Use this drill to get the hips open at impact

Mastering the art of opening your hips during a golf swing can be your game-changer. By understanding the mechanics, you can consistently produce a powerful draw, improving your accuracy and distance on the course.

This lesson from Top Speed Golf’s Clay Ballard introduces a drill that helps you perfect your hip rotation during the golf swing, enabling you to hit draws with controlled power. If you’ve faced issues with your shots going in inconsistent directions, this guide will help you diagnose and fix these problems.

Understanding the Problem: Why Golf Shots Go Astray

Identifying the disconnect between your body’s actions and your arms during a swing is crucial. Common problems arise when trying to swing “from the inside” with the body locked, leading to erratic shot directions:

• If your body doesn’t rotate, your arms might lead to weak fades or blocks to the right.
• To correct a block, over-release happens, causing snap hooks to the left.

"To control direction, it’s crucial to coordinate body rotation with an inside-out swing."

Lesson from Golf Pros: Body Rotation Secrets

Observing professional golfers reveals they rotate their bodies extensively during the downswing. Open hips and chest at impact create space for a powerful, controlled swing:

• This rotation aligns the torso, facilitating an inside-out swing path.
• Creates space to prevent the club from colliding with the body.
• Produces a “slingshot” effect for better clubface control and speed.

Step-by-Step Drill: Achieving the Perfect Hip Rotation

Step 1: Feel the body open at impact

1. Adopt your usual setup with ball alignment and grip.
2. Focus on rotating your hips and chest to face the target at impact.
3. Feel your right foot rise to promote hip rotation and chest openness.

A properly open body lets your arms swing freely from the inside.

The Inside-Out Club Motion

Enhance your swing by practicing an exaggerated inside-out motion:

1. Make smaller swings to get the club into an inside slot.
2. Visualize the clubhead moving significantly to the right.
3. Combine hip rotation to achieve full body swing dynamics.

The Ultimate Drill: Combine Rotation with Inside-Out Swing

Practical drill to synthesize body rotation and swing path coordination:

1. Set up and swing halfway, visualizing the club drop inside.
2. Try to exaggerate the inside-out swing angle as you turn your body left.
3. Start at reduced speed, gradually increasing as your confidence and feel improve.

Mastering this creates a “whip” effect, improving both direction and distance.

Ongoing Practice: Make Permanent Changes

For lasting improvement, follow structured practice progressions:

• Begin with warm-ups to prevent tension.
• Progression: exaggerated drills, controlled half shots, then full power shots.
• Keep a simple journal to track ongoing improvements and challenges.

Overcome Mistakes: Tips to Refine Your Swing

Avoid common errors by ensuring body and swing correlation:

• Body rotating without inside-out path: Use visual cues like alignment rods.
• Inside path with closed body: Engage hips fully for better opening.
• Lateral movements or sliding: Focus on rotational rather than lateral power.

Enhance with Visual Cues and Aids

• Use alignment rods to guarantee correct swing paths.
• Slow-motion feedback for real-time improvement tracking.

Course Application: Transition Your Practice

Integrate the drill during warm-up and try it out in practice rounds, gradually adopting the new technique.

Quick Reset Tips for On-Course Adjustments

1. Perform practice swings focusing on hip clearance and arm position.
2. Maintain calm tempo and visualize the inside-out path.

FAQs on Golf: Mastering Hip Rotation and Inside Swing

Q: How does opening the hips assist in an inside-out swing path?

A: It frees up the arms and encourages a flowing swing path, leading to improved draw and control.

Q: Will hip rotation affect my consistency?

A: Proper hip rotation enhances consistency and distance, reducing negative impact when done right.

Conclusion: Embed These Techniques for Lasting Improvement

Remember, the goal is to harmonize body motion with club path to form a reliable swing. Through diligent practice and using visual and tactile cues, you’ll advance in skill level, achieving controlled power draws with regularity. Track your progress, be patient, and continue refining your movements for a better golf experience.