Circular Club Path

Video Transcript

If you are slicing in all probability your swing is too up an down or too much down the target line. A lot of people think that golf should be swung along the target line, but that would be true only if I was playing croquet, swinging straight back and straight through. As long as I stand to the side of the target line and hit a ball out in front of me, much like we would in tennis, baseball, hockey and golf, the golf club has to be swung around you in somewhat of a circle. Most people who come for lessons that are slicing, their swing is too upright, like a ferris wheel. In golf, every club in your bag is built with a little bit of a pitch in it, some more than others, which tells you that the club needs to be swinging in somewhat of a pitched arc around your body. Think about those other sports, tennis is played up near your waist, baseball is played up there, hockey is like golf, it is on the ground, but it is still in a circle with a little bit longer stick. And when you let your arms swing in a circle, just because you think you are swinging around does not mean that it is going in a circle. A lot of people take the club back on the inside but they are still swinging in an upright plane, just from the inside. That will only bottom you out behind the ball. So swing it in a circle above the ball then bend from your hips and get down to your golf ball. From there you can clip the grass and probably get a nice draw because the clubface is square on its own with no manipulation from you. Give it a try, I am betting you will hit a draw on the first shot.

Mike LaBauve
Kierland Golf Club
15636 N. Clubgate Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Tel: 480-922-9283

Mike LaBauve is one of the world's greatest short game instructors and teacher to LPGA phenom Grace Park. He is listed as one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers and Golf Digest's #31 instructor in the world.

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