One of the real struggles for golfers is to swing the golf club using bigger muscles. In an attempt to steer or guide the golf ball, we often resort to getting overly active with our hands and/or arms in the swing. Unless we have impeccable timing, this will lead to poor golf shots.
A great drill for engaging the bigger muscles and to be more of a “body-swinger” is the rope drill.
Now, I first heard about this from Danny Maude on his YouTube channel. I think it’s a simple, and easy way to engage the body – not the hands. Have a look.
This is so effective because it really teaches the body how to move through the swing / and the ball. If you utilize the hands / arms too much, you aren’t going to be moving the rope in a circular fashion.
If you can get this drill right, you will hit the ball better and more effortlessly. As Maude says, you will be more consistent and compress the ball better (like the top golfers).
Another way to think about body led swings
When I’m on the course and feel like I’m getting a little “flippy” with the hands – I often try and resort to the feeling of throwing water out of a large bucket. The momentum that is required to do this initiates a lot of the bigger muscles and body to accomplish. You can get flippy if you want to throw the water far. I will also relate this to people I’m golfing with who may be struggling to use their body well in the swing.
But, I do love this rope drill. It simplifies the idea of swinging with the body (not hands) and will get you in the proper position to make descending (irons) and ascending (driver) strikes.
What do you think? How do you get into a body-led motion?
Sometimes when I’m not playing well, I don’t know what I’m doing wrong and it frustrates me. After my round yesterday before I saw this video, I went to the driving range to practice. I had in mind a tip I received from my playing partners and it was that I should compress the ball whereas I have been trying to clip the ball off the turf. Like magic I discovered what you just suggested and I started opening my hips more and used my legs to drive through the ball. I did this over and over again and was having so much fun, I didn’t want to go home! Thank you so much for this video. I’ve always enjoyed watching Danny Maude videos.
Awesome Jerry – I’m so glad to hear this worked for you! Keep at er.
On the rope drill.
I am 6’2″.
What would be an approximate length on the rope for my height?
Thanks
Hello Dennis. It really isn’t the length of the rope that is important (perhaps 3-4′ would suffice?) – but the idea of trying to get that rope to wrap around yourself on the backswing. You cannot do this with your arms / hands only. You need to employ your whole body to make it go around you.