Load and Fire!

Mark Oswald
General Manager
The Highlands at Dove Mountain in Marana, AZ.
Marana, AZ
oswaldpga@gmail.com

More Information
This is the key for more power in your golf swing. The backswing is for loading up your body, creating power ready to be fired into the ball on the downswing. The power load is the result of the upper body turning and the lower body resisting.

It begins at the very start of the swing. Your backswing should begin with your entire left side, (for the right handed golfer, reverse this for the left hander), taking the club away from the ball. Your shoulders and hips begin turning, and your weight is shifting towards your right foot. This turn and loading, continues as you take the club back to the top of your backswing.  As you turn, you will find your shoulders will turn much more than your hips. This is creating the resistance that springs into speed and power. In the golf swing this is referred to as the coil. As your upper body turns on past the lower body you are creating a coil and making resistance with the lower body. This coil is creating a large source of power. Think of a spring, you wind it up tight and then let go. You need this good turn and coil on the backswing to create power at impact. 

At the completion of the downswing you will find additional pressure on your right hip, knee and foot. This is where the fire or push will come from that produces the acceleration into the ball during the downswing.

As you begin the downswing, start driving out of this coiled position. Fire off your foot, knee, and hip, propelling your lower body into the ball. This acceleration will drop the club down into the correct impact position and generate even more club head speed.

Load up your backswing with a big shoulder turn, 90 degrees or more if possible and hip turn at 45 degrees. Remember the shoulder turn is greater than the lower body turn, thus creating the first resistance. Next, fire out into the ball from the lower body. This will create greater club head speed and increase the distance of the shot. 

Start the backswing with the shoulder and hip turn, start the downswing with driving the weight forward with the knee, hip or foot. Load up on the backswing with the full turn and deliver this power into the ball with the lower body at impact. The final result will be more weight on your front foot at the finish.

For more help with your golf game, contact Mark Oswald at oswaldpga@msn.com.