Before you can improve your golf swing takeaway and get to work making sure you have the proper shoulder turn in golf swing, it is important to check and see where you are at currently.
Remember, when you are working on any aspect of your golf swing, you are not starting from scratch – you already have a current swing and current technique to consider. Rather than trying to build a new golf swing from nothing, you are only trying to make the proper adjustments to your current swing.
Evaluating your current shoulder turn can be done in a number of ways. The easiest is to have a friend record your swing on video so you can look at it for yourself. Most people have cell phones with video capability, so getting a quick video of a couple swings on the driving range has never been easier. Next time you head to the golf course with a friend for a round or just a practice session, ask them if they will record a swing or two for you review. Make sure to have them stand in front of you and record the swing from the ‘face on’ view – this will provide the best angle to evaluate your shoulder turn.
Once you have a video of your swing that you can use for reference, take a few moments and watch the swing playback. If your recorder has slow motion capabilities, it might help to slow the video down in order to get a better look at your swing. The key moment that you are looking for is the top of your backswing, when you start to change directions and move the club down toward the ball. Try to freeze the video right at the top of your swing, if possible. At this point, take a look at the position of your shoulders to check on the quality of your turn. In a perfect golf swing, a line drawn through both shoulders will point at least at the golf ball, if not a few inches behind it. If you are seeing this position in your video, you are in great shape with your shoulder turn. If, however, your shoulders are pointing more toward the target than the ball, you have some work to do.
If you usually go to the golf course alone, or don’t have the equipment to record your swing, you will need to use another option. The methods are like golf shoulder turn drills that call for some practice swings without the use of a golf ball, and holding the club across your chest instead of down in your hands like usual. Take your stance just like you are going to hit a shot, but instead take your club and place it so it runs across your shoulders, parallel to the ground. Your arms should be crossed and reaching up to hold onto the shaft of the club where it is touching each shoulder. Now, make a practice backswing like you would in your normal swing.
Where is the club pointing? If the end of the club is pointing down at the ground toward where the ball would be, you are in a good position. Unfortunately, most golfers will find that the club is pointing out in front of the ball, closer to the target. If that is the case for you, it is going to be important that you work on your golf swing technique, and golf shoulder turn drills in order to enhance your shoulder turn.
