Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you become a smarter, better golfer.
A term you will often hear in golf instruction is “forward shaft lean.” As in “you have to lean forward if you want to hit the ball solid.” I know it’s something I’ve typed many times, and it’s something a lot of golf instructors have said as well.
That’s why the hook from the Athletic Motion Golf video (below) stood out so much when I scrolled past it on Instagram. “Is the shaft leaning at impact just a myth?” it asks. At first I was shocked by the idea. But after watching the clip (and later the full video on YouTube), it makes perfect sense.
The illusion of shaft lean
When golfers are told to lean the forward shaft at impact, they often try to accomplish this by simply holding the release until their hands pass the ball.
“That’s where the illusion lies,” says Shaun Webb. “Because the way to create that image is not what you think.”
While it is true that your hands should be in front of the ball as you reach impact, when you break it, it doesn’t happen simply by pushing your hands towards the goal. Instead, it is the result of several moving components during the swing.
To see what happens, you need to place your body in the correct impact position. Your hips should be open about 45 degrees and your shoulders slightly open. Your weight should be on your front foot and your hands should be on the ground slightly in front of the ball. Viewed from above, this illustrates the slope of the forward axis.
This is where the ‘illusion’ comes into play. Straighten your hips and shoulders again and let your arms and hands follow.
“His hands, bat and everything are further away back when his pelvis is square to the target, they are at address,” says Mike Granato.
The only reason the hands are in front of the ball and the shaft leans toward the goal is because of the hips and shoulders Open when you achieve impact. It is the turn of the body that causes the shaft to lean forward and not to press the hands towards the target.
Get the feeling of the body opening up and the hands and arms following, and you’ll hit the ball better than ever before.
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