Finally Down The Middle4

Finally
Down the Middle

A New Focus on Driving the Ball Farther and Straighter
By Adam Kolloff

“If you can’t drive the ball, you can’t play good golf.” – Ben Hogan
Table of Contents
Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 4
The importance of the downswing .....................................................................................................................5
Is this a method?.........................................................................................................................................................5
What about the backswing? ..................................................................................................................................6
Lessons from Jim McLean .......................................................................................................................................6
Trackman ......................................................................................................................................................................7
The Science of Impact ..................................................................................................8
Ball Speed...................................................................................................................................................................... 8
Spin Rate and Launch Angle............................................................................................................................... 10
Attack Angle .............................................................................................................................................................. 12
Ball Flight ................................................................................................................................................................... 14
You don’t have to play a draw ........................................................................................................................... 16
Impact Geometry..................................................................................................................................................... 17
More from the Inside............................................................................................................................................. 19
The Driver Setup ........................................................................................................23
The Grip ...................................................................................................................................................................... 23
The left hand.............................................................................................................................................................. 23
The right hand.......................................................................................................................................................... 25
Three ways to connect the fingers ................................................................................................................... 27
Pressure Points......................................................................................................................................................... 28
Concepts to Remember ......................................................................................................................................... 29
Stance/Posture ........................................................................................................................................................ 30
Take a wide stance ................................................................................................................................................. 31
Tilt your spine away from the target.............................................................................................................. 32
Set your hands behind the club ......................................................................................................................... 33
Concept to Remember:.......................................................................................................................................... 33
Alignment................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Concepts to remember .......................................................................................................................................... 36
Ball Position .............................................................................................................................................................. 37
Concepts to remember .......................................................................................................................................... 37
The Most Important Move in Golf ..............................................................................38
Harvey Penick and the Magic Move ................................................................................................................ 38
Camera Angles.......................................................................................................................................................... 38
The Driver Study ..................................................................................................................................................... 39
Measurements........................................................................................................................................................... 39
RESULTS...................................................................................................................................................................... 40
3 Major Findings ..................................................................................................................................................... 40
A Balanced Coil ........................................................................................................................................................ 40
Lower Body Lateral Motion................................................................................................................................ 41
The Head Stays Back.............................................................................................................................................. 41
First Stage of the Downswing............................................................................................................................ 42
Feet ................................................................................................................................................................................ 42
Knees............................................................................................................................................................................. 42
Hips................................................................................................................................................................................ 43
Shoulders .................................................................................................................................................................... 43
Arms .............................................................................................................................................................................. 43
Head .............................................................................................................................................................................. 44
Finally Down the Middle, 2011 by Adam Kolloff, Scratch Golf School 2
Club Movement......................................................................................................................................................... 44
Second Stage of the Downswing....................................................................................................................... 45
Feet ................................................................................................................................................................................ 45
Knees............................................................................................................................................................................. 45
Hips................................................................................................................................................................................ 45
Shoulders .................................................................................................................................................................... 46
Arms .............................................................................................................................................................................. 46
Club Movement......................................................................................................................................................... 46
Final Stage of the Downswing ........................................................................................................................... 47
Feet ................................................................................................................................................................................ 47
Knees............................................................................................................................................................................. 47
Hips................................................................................................................................................................................ 47
Shoulders .................................................................................................................................................................... 48
Arms .............................................................................................................................................................................. 48
Club Movement......................................................................................................................................................... 48
Pre Downswing Moves ......................................................................................................................................... 49
One Piece Takeaway .............................................................................................................................................. 49
Stacking the Right Side......................................................................................................................................... 50
Flatter is Better ........................................................................................................................................................ 51
Drills ..........................................................................................................................52
The Magic Line Drill............................................................................................................................................... 52
Drills From Jim McLean........................................................................................................................................ 54
The Baseball Drill.................................................................................................................................................... 54
Drop-the-Right-Foot Drill.................................................................................................................................... 56
Freeze Your Left Hip and Side to Prevent Slices ........................................................................................ 58
Prevent the Dreaded Spin Out Move ............................................................................................................... 60
Stay Connected to Improve Release ................................................................................................................ 62
Bibliography...............................................................................................................64
Introduction
When it comes to driving, there’s a lot of misguided information out there. Most of it
comes from club manufacturers who target your appetite by promising straighter and
farther drives. Sadly it’s worked for years. People are wasting more money on the driver
than any other club in the bag. Why? Because hitting a drive long and straight is the
biggest thrill in golf. There’s no other shot in golf that players try to emulate the pros than
driving. Equipment salesmen are in control because golfers are losing sight of what’s
really going on.
As someone who’s experimented with every club and shaft on the market (post
persimmon woods), I can honestly tell you good driving does not come from good
technology. New equipment will not take your game to the next level. Only you can do
that. It’s about acquiring the right knowledge, putting in the work, and then applying it to
your game. Why don’t people do is this way? They’re lazy. They want a quick fix so they
buy a new club.
Finally Down the Middle is a manuscript for good driving. It focuses on the things that
matter besides your equipment. The goal is to help you find more fairways, and along the
way, add more distance. You will do it if you follow the concepts and changes in this
book.
The first step is to understand what I call the core concepts of good driving. They will
serve as your foundation for improvement – something to always review on your road to
improvement. As a player who’s competed in college and then professionally in South
Florida for over 5 years, I know how helpful the basics are. That’s exactly what the core
concepts represent – the basics. They are key concepts that will help you improve
immediately. The next section illustrates setup fundamentals for the grip, stance, posture,
alignment, and ball position. I will point out specific adjustments for driving; including
some secrets I’ve learned working alongside one of the greatest teachers in history, Jim
McLean. Finally, the last section examines the most important move in golf, what so
many have labeled, “The Magic Move.” It’s the initial transfer from backswing to
downswing that sets the club in the correct delivery position before impact. If you can
master this move you can master the tee shot. You can have the worst looking backswing
of all time, like Jim Furyk, but still hit it great. The magic move is the key move for
hitting more fairways. When you study and learn this move you will player better golf,
guaranteed.
Statistically, driving is the most important part of your game besides putting. But good
driving has the intangible factor that no other part of your game has. Tiger Woods would
agree. In his book, How I Play Golf, he talks about that factor. “To me, the driver has the
special capability of giving me an emotional lift and a big edge psychologically. A super
drive that stops on the center-mowing stripe fills me with strength, energy and
confidence.” That’s the feeling I want you to have after reading this book.
I hope this information serves as a guide to new possibilities in your golf game. Playing
your best is so much fun. That’s why I’ve focused all my energy in sharing my ideas and
helping others. My keys to the game are written in a format that’s easy to read. Please
take the time to understand the core concepts of good driving first because I believe they
will lay a foundation for long-term success.
The importance of the downswing
The downswing is the most importance part of the golf swing because it’s the motion that
delivers the golf club into impact. The downswing is the make it or break period of the
swing. You can have the worst looking backswing and still make solid contact. It’s no
wonder why top teachers and players call the downswing the most important move in
golf. There’s no other movement in golf that plays such an important role in producing
accuracy and power.
This book deals specifically with the movements on the downswing. The suggestions you
are going to read about are based on research, not just moves that I, or other good players,
work on. These moves are commonalities among the best drivers in the world. In essence
that’s how you become great – you study the best and learn what they are do.
Are you looking to the hit the ball straighter and farther? Look no further than the
movement on the downswing. Recently, new technology such as Trackman has proved
that by hitting up on the ball, versus down on the ball, can increase your distance by
nearly 30 yards. So if you’re looking for more yards off the tee, you need to keep reading.
Is this a method?
I don’t like to teach strict positions. I like to teach moves. I think the best players in the
world are great because they move in certain ways. What I’ve noticed in top PGA Tour
driving is a consistent move from the top of the backswing that prepares the club before
impact. This is not a gigantic discovery by any means. All great teachers and players
have known the importance of lateral motion with the lower body to start the downswing.
However, what makes this book different is the lower body movement combined with the
upper body movement.
Of the top drivers that I’ve researched players vary in the degree of lower body lateral
motion. Some move their hips more than a foot, while others move only 6 inches. But
what stays the same is the movement of the head – it never moves forward. That’s a big
tip amateurs fail to realize. But no two swings are alike – something Jim McLean
hammered into my brain and I agree.
This book outlines a basic move from the top that is adjustable for players of all ages,
abilities, and flexibility. I will teach lateral motion with the lower body, while
maintaining the position of the head from the top of the backswing to impact. It works for
everyone.
What about the backswing?
Every player has a different backswing. There are no two players on the PGA Tour or
LPGA Tour that have the same backswing. Some have the club laid off, down the line,
and across the line. Some swings are flat and some are upright. There’s no right or wrong
when it comes to the backswing. There are, of course, moves and positions that will ruin
your chance for a good contact and delivery, but since there’s such a high variance
among top tour players – how can I teach you a perfect backswing?
The downswing is different. Top tour players look much similar as the club transitions
into the downswing. This is where we see commonality among the best players in the
world. They move their body and club with enough similarity to identify specific
characteristics that, we as teachers, use to help students improve. So if you think you are
going to drive the ball better by improving your backswing, without improving your
downswing, you’re wrong.
Why do you think Jim Furyk is one of the best ball strikers on the PGA Tour? His left
arm is nearly vertical at the top. Wouldn’t teachers say that’s wrong? I bet if they told
him to change Jim wouldn’t be able to compete on tour. Matt Kuchar is on the other side
of the spectrum. His left arm is well beneath his shoulder plane at the top. His backswing
is probably the flattest on Tour, but he’s in the top 10 players in the world. So who’s right
and who’s wrong? The point is; it doesn’t matter. How they start the downswing with
their body and club is what matters. That’s what this book deals with. It analyzes the
downswing of the top drivers on the PGA Tour. This move, more than anything else, is
the secret to hitting more fairways.
Lessons from Jim McLean
I’m very lucky to have been Jim McLean’s teaching assistant. I’ve seen first hand how
Jim McLean, currently ranked 3rd as America’s Greatest Teachers, applies his vast
knowledge to all ability levels. Jim’s system of teaching the game truly separates himself
from the rest. He’s not only a master teacher; he’s a student of the game. His library of
swings new and old is unmatched – seriously. No other person on the planet has
researched the golf swing more than Jim McLean. Jim still spends time every day
learning something new. It’s a hallmark of his high achievement.
Ken Venturi and Jackie Burke were two of Jim’s greatest mentors – both of whom
learned directly from the greatest ball striker of all time – Ben Hogan. In fact, when Jim
went to college at the University of Huston, he watched Ben Hogan practice and play in
person – something very few people had the chance to do. I’ve been lucky to hear many
stories about Ben Hogan and his philosophy of the swing.
I’ve picked up an incredible amount of great knowledge over the years working with Jim.
My goal is to share some of that knowledge with you specific for driving. I promise that
if you adopt these concepts and changes into your swing, you will hit more fairways –
something Ben Hogan believed was the most important aspect of golf.
Trackman
Trackman is a highly advanced launch monitor system that gathers swing and ball flight
data. It’s an incredible feedback tool used by the PGA Tour, USGA, R&A, club fitters,
manufacturers, retailers, universities, academies, instructors, players, broadcast T, and of
course at the Jim McLean Golf School. It’s changing the way we view ball flight, impact,
and the swing.
I will reference Trackman research throughout the book to give you the latest information
that relates the swing, impact, and ball flight. Below is a list of terms that you can
familiarize yourself with.
Club Speed The speed of the center of the clubface at impact

The vertical (up-down) angle at which the club head is moving at
Attack Angle impact. Positive means hitting up on the ball, while negative means
hitting down on the ball
The orientation of the swing arc, relative to the target line, where
Swing Direction
positive means to the right, negative means to the left.
The horizontal (left-right) angle at which the club head is moving at
impact. Positive means to the right (inside-out for a right handed
Club Path
golfer), negative means to the left (outside-in for a right handed
golfer)
Dynamic Loft The loft (angle) of the club at impact relative to vertical
The axis the ball spins around an axis, or the measure of axial tilt.
Positive means the axis is tilted to the right (thus
Spin Axis resulting in a fade or slice for a right handed golfer), negative
means the axis is tilted to the left (thus resulting in a draw or hook
for a right handed golfer)
Spin Loft The difference between dynamic loft and attack angle.
Descent angle of the ball as it lands measured relative to ground
Landing Angle
level
The angle of the clubface relative to the target line. Positive means
to the right (open relative to target for right handed player),
Face Angle
negative means to the left (closed relative to target for right handed
player)
The ratio ‘ball speed divided by club speed.’ Which describes the
Smash Factor
efficiency of impact
Ball Speed The ball’s initial velocity
Launch Angle The ball’s initial vertical angle relative to ground level
The number of times the ball rotates per minute when leaving the
Spin Rate
clubface (rpm)
Carry Distance How far the ball travels in the air
Total Distance The total distance the ball travels including bounce and roll
(Tuxen, Trackman Measurement Parameter Definitions)
The Science of Impact
Ball Speed
Ball speed is the number one variable that teachers and club fitters look at for optimizing
distance. It’s a result of club head speed and centeredness of contact. You’ve heard other
names for center contact such as the sweet spot. It’s defined as the area on the clubface
where maximum energy is transferred to the golf ball. You will not hit the ball long if
you do not consistently hit the center of the face. You lose distance anytime you miss the
center. This is fundamental #1 at the Jim McLean Golf School. We use impact tape to
learn how consistently students hit the center of the face. It’s by far the best feedback tool
for center contact. It’s the immediate fix for higher ball speed and more distance.
Another excellent feedback tool is Trackman and a variable called smash factor. Smash
factor is the ratio of ball speed to club head speed. It reveals your ability to generate ball
speed on a given club speed. A perfect center hit by a Tour pro can produce a ball speed
1.5 times the club head speed. In fact, that’s the limit. Anything more and the golf club,
or golf ball, is considered illegal by the USGA. So if your club head speed is 100mph and
your ball speed is 150mph, your smash factor is 1.5. That’s perfect. But that doesn’t
happen often. The player who leads the PGA Tour in smash factor averages
approximately 1.485. According to Trackman, a good number for amateurs is anything
above 1.42. Anything less means you missed too far off center. The following diagram
illustrates the loss of ball speed when contact is made anywhere other than the center of
the face.
(Leitz)
As you can see, hitting low on the face produces the most loss in ball speed. Considering
every mph of ball speed equals 2 carry yards. That can translate into a loss of 14-18
yards.
Suppose your club head speed is 100mph and you strike the ball in the center of the face.
Your ball speed, realistically, will be somewhere around 148mph. That translates into a
1.48 smash factor. But let’s suppose on your next drive you swing with the same speed
but hit low and off the heel. Your ball speed will drop to 139mph, which translates into a
1.39 smash factor. Your ball will carry 18 yards less then the previous shot.
Your mistaken if you think by swinging you’re hardest on every drive you’re going to
maximize distance. In fact, you’re probably doing the opposite and losing yards because
you’re not consistently hitting the center of the face. This is an important lesson to learn.
Learn to slow your swing down until you consistently make center contact.
Here’s an example – 100mph of club speed with a 1.4 smash factor will produce 140mph
in ball speed. On the other hand, 98mph of club speed with a 1.48 smash factor will
produce 145mph in ball speed. That’s an additional 10 yards in carry distance just by
swinging more easily. That should get your attention.
Also, check your tee height. Is at least half the ball peaking above the top edge of the
club? It’s a good standard to keep in mind, however, I recommend teeing the ball higher
with the top edge of the club slightly below the equator. That allows you to catch the ball
on the upswing with a more shallow approach. It also makes sure you never hit low on
the face because that’s the area where you lose most ball speed.
Another important consideration is your tendency of contact. If you tend to strike the ball
on the heel, set the club on the toe. Or if you tend to strike the ball on the toe, set the club
on the heel. I could show you hundreds of PGA Tour players who do this. It’s a simple
adjustment that helps achieve center contact.
To recap: you need to find a swing that consistently produces center contact. You will not
consistently achieve the highest ball speed by swinging your hardest. It’s a guarantee.
You need to work on swinging in control with better balance. It’s contrary to popular
thought, but swinging easier helps you achieve center contact more consistently and
improving your ball speed. More importantly, you need to release all the tension in your
body. That can be a killer for producing a consistent center hit. A good pre shot routine
with a vivid picture of the desired outcome can help calm the nerves and relax the body.
Give it a try.
Spin Rate and Launch Angle
Ball Speed is the most important factor when determining distance, but without having
the optimal spin and launch angle, you’ll never maximize distance. The only way to
measure your spin rate and launch angle is using a launch monitor, such as Trackman.
There are other inexpensive ways, but Trackman is the best.
Launch angle is the ball’s initial vertical angle relative to the ground. Trackman uses
other parameters such as swing speed and attack angle to determine your optimal launch
angle. In other words, there’s no angle that’s best for everyone. Players with slower club
speeds need a higher launch and players with high club speeds need a lower launch.
That’s a rule of thumb to keep in mind.
Trackman measures your spin rate by how many times it rotates per minute (RPM).
Ideally, you want the lowest spin rate because too much spin can add lift to your ball
flight and increase your landing angle. That’s a real yardage killer because you won’t get
any roll. But spin is not always bad. Spin is helpful for players who have slow club head
speeds by keeping the ball airborne longer. So there’s a balance to consider. Another
important consideration is your point of contact in relation to the center of the clubface.
Off center hits will have a large variance in effecting the spin rate. Refer to the diagram
below.
(Leitz)
Hitting the ball low on the face will dramatically increase your spin rate. As mentioned
earlier, that will add lift to your ball flight and increase your landing angle, which
minimizes bounce and roll. That’s a major loss in distance. However, hitting high on the
face will decrease your spin rate. This is what top players describe a “knuckle ball”
effect. When they strike the ball high on the face it comes off with less spin. It might
sound good but high on the face also equals less ball speed. So there’s no substitute for
hitting in the center of the face.
Trackman makes it easy because they’ve calculated optimal launch and spin for different
club speeds and attack angles. These numbers tell us exactly what spin rate and launch
angle combination will maximize your total yardage.
Club Speed Attack Angle Launch Angle Spin Rate Total Distance
(mph) (deg) (deg) (rpm) (yds)
75 0 16.3 3120 191
75 +5 19.2 2720 199
90 0 13.4 3090 240
90 +5 16.4 2630 250
105 0 11.2 3040 285
105 +5 14.5 2560 296
120 0 9.3 2890 330
120 +5 12.6 2340 343
(Tuxen, GOLF Magazine The Best Driving Instruction Book Ever!)
We can learn several things from the above chart. The slower your club speed the more
you need spin and the higher you need launch. Also, the faster your club speed the less
you need spin and the lower you need launch.
Suppose your swing speed is 90mph and you generally hit the ball with a level attack
angle. According to the data, you will maximize your distance with a spin rate of
3090rpm and launch angle of 13.4 degrees. Obviously these are not strict numbers but
they can serve as benchmarks for creating more distance. You need find a club fitter, or
teacher, who has a trackman and measure these parameters.
How much loft does your driver have? It’s another balance – too little loft limits the
ball’s airtime, while too much loft can maximize airtime. Both can be equally bad. You
need to find the right loft for you. The best way to find out is measuring your dynamic
loft, which is your effective loft. That’s the loft of your club at impact. It’s more
important than static loft (the loft that’s labeled on your driver).
Suppose your average club speed is 105mph and your average attack angle is 0.
According to the data above, you should be launching the ball with 11.2 degrees and
spinning the ball with 3040rpm (remember, these are not strict numbers, simply
benchmarks). But yesterday you were on Trackman and your launch angle was 16
degrees and your spin rate was 3900rpm. This is where club fitting can help because your
swing shape is okay but your launch angle was too high. You probably need a less lofted
driver to bring down your dynamic loft (loft at impact), which will bring down your
launch angle. It would also lower your spin rate and get you closer to optimal numbers.
Trackman pinpoints the exact cause of spin by the difference between effective loft and
attack angle. Explained differently, the difference between the loft of your club at impact
and your angle of attack is called spin loft. The greater the difference the more the ball
will spin. So if you strike the ball with 15 degrees of loft at impact and your angle of
attack is -2, your spin loft is 17. That’s a little high.
To recap: you need to get on Trackman and learn your average club speed and attack
angle. Only after learning these numbers can you figure out what your optimal spin rate
and launch angle numbers should be. But rules of thumb to remember are slow club
speeds will require more spin and higher launch while fast club speeds will require less
spin and lower launch.
Attack Angle
Attack angle is the measurement, in degrees, of your club’s angle of approach to the ball.
It ranges from positive to negative. When you hit the ball on the upswing (when the club
head is ascending), angle of attack is positive. When you hit the ball on the downswing
(when the club head is descending), angle of attack is negative.
Explained in a different way, there’s a time when the club is going down and a time when
the club is going up. With an iron, you want to strike the ball when the club is going
down. That’s how you compress the ball and take divots. The bottom of the arc is after
the ball.
With a driver you want to hit the ball when the club is going up. That’s called hitting the
ball on the upswing. The bottom of the arc is before the ball.
When you hit the ball with a positive attack angle the bottom of the arc is before the ball.
This creates a shallow approach to the ball. A shallow approach allows a number of
benefits such as launching the ball higher with less spin, not to mention more yards.
Note: it’s okay to hit the ball at the bottom of the arc with a driver. That means your
attack angle is 0. Just make sure it never gets into negative territory because if your
looking for the most yards possible, your need to strike the ball on the upswing. That
would give you a positive attack angle. Refer to the diagram below. It illustrates
acceptable contact points for the irons and driver.
Knowing your angle of attack angle can be extremely helpful when learning to max out
your distance. Other factors that are helpful include launch angle and spin rate as
discussed earlier. Ideally you want the highest launch and the lowest spin with a positive
attack angle. Research proves that will give you the most yards. Take a look at the
following data provided by Trackman. Launch angle and spin rate are both optimized for
both attack angles.
Club Speed Attack Angle Launch Angle Spin Rate Total Yards
90 -5 8.5 3,122 231
90 +5 13.8 2,021 259
(Tuxen, Trackman Newsletter)
It’s very clear what these numbers tell us. You’re going to maximize your distance when
you hit up on the ball (positive attack angle). In fact, with the right equipment you might
see nearly 30 extra yards. So how do you do it? All you have to do is keep reading. This
book will show you how to do it in your setup and technique. If you follow the formula
you will start hitting up on the ball and maximizing your distance.
To recap: with a driver you want to hit the ball with a positive angle of attack. That’s
called hitting the ball on the upswing. When you do this, you shallow out your approach,
launch the ball higher, and produce less spin. It all equals more yards.
Ball Flight
The ball is launched into the air according to very specific laws. For simplicity sake, let’s
discuss the factors that strictly influence direction – face angle and path. When they agree
with each other the ball flies straight. Any slight deviation between face angle and path
and the ball will curve. The slower the club speed, such as a putt or small chip, the more
influential the direction of the face. The faster the club speed, the more influence path
will have, however, still not nearly as much influence as the direction of the face. On the
next page are a couple diagrams that illustrate the ball’s starting direction with a 10 foot
putt and 275 yard drive.
Type of Shot Influence by Clubface Influence by Path

10 foot putt 99% 1%
Type of Shot Influence by Clubface Influence by Path
275 yard drive 85% 15%
You have to think like a scientist every time you strike the ball. The information gathered
from each shot is feedback for your swing. If you do not recognize the data correctly you
are not thinking the right way. You are not thinking like a great player. You are probably
blaming the wrong areas of your swing and reinforcing bad habits. Every shot provides
an opportunity to learn something about your swing. Study every shot and know why the
ball went in the direction it did. When you become a student after every shot your on the
right path.
You don’t have to play a draw to maximize roll
You’ve probably heard the draw (right-to-left ball flight for right handed player) is the
best ball flight for maximizing distance. But it’s not true. Technically speaking,
maximizing distance has nothing to do with hitting a draw.
According to Trackman research, the three factors that influence bounce and roll are ball
speed, spin rate, and landing angle. It has nothing to do whether the ball curves left or
right. How does Trackman know for sure? Spin axis.
Spin Axis is a parameter used by Trackman to determine how much the ball will curve. If
the clubface is open to the path, the spin axis tilts to the right. If the clubface is closed to
the path, the spin axis tilts to the left. Essentially, the degree of tilt is what makes the ball
curve. The bigger the difference the more curve. Notice the axis tilting to the right in the
diagram below. You might have thought sidespin made the ball curve, but that’s not true
either. Tilting the spin axis is what makes the ball curve.
So if we assume ball speed, spin rate, and landing angle are constant, there is no added
benefit with tilting the spin axis to the right or left (draw or cut). Basically, it doesn’t
matter if your curve the ball right-to-left or left-to-right. The draw does not maximize
bounce and roll. It’s maximized by other parameters such as ball speed, spin rate, and
landing angle.
In the Trackman Fundamentals, it says under normal conditions, a ball with a 45-degree
landing angle will roll 33 yards and a ball with a 30-degree landing angle will roll 50
yards (Leitz). That’s a 17-yard difference. But don’t assume the lower the better. Once
again, there’s a balance to consider. You want a low landing angle combined with lots of
carry distance.
According to Trackman, lower spin rates result in lower landing angles and high spin
rates result in higher landing angles (Tuxen, Quick-Guide Trackman Numbers). So if you
suspect your losing yards because you’re landing angle is too high and your not getting
much roll, check your spin rate on Trackman. Also refer to the chart on spin rate and
launch angle in the previous section for optimal numbers. In general, keep your landing
angle below 40 degrees.
Impact Geometry
For now let’s take a closer look at impact geometry – the interaction of clubface angle
and swing path. This is something great teacher know very well. Refer to the diagrams
below.
In the top diagram the direction of the clubface pointing slightly closed to the path, but
open to the target line. That impact geometry will produce a draw – a ball flight that starts
right of the target and draws back to the target. In the bottom diagram the direction of the
clubface points slightly open to the path, but closed to the target line. That impact
geometry will produce a cut – a ball flight that starts left of the target and cuts back to the
target.
If the ball flight does not go as planned don’t blame your swing right away. Think about
your impact geometry. Here are a few examples.
 If the ball starts right of the target and curves right, the face angle was open to
the path and open to the target.
 If the ball starts right of the target and travels straight, the face angle was square
to the path and open to the target.
 If the ball starts right of the target and curves left, the face angle was closed to
the path and open to the target
This is how great players think about their swings. They use ball flight as feedback to
study impact geometry. If the shot was executed as planned impact geometry was correct
and no changes need to be made. If the shot was not executed as planned impact
geometry was not correct and changes need to be made. This is what you see on
television after PGA Tour players hit a bad shot. They rehearse their swing a couple more
times to figure out exactly what happened. It’s a great technique for remaining objective
to the shot.
So here’s a test for you: next time you hit a horrible shot, don’t get upset. Study the ball
flight and remain objective as possible. Find a scientific answer, like the answers above,
and figure out why the ball traveled in the direction it did. This is how great players think
about their swings. They introduce swing changes only after identifying bad pattern with
their impact geometry.
To recap: clubface direction has more influence than path. On small shots, such as a putt
or ship, the clubface will have 99% influence over the ball’s starting direction. On longer
shots, the clubface will have approximately 85% influence on the ball’s starting direction
(this can vary slightly as well). Higher spin rates correlate with higher landing angles,
while lower spin rates correlate with lower landing angles. Keep your landing angle
under 40 as a rule of thumb. Finally, knowing your impact geometry is helpful for
diagnosing problematic swing patterns. It’s the first step when making a swing change.
This is how top players and teachers think.
More from the Inside
The inside is a common term in golf instruction. If you’ve ever had a golf lesson your
instructor has probably said something like, “you need to hit more from the inside.” Well
he’s right. But with a driver he’s even more right. Hitting from the inside is a critical
element of good driving. The inside is the area on the player’s side of the target line.
Refer to the diagram below.
Why do you need to swing more from the inside? It’s all about your attack angle. Since
you’re hitting the ball with a positive attack angle, the clubhead is beginning to move
back to the left. This is the process of the club following a natural arc. To accommodate,
you have to alter your swing direction more to the right. It’s complicated, but new
technology such as Trackman has confirmed the necessity of swinging more to the right
with a driver.
To make this more clear; suppose a hula-hoop, resting at a 45-degree angle, represents
the arc of your swing. Let’s also assume the target line is where the hula-hoop touches
the ground. Now imagine a spot on the hula-hoop where you want to hit the ball with a
driver. Notice the blue piece of tape in the picture below. It’s slightly exaggerated, but
this spot represents a positive attack angle – contact after the bottom of the arc. But the
problem is it doesn’t rest on the target line – it’s inside the target line.
Now notice the angle of the hula-hoop slightly angled to the right. The blue piece of tape
now hovers over the target line. This is what it means to swing more to the right or swing
more from the inside.
This is what it means by swinging more to the right. Because you hit up on the ball you
have to shift your swing direction more the right of the target line. It will accommodate
the inward moving direction of the club, which will help to square the path and face.
Even though new technology such as Trackman has proved this to be true, Ben Hogan
knew the importance of swinging from the inside decades ago. Below is a recreation of a
diagram Ben Hogan made in his book Five Lessons (the book was published in 1957).
Notice how inside his right foot was to the target line. He would set up to the ball with an
extremely closed stance. Why would Ben do this? After years of hitting balls and testing
his swing, he knew that by closing his alignment it would allow the club to approach the
ball more from the inside and on shallow plane. This put Hogan in the best position to hit
the ball long and straight.
(Hogan)
At the Jim McLean Golf School we use the image of a clock to illustrate a lot of key
concepts. One of those concepts is the inside.
We tell our students the inside is the left side of the clock and the outside is the right side
of the clock. Mistakes occur anytime the club travels outside the target line. We also
explain swing direction and how to visualize the correct path with a driver. We show our
students a common tendency is to swing from 5:00 to 11:00, which is an outside-to-inside
path. It produces a negative attack angle, more spin, and loss of distance (Notice the “5”
and “11” colored in red). Instead we ask our students to visualize swinging from 7:00 to
1:00 (Colored in yellow). This produces an inside approach, a positive attack angle, less
spin, and more distance. It’s the best image for understanding how to swing from the
inside.
Check out Dustin Johnson, one of the most powerful drivers on the PGA Tour, hitting
from the inside. Golf Biodynamics expert, Gavin Sutherland, took this clip at Doral. It’s a
great example of how the club gets delivered from the inside.
After Dustin transitions the club on the downswing his club is in perfect position. Not
only is the plane of his club shaft perfect, the club shaft travels underneath his right
shoulder. Most amateurs who swing over the top move their club shaft over the right
shoulder on the downswing.
The Driver Setup
The set up is everything you do before the swing. It’s a foundation for all movement.
When you set up correctly you optimize the chance of hitting your target. When you
don’t set up correctly you limit your chances.
Don’t allow your set up to work against you. When it works against you it plagues the
golf swing with bad habits and compensations – the root of all slices and duck hooks. By
learning the right set up you save yourself from future slumps.
The Grip
The left hand
Follow these checkpoints in the left hand…
The grip rests across the second index of the pointer finger and extends along the
callus line of the left hand.
Your left thumb is slightly right of the center of the grip.
The “V” of your left hand points between your right ear and right shoulder.
The right hand
Follow these checkpoints in the right hand…
The club rests across the first index of the ring and middle fingers.
The right thumb is left of the center of the grip.
The “V” in your right hand points to your right shoulder.
Three ways to connect the fingers
You now have three options when connecting the fingers – the baseball grip, the overlap,
or the interlock. All grips works well. They all facilitate a proper connection with the
club so it’s mostly up to you to experiment with them. Get a feel for each grip and
determine which one you like the best. I personally recommend the interlock or overlap.
They keep the hands very connected throughout the swing.
Pressure Points
There are two pressure points in the grip. Keep in mind; you never want to squeeze the
club at these locations. They only identify where the most pressure is applied.
1. Back three fingers of the left hand

2. Middle two fingers of the right hand
The following photograph illustrates the pressure points. The fingers with red identify the
pressure points. The fingers with yellow identify no pressure.
Perhaps your hands are wreaking havoc by dominating your swinging motion. This is
sometimes caused and applying too much pressure between the right pointer finger and
right thumb. This can cause the club to prematurely release on the downswing. Get a feel
for these new pressure points. They will help you re-establish a better connection with the
club and prohibit unnecessary movement.
Concepts to Remember
 Setting up with a strong grip tends to release the club earlier on the downswing
and return a closed clubface through impact. This is a major cause of hooks and
pulls. On the other hand, setting up with a weak grip tends to limit the release on
the downswing and return an open clubface through impact. This is a major cause
of slices and pushes. Always set up with a neutral grip by following the above
information. But if you like to hit a draw (return the clubface slightly closed
relative to the path) a slightly stronger grip is more recommended. If you like to
hit a cut (return the clubface slightly open relative to the path) a slightly weaker
grip is recommended.
 A neutral grip is designed to give you a natural connection to the club and provide
relief of many swing flaws.
 Our hands always want to return to a natural position at impact. That means if we
set up unnaturally there will be excess twisting of the clubface. This leads to mid-
swing compensations and inconsistent ball flight patterns.
 The ‘V’ is created by the fold in your skin between the thumb and pointer finger
in each hand. Each ‘V’ provides a gauge in your grip. Pretend your looking at
yourself from face on when determining the direction of your “V.”
 Hold the club - don’t grip the club. That’s a saying I’ve learned from Jim
McLean. He says you never want to grip the club, because when you grip
something it implies squeezing. It will create tension and immobilize a proper
wrist hinge. Your grip pressure also needs to easily absorb the shock of impact
and never allow the club to slip out of your hands during the swing. Don’t
squeeze it any harder.
 You can hit the golf ball with any grip you want, but unless you learn a neutral
grip, you will not have any consistency. The best way to hold the club is natural
and easy. It just takes a few minutes a day of practice to safeguard against bad
habits.
 The way in which you position your hands will trigger a chain reaction of solid
and powerful moves or a series of power-draining and inconsistent
compensations. You choose.
Stance/Posture
Looking down at your feet, you want to see your front foot 20-30 degrees open to the
target line. This will help you rotate to the target on the downswing. Your back foot,
however, should angle perpendicular to the target line. This will help restrict the hips
from turning too far on the backswing and give you a better pivot back to the front foot
on the downswing.
Restricting the hips also increases the “X” factor at the top of the swing – a concept Jim
McLean made famous in his X Factor Book. That means there’s greater shoulder rotation
versus hip rotation at the top of the backswing (McLean, The X-Factor Swing). This is
one of the ways you develop coil in the body and fuel for the downswing. To get a better
feel for what this means, angle your back foot 45 degrees to the right. Make a full turn
and notice how much the hips rotate. There will be much less difference between
shoulder and hip rotation. That equals less coil – not necessarily what you want for long
drives. However, older golfer might benefit from more hip rotation to create more turn on
the backswing. So if your fairly flexible, keep the right foot perpendicular.
Take a wide stance
A wide stance has many benefits for good driving. Jim McLean learned from Ken
Venturi that using a wide base helps to lengthen your flat spot through the hitting area,
encourages a shallower swing, and keeps your center of gravity low to the ground. These
are major ingredients for powerful and accurate drives (McLean, The X-Factor Swing). A
good standard is to position your feet just outside the width of your shoulders.
Tilt your spine away from the target
Tilting your spine away from the target is another great adjustment for driving. Your
right shoulder is already lower since you grip the club with your right hand below the
left, however, you want to make a conscious effort to add a little extra spine tilt with the
driver. This has several benefits such as encouraging a weight transfer into the right leg
on the backswing, a takeaway to the inside, and contact on the upswing. In the
photograph below notice my right elbow, right shoulder, and right ear below the right.
That’s a good signal I’m tilting with my upper body.
Set your hands behind the club
The majority of players on the PGA Tour set up with their hands behind the club with a
driver. From a face on perspective, this creates backward shaft lean at the set up position.
This sounds strange but don’t worry – this is a good thing. This will help you think about
hitting the ball on the upswing through the hitting area. Moving your hands above or
ahead of the ball does the opposite by encouraging a descending angle of attack.
Concept to Remember:
 Imagine your feet as gates. Your back foot is the back gate and your front foot is
the front gate. You want the back gate closed and the front gate open. You close
the back gate to restrict backward hip rotation and you open the front gate to
promote forward hip rotation.
 Imagine your standing at the edge of a cliff and a big gust of wind comes by and
throws you off balance. How would you react? You would probably bend your
knees and lower your center of gravity to brace the wind. This is the posture for
the golf swing. Flex your knees just enough to generate a feeling of stability and
heaviness in your lower body. This will facilitate the lower body’s readiness in
the downswing.
 The secret to good posture is comfort. You never want to exaggerate anything
such as, “hips forward,” “butt out,” “chin back,” “low right shoulder,” and so on.
They key is feel comfortable and natural over the ball. Do not force anything or
contrive your body to a position that creates tension or pain.
 Good posture sets up a foundation for your swing. It provides a structure for your
body to move from. Bad posture infects the entire swing and contributes to poor
balance, off center hits, and unnecessary movements. You create good habits
with good posture and bad habits with bad posture. Which way do you want to
swing?
 The ultimate goal is provide a good base for your body to move from. Adjusting
stance and posture is a great to way to increase your consistency and efficiency in
all areas of the game. The result is more accurate ball striking with lasting results.
Alignment
Since hitting more from the inside is paramount, I recommend closing your stance by
dropping your back at least a couple inches off the target line. It will create more space
on the downswing to swing from the inside. This will also facilitate a better turn and get
you more loaded in the backswing. These are important elements for producing a shallow
approach and positive attack angle. Ben Hogan illustrated his concept of alignment
brilliantly in his book, Five Lessons (Hogan). He setup exactly like the diagram below.
Another highly effective technique for correct alignment is the use of an intermediate
target. The first thing you want to do is establish your starting line – a line created
between your ball and where you want the ball to start. Next, look no further than ten feet
in front of you for an old divot, piece of dirt, or leaf. It must rest along the your desired
starting line. This is your intermediate target. Now align your feet slightly to the right of
that line. This gives you a slightly closed stance just like Ben Hogan. The intermediate
target is a great reference point for proper alignment and a technique Jack Nicklaus used
it to win 18 majors. Give it a try next time your on the course.
Concepts to remember
 You have a hooking problem with your driver. You have been getting lessons, but
you never figured out the real reason for the hook. So you created a bad habit by
aiming too far to the right on every shot, especially off the tee. Every time you
setup with your driver you aim at least 20 yards right of the target because you
rely on the hook that has plagued you for years. This has been so ingrained in
your setup it feels natural. Your confident your alignment is perfect. The more
you do this the more the habit becomes ingrained. This viscous cycle reinforces
bad habits in your swing path and clubface angle. The only cure is getting back to
the basics. Try using the intermediate target technique.
 You can’t fix an alignment problem on your own. Have a friend or instructor
stand behind you and tell you where you’re feet and shoulders are aiming. Do this
over and over again until your set-up is on line. This is the only way to get back
on track.
 If you lined up perfectly for every shot, you would properly condition a swing
path down the intended the line. Your swing and clubface angle would improve
dramatically. The problem is most golfers attach themselves to a certain ball
flight. Since the majority of shots are slicing, they think the best way to fix the
problem is to aim more to the left to compensate for the left to right ball flight.
This does not breed consistency. Using alignment to repair a swing flaw is a
band-aide fix. That’s not the goal.
 Have you ever been to a professional golf tournament? Have you ever visited the
driving range on site? If you ever get a chance to watch some professional players
hit balls on the range you will notice how consistent their motion is. Another
thing you will notice is how often they use training aids. 4 out of 5 players will
practice using some form of training device that works on alignment. Training
rods are the most common tools used by top players. It’s a simple rod you lay on
the ground to get your feet square to the intended line. Guess what, it works
wonders. Give it a try, practice like the pros and work on your alignment.
 If you’re thinking, how can I remember to swing down the intended line without a
training rod or another device that helps with my alignment – your answer is
swinging down the line created by your feet. That’s why its critical to set your
feet slightly right of the target line. If you can accomplish this, you don’t even
have to look at the target. Just swing down the line you created with your feet. It
will naturally produce a swing direction more from the inside. You should
practice this on the range for a couple weeks before you use this technique on the
course. You want to make sure your alignment is perfect. This also works great
for people who have bad vision. They can’t see the target as well, so they can
relate better to something they can see, which is the line made by your feet.
Simply swing down that line.
Ball Position
When the lower body moves laterally on the downswing it moves the bottom point of
your swing’s arc forward. You need to play the ball forward in your stance to
accommodate. I recommend playing the ball off your inside left heel. This gives you
enough room to shift on the downswing and still catch the ball on the upswing.
For players who struggle moving laterally, play the ball slightly further back between the
middle and inside left heel. This won’t sacrifice catching the ball on the upswing as long
as you move your head behind the ball on the backswing, and maintain that position on
the downswing.
For players who struggle keeping their head behind the ball at impact, I suggest moving
the ball even more forward opposite the left toe. This will give the player, who has a
tough time adding spine tilt on the downswing, the ability to strike the ball with a positive
attack angle.
Concepts to remember
 You play the ball forward in your stance in order to contact the ball on the
upswing.
 You can vary your ball position depending your ability to move laterally and keep
your head behind the ball. So if you have trouble moving your hips laterally on
the downswing, play the ball further back and if you have trouble keeping your
head back, play the ball further forward.
 If you’re launching the ball too high, try playing the ball position further back. If
you’re launching the ball too low, try playing the ball position more forward.
The Most Important Move in Golf
Harvey Penick and the Magic Move
One of the best selling sports books of all time was written by a golf teacher. His name
was Harvey Penick. He dedicated an entire chapter, in his Little Red Book, on the magic
move in golf, which was the first move on the downswing. He describes the move as
follows, “to start your downswing, let your weight shift to your left foot while bringing
your right elbow back down to your body” (Penick).
Harvey called it the magic move because he knew the importance of starting the
downswing. It was the one move that could make or break a swing. No other move had
such high importance. His tip was brilliant because it focused on shifting weight to start
the downswing and delivering the club from the inside by dropping the right elbow.
Harvey’s tip not only works, it holds up against the scrutiny of modern technology.
High-speed cameras and video analysis software confirm the accuracy of his magic
move. All great ball strikers use lateral motion to start their downswing as well as drop
the elbow. Players may not feel it the same way but they certainly do it. Slow motion
video is a great way to challenge assumptions like Harvey’s. But in this case, he was
absolutely right.
Camera Angles
At the Jim McLean Golf School we use video analysis as a means of communication. We
use it to show students what their swing looks like or show students what top tour players
look like. By using video properly it’s an incredible tool for teaching the golf swing.
Strict camera angles are always adhered to. We film on the target line and perpendicular
to the ball-target-line. If camera angles are off, it’s like comparing apples to oranges.
Each clip must be filmed with strict guidelines or else we don’t use it. We are able to
study and compare great players on the PGA Tour because we film this way. It’s a great
advantage when studying the golf swing.
As Jim McLean’s assistant I was able to witness first hand how Jim McLean used video.
He has an incredible eye for dissecting the golf swing. No one comes close. Jim would
always say there was no secret to the golf swing; however, if there was one move that
could make you a great player it was the first move on the downswing. That’s what
separated the men from the boys.
The Driver Study
In order to investigate the first move on the downswing in more detail I studied the best
drivers on the PGA Tour. Fortunately, I have access to the most comprehensive database
of swing clips in the world at the Jim McLean Golf School. This is an incredible
advantage when learning what the top players do differently. So I wanted to learn what
the top drivers had in common. I looked at statistics first in several categories such as
total driving, driving accuracy, driving distance, driving efficiency, smash factor, club
head speed, and ball speed. I selected fifty players for the study based on their
consistency in each ranking.
The swing clips I used were strictly face on driver swings. I didn’t want to use 3 wood or
hybrid clips because I thought it would distort the study. Also, some clips didn’t make the
cut because I needed a clean view of the players belt buckle. Camera angles had to be
perfect.
Measurements
I drew a vertical line from the ball position and then scrolled the clip to the top of the
backswing. The clip was paused at the top of the backswing before any movement that
signaled the beginning of the downswing such as lateral motion of the hips. From this
position I took two measurements 1) the distance of the head from the ball position line
2) the distance of the belt buckle from the ball position line. Then I scrolled the clip to a
point right before impact. Again, I took two more measurements 1) the distance of the
head from the ball position line 2) the distance of the belt buckle from the ball position
line.
RESULTS
This is a sample of the study
Belt Belt Buckle

Head at Buckle at Head Before Before
Player the Top the Top Impact Impact
JB Holmes 9.24 10.7 10.92 .5
Bubba Watson 16.05 13.07 18.67 2.99
Gary Woodland 10.27 9.88 10.82 0.56
Jhonathan Vegas 8.4 10.08 9.52 -1.11
Dustin Johnson 7.36 7.14 9.24 -2.32
These are the Tour averages from all players studied
Belt Belt Buckle

Head at Buckle at Head Before Before
Player the Top the Top Impact Impact
Averages 10.7 11.8 11.6 -1.1
The results conclude that top tour players move their head and belt buckle nearly the
same distance behind their ball position line at the top of the backswing. On the
downswing the results conclude that top tour players maintain the position of their head
while moving their belt buckle slightly in front of their ball position line. In fact, the
results also suggest that in most cases the head actually moves backwards on the
downswing.
3 Major Findings
A Balanced Coil
The study proves top tour players properly balance their upper and lower body at the top
of the backswing. This is evident in the distance the head and belt buckle move from the
ball position line at the top of the backswing. They move almost exactly the same same
distance nearly forming a vertical line. There was slight deviation in some players with
the head moving slightly further than the belt buckle and the belt buckle slightly further
than the head. But the deviation was extremely small. This suggests top drivers coil their
body with great balance on the backswing. It prepares the body for the most important
move, the first move on the downswing.
Lower Body Lateral Motion
The second major finding was the movement of the belt buckle on the downswing. On
average, top tour players moved 12.7 inches from the start of the downswing to impact.
That’s an incredible distance in such a short time. In fact, top tour players move their
lower center so much it moves ahead of their ball position line. This movement highlights
the importance of lower body lateral motion during the driver swing. It’s an element that
clearly enhances power and accuracy.
The Head Stays Back
The third major finding, and possibly the most important, is the movement of the head at
the beginning of the downswing. While moving the lower center forward, the head
maintains its position behind the ball. In fact, the tour averages suggest players even
move their head slightly backwards. That’s an incredible dynamic – the lower center
moves more than one foot on the downswing while the head doesn’t move at all. This
finding adds new light to the first move on the downswing with the driver. Notice the
effect below. It creates added tilt in the spine away from the target.
Spine tilt also allows the shoulders to rotate on a steeper plane – notice the right shoulder
lower than the left. This effect is great for your golf swing, especially driving. It lowers
the right shoulder and right elbow into position to attack the ball from the inside. You
don’t need to consciously drop your right elbow, as Harvey Penick would suggest, it
happens naturally when you follow the rules.
First Stage of the Downswing
The beginning of stage one starts with the lower body’s initial movement toward the
target. This also marks the beginning of the two-way move, a term Ken Venturi
nicknamed because the lower body moves forward as the club is still moving back. This
proves there is no stopping point in the swing. The swing is a fluid motion from the top
of the backswing to the finish. The end of stage one is defined when the left arm is
parallel to the ground. Below are checkpoints from the ground up.
Feet
At the beginning of stage one, weight distribution rolls off the inside of the right foot to
trigger the start of the downswing. This is what great players describe as using the ground
for power. They are pivoting off the ground just like a running back pivoting to one side.
Both heels remain on the ground during the entire stage.
Knees
As both knees move toward the target they level out and increase flex to use the ground
as leverage. This illustrates a key movement on the downswing. Take a look at Rory
Mcilroy during stage one. Notice how much his knees level out and increase flex.
Golf Digest instructor, Sean Foley, discusses this topic in his article called, Squat for
Power. He explains, “What you want to do is squat as you swing into the ball. This move
is similar to what any athlete would do before leaping…Essentially you’re creating an
explosive action by lowering and then pushing off the ground. It helps you swing into the
ball with incredible force” (Foley).
Another key aspect during this stage is the left knee in relation to the golf ball. At the
beginning of stage one the left knee is behind the golf ball, but by the end of stage one the
left knee moves ahead of the ball. It moves to a position slightly behind or directly above
the left foot, while maintaining flex. This is a hallmark of preparing the lower body for an
upward thrust through the hitting area.
Hips
As the weight distribution moves off the right foot, the hips begin their journey toward
the target. At the same time, the hips rotate counterclockwise. The rotation of the hips
during stage one will vary among players. But typically they rotate back to a square
position facing the target line. Most amateurs, however, do not have this much rotation
during stage one. They do not have the combination of flexibility and strength to move
their hips to this degree.
Shoulders
During stage one the left shoulder separates from the chin as the right shoulder lowers
into position. The vital key is keeping the rotation of the shoulders behind the hips. All
great players keep their shoulders trailing the hips. This is a key element when the body
unwinds on the downswing (McLean, The X-Factor Swing).
Arms
The right and left arm drop a considerable amount during stage one. This is a natural
reaction to lateral motion in the lower body and the unwinding of the body. However,
some players can benefit from consciously lowering their arms in order to swing more
from the inside. The key is to drop the right elbow close to the body while maintain lag in
the wrists.
Head
At the beginning of stage one will be slightly rotated away from the target. The lower
body initiates the downswing and the body begins to unwind, the head rotates slightly
toward the target. There is no lateral movement of the head.
Club Movement
The position of the club will vary at the beginning of stage one. Some players will have
their club parallel to the ground, while some players will have their club slightly shorter
or longer. It doesn’t matter. What’s important is maintaining lag during stage one. That
means maintaining, or slightly increasing, the angle between the left arm and club. This
is a key ingredient for power and accuracy.
Second Stage of the Downswing
The beginning of stage two is defined when the left arm is parallel to the ground. The end
of stage two is defined when the club shaft is parallel to the ground.
Feet
Weight distribution continues to move off the right leg and into the left during stage two.
The right heel rises slightly off the ground because the hips are continuing to rotate and
move laterally.
Knees
The right knee is moving laterally toward the target while the left knee has nearly
completed its lateral motion. Also, because the knees rotate, the right knee moves closer
to the target line, while the left knee breaks away from the target line. This is an
interesting dynamic at this stage in the swing and happens because of the rotation of the
hips.
Hips
The hips move laterally toward the target and continue to rotate. You might also notice
the right hip lowering below the left hip during this stage. This is natural as the body
continues to move laterally and rotate over the left leg, while maintaining the position of
the head. The hips are slightly open to the target at the end of stage two.
Shoulders
The right shoulder moves downward and the left shoulder moves upward. This is an
important dynamic at this stage of the swing because it signals a steeper rotation of the
shoulders, which is a great thing for driving. When the right shoulder works downward it
also considerably helps the club swing from the inside. That’s a critical component to
good driving.
Arms
The right elbow drops in close to the body as the left arm moves in front of the chest and
the right elbow is slightly below the left elbow at the beginning of this stage. This
happens because of the downward movement of the right shoulder. In essence, this is one
of the most important elements for preparing the club for an inside delivery. The right
elbow is also in the process of extending but still has considerable flex.
Club Movement
From a face on perspective the golf club moves from a fairly vertical position to parallel
to the ground. Stage two marks the beginning releasing the club’s lag. From a target line
perspective the club begins to move on a flatter plane. Jim McLean wrote extensively
about this concept in, “The Slot Swing.”
Jim McLean explains, “This means that the first move down – the first act in slotting the
club in your downswing – is a “below-the-belt event” event. Almost immediately on
finishing your backswing, get your lower body moving toward the target...The leading
action of your lower body causes a quick separation. Basically, you’re trying to leave
your arms and hands (as well as the club) behind. Causing it to trail is what positions it in
the Slot” (McLean, The Slot Swing). In other words, you don’t need to consciously
flatten the club shaft on the downswing. When you start the downswing with your lower
body, and allow the shoulders, arms, and hands to trail, the club naturally shallows out.
Final Stage of the Downswing
The beginning of stage three is defined when the club shaft is parallel to the ground. The
end of stage three is defined at impact.
Feet
At the end of stage three there is approximately 70% weight in the left leg. The right heel
is even higher off the ground, which is the result of lateral knee and hip drive as well as
rotation. You can also notice weight moving into the outside portion of the left foot and
toward the heel. This might seem like an unstable position, but its very consistent with
top ball strikers.
Knees
There is an interesting dynamic during stage three when the left knee begins to
straighten. Keep in mind; it’s never fully straight at impact. No great drivers have a
straight left knee at impact. But it’s in the process of straightening. There’s tremendous
force transferred to the club when this happens. This is why increasing knee flex during
stage one is so important – so you can release all of it through impact.
Hips
The hips are moving laterally and rotating. They move from a slightly open position to
nearly 30 degrees open to the target line at the end of stage three. The left hip is clearly
higher than the right hip. The left hip is above the left knee and the left knee is above the
left foot. This signals the body is using the left leg as a post to transfer its weight.
Shoulders
The left shoulder moves upward and the right shoulder moves downward. The shoulders
are rotating on a steeper plane versus the backswing because the lower body moves
forward while the head stays back. This creates tilt in the spine angle away from the
target. That’s the effect, which causes the shoulders to change planes. Again, all great
drivers do this. It’s a natural movement that great players have in common.
Arms
The right arm is in the process of straightening during stage three, but not fully extended.
The left arm swings across the body and forms a straight line with the club at impact. The
right elbow is under the left during the entire stage. That’s the result of spine tilt. It’s
great for driving. When there’s a loss of spine tilt, the right elbow could move even or
above the left, which would not allow the club to swing from the inside.
Club Movement
The lag of the club is fully released during stage three. It’s being delivered from the
inside and with tremendous power because of the body’s weight transfer and rotation.
There is no conscious effort to steer the club through impact. The chain of events starting
from the top of the backswing gives the club incredible speed during stage three. It’s on
cruise control at this point.
Pre Downswing Moves
One Piece Takeaway
The one-piece takeaway is the initial movement off the ball. It illustrates the movement
of the shoulders, arms, and hands working together as they move the club away from the
ball on the backswing. The one-piece take away is an unhurried motion. It’s a smooth
movement away from the ball that sets the tempo for the swing. Any attempt to snatch
the club back with the hands will ruin potential for good rhythm and timing.
The one-piece takeaway is vital to the driver swing.
The one-piece takeaway produces an important ingredient in your swing called width.
The more you can create the greater your potential for speed. Width also shallows out the
club’s approach to the ball, encourages a positive attack angle, and lengthens the flat spot
at the bottom of your swing.
Stacking the Right Side
There’s a few conflicting theories about weight distribution at the top of the backswing.
Some advocate rotating around a fixed center or even moving weight into the left leg on
the backswing. This can be helpful when you’re trying to hit a low mid-iron or wedge
shot with a low trajectory, but not with your driver. Furthermore, it’s a little difficult to
think stacking weight on your left leg on the backswing is going to make you a better ball
striker. The core concepts of driving include a shallow approach to the ball, a swing from
the inside, and a positive attack angle. Producing these elements in your swing is more
difficult when you stack the left side.
The concept you want to learn is stacking the right side. This means as you coil the upper
body over the lower body, your body weight is going to move into the right leg. This is
the best vantage point to deliver a driver with power and accuracy. The best drivers on
the PGA Tour stack their right side. The best way to stack your right side is by turning
your left shoulder over the right foot. Allow your left knee to break inwards behind the
ball. If you can do this while maintaining flex in the right knee, you’ll be stacked on the
right side, not the left.
Flatter is Better
A word of caution before declaring the flat backswing is better: there are several great
drivers with upright swings. It can be done. Jack Nicklaus was one of the best drivers in
history and had his left arm well above his shoulder plane. That’s an upright swing. But
Jack was an incredible athlete. He used an enormous leg drive that allowed the club to
drop to the inside. I don’t think you will have the same leg drive as Jack. Therefore, I’m
suggesting a flatter swing with a driver. It helps prepare the club to swing more from the
inside and strike the ball with a positive attack angle.
The best way is to imagine a flat swing is where your left arm is at the top of the swing. If
the left arm stays below the shoulder plane, that’s flat. However, another great position is
parallel the shoulder plane. I would recommend one of these two positions. They help to
get to the club swinging around your body, which gets the club more inside the target line
on the backswing. This gives you a better chance of delivering the club from the inside
on the downswing.
Drills
The Magic Line Drill
Purpose: The magic line drill is tremendous for learning the basic body motion for the
first move on the downswing. It will help you move your lower body laterally on the
downswing while keeping you head back. That’s the magic move.
Tools: One alignment rod
Setup: Stick an alignment rod vertically into the ground. Without a club, walk into the
alignment rod so its standing vertically from inside your left leg. Cross your arms and
lower yourself into good posture.
Drill: With your arms crossed, coil your upper body against your lower body and feel
your weight moving into your right leg. The only part of your body still in front of the
rod is your left foot. When you start to feel tension from your coil, move your hips
laterally so your belt buckle moves in front of the alignment rod. Do this while
simultaneously keeping your head behind the alignment rod.
Result: The vertical alignment rod represents your ball position line, in which your hips
must move towards and your head must stay behind. This will create optimal
biomechanics for great driving – the lower body leads while the head stays back. It can
be a strain on your body if you practice this drill for a long period of time. But if you
really want to be a great driver and add more yards, this is your drill.
Drills From Jim McLean
The Baseball Drill
Purpose: The baseball drill is an incredible drill for feeling the two-way move at the top
of the backswing and starting downswing with the lower body (McLean, Golf Digest's
Book of Drills).
Tools: Ball on tee, Driver
Setup: Tee a ball into the ground and take your normal set up. Now shrink your stance by
moving your left foot right next to your right foot. There should be zero space in between
the feet. Hover the club a few inches above the ground.
Drill: On the count of three, step in with your left foot like a batter while making your
backswing. Allow the movement of your lower body to pull your hands, arms, and
shoulder back around on the downswing. Plant your left foot back into its original
position and strike the ball. It might seem like an awkward drill but it has several benefits
for your swing.
Results: This drill is one of the only drills I’ve ever seen that makes you learn the two-
way move plus lateral motion on the downswing. It also develops great hand eye
coordination because hitting the center of the clubface is no easy task.
Drop-‐the-‐Right-‐Foot Drill
Purpose: The drop-the-right-foot drill is an excellent drill I learned from Jim McLean. It
helps you deliver the club from the inside and hit draws (McLean, Golf Digest's Book of
Drills).
Setup: Tee a ball and take your normal setup with a driver. Now drop your right foot one
foot off the target line. This will feel like an incredibly closed stance. Don’t move your
back foot to the right creating more width in your stance. Just move it more off the target
line.
Drill: Hit several balls from this stance until you start to see the ball curve from right-to-
left. That’s a draw. You’ll feel the best way to hit a draw is when the clubface is slightly
closed to your path, so you might feel an early release to make it happen.
Results: You’ll learn the feeling of swinging more from the inside and the correct impact
geometry for a draw. It’s a great drill for players who swing over the top and slice the
ball with an open face.
Freeze Your Left Hip and Side to Prevent Slices
Purpose: When players turn their torso too early on the downswing it throws the golf
club outside the target line. This drill works by preventing any excessive rotation of the
upper and lower body (McLean, Golf Digest's Book of Drills).
Drill: Tee a ball and take your normal stance with your driver. Now turn your left foot
(front foot) so it’s pointing slightly behind the ball. It will feel awkward but that’s good.
Make a normal backswing. On the downswing you’ll notice how difficult it is to
excessively turn the body on the downswing.
Results: This drill will prevent the body from over rotating at impact. It will also produce
more of an arm swing that delivers the club from the inside with a square clubface. It’s a
great drill for anyone that swing fro out-to-in with an open clubface.
Prevent the Dreaded Spin Out Move
Purpose: A common mistake by amateurs is to spin their body excessively to the left at
the beginning of the downswing. The will move the club outside the line of play causing
an outside-to-in path. This is what can lead to a negative attack angle and big slices
(McLean, Golf Digest's Book of Drills).
Drill: Take your normal stance with a driver and lift your left heel about 3 inches off the
ground. Keep the heel in the air as you take the club back and through. Hit several shots
with the driver until you start the ball at the target or slightly to the right.
Results; This drill works like magic preventing the dreaded spin out at the top of the
backswing. It helps to develop the feeling of swinging from the inside. Give it try if you
prematurely rotate your body from the top.
Stay Connected to Improve Release
Purpose: The upper left arm plays a vital role as you swing into impact. The clubface
stays open anytime it moves off the body, causing a slice. This drill helps you keep the
left arm connected to the body. Hal Sutton used this drill to keep his left arm close to his
body throughout the swing (McLean, Golf Digest's Book of Drills).
Tools: Ball on tee, Driver, small towel
Drill: As you set up to the ball place a small towel, head cover, or glove under your left
armpit. Make a swing keeping the towel in place on the back and forward swings.
Results: This drill forces you to allow the left arm to fold after impact. This is a
fundamental of great ball striking. When the left arm folds, it’s a sign that the arms,
hands, and club properly released through impact.
Bibliography
Foley, Sean. Squat for Power. 2011. <http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2011-
12/sean-foley-power>.
Hogan, Ben. Five Lessons The Modern Fundamentals of Golf. NY: Simon & Schuster,
Inc., 1957.
Leitz, James. GOLF Magazine The Best Driving Instruction Book Ever! Ed. Editors of
Golf Magazine. Time Home Entertainment, 2011.
Magazine, Editors of Golf. GOLF Magazine The Best Driving Instruction Book Ever!
NY: Time Home Entertainment, 2011.
McLean, Jim. Golf Digest's Book of Drills. Trumbull: NYT Special Services, Inc. , 1990.
—. The Slot Swing. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009.
—. The X-Factor Swing. NY: HarperCollinsPublishers, 1996.
Penick, Harvey. Harvey Penick's Little Red Book: Lessons and Teachings from a
Lifetime in Golf. NY: Simon & Schuster, inc., 1999.
Tuxen, Frederik. GOLF Magazine The Best Driving Instruction Book Ever! NY: Time
Home Entertainment, 2011.
—. "Quick-Guide Trackman Numbers." 2011. Trackman.

<http://www.mytrackman.com/TrackMan.Online.DrivingRange/Data.html>.
—. "Trackman Measurement Parameter Definitions." 2011. Trackman .

<http://www.trackman.dk/download/UserConfEU11/TrackMan%20Measurement%20Par
ameter%20Definitions.pdf>.
—. "Trackman Newsletter." 2008. Trackman.

<http://www.trackman.dk/download/newsletter/newsletter2.pdf>.
Thank you for reading Finally Down the Middle. I hope you learned some valuable tips
along the way. Please contact me with any questions you have about the book or your
game.
Long and Straight,
Adam
For more information about my instruction
Please visit
www.scratchgolfschool.com
Or email me
[email protected]

Finally Down The Middle4

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Finally Down The Middle4

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Finally Down The Middle4

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Finally

Down the Middle

Lessons from Jim McLean

Club Speed The speed of the center of the clubface at impact

(Tuxen, Trackman Measurement Parameter Definitions)

Type of Shot Influence by Clubface Influence by Path

Follow these checkpoints in the left hand…

Follow these checkpoints in the right hand…

The right thumb is left of the center of the grip.

1. Back three fingers of the left hand

Concept to Remember:

Concepts to remember

This is a sample of the study

Belt Belt Buckle

These are the Tour averages from all players studied

Belt Belt Buckle

The Head Stays Back

One Piece Takeaway

Tools: One alignment rod

Tools: Ball on tee, Driver

Tools: Ball on tee, Driver

Tools: Ball on tee, Driver

Tools: Ball on tee, Driver

Tools: Ball on tee, Driver, small towel

—. "Quick-Guide Trackman Numbers." 2011. Trackman.

—. "Trackman Measurement Parameter Definitions." 2011. Trackman .

—. "Trackman Newsletter." 2008. Trackman.

Long and Straight,

For more information about my instruction

You might also like