Shallowing the Golf Club
Shallowing the golf club is a concept often discussed among golf enthusiasts and professionals. It refers to the act of bringing the club into the downswing on a shallower, or flatter, plane. This technique is crucial for achieving a more consistent and powerful impact, but it’s not often natural. If your swing is too steep, you might notice divots that are too deep and cut across the ball from outside to in. Ball flights might be slices, pulls, or weak shots that lack distance. Players often get too steep due to overactive hands and arms, failing to use their lower body and torso effectively.
The benefits of shallowing include increased power, improved contact, and greater consistency. By learning to shallow the club, you can transform your ball striking and take your game to the next level.
Skip a Rock
Imagine you're standing by a lake with a flat rock in your hand. To skip the rock across the water, you need to get your arm low and almost level to the ground, and the power comes from your trail hip as your throw. The downswing in golf is very similar. To shallow the club, you need to bring your trail arm into a low, nearly-level position and generate power from your lower body, particularly your trail hip. Visualizing this can help you understand the mechanics of a proper downswing.
1. Start with Your Lower Body
One of the most critical aspects of shallowing the club is initiating the downswing with your lower body rather than your upper body. Many golfers make the mistake of starting their downswing with their arms and shoulders, leading to a steep angle of attack. Instead, focus on initiating the downswing by throwing your trail hip at the ball and letting your arms follow. This movement helps drop the club into a shallower plane.
A great drill to practice this is the step drill. Begin with your feet together and take a small step with your lead foot as you start your downswing. This encourages your lower body to lead the movement, promoting a shallower swing path. It can ensure your downswing begins correctly, paving the way for a shallower club path.
2. Drop Your Hands and Turning
Another effective tip for shallowing the club is to drop your hands towards your trail foot as you initiate the downswing. This movement helps to get the club on a flatter plane and prevents throwing your hands at the ball. As you drop your hands, ensure that you turn your body through impact rather than relying solely on your arms.
3. Supinate Your Wrist
Supinating your trail wrist, or rotating it so that the palm faces more upwards, is a key move in shallowing the club. This action helps to flatten the swing plane and promote a better angle of attack. Pronating the wrist, or turning the palm downwards, can steepen the swing and lead to the swing flaws mentioned in the first paragraph.
4. Eliminate Tension
Tension in your bottom hand (right hand for right-handed golfers) can cause a steep swing path and poor contact. Relaxing your grip and allowing the club to drop naturally can help you achieve a shallower swing plane. Focus on maintaining a light grip pressure in your bottom hand throughout your swing, especially in the pointer finger and thumb.
Drills to Help Shallow
Now that we've covered some tips for shallowing the club, let’s explore two drills that can help reinforce these concepts.
Drill 1: Creating a certain feel in your golf swing doesn’t always mean that’s what is really going to happen. This concept, known as “feel vs. real,” is crucial in developing a proper swing. Justin Rose, for example, does a drill where he performs a slow swing and over-emphasizes the club shallowing out and dropping his hands towards his back foot. This helps create a “feel” that ideally translates to the “real” swing.
To perform this drill, take your normal setup and swing back to the top. From there, slow down your swing and exaggerate the movement of your hands dropping towards your trail foot while maintaining a shallow plane. Repeat this several times to ingrain the feel of a proper shallow downswing. This drill not only helps you develop the correct feel but also allows you to practice the correct movements in a controlled and deliberate manner, leading to better muscle memory and more consistent swings.
Drill 2: For this next drill, put a glove or small towel under your trail armpit. Swing the club and make sure that it stays in your arm throughout the entire shot. Often times people get too steep when they allow the arms to disconnect from the body. This drill helps to maintain that connection, which shallows out the club.
Drill 3: This final drill focuses on the grip. Set up to the ball like normal, but remove the pointer and thumb on your bottom hand. Hit some short, gentle swings with this grip. Eliminating those two fingers from your grip stops them from pushing the club too far out and away from the body, which is when the club gets too steep.
Shallow For the Win
Shallowing the golf club is a vital skill for any golfer looking to improve their consistency and power. By understanding the importance of starting your downswing with your lower body, dropping your hands towards your trail foot, supinating your trail wrist, and eliminating tension in your bottom hand, you can achieve a shallower, more effective swing. Practice the drills provided to reinforce these concepts and watch your ball striking improve.
Achieving a shallower swing plane takes time and consistent practice. Be patient with yourself as you work on these techniques, and don't be afraid to seek feedback from a golf instructor if needed. With dedication and the right approach, you'll see significant improvements in your swing and overall game.