THE ACTIONS OF THE HANDS

Golf Swing Tips By Dan Shauger

The hands are the major speed producers in this type of golf swing, they are actuated by the forearm muscles in an entirely different way than in the common swing.

As you have read in my books, we will be using the hands and the forearm muscles to twirl the club in a circular manner rather than in a chopping down and rolling over fashion as is commonly taught.

Through impact, the right hand tosses the club head through the ball as the left hand flexes at the wrist. When this happens the club head travels from behind the point of the arm shoulder triangle and catches up to it during impact.

Done correctly the club head swings past the point of the triangle after impact without the club face closing.

This can be learned by teeing up the ball and hitting easy 3/4 wedge shots and tossing the club head past the left arm through impact. Be sure to not rotate the left forearm in a rollover type movement, instead feel the left palm face down after impact.

A good way to feel this type release is to feel as if you turn your left fist knuckles up after impact, this would get the left palm facing down. Do this while swing easily and you will soon feel the release.

This action allows the inner forearm muscle of the right hand to slap through, assisted by the left outer forearm as it fully releases the left wrist.

Much additional speed can be gained without negatively affecting club head alignments if the forearms are wound up during the back swing and unwound throughout the entire release sequence.

This winding and unwinding of the forearm muscles allows the use of the complete set of forearm muscles, including the ones that rotate the forearm bones, rather than just the ones that flex the wrists in the fore and aft plane. Use your little club to see this action up close and personal.

Do not over look the full completion of the release, the club must have a square club face as it passes through the ball. A less than full release will often leave the club head trailing the hands, rather than catching up to the left arm at impact and passing it.

This error creates a soft block type shot that gives up some power and falls short and to the right of your objective.

A little time spent learning this release feeling will pay big dividends later. The correct use of the hands, will allow the player to use a less violent hip slide in the pivot, without giving up too much power.