There is very little talk about swing plane when you read the magazines or watch the golf channel, but it is a critical factor in solid ball contact. In fact, if your swing plane is off, your golf swing will produce many different mishits including a slice, block, push and an over-compensated hook.

There are several golf swing plan trainer devices out there, and one type I recently reviewed at my golf swing training aid review site. There are several others I will be reviewinging in the near future as I feel swing plane in your golf swing is very important.

Impact is everything!

Getting into an ideal impact position is critical to maximizing your core power from your golf backswing and going into your downswing. Stretching the muscles specifically involved with this dynamic position will greatly improve your impact position and distance with all your clubs.

I have inserted a picture of a simple golf stretch you can do right in your home to isolate the specific muscles of impact. This golf stretch is one of my bonus stretches in my just-released golf stretching dvd.

You can see how I have isolated my upper body by holding my shoulders square and at the same time, rotating my hips as much as I can. This is a very powerful impact position, and one you see all the pros in.

Do this golf stretch consistently and you will achieve a much improved impact position when you play. You will see your distance go up very quickly.

For more information on my Golf Stretching DVD, tap the green link.

You know when you’re on the course, trying to figure out your swing, when you get a golf swing tip in your head, try it and it works!

That happened to me on the golf course with my son yesterday. On the 17th hole no-less. I made a certain move (that I won’t mention, because I could make millions) in my downswing that I thought made sense…and it actually did!

I hit my drive on 17 longer than any other drive I’ve ever hit (362 yards on a dog leg left) and only had 156 in on a par 5. I repeated the same golf swing tip on my approach shot and landed it 8 feet from the pin…putting for eagle.

Of course missed the eagle putt, but made the birdie.

Same result on the last hole, but got a par.

Now…I can’t to wait to get to the course and try to keep it up.

If you hit a good drive and it goes about 225 yards and you weigh over 150 pounds, I can pretty much assure you, that you are casting the club on the downswing. I weigh 155 pounds, I’m 5’9”, and can hit the ball 290-310 yards. So can you! (Sorry if that sounded like a cheesy infomercial off the Golf Channel)

Casting the club on the downswing is still the leading swing fault that leads to shorter drives and iron shots. Don’t know what casting means?

Casting refers to the pre-mature wrist release on the downswing. The move starts from the very top of the swing where the wrists are cocked, then, on the way down the player will release their wrist cock early. This move looks like a fisherman trying to cast his line into a lake (hence the name). Casting turns your golf swing into an armsy motion that lacks power. How does this move kill power? Think about it this way, what part of your body can you move the faster, your wrist or your arm? Since you can snapped your wrists faster than you can move your arm, your wrists play a huge part in creating more power.

The opposite of casting, known as creating lag, is more efficient in creating power because it uses the power in the larger muscles, and then transfers it to the smaller quicker muscles right before impact. The club speeds up tremendously in the last two feet before the ball. Take a look at these two pictures of my downswing. Now look at how far my wrists have traveled compared to how far the clubhead has traveled.

When a player casts the club, the club will be even with the arms from about hip-height on into impact. Take a stab at which swing would create more power. Then ask yourself… could I be hitting it further?

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Take Care!

A restricted shoulder turn in your golf swing robs you of distance. This golf swing limitation is prevalent in older golfers who have a physically declining strength and flexibility in the core and more specifically the upper back area. For example, the upper back limitation results in a “hump back”, that will not allow you to make any backswing turn at all.

To prove it…right now as you’re reading this tip, cross your arms in front of your chest and slouch over a bit. Now try to rotate to the right as if you’re making a backswing. Did you turn very far? Take a deep breath, exhale and sit up as tall as you can with your arms still crossed and turn again. Did you notice how much further you went?

This physical limitation cannot be improved by taking more lessons; hitting more balls; or buying new equipment. The only equipment you need to be concerned about is you.

By focusing on your body, and improving both the strength and flexibility of your upper back (spine) area, you will improve your body’s ability to make a FULL shoulder turn with no tension, resulting in powerful drives and better consistency. A restricted shoulder turn in your golf swing will be one less issue to deal with.

Here’s a simple golf strength exercise for the muscles in your upper back. Grab some exercise tubing (you can get it at your local Target or fitness equipment store):

• Stand upright with arms extended straight out from your chest.
• Grab tubing in middle about 10 inches apart.
• While maintaining erect posture, pull your hands apart until the tubing touches your chest.
• You will feel a big contraction in the muscles between your shoulder blades at this finished position.
• Do this slowly for 3 sets of 12-15 repetitions.

Doing this exercise a couple of times a week will give you a much more erect upper back posture enabling you to turn back and through more free.

This is just one (of many) simple golf strength exercises you can do (with minimal equipment and in your home) to isolate any swing fault you are experiencing in your golf swing.

The sooner you realize “it’s your body” causing these swing faults, the sooner you can get your solution and be on to a better golf swing and game.

Achieving a bigger golf backswing will give you many things in your golf game.
1) Longer tee shots.
2) Shorter approach shots.
3) More greens in regulation.
4) Reaching more par 5’s in two.
5) Being the envy of your foursome.

If the above reasons isn’t enough to motivate you…then nothing is!

Now…how do you achieve it?

Do you think it’s hitting more balls? How about new clubs? More lessons?

Achieving a bigger golf backswing is a physical issue.

Stretching AND strengthening the muscles involved with your backswing will give you the results you want.

The key is rotational golf stretches and golf strength exercises!

Here is an example of a simple and easy golf stretching exercise that will improve your golf backswing.

Lying Leg Crossover:

• Lie on back with legs extended.
• Raise one leg and bend at knee to 90 degrees in knee and hip.
• Cross that leg over extended leg, while opposite shoulder stays on ground.
• Go until slight pull in butt and lower back.
• Hold and repeat once more.
• Switch legs and do opposite side.

Benefit to Golf Swing:

• Allows for a bigger back swing, while hips remain stable.
• Creates more torque between lower body and upper body, which in turn provides more club head speed and increased distance.
• Helps reduce strain in lower back during repeated swings and practice.
• Allows golfer a more effortless swing, and reduces muscular tension, which in turn improves accuracy.

There you go! Just one simple golf stretching exercise of many you can do that will give improve your golf backswing and result in up to 30 more yards on your drives!

Golf improvement tips are popular among most golfers looking to play better golf. The only problem I have with them is paralysis-by-analysis! That is too many tips, thoughts and checkpoints in your head…causing you to be overwhelmed mentally and even more confused.

The most effective way to benefit from golf improvement tips is to create a plan. Take a look at where your weaknesses are and put them at the top of the list in regards to implementing tips and practicing those tips on a consistent basis.

For most golfers, the short game is a crutch. But how many golfers truly spend quality time on their short games? Not many I can assure you.

So the key is to find just a couple of golf improvement tips for that swing fault or weakness you have in your game and stick with it until it is corrected. Then, and only then, should you move onto the next golf improvement tip.

Approach your golf improvement like you would a business. Put the most important tasks at the very top! Work on those first, until completion…then move on. With this approach, you’re giving yourself the best chance to improve.

Did that get your attention? I wanted a title that would stop you in your tracks so you could read my brief post here on golf swing sequence.

Let me explain.

To achieve the proper golf swing sequence, your body has got to be supple enough to move in a sequence of motion that is not natural nor very comfortable.

This suppleness relates to both golf specific strength and flexibility during the golf swing.

Continue Reading Golf Swing Sequence

One cause of a golf slice is what is termed the “chicken wing”. This is a breaking down of the lead arm, usually at the elbow due to poor rotational flexibility AND strength of the shoulder joint muscles. One critical result is no width in the follow through causing a huge power leak and loss of distance.

The chicken wing is also caused by an “over-the-top” move which is the result of other physical limitations that we won’t get into in this post.

The solution is to do some rotator cuff strength exercises with tubing or a light dumbbell; and also do some stretching that will improve your shoulders ability to rotate with no tension into a mechanically sound follow through.

After implementing some simple golf strength and stretching exercises, you can then and only then incorporate some very easy golf swing drills you can do in your home to eliminate this golf swing fault once and for all!

You see…all this time you thought you needed more lessons to fix this swing fault and the entire time it was staring you right in the face (or mirror should I say).

The moment of truth…IMPACT!

This where it all happens. Did you make a full backswing creating maximum torque for a higher level of golf swing speed? Did you start your sequence of motion back down in the proper order to enable the ideal impact position?

I can tell you for sure, there is an ideal position at impact that must be attained to create maximum power and ultimate distance. To cut-to-the-chase here it is…

Your hips have got to be somewhat cleared at impact with your shoulders square. This will enable you to have a free-flowing, tensionless swing through, with little or no resistance from your own body getting in the way.

Take a look at the long hitters on tour!

You’ll see their hips have rotated tremendously at impact. I love to see the pictures of these guys at impact. It’s very impressive!

Now how can you attain this same power impact position?

You can’t do it pounding balls or even taking more lessons.

You have to work your core rotational muscles to improve your “x-factor”. That is the difference between your shoulder and hip rotation at impact. This is a “physical” issue. You must train your golf muscles to create a higher degree of this “x-factor”. Rotational stretches and strength exercises while in golf posture and even sitting on a stability ball will greatly improve this.

Remember! Prepare your BODY to perform!