Are you constantly working on your golf swing, but frustrated that you’re not improving? If so, don’t worry. Even the best players in the world sometimes face this challenge. But if you want to get serious about your improvementit’s important to diagnose problems on the go and come up with a solid practical plan.
When it comes to diagnosing a student’s swing, I like to start by analyzing their thoughts. You can tell a lot about what’s going on with the club through the influence from looking at the partition pattern. I like to think of it as a “crime scene”.
With my students, I like to draw a white chalk line on the ground perpendicular to the target line. I line up five balls along the line and have them hit each one. Next, we take a look at the “crime scene.”
The marks left on the ground provide the clues necessary for a diagnosis. The way the clubs interact with the terrain is very telling, and I look specifically for patterns in the divot. (ie. are they ahead or behind the line? are they pointing left or right? is there no interaction with the terrain at all?)
Here are some common findings from student sharing patterns, along with some quick plans for improvement.
What your sharing patterns mean
Deep divisions
When a student has a deep split pattern, it tells me they have an angle of attack that is too steep, so I prescribe a shallower, more rounded swing. I recommend practicing knee swings to help soften the arch.
Shallow rifts (or not).
When the splits are shallow (or absent), it means the student needs a more “U-shaped” swing. Often, this can be achieved by encouraging the student to maintain their posture better through influence.
Divot behind the line
Divots behind the ball indicate that the swing is too shallow or too far inside. This often happens because the body is not going all the way through. To fix it, I recommend a more vertical swing path and holding the wrist longer on the downswing ensuring a full swing all the way through.
The front divots lines
Splits in front of the ball indicate that the swing is too steep or comes too far outside. An easy fix is ​​to feel like you’re keeping your upper body locked on the landing, only releasing the side of the trail after impact.
After analyzing the “crime scene” and making some adjustments, hit five more balls. Your goal is to hit the ball and the line simultaneously or to hit the ball first with the split starting right in front of the line. Regularly testing yourself with this drill will help give you feedback on how you’re swinging the club, and making the necessary adjustments will improve your ball-striking to help you lower your scores.
