Most golfers never think about where their swing actually starts.
They may focus on a single aspect of their take such as their hands, club or wrists – but Erika Larkin, a GOLF Top 100 Teacherssays the real movement starts much higher. And understanding the start of your swing is key to improving your low point control and becoming a better striker of the ball.
“The golf swing is a lot like the swing of a pendulum,” says Larkin. “If you make the slightest movement, the pendulum is swinging with our arms and the stick together really from a higher point in our body than many people imagine.”
When you start the chest swing, Larkin says, everything moves together like a smooth, controlled pendulum. But if you start your swing lower, like with the glove, it can result in a wrist swing that makes the dial difficult at the low point of the swing.
Create your own pendulum
To create this pendulum, you must first rethink how you approach swinging. Most amateurs present the club or the hands as the center of the swing, which often leads to inconsistencies. Instead, Larkin says to imagine the club as an extension of your sternum. This simple change allows your arms, body and club to move together in unison.
Start small, says Larkin. Instead of trying to incorporate this new feeling into your full swing, start with a shorter, more controlled movement. Remember, the movement must come from your sternum.
“Think of the club reaching up toward your midsection, your chest area, and your body, and try to swing the pendulum as if it’s swinging from that upper moment,” she says.
Once you get the feel of the pendulum in smaller swings, gradually extend it to longer, fuller swings.
“As you grow it, it doesn’t really change. It’s still moving from higher and higher points on your body,” says Larkin. “It’s connecting your arms and the swing of the club, swinging around you from a very stable point.”
With your pendulum anchored at your sternum, your swing should become smoother, more connected and easier to repeat, which Larkin says will translate to better low point control.
Think of it as a long, graceful pendulum: arms and club swing together from the chest, wrists hanging loosely, hands relaxed. It’s a subtle change in the way you think about your movement, but one that can instantly improve timing, endurance and power.
Sometimes, moving smarter really is that simple.
