Golf
Tip - Mirror Image
How 10 minutes of practice in front of a mirror can help improve your game
Mirror,
mirror on the wall, what do I really see after all?
The truth
is in what you see, not in what you feel.
It might be
raining or snowing outside where you're at, or maybe you've been
unable to play for a while for other reasons. But that doesn't
mean you can't still work on your game. So here's what you do:
get your clubs re-gripped and your loft and lies checked. When
you get your clubs back with fresh new grips, get off to a fresh
start with some basic fundamentals. You can work on them using
nothing more than a mirror and a club.
Set up a mirror
in a high-ceilinged room in your home (or the garage, or wherever).
Bring or sneak, depending on your situation, a 6-iron into the
room. The mirror will give you an observer's perspective on your
swing and set-up. Practice the fundamentals outlined below in
the mirror for 10 minutes a day.
Go slowly
and observe what you are doing in the mirror. And every time you
see something in the mirror you do not like, say, "Thank
you, mirror, for showing me what I'm really doing." It's
a kick! Especially for those of us easily entertained.
Grip
Find a good
book and try to match your grip to the pictures in the book, based
on what you see in the mirror.
Club Face
Take your
grip and face the mirror. Look at the clubface in the mirror.
Is it square, open or closed?
Stance
As you sole
your 6-iron on the ground, your feet should be slightly wider
than shoulder width and the left foot (for right-handed players)
flared open about 20 degrees. Your right foot might also be flared
depending on your flexibility. The less flexible you are, the
more open your right foot should be. Your balance is 50-percent
on each foot.
Ball Position
Place your
club in the middle of your stance with the ball slightly forward.
With your ball position slightly forward, your head should appear
behind the ball.
Posture
Place your
club behind you and along your spine. Touch your rear end and
your upper back to the club. Keeping the club on your back, stick
your butt out, and bend from the knees and hips until your belt
buckle points at the ball. Balance on the middle of your feet
(front to back, and right to left). Then, without moving your
spine, hold the club in front of you and let your arms hang relaxed.
Take your right hand off the club and let it hang to reinforce
this concept.
Take Some Swings
Facing the
mirror, take five swings (careful not to hit anything), starting
with about 30-percent of your normal effort. Before each swing,
go through your pre-shot routine and check your set-up in the
mirror.
Then switch
to a down-the-line view (swinging toward the mirror). Take five
more swings at about 30-percent effort. Go through your routine
and check your posture before each swing.
After five
swings with each view, increase swing speed for several more swings.
Make sure that as you swing, you maintain the same tension on
the grip from start to finish. Are you able to swing without adjusting
your grip each time, or is the club moving in your hands? Close
your eyes: How's your balance? Do you feel in sequence? Can you
tell where the clubhead is and whether it is open or closed through
impact? Is your swing path on the correct swing plane or outside-in
(a k a, over the top)?
Swing Path
Let's say
you can't feel if your swing path is correct or incorrect ...
hmmm. Maybe, just maybe, if you could see your path you could
learn to feel it. And if you could feel it, you would be able
to correct it.
Here's a great
swing-path drill for those of you who swing outside-in: Set-up
as if you are going to hit the ball through the mirror. Make a
very, very slow swing and stop halfway through the follow-through.
The clubhead should appear to cover your nose in the mirror (as
in the photo). Try to accomplish this position with several slow
swings, gently stopping your follow-through halfway through. Then,
take swings watching the blur of the club pass through your eyes
(in the mirror) on the follow-through. Note: If your head is down,
you will have no chance of seeing the path of your swing.
Ten minutes
a day in front of the mirror is time you'll be glad you spent.
You'll be able to hit the ground running when you're ready to
play golf again.
About the
Author... Perry Andrisen is a PGA Teaching Professional at The Bridges
Golf Club in San Ramon, California. He teaches over 2,000 lessons
a year.