In this lesson, we will discuss torque. First, you’ll need to get a rubber band and join in with me. So go ahead and get one now. I’ll wait.
Torque is the ratio created by your lower and upper body. Ideally, you want to keep your lower body stable and coil over this with your upper body. So for example, a 90-degree shoulder turn with a 45-degree hip turn creates that torque. A 105-degree shoulder turn with a 65-degree hip turn creates minimal, if any, torque.
Think of torque as a rubber band. If you pull the rubber band back minimally and then release it, it just plops a few inches in front of you. Try that now with your rubber band.
It’s the same deal with your backswing.
If you turn your shoulders and hips the same amount or commit the fake turn, then you will get the rubber band plop effect.
Conversely, if you pull the rubber band back far enough, you’ll begin to feel its torque – like it wants to jump off your fingers. And it literally does jump off your fingers with a pop as it flies down the fairway. Same deal with your backswing. By maintaining a stable lower body and coiling over this with your upper body, you’ll feel the same torque as the rubber band at the top of your backswing. As you initiate the downswing with your legs and while keeping your back to the target, that’s when you send the ball sailing just like you did when the rubber band jumped off your fingers.
So here’s the deal with torque: First you need to create the resistance in your backswing, like when you pulled the rubber band back further. Then your legs initiate the downswing as you keep your back to the target as long as you can. This is the rubber band flying off your fingers. Work on this for lots more distance with every club in your bag.