The constant talk about the secrets of the pro’s has always given me a bit of a laugh. First of all, the golf swing is no secret, nor is anything the pro’s can do with their swings. The secret is actual being able to perform the moves we all talk about. For example, creating lag; more than half the golfing population still cannot perform properly. Therefore it must be something else, something the pro’s know that you don’t — right? Wrong!
Understanding the proper movements is only the start of the battle, being able to perform them correctly is the real fight. This drill will help you to create more lag by encouraging a downward blow into impact. Also in the process, being able to perform it correctly will drastically reduce your chances of hooking the ball or hitting it fat. Start by spray painting a line on your range (ask the superintendent beforehand), and place balls along it and start swinging as shown in the picture. Pay specific attention to your divots.
One sure fire sign a pro is creating lag is their divots. Your divot gives you many clues into your angle of approach. Your angle of approach will determine your solidness of contact, trajectory, and most importantly spin rate. Ever wonder why professionals can spin back a seven iron and you can’t? It’s not a magic move, it’s just physics. To start hitting the ball like the pro’s you need to learn how to create lag.
If you are creating lag properly, you should have a rather shallow divot that starts after the ball. Take a look at the video below and see for yourself. You will notice that the divot starts ahead of where the ball began. If your divots start behind the ball, you are not retaining your wrist cock long enough. In other word, you are casting and losing a lot of power. Casting can commonly lead to fat shots and hooks.
If you suffer from a lack of distance, and routinely hit heavy and hooked shots, give this drill a try.