Stop Trying To Control The Ball: The Power Of Finishing Every Shot

Golfers are often so focused on the correct position in the backswing, the outcome of the shot, and how many things can possibly go wrong. What they shouldn’t forget is this is a SWING and not a HIT. There has to be a finish.

Rhythm plays such an important part in golf, yet it’s often the first thing that cracks under pressure. Often a golfer doesn’t complete the whole swing and hits at the ball almost trying to force it to go where they want it to go.

By focusing on finishing your swing, you take much of the effort and tension away and your ball will simply get in the way. Clubs like XXIO 14 are designed to do so much of the work for you, so why not let them.

Follow Through Requires Practice

The follow through is something that’s rarely practiced, yet it’s a way to raise awareness of where you intend the ball to fly. Usually once the ball has gone, all focus is on where it has landed. Yet when you watch the best players in the world they always hold their finish.

Practice your follow through in slow motion. Slowly guide the club to a full finish, balanced on your front foot facing the target.This is your end goal. Not hitting at the ball, but swinging through to a full finish.

When you take a practice swing as part of your pre-shot routine, don’t just give the club a wiggle and expect to have a graceful full follow through. Rehearse the entire swing all the way to a full finish as if you’ve hit the drive of your life. If you haven’t rehearsed the finish, you probably won’t extend through fully. You’ll lose out on clubhead speed and ultimately distance.

Set Up For Action

There’s no way you can get to a photo finish without being in an athletic position at setup. Many golfers set up almost sitting down in their posture with weight on the heels of their feet. This causes them to rock and will usually mean the body can’t get involved. The arms swing up and across the ball and rarely do they complete the swing. This will lose power and control.

Make sure you can tap your heels up and down. If you are a toe tapper you’ll sit back and rock about. A gentle pulse of the heels before you hit the shot will knock out any tension lurking in the system and also tell you you’re ready for action. When you’re in an athletic position at address you can focus on completing the whole swing, not stopping at the ball, as if preempting disaster.

Ban The Chicken Wing Pose

One of the biggest telltale signs that you’re hitting at the ball is the dreaded chicken wing just after impact. Your lead arm has collapsed and tucked in, and you’re practically scooping the ball.

Ban the chicken wing with this two tee drill. Place a tee peg and then place another tee peg a grip length apart. Set up in an athletic position, then swing away, clicking the first tee and the second. Practicing swinging the club and hitting 2 tee pegs will encourage a freewheeling action into a finished position. If you miss the second tee, guess what, you’re scooping and that chicken wing will be back.

When you tee up the ball on the course, use a mini target to help you recreate the drill. Stand on the tee box, pick your target on the horizon and draw a line down. An old tee peg or divot can act as your second tee enabling you to mimic the drill.