BAD SHOT FIXES Fairway » No Distance

There are 2 areas of the swing that mess with solid contact from the fairway zapping any chance for distance: Backswing No-No’s and Downswing No-No’s. Let’s examine the top culprits within each:

Culprit No.1 Backswing No-No’s: Overswing

We discussed this off the tee as well, but same deal from the fairway. Unless you’re John Daly, overswinging provides a false sense of power.

In the NO swing, all I can say is…OUCH! My club is way beyond parallel, weight is still on left side. I am not turned behind the ball.

In the YES Swing, I am FULLY COILED. 
My left shoulder is behind the ball, my back is facing the target. I have transferred my weight into my back heel nicely. About 80 percent of my weight transferred to the inside of my back heel.

Culprit No.2 Backswing No-No’s: Left-Arm Breakdown

The golf swing travels on an arc. A bigger arc equals more distance. If your left arm breaks down on the backswing, you are shortening the swing radius. This kills any chance for good distance. Many high-handicappers stop turning, but continue to lift their arms—thinking they are still turning—resulting in a left-arm breakdown. A wide arc promotes power and distance!

The key to a wide arc is the SHOULDER TURN. As you turn, you want your hands as far from your head as possible. Feel your shoulders turn with your arms as an extension of your shoulders; working together, not independently.

Culprit No.3 Backswing No-No’s: Lateral Slide

A hip slide on the takeaway is a common fault in the backswing. If your back hip moves outside your back foot, all leverage and power is lost. In order to get back to the ball, you’ll need to slide back toward the target. This alone is very difficult to time.

In the YES swing, my hips have turned and have not slid past the dotted line. Feel tension on the inside of your upper right thigh and press your back foot down and in toward your front leg.

Now, let’s check out the top downswing culprits!