Put pressure your lead thumb to better control your backswing

A common fault I see among the recreational ranks is a loss of control at the top, the result of players trying to lengthen their backswing. See the gap between my lead thumb and trail palm in the photo above? That’ll lead to a poor transition, wayward shots and a loss of power.

Here’s the fix: Add a little pressure to your lead thumb with your trail palm, making sure there are no gaps between your hands, both at address and at the top. You’ll feel more connected to the club and force yourself to make bigger shoulder and hip turns and add width without losing control. Now you’ve lengthened your swing properly for more consistent and powerful shots.

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