The Surge Swing

In physics, there is a principle that says for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. In golf terms, I’ve translated that into meaning “setup determines the motion.” How you address the ball – your stance and posture – determines how well you will execute your swing. The following sequence of my “limited turn, 3/4 backswing” motion starts with address. It’s easy, simple, and definitely back-friendly.

One more note. You’ve heard people say “hit down on the ball.” This often leads to huge divots, even chunking the ball. I want our students to think: “SWING UP.” We want you to come up fast, like a Pop-Tart out of a toaster.

Setup.

1. Flare your feet for the coming rotation. Flare your right foot 30 degrees. Flare your left, 30 degrees. This will keep your knees flexed and allows more rotation to finish facing the target. This is an “athletic ready” position – just like the short stop in baseball or a tennis player getting ready to receive a serve
2. Keep your knees, in line with your shoulders and ankles.
3. Use a square or neutral grip with palms perpendicular to the ground.
4. Shoulders tilted from left (higher) to right (lower).
5. Arms and shoulders form a triangle.

Take-Away & Turn

My “limited turn” 3/4 backswing can be seen in this down-the-line shot of the take-away and turn. Good wrist action is no wrist action. Don’t worry about cocking or hinging. Do everything you can to maintain the wrist angle you established at setup.

1. There is a little bit of turn and a lot of lift. Turn your shoulders only as much as it takes to get your left arm and club over the toe line.
2. Left arm is level or slightly higher than the right.
3. Imagine a baseball catcher behind your ball on your target line. Put your club in his mitt, toe up.
4. This is the end of your backswing turn, 70 degrees maximum. From here it’s all life. Keep your palms perpendicular.

Top of Backswing.

1. Plenty of head room between shaft, head.
2. Back-friendly, 70 degree turn
3. Right knee and hip in line, “loaded,” right arm over the toe line.
4. Knees still wide.
5. Toe line: nothing goes behind it Surge says that behind the toe line is the “Indian Burial Ground. You can stand in it, but if your club goes there you dead.”

Start of Forward Upswing

1. The “angle of retention” is almost a perfect 90 degrees on the downswing.
3. Think of the torso as a “bow.” Notice how “The Surge” has created a nice “bow” between his upper and lower body.
4. Knees are moving forward, toward the target.

Impact.

We used a HD video camera to capture the moment of impact.

1. Knees still flexed.
2. The weight is rolling over to the outside of the left foot at the ankle. The left knee remains flexed.
3. The right foot is starting to come up as the right knee is folding in.
4. Nose is still on the ball.
5. Arms naturally rotate the club so it is perfectly square at impact and explodes through the ball.

3/4 Forward Swing

1. The right foot and knee starting to come inward.
2. Right arm is extended straight down the toe line.
3. Club is in front of the body and is almost perpendicular.
4. Head is already up, looking at the target.
5. Shoulders are starting to level off.

Top of forward swing or “T Finish”

1. The hands are still high over the left shoulder.
2. Right hand is within an inch of left ear. The club is down over the center of left shoulder.
3. The head is up and perfectly square to the target as is the rest of the torso.
4. Right foot up, straight up, pirouetted
5. All weight is on the outside edge of the left foot at the ankle.

Recoil and Relax

1. Right foot is still pirouetted.
2. The club is recoiled down to where the hands and club are in front of the body.
3. Hands at the waist and the club pointing at the target The big key here is that we’ve recoiled and relaxed and the torso is squared to the target with the shoulders, head and eyes level.