Increasing Distance: Balance the Backswing

Video Transcript

For those of you trying to get more distance, you might have a full backswing but you might get there the wrong way. What you would like to have happen is that: 1) Your shoulders should turn 90 degrees; 2) Your right arm should bend 90 degrees (left arm straight); and 3) Your wrists should cock 90 degrees. If you overdo any one of these parts you will have to overdo that part in the downswing, which will cause you to use your speed in the wrong part of the downswing. For instance, if I do not make a good shoulder turn on my way back then I will over bend my arms until the left arm is bent. On the downswing as the arm straightens it will cause me to release the club too early and use my power when the club has not reached the ball. I might have a full backswing but achieve that by overturning my shoulders. This causes me to have a huge turn with no wrist cock. To get back from here I have to use too much shoulder turn and then I do not have enough leverage to produce power; therefore, I am going to hit the ball shorter. To achieve the three 90s what you should do is get in front of a mirror and practice getting exactly the right mix of motions. Do this one step at a time and add each step to the one you have already worked on. First practice turning exactly 90 degrees, feel like you shoulders are perpendicular to the target line and over your right leg. Once you get used to that, make your turn and then practice bending your right arm only 90 degrees. Just make an “L” with this arm. If you make a “V” with the right arm then your left arm will bend. So turn 90 degrees, then bend your right arm 90 degrees and finally practice cocking your wrists 90 degrees at the top of the backswing. This gives you a full backswing that is perfectly balanced with exactly the right mix of the turn of the shoulders, the bend of the arms and the cock of the wrists that will give you the greatest amount of power. This will help you hit the ball longer.

Chuck Cook
Chuck Cook Golf Academy
Spicewood, TX 78669
Tel: 512-329-4000

Chuck Cook is instructor to such PGA Tour greats as Payne Stewart, Tom Kite, and Corey Pavin. He is listed as one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers and Golf Digest's #9 instructor in the world.

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