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AUDIO FROM THE VIDEO
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I’m Ted Norby, Director of Golf Instruction for the National University Golf Academy. What I want to talk about today is use of the right side. We hear too often not to use the right side, most people that hit some sort of a slice or over the top move or some type of smothered left shot always talk about using their right side too much, using their right hand. Well, I want to use it correctly rather than getting it out of the golf swing. Too many people start taking their right hand out of the swing and just start pulling with the left side, well pulling with the left side and the shoulder can also cause the over the top move.
If this left shoulder moves first and I pull with my upper body, that too can be over the top even though my right hand is not even on the club, so I want to use the right hand correctly and I want to use the right side correctly going forward. There’s a simple drill that gives me the sense for what my left side should do and sequences me forward a little bit better so that the lower body starts, then the middle, then the shoulders and the body rotate with the arm swinging through to release it. This will also be a very good drill if you want to get rid of the slice, get rid of a fade, so that I create a little bit more of a draw motion.
The drill itself is just swinging with the right hand. Again, I want to train my right hand and right side to work correctly, but what I’m going to do is pick my left arm up out here at about shoulder high. So, as I make a backswing, I got to support the club correctly with the right side but from here, what I want to do is swing my right arm underneath and past where my left arm is. So, I don’t want my left arm to open up but what I’m trying to do is from right here, I’m trying to get my legs to go and then my right arm to get out toward right field and let that release a little bit more. I can’t pull with my upper body. I have to now shift with my legs and then release, so that gets me away from pulling with that left shoulder. Gives me the sense that my feet work first, then my legs, but my left shoulder is staying almost back and closed. That’s what’s going to let my right side come from inside and drive through the ball.
So, take a couple swings. Left arm up here, right about shoulder high, and I want to feel like that stays right there. So, I’m going to take a couple swings and you can see as I’m finishing I’m just going to let this left arm kinda pull in and touch my right shoulder. I’m not going to open my left side so much and what I want you to feel is that the feet and the legs start, that lets my right arm kinda settle. Now I can swing out. It’s going to shallow out the swing a little bit and get out, give you the sense for a draw. Then, take a practice swing. Same feel. I’m trying to keep this left shoulder kinda up and closed as my right side comes in from a lower position, then I can step up to the ball, and recreate that same feel and we’ll get that little baby draw every time.
So, left hand up, that keeps your shoulder closed and makes you start with your legs and use the right side correctly rather than taking the right side out of the golf swing. Ben Hogan even said he wished he had three right hands. One to take the club back, one to go through and a third one for more power.
