Turning to Achieve Distance and Consistency

We have all heard that golfers should swing the club parallel to the ground and hit the ball a mile. But one important key is the shoulder turn. Most players have some physical limitations, but all golfers need to create some type of body rotation and transition of weight. When the upper body has some turn or coil with a shoulder turn, you can generate more swing plane control and distance in your shots.

Tips:

• Before you swing, think of making a shoulder turn.
   
• During the backswing, feel a little turn. Your shoulder should be turned 90 degrees to the ball, as seen in the photos showing the address/pole position (photo 1), to the backswing/pole position (photo 2); you see the space from the pole that was created from the shoulder turn. This is a good turn for most players.
  
  
• At the top of your swing, eighty percent of your weight transfers to the inside of your back foot.
  
  
• Once you complete the backswing, just react and let it go. Most players do not let it go. They try to hold on and steer the ball during the downswing. If you turn on your backswing, you can let it go on the downswing and have fun hitting the ball. A little shoulder turn will create more distance, consistent ball striking, and bring out more solid and fun shots in your game. A little turn goes a long way.
  
  

John Nelson is the South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Class A Teaching Professional who is the Director of Instruction at the Golf Academy located at the County Club of Coral Springs, Coral Springs, Fl. 954-752-4500 x 204, email: jnelson@ccofcs.com, Web page:  www.ccofcs.com.