How finding the ‘slot’ in the backswing creates better ball strikes

Everything that happens during the backflip has an impact on your fall. That’s why it’s so important to turn the club in a way that sets you up for success.

If you watch the best ball hitters in the world from a down-the-line view, you’ll see that they take the club back and then land on a similar plane. This ensures that they hit the ball hard every time.

However, this does not mean that every swing is exactly the same. With every player’s body moving a little differently, the best positions vary for each. This is why some swings have high hands (think Justin Thomas), while others are much lower (Jon Rahm). They are all world-class players, but the way they move is very different.

If you want to become a better golfer, it’s important to understand how your body moves best so you can hit the ball at the same time. It may take some work with an instructor, but once you understand where your “slot” is, you can work on finding that spot every time.

“Some players need a fairly flat swing, with the butt of the club over the heel,” he says GOLF Top 100 Teachers Dom DiJulia. “Other players need a very straight swing with the butt of the club over their shoelaces. And others need a swing that’s somewhere in between.”

Once you find your “slot”, you can work to get it back to that position each time.

DiJulia likes his players to do this with a resistance band on their hands. He asks them to extend their trail arm to the top of the swing, keeping their lead hand close to where it was at address (see photo above).

“Pull the handle straight into place,” says DiJulia. “If you do this enough, you’ll hit it long and straight – and you’ll have a lot more fun.”