Man

A good finish should have the left leg straight, the right thigh up close to the left leg, the right foot up on the toe, and the upper body arching back slightly. The trick is that the hips are now “tucked under” the upper body or the stomach is pushed forward. Many beginners, or players who don’t have good core strength, will finish with their hips pushed out behind their upper body. Learn to correct the finish by tucking the hips under or pushing your belt buckle forward in order to feel the correct position. Good leg work will assist in correct hip positioning as well.

Steely Dan spoke of the “expanding man” in Deacon Blues as one who is “thinking of all the possibilities of life”. Golf, on the other hand, has another version of the expanding man. This refers to the change of distances in the arms and body as forces are pulling the club out away from them through impact. Golfers start in a given distance from the ball, yet by impact may feel the arms “expanding away” from them.

Centrifugal forces in golf are attempting to pull the club away from the body into impact. Players can combat this force in several common ways:

1. Start with the ball on the toe end of the club like Zach Johnson and others.

2. Back away from the ball through impact by standing up or away from the ball.

3. Try feeling the club swing through a space interior of the ball by impact.

Usually players prefer ideas one and three, but many golfers do back away from their address posture/position in order to hit the ball more centrally on the clubface. The key is understanding these forces are normal, and if you suffer heel hits, it’s a concern to address.

When I work with a lot of beginning to intermediate players, the finish position requires extra attention. The body is contorting into an unusual position and needs to be balanced to be effective. Advanced players take the finish position for granted, especially when it comes to the small arch in the lower back.

Tuck It Under

Game Changers