The golf ball does not move when you swing, but that doesn’t make hitting it on the center of the face any easier. In fact, the ball’s static position can actually make hitting the ball more of a challenge.
Unlike other sports where you swing at a ball (baseball, tennis, etc.), in golf, it can be difficult to rely on instincts and athleticism to make contact. Instead, you can fall into the trap of thinking rather than reacting.
One such thought that high-handicappers have that inhibits their ability to make great swings is that the club’s position at impact should match what it looks like at address. In reality, that couldn’t be further from the case.
“Nobody playing elite-level golf will look the same at impact as they do at address,” says GOLF Teacher to Watch Jake Thurm.
If you try to return the shaft to its impact position, you won’t get enough forward shaft lean and you’ll lose tons of power and spin. So, if you want to hit it like the pros do, you need to match their impact positions.
Thurm suggests learning this position with a simple drill using two alignment sticks. Grab one and stick it in the ground to match your shaft lean at address, then stick the other one in the ground leaning forward, which you can see in the photos above.
The goal here is to match your shaft lean with that of the alignment sticks at both address and impact.
“The first thing that’s gonna happen is I’m gonna push my hands forward,” Thurm says. “The center of my hips also shifted forward. I cannot find an elite-level player whose hips are not forward at impact.”
If you can get both the handle of the club and your hips in front of the ball at impact, you’ll be in position to make ball-first contact and hit high, towering iron shots.
