If you watch a lot of pro swings online, either face-on or down-the-line like I’m pictured, you’ll realize — or at least I have — that they all reach the same delivery position, or the moment just before the club accelerates into the ball. It’s something you should practice.
Make a slow-motion swing, then stop right about where you see me here. Three things to look for: 1) Your hands are slightly in front of your trail leg, 2) the shaft is parallel to the ground and 3) the face of the club is slightly closed.
2 ways to compress the golf ball and hit more crisp iron shots
Nailing these three pro-proven delivery elements are what allow you to unwind freely and produce shaft lean at impact, which is the secret to compressing the ball. If you stop your downswing and notice that any of these elements are missing, work your way into them, even if it means adjusting how you’re holding the handle.
Once you can copy what you see here, go back to address without moving your hands. This is your new setup, one that may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but will produce that crisp, ball-first contact previously reserved for Tour pros.
Martin Chuck is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher who runs the Tour Striker Golf Academy at Raven GC in Phoenix.
