I receive many questions from juniors and parents as to how to practice the full swing and maximize the effort put into practice. I find working on the impact position will resolve many different swing thoughts and it allows you to work on the heartbeat of the golf swing which is “Impact”. That is why I like working on the “little swing” such as chipping, pitching and 20-40 yard wedges which produces smaller swings to achieve success in the full swing. If you can do the “Little swing” you can do the “Big swing”!
Impact can be found in the set up position of chipping as a static move. In other words, the set up includes weight on forward foot, Handle forward of center (shaft lean left for right handers) with hands inside the forward thigh and the swing center which is the sternum INFRONT OF THE BALL. Eyes are in front of the ball too. At the start of the set up the ball position is in the center to SLIGHTLY back of center. Your swing center (sternum) will always seek out the bottom of the arc and if the ball position is too far back it will create a hitting up on the ball, moving the sternum backwards creating a skull shot with no air time or a flipping of the hands to help get the ball airborne.
Every practice full swing session needs to include half of the time working on the “little swing” to specifically work on the impact position. It will in time show up in the full swing motion.
Kathy Padgett, LPGA
Junior Super Star Golf