One of the most frustrating aspects of playing golf is when you hit one good shot … then follow it up with a poor shot that you hit the ground before the golf ball.
This inconsistency is often caused when a Golfer is trying to get under the ball with their golf club to help it up in the air. The good news is that sometimes you get lucky and hit a good shot … but the bad news is that many times you either hit the ground first or you lift up to try to avoid hitting the ground.
Contrast that to why the good Player hardly ever hits behind the golf ball. This is because they’re not trying to get underneath it to help it up in the air. They’re more consistent because they’re hitting the back of the ball first before the ground.
Thus, they’re not making compensations in their swing like most Golfers do by scooping, lifting up or coming over the top.
Which then creates the scenario where many Golfers taking a lesson are told that they need to hit down on the golf ball. Yet, when you started working on this tip … you actually began to hit deeper into the earth before the golf ball. Which causes many Golfers to abandon this technique because they begin to hit the golf ball worse.
Thus, you surrender to a life of trying to lift the golf ball off the grass because at least you could play with this style versus that hitting down on the ball nonsense that didn’t work.
I’m here to say that the advice of hitting down is somewhat true in theory – but often not explained, taught or demonstrated correctly. Yes, your club will be making contact with the golf ball as it’s moving forward and slightly down. But I’m also here to say that you shouldn’t try to hit down on the ball. This downward motion is something that just happens naturally if your swing is connected.
However, if you actively try to hit down on the golf ball … you will fail. Why? Because when the majority of Golfers try to hit down … they primarily use their hands and arm. Thus becoming armsy. Have you ever been accused of being armsy?
And because you’re armsy … your Center of Gravity will get stuck on your right-side (right handed Golfer) … causing your club to hit the ground before the ball.
So the key to correctly hitting the golf ball first is to become more aware of your Center of Gravity. As the best Players in the world are in such great control of their Center … that the rest of their swing looks so natural, athletic and fluid.
At GMS – we reference the Center of Gravity as being between your belly button and sternum. And when you’re able to start learning to control this part of your body on your back swing and forward swing … it’s amazing how everything falls into place.
What do I mean by “everything falls into place”? I mean that your body, arms, hands and legs become more connected in working with each other throughout the golf swing. Thus allowing your club to move naturally through the ball in a descending motion that hits the golf ball first and then the ground.
As opposed to the Golfer that’s disconnected in his/her back swing and then becomes even more disconnected when they actively try to hit down on the golf ball.
The next time you watch a PGA Tour Player on television … watch their Center of Gravity and how it moves on the way back and way forward. Take your eyes off the golf club, shoulders, hands, hips, etc … and keenly focus on their Center. What you will see is a Golfer that is in complete control of their motion.
The Inconsistent Golfer is trying to hit down on the golf ball and becoming disconnected
The Happy Player is so focused on their Center of Gravity … that the club naturally hits the ball correctly
Go ahead, Be a Player!
Marc Solomon – Your Instructor For Life
