Enhance Your Golf Swing with This Easy-to-Implement Technique
In the world of golf, achieving a consistent and powerful ball-striking technique is a goal shared by many players. One such technique that has proven effective is the practice of "covering the ball". This approach, which involves keeping the lead shoulder (left shoulder for right-handed golfers) behind or over the golf ball at impact, plays a significant role in improving ball-striking by promoting a proper body position and swing delivery.
Gary Alliss, a highly esteemed golf coach with a distinguished career spanning The Belfry and Trevose, has long advocated for this technique. As a Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach and PGA professional, Gary has helped generations of amateur golfers improve their games, teaching them to consistently strike the ball better.
By covering the ball, golfers can expect several benefits. For instance, it helps maintain an appropriate angle of attack, preventing fat shots that either come from a steep angle digging behind the ball or a shallow "drop kick" type where the club brushes turf before hitting the ball.
Moreover, this technique ensures more consistent contact, with the clubhead striking the ball before the turf, often resulting in compressing the ball properly. This enhances ball flight and distance. Additionally, it allows for improved body rotation, ensuring the hands, arms, and body rotate correctly through impact, which is crucial for ball control and power.
The timing of clubface rotation through impact also determines the quality of ball striking. In the case of covering the ball, a simple rotation around the angle of the spine is required, without lifting or dipping the upper body, through to impact. This sequence of events ensures the clubhead compresses the ball into the ground, taking a divot after the ball.
In essence, "covering the ball" is a vital technique that helps golfers improve their angle of attack and body position at impact, leading to cleaner, more consistent, and powerful ball-striking. It prevents early release or sliding of the body, promoting better contact and reducing mishits, especially fat shots.
Well-planned practice can further improve timing and rhythm, making a golfer a purer iron player. So, the next time you step onto the golf course, remember to focus on "covering the ball" to elevate your game and enjoy more satisfying shots.
Gary Alliss, an influential golf coach, has long advocated the technique of covering the ball for improved ball-striking. By micro-managing their shoulder position at impact to cover the ball, golfers can expect benefits such as maintaining an appropriate angle of attack, preventing fat shots and promoting more consistent contact, enhancing ball flight and distance.
