He was kind enough to share the details below — so check them out if you’re battling some inconsistency like I am.
An ultimate golf swing drill to fix 2 common flaws
“All great golf swings have a combination of body pivot and arm swing, but the key is blending them together,” Malizia says. “If you use all body with no arm elevation, your swing becomes too shallow or flat. Conversely, if you elevate and lift your arms without the rotation of the body, your swing will be too steep and upright.
“When they’re not used together, both of these flaws will cause you to make compensating moves to recover from mistakes in the golf swing.”
Malizia explains what tempo and timing in the golf swing should look like — reminding amateur players that they actually don’t mean the same thing.
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“Oftentimes, people make the mistake that tempo and timing mean the same thing, but they’re completely different,” he adds. “Tempo is the speed and pace at which you swing. Timing is the synchronization of movements of the body and arms.”
So what’s the difference between body pivot and arm swing? Malizia breaks things down to help you understand how to blend them together into one fluid golf swing motion.
“When it comes to the body, you need to first achieve the correct posture at address,” he says. “Remember, the role of the body is to rotate and tilt in the backswing, then shift your weight, and rotate and tilt on the downswing.”
Malizia explains the proper role of the arms in the golf swing.
“The role of the arms is to stay passive early in the takeaway, then the lead arm stays fairly straight while the trail arm starts to gradually fold — with both lifting and elevating to the top of your backswing,” he explains. “As you shift your weight to your lead leg in the downswing, the arms need to lower and get back down in front of the body in the correct delivery position — which ultimately determines your impact position.”
So how can you find the perfect balance of arm swing and body pivot? Malizia shows off his ultimate golf swing drill, which can be practiced from nearly anywhere you have space to swing a club.
1. As the photo below demonstrates, take your setup while placing your lead foot against a wall. Gradually choke down on the golf club until the butt end of the club contacts your belly.
2. Next, make sure to rotate your body, keeping the butt end of the club in contact with your belly until your lead hand gets just past your trail leg.
3. At the top of your backswing, allow the butt of the golf club to disconnect from your body, while letting your trail arm fold as you start your downswing.
4. Finally, the key in the downswing is to hit the wall with your lead hip and the butt of the club at the exact same time. This teaches you how to shift your weight, shallow the club, and get your arm in the perfect delivery position for impact.
So if you’re struggling with making consistent contact and are looking to break some common flaws, try the above golf swing drill from Malizia. It’s sure to build your confidence and help train your body to do the right thing when it’s go time.
