Grip Check!

I recently gave a lesson to a great student and good friend of mine and although we have worked for many years we revisited his grip. Although the grip is quite possibly the most important fundamental to learn in the golf swing it is often overlooked when trying to figure out whats wrong with a golf swing.
Remember that that the grip effects the face of the club and a grip that has crept too weak can cause a face to be slightly open which can result in several things which can cause you poor shots and inconsistent ball striking as well as a loss of power. A grip that is too weak and an open face can cause a pivot to slow down and so the club can be squared by the hands at impact or a path that comes from the outside in an effort to get the ball started on line. None of these what you prefer.
A grip that creeps too strong can cause the face to be shut. This too can make undesirable things get into your swing. A face that is shut can make your path swing to much in to out as well as create incorrect pivot motion going through the ball.
No matter how long you have been playing if you start to struggle out of the blue do yourself a favor and go to your teacher and check and make sure your grip is exactly where you want it for your club face and your swing. It does not take much for a grip to get off and get you a lot out of whack. It’s easier to fix your grip than to redo your golf swing.

Practice to Make More Putts

At the Dewsweepers Golf School and on the Dewsweepersgolfshow.com website this topic recently came in.
How can I make more putts and practice putting the right way? Most golfers that I see struggling with their putting move the putter too much with their hands and arms versus their pivot just as we do in a golf swing.
I like to see my competitive players set up this putting training station on their putting green and practice making putts.
Start with a 6 foot straight putt and snap a chalk line.
Next put a tee on each side of the end of the line the width of your putter. Allow just enough room for the putter to go through.
Finally take your golf towel and put it under your arms across your chest.
Now you are ready to get your putting in check.
Place a golf ball on the chalk line centered between the tees. Practice making putts with the towel under your arms across your chest. Don’t be surprised if you hit the tees and miss the hole a few times in the beginning.
If you get good at missing the tees and making putts you will have gotten your stroke do be moved by your pivot rather than your hands and missing the tees and rolling the ball up the line will have also gotten the putter swinging on plane and hitting your putts more solid.
Seeing a whole bunch of putts go in will also never hurt your confidence either!

Swing the Club More on Plane

How do I get my short iron swing on plane? This Dewsweeper said his takeaway from the address position has a move in which the hands go our away from the body and the club head twists under the plane going back. The result he says is a shank. This Dewsweeper wants to know how to fix his takeaway and get his short irons more on plane.
I would start by checking the position of the club in both hands. If your right or rear hand is too much on top of the club at address it can cause the hands to roll too much going back and allow the club to go under plane.
A grip that is not properly placed in the left hand with the club being too much in the palm will make it difficult for the wrists to hinge properly. Often times the hands or arms twist because the wrists cannot hinge the club properly up the plane.
The best drill to use for this is to either buy a laser swing path trainer and trace a seam in your carpet or drive way.
Another thought which could possibly help is to make rehearsal back swings and feel as if the club head is hinged during the takeaway outside and in front of your chest and arms. The thought during the entire back swing is to keep the club head outside your hands during the whole back swing.
See if these thoughts don’t help you make better more on plane back swings.