Get Rid of the Back Swing Dip

by admin on November 4th, 2009

The PurePoint Golf swing theory points you in the right direction and gives you a system of fundamentals to measure yourself against. In golf this is very important; however situations arise when you just can’t figure out why you are having certain difficulties. Whether your difficulty is hitting behind the ball or hitting the ball thin, sometimes we are clueless to where the problem lies.

I teach a fairly horizontal swing plane in comparison to most. Even though there are major benefits to this version of the golf swing certain complications can arise very quickly. This tip in particular was designed to stop golfers from hitting behind the ball. My objective is to enlighten you on all areas of the golf swing, so that when certain situations arise, you can adjust accordingly. And ultimately checkpoints pre-established.

The player(s) back shoulder in his/her backswing drops down; meaning that the back shoulder is lowering towards the ground. This is difficult to do when you have no lateral movement or weight shift back and away from the target, as we teach. However, this is pretty common among golfers that have a horizontal swing plane. The common tendency is to lower your back shoulder as your swing plane becomes more horizontal.
Please understand that if you dip your back shoulder in your backswing this could cause many different issues in you swing. Your timing, hand position at impact, weight shift through the golf ball, and follow-through position could all be negatively affected.

Solution

Fortunately there is simple solution. Venture to the practice range and take a golf ball. Place the ball underneath your back foot (please make sure that ½ the ball is in the ground so that you don’t fall over). If a ball is uncomfortable use a towel or something that is at least one inch off the ground. The ball should be placed underneath your back heel in order to ensure that you have no weight transfer and that your back shoulder does not dip in your backswing.
Then take your normal swing. If you choose you can hit a ball or you can just take a couple practice swings. Focus on not dipping your shoulder in your backswing (keep the back shoulder up and not down). I guarantee that if you master this drill you will accomplish solid contact with the ball on a more consistent basis.
This drill will force you to practice a swing with no weight shift back and away from your target and simultaneously help you with lowering your back shoulder.

Practice this drill and be aware that if you are having trouble hitting behind the ball at any point in your round, the problem could lie in shoulder position in your backswing. To learn more go to PurePoint Golf Instruction
PurePoint also offers great golf training aids

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