Follow through

[dant]

I have been working on my follow through. I have been trying to finish with my body facing the target. When I don't I either use to much arms (push left or hook) or don't finsh and the ball slices or pushes right. But the problem I am having when I try t finsh facing the target is topping the ball. And because I am trying to finish with my body facing the target I feel like I am coming out of my stance and not staying down on the ball because I am trying to bring my body around. Any drills I can work on to get the kind of finish I want (because I like the results crisp shots ball down the middle) facing the target.
Thanks
Dant

[GregJWillis]

Re: Follow through

Maintaining the spine angle through impact is not easy, it requires a bit of flexibility. Try the Impact Drill here.

[bill reed]

Re: Follow through

hi
slow it down bit as it sounds like you swinging to fast and sometimes the arms are winning and sometimes the body wins, slow it down and see if you start timing the swing better.
bill

[oldwease]

Re: Follow through

It's absolutely critical that you maintain the spine angle (if you've read my other posts, you'll know I'm a spine angle nut).

If you're really having a problem doing this, it could well be that you're stopping the rotation of the shoulders through the ball. This has the effect of the left side 'blocking' the right side. I think this is often the reason why people tend to 'stand up' too soon (basically trying to move an overly static left side out of the way).

Persevere with this (shoulder rotation and spine angle); you will certainly find it gives a good release and extension through the ball and beyond.

[Neil18]

Re: Follow through

I have not come across other discussions re spine angle, but then I don't really have the time to peruse all the threads to find them.

So, whilst we're on the subject, my coach had an interesting thing to say about "maintain the spine angle" which seems to cause a lot of problems with good ball striking.

Strictly maintaining the spine angle is not possible if you want to hit powerful, reliable shots that are not a result of timing a wrist-flip or using the arms totally independently of the body.

Assume a "classic" finish position (eg: weight fully on the left, right foot on the toes, head leaning a little outside the right shoulder) and then, without changing anything in your position re hips and shoulders, turn back so that both feet are flat on the floor and your "facing" where the ball would be at address.

You will notice that the "spine angle" you finished with is not the spine angle you started with. Far from it. If you've turned back without changing anything, you will be leaning back away from the ball and to the right at "address". Certainly not how you started!

The spine angle is only kept "constant" from one view; down-the-line. From face on, the spine is set at address, is maintained in the backswing, then the dynamics must change the spine during the downswing and follow through. Once the hips start back to the target, the spine angle is changed (essentially leaning away from the target). The dynamic of the swing toward impact also changes the spine angle and shape. To swing through with body and arms together, the hips start to move forward/target-bound with the hands through impact. The spine angle then changes again as the momentum of the club pulls the spine straighter in the follow through.

The tell-tale sign to look for in good ball striker is the slight movement of the head away from the target just before impact. This is where the hips are aiding the strike and increasing the speed of the swing at the last second. The spine angle is changing to allow for the powerful release. Much like a hammer thrower leaning back before letting the hammer go.

My coach is trying to get me to feel as though I go from 5ft 8inches halfway through the downswing, to 6ft tall through the strike in an effort to get that "squat and stand up" look in my downswing/follow through. In reallity I'm not actually standing up, but the feeling of launching my hips into the strike gets that powerful dynamic and the last burst of speed.

This is the area even Tiger struggles with when his timing is off. His hips start to "stand up" too early in relation to his arm swing. You can even see it at full speed when he's not swinging well.

If you can get your swing on video from face on and you appear to be leaning a little forward at the finish, then forget about "maintaining your spine angle". It's causing more problems than you know. My guess is that the same people who have a forward lean at the finish struggle with keeping their head over/behind the ball at impact. All caused by "maintain the spine angle". For your hips to move slightly out from under you in the dowswing/beginning of the follow through, you can't keep the same spine angle........................well, you can, but the only consistency it'll cause is a persistent back-ache.

[oldwease]

Re: Follow through

Yes, I'm definitely talking about the 'down the line' view for the constant spine angle.