smooth tempo, oily

Watched the 1999 Champions Clinic on the golf channel, and I was surprised to hear this theme recur so often.

Obviously, for frequent golfers, the mechanics of the swing are ingrained and need less thought, but you can't just put a 6 iron in the hand of a 30 handicap golfer and expect them to improve with the only advice being 'smooth rhythm'.

What are the steps to graduate a golfer from inconsistent contact, to flush contact. Assume I'm a 30+ handicapper and I always hit either behind the ball, or I top the ball if I even hit it. What drills can I practice that will improve my contact?

Also, what I often see is a golfer who doesn't understand the feeling of swinging the club through the ball. Yet, when I see a low handicapper on the practice range, it's so obvious that they are swinging the clubhead and accelerating it through the ball. What are your suggestions to introduce this feeling to golfers who have yet to feel it?

spidey

I'm no instructor but I've been able to significantly improve my tempo and consequently my ball striking by shortening my swing. Overreaching was putting me off balance and out of sync. 2 of 5 shots were good. A shorter swing is much easier to repeat and grove.

I try to visualize a 3/4 back swing although in reality it is further than that and also abreviate my follow-thru (a la Tiger stinger shot).

This shorter, more controlled swing has made a huge difference in consistancy. Distance is about the same because of cleaner contact.

As a regular high 80's - low 90's shooter I've scored in the 70's 3 times since making this change.

I started doing this drill a few weeks ago and it has really helped.

When I you go to the practice range I start with my piching wedge and pitch to a 50 yard target. I usually Hit 20 balls concentrating on a smooth take away and follow through. The short distance gets me focused on accuracy vs.power.

Then I move to a 75 yard target then to 100. By this time I've grooved a nice flow to my full swing. because every shot feels like a longer pitch.

If I hit 100 balls in a day 60 of them will be spent doing this drill. It really helps your swing all the way up to your driver.

Hope this helps
Cheers