Golf Digest Teaching Professional with Ron Kapriske by Butch Harmon
GolfDigest.com / February 2010
Butch Harmon highlights three power pointers given to Nick Watney, winner of the PGA Tours' Buick Invitiational last year. The first pointer is to create more width, the second is to shift your weight, and third is to get to your left side. Not only does Butch give tips to each of these swing mechanics, but he also explains how a golfer can lost their power throughout the swing. One of the swing mechanics that Perseus Athletics and Butch Harmon both preach is to keep your knee flexed throughout the swing.
In the article, Butch says, "Nick had to fight a tendency to let his weight shift to the outside of his right foot during the backswing. Now he braces beautifully over his right leg, creating a great coil. This move helped shorten his swng - better for accuracy - but it also increased his clubhead speed. It's true, you always want your body weight moving in the same direction the club is moving, but your weight needs to stay between your feet for efficient power. If you sway too far to the right, it becomes hard to stay in balance and shift back to the left. The key to making a proper shift into your right leg as you swing back is to maintain some flex in your right knee. It will help prevent you from overshifting. Keeping the knee flexed also will put you in a tighter body coil at the top, so you can fire into the ball with more speed. It's like loading and releasing a spring."
How You Lose Power
2. Loss of Knee Flex
"Straightening your right knee during the backswing can lead to shifting too far away from the target. From there, it's very hard to move toward the target effectively when you swing down."
To view the article at GolfDigest.com and Butch's other pointers, click here.
< Back to news list