Hole in One Accuracy - Part Two, Your Dominant Hand

By Mancil Davis, King of Aces
Canongate at The Woodlands

Last week, we started a new series, by Mancil Davis, our very own King of Aces. If you missed Part One of the series, feel free to go back and revist the basic concepts that we covered by clicking below.
Hole in One Series - Part One, The Basics

A very important aspect of the swing is the lead hand position. I play and teach a dominant front hand. This may be contrary to other modern swing theories and the power style of golf played by many of the Tour's leading money winners, but I truthfully feel that a dominant front hand will enable most golfers to enjoy more consistent and solid golf shots.

When a typical (if there is one) golfer tries to fire the right hand (for right-handed golfers), the result is often a distorted, inconsistent clubface angle. In contrast, when a player uses the front hand to control the swing, it makes it easy to "push" the club away from the ball and keep it traveling low to the ground, allowing extension and a longer takeaway.

Second, the lower body, which is naturally inclined to follow the front side, establishes the much needed transfer of weight to the back side for leverage. From the top, I encourage the player to "pull" with the front hand to initiate the downswing. Again, the body follows the clubhead and works through the shot. There's no feeling of extreme effort in this type of swing, as one motion simply creates another. The lead hand pulling the club will make it easier to swing down the target line, leading to more accurate shots and consistent contact. While there may be a slight loss of distance as compared to the right-hand hit, the improved accuracy will more than make up for it when you total out your scorecard.

This push-pull motion may feel awkward at first, as I am asking you to use your less dominant side. The only way to become more comfortable with this motion is to practice it. Often, I have my students swing with just the front hand on the club to ingrain front-side control. Then, I ask them to hit balls from a normal address position with both hands on the club, but remove the back hand as the club starts its downward motion. Try this drill next time you are at the range. You'll be surprised how solidly and straight you can hit your shots with just your front hand on the club.

As you perform these drills, pay particular attention to grip pressure. The tendency here is to over-grip with the front hand in an attempt to better control the club. All you need is just enough pressure so that the clubface won't turn at impact. Takeaway: The "Grip it and Rip It" strategy may work for John Daly, but softer hands will ultimately produce the best results.

Be on the lookout for upcoming articles from Mancil! Coming up in a future Issue:
* Pace
* Mental Notes