Catching an iron crisp is the goal on any swing. The move that allows you to do so is coming down steeply enough so that you strike the ball first and the turf in front of the ball second. It starts with getting into a solid position when you reach the top of your backswing.
This drill can help. When you’re at the range, flip your cap backward. As you swing to the top, feel the left brim of your cap (the side facing your target) dip a bit lower than the right. When you do, your front shoulder will automatically tilt lower to the ground than your back shoulder — that’s the position you need to make a solid, downward strike on the ball. Instead of worrying about your swing, simply think of that left side of your brim. If it dips at the top, you’re solid.
The same can be done when you’re practicing shots with your driver. Here, you want to feel that the right side of the brim is lower than the left, giving you a powerful, upward angle of attack. It sounds funny, but getting your brim in the right place for either club at the right point aligns your shoulders both at the top and at impact as if by magic. The result: boom!
Jason Birnbaum is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher and is the director of instruction at Manhattan Woods GC in West Nyack, N.Y.
