Good Golf Setup
Good Golf Takeaway
Good Backswing Load
Perfect Backswing Position
Backswing is too long
Clubface is Open
Casting Her Hands and Lifting Her Head
Clubhead Passes Her Hands
  • Good Setup

    Denise is obviously a good player. She has an extremely good setup. Her ball position is really good, right off of her left heel. She is balanced and her stance is perfect width. It looks like she is really getting ready to use her body well to generate power.

    Notice the line we've drawn along the top of Denise's head. Pay attention to what her head does in relation to this line throughout the swing. If you struggle with a similar issue, check out the tips we gave Denise and see if they help you.

    Casting the club on the downswing
  • Start of the backswing

    Casting the club on the downswing

    Denise's hands are very quiet into the takeaway as she takes the club back in one piece with very little manipulation. Her setup and takeaway have both put her in position to hit a solid golf shot.

  • Halfway Back

    Her head head lowers about an inch during the backswing--a very good thing. This is evidence that she is loading into her right side and getting ready to use her body to generate the power in her golf swing.

    Casting the club on the downswing
  • Backswing Should Stop Here

    Casting the club on the downswing

    Denise would do well to shorten her backswing. She has generated all the coil and power she needs at this position. Her body is torqued, her club is in front of her chest, and she has good width. There is no need for her to take the club back any further than this because her shoulders and hips are done turning.

  • Backswing is too long

    Instead of stopping her backswing at the ideal position it was in during the previous frame, Denise allows her hands and wrists to collapse at the top of the backswing. Her shoulders have not moved from the previous frame but the clubhead is a good three feet lower than it was. This creates a difficult position for Denise to recover from.

    Casting the club on the downswing
  • Clubface is Open

    Casting the club on the downswing

    As she begins the downswing, Denise has to continue to use her hands and wrists to undo the things she did at the top of the backswing and square up the clubface in the downswing. This results in her casting the club; losing the angle formed between her left arm an the golf club. This becomes clear in the next frame.

  • Head begins to rise

    Because she is casting the club, it is essentially longer than it should be in the downswing. Denise has to lift up her head in order to avoid hitting behind to golf ball. This is important. Realize that Denise's head raising is not the cause of her struggles. Rather, it is the effect of using her hands and wrists too much at the top of the backswing and trying to square up a very open clubface.

    Casting the club on the downswing
  • Club passes the hands

    Casting the club on the downswing

    Through impact, you can clearly see the effects of all the hand action she uses as the clubhead passes her hands. This is all the result of taking the club back too far with the clubface open. If Denise could shorten her backswing to her three quarter position she would not have to make as many compensations in the downswing and would be able to retain her wrist angle much longer. This would allow her to maintain her spine angle throughout the shot and stay down through impact.