Bow Flip

Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. Whoever first said that never played golf. In golf, consistency is the key to a low golf handicap-the game's holy grail It's impossible to achieve a low golf handicap without developing consistency, golf lessons and golf tips not withstanding. Flipping the club at impact, however, destroys consistency. It also robs you of distance.

Flipping is all too common. Here's a quote from Jim Flick, longtime teacher and golf guru, that suggest just how common he it is: "Having taught thousands of golfers for the past 53 years, I'd estimate that 80 to 90 percent of amateurs flip the club at impact." Jim's numbers maybe off a little, but one thing is certain. If you flip your club at impact, you'll be hard pressed to achieve a low golf handicap.

The Proper Release

The most important position in the golf swing is where the club, wrists, and arms are through the strike zone. If you take a slow motion view of some pros swinging a club, you can see the way they release the club to achieve the required ball flight. The face is square to the target line, the shaft leans a bit forward, and the left wrist and forearm are slightly bowed.

Inconsistent golfers, on the other hand, flip the club through impact. They cup the left wrist (right wrist for left-handers) through the strike zone, resulting in too much loft and weak, uncontrolled shots. The grip is in back of the clubhead, instead of in front of it, and the left elbow is tense, instead of relaxed, preventing a controlled rotation of the forearms.

Causes of Flipping

The reason flipping hurts consistency is simple. Flipping forces the hands and arms to compensate for either your body or your hands being out of position at impact. Instead of delofting the club through impact, it adds loft to it. This results in a weak, less-penetrating shot.

Basically, there are four causes of flipping:

1. right hand dominates

2. body is too active,

3. club is too open,

4. body is too open.

Each cause has its subtleties when it comes to swinging the club, but the key is that either your hands or your body is out of position at impact.

Below are three drills you can practice to help groove the proper release. Drills are good because they undo bad habits and keep them from returning. But you have to practice them frequently-not just once or twice. If one of these drills is hard to do, then it's probably the drill you need to practice the most.

Right Hand Off Drill

Start with your shorter clubs. Then move down the line to the longer clubs. Swing the club as you normal do, but let your right hand come of the club just after impact. This move teaches your left arm to lead the swing. It also teaches it to bow, rotate, and fold, eliminating the chicken wing swing fault.

Stability Drill

This drill develops the ability to stabilize the left hand at impact and works wonders for your release. Using a wedge, hit knock down shots less than 50 yards. Exaggerate your finish. You want to keep the clubhead low to the ground and your chest facing down. But keep your arms and shoulders relaxed.

Front-Loader Drill

This drill teaches you to hit a draw. Start with the clubhead in front of the ball. Make half- and three-quarter swings. Then move into a through-swing position, feeling your left forearm rotating and the clubface closing. Swing your arms and club back and through, hitting the ball with no cupping of the left wrist. Make sure your arms and hands swing freely with little tension.

In addition to these drills, hit shots at full motion, but different speeds with all your clubs. This drill develops sensitivity to squaring the clubface at impact. You should feel the face closing through impact without your left wrist breaking.

Conclusion

These drills not only train your muscles to release the club properly at impact, they also build trust and confidence. They give you a clear idea of what your body and your club should be doing at the most important position in your swing-impact.

If you're serious about reducing your golf handicap, you'll work on these drills as often as you can. Do them faithfully and you'll improve consistency and generate distance regardless of the club used.