T-Time Podcast // Ep. 75: (Pt 2) 21 Death Moves in Golf with Justin Klemballa
Welcome again! This is the continuation of our 3-part series on the 21 Death Moves in Golf with Justin Klemballa.
8. Folded Elbows and Narrow Backswings
Point eight in our series on the fatal flaws in golf speaks about a common trap many golfers inadvertently fall into - folding their right elbow into the side, leading to an overly narrow backswing. This is the opposite of death move number three, where golfers overextend their backswing. Essentially, folding the right elbow means that players severely limit their backswing, which weakens their entire golf swing. Usually, this attempt stems from a desire to feel more connected in their swing. Yet, by clinging too tightly to their right side, they cut off the swing of their arms, which needs just a little freedom to work its magic on the golf course.
Professional golfers tend to separate their right arm slightly from their right side, never completely attaching to it. This technique allows them to maximize their swing and maintain a certain level of force and consistency in each stroke. For those working on this at home, it's crucial to remember this simple imagery of holding a pizza at the top of your swing. The right elbow folding into the side will inevitably make pizza lovers sadly watch it plummet to the floor. However, if the right arm is positioned properly, your imaginary pizza stays put, indicating a versatile swing.
9. Club Shaft Tip-Over
Our ninth death move to break down for you is the dreaded "club shaft tip-over." This term refers to the habit many golfers have of letting, during their swing, the club shaft angle steepen in contrast to the angle they initially held when halfway through their backswing. This can have the undesired effect of causing shots to go awry, often manifesting in pulls and slices.
Imagine that you've drawn a line at an angle of about 45 degrees during the three-quarter point of your backswing. The problematic "tip-over" occurs when that angle exceeds 45 degrees as you complete your backswing and start your downswing, getting dangerously close to 90. To counteract this, you should aim to keep your club shaft angle 'flatter' during your downswing than it was during your backswing. Struggling with a visual? If you're just listening, we'd recommend heading over to the YouTube channel for a more clear understanding.
"Fifty percent of a great shot is visualization, forty percent is set up and ten percent is swing." - Jack Nicholas
This profound Jack Nicholas quote stirs up a reminder that overcoming this death move can, indeed, be possible. The setup and the visualization you incorporate play a massive role in avoiding the club shaft tip-over. Keep these proportions in mind as you aim to improve your swing and remember that minor adjustments at the setup could spell a world of difference for your golf game.
10. The Club Dropping Below the Right Elbow
Our tenth manifests predominantly among better golfers and is identified as the club dropping below the right elbow. This common faux pas involves shallowing the club excessively, which becomes quite the opposite of our previously discussed "death move" number nine. Generally, this might give off an impression of skillfulness in a golfer, but delving in, we see that it instigates fat shots due to the club hitting behind the ball and also sends the ball trajectory too much inside out. Consequently, this flawed movement causes an array of pushes and hooks.
Most golfers will tell you they miss in two different ways. This comes as no surprise to us, as one swing flaw can create these two misses. If a golfer has developed "death move" number nine - the club shaft tip over - they are generally a pole and slicer, leading to a two-way miss. However if a golfer has cultivated "death move" number ten - club dropping underneath the right elbow - they are prone to block pushes to the right or hooks to the left. This paints a clear understanding of these two different two-way misses in the golf swing.
"An extremely long driver tends to shallow your swing a lot. But if you're already shallow, you need to actually be steeper…. they're the complete opposites and the happy medium is exactly where we want to be swinging."
11. Sliding Past the Ball in the Downswing
This move is typically carried out by players who attempt to hit the ball too much with their bodies. Manifesting the flaw, golfers move past the ball during their downswing, sliding their chest and head in front of the ball. This over-zealous slide is often a symptom of someone trying to hit the ball with excessive power. Often, the sequence is fueled by an open face which prompts players to tip the shaft over, swinging harder to the left to get the face more square to the target.
The sliding move, while seeming to offer strength, gives birth to some vicious consequences. Frustratingly, the move tends to result in very steep shots, fiercely digging up the ground. Golfers executing this move tend to strike fat shots, as the club often comes in shallow, hitting more behind the ball. Pulling to the left and slicing to the right can also be expected from this, giving the players a two-way miss that they are likely to confront.
Remember, less can often be a lot more in the intricate dance of golf. Breathe, take it easy, and let your energy focus where it's needed the most: right down at the bottom of your swing.
12. Extreme Lifting or Dipping of Your Body during the Swing
Essentially, some players tend to move their bodies too much while trying to swing the golf club. This issue is often seen in those who engage in an extreme lifting of the body and head in the backswing. This throws your swing into recovery mode right at the start, which can only lead to mistakes. Furthermore, you may see those who were told they needed to maintain their position through the ball pushing themselves too low in the backswing. Interestingly, this extreme dipping tends to make these players rise up more in the follow-through.
But there's a goofy yet effective drill you can implement to check if your head is staying steady throughout your swing. Place a golf glove in your mouth while practicing. As it dangles from your mouth, the glove will provide visual feedback if your head is moving too much. The idea here is to swing in a way that the dangling golf glove doesn’t move. This drill will help keep any extreme movement in check.
"If you can just somehow find a way to just calm yourselves down and not have so much thrashing of your bodies into the golf ball, the game just becomes so much easier for you."
13. Weight on the Toes
This move is most often associated with a misconception about staying "athletic" during the golf swing. While in most dynamic sports—like tennis, basketball, or soccer—it might make sense to balance on your toes, ready to move any moment, golf is a different ball game. In golf, the raw doesn't move, it's stationary. We need stability, not rapid movement, to execute the perfect golf swing. Having your weight leaning on your toes can lead to a steep and imbalanced swing, and it makes you more mobile than you ideally want to be in a golf swing.
Focus instead on grounding your right heel into the ground during the backswing. Studies and tests, such as the ones conducted with the Swing Catalyst that measures the pressure in your swing, have shown that better players tend to shift their weight slightly into their right heel during the backswing. Think about it as if you're smushing a little bug underneath your right heel on backswing. This simple trick can allow for a more on-plane swing. Stay off your toes, not just at address, but even into the backswing to prevent other unnecessary movements.
14. The Quick Move and Re-Grip
Welcome to death move number 14 in our exploration of the 21 death moves in golf. This one involves a quick move away with the hands and arms, accompanied by what we call a re-grip. You know, that moment right before you swing the club when some golfers have the urge to readjust their grip. We've all seen it, and perhaps some of us have even done it ourselves.
Now, here's the thing—most golfers don't even realize they're doing it. It's an unconscious habit that can sneak into your game and wreak havoc on your swing. But fear not, because video analysis can be your secret weapon in identifying these death moves. Watching your swing from a third-party perspective allows you to see what's really happening, free from any biased feelings or assumptions.
If you find yourself guilty of this quick move away from the ball or the instinctive re-grip, here's a helpful thought for you: Imagine your swing as a paintbrush. When you start the backswing, think of using the handle of the paintbrush first, moving it back smoothly. Just like how you would start painting with the handle before the bristles touch the canvas. This concept helps create a more unified and controlled takeaway, where the club, arms, shoulders, and upper center work together seamlessly.
The next and final part of this 3-part series will discuss the final death moves! Stay tuned!
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