Michael Breed on Hand Path

What I'm going to focus on today is going to sound a little different from what Michael Breed did in this Golf Fix clip, but you can see it happening right there on the video; I'm just going to give you a different perspective on it. Breed is talking about hand path and he's using a split grip on a hockey stick to demonstrate it. Watch the video first, then I'll add my two cents.



What Michael doesn't say -- but which is very clear from the video -- is that there is no forearm rotation during the downswing and through impact. I know that sounds heretical but just watch the video. He's using a hockey stick, which has flat sides. If he rotated his forearms, the face of the hockey stick would flip over at impact rather than stay square to the path.

I can hear your cries of disbelief. How can this be, Mike? How can the stick face move from facing us at the halfway down point to be square at impact without forearm rotation?

It's actually a very simple concept to understand... it just sounds different. Pick up your driver -- we want a long club for this explanation -- split your hands on the grip and follow along.

The secret here -- and I've mentioned this before but Michael's demonstration is awesome proof -- is that your upper arms, not your forearms, rotate at the shoulder joint during your swing.

First look at Michael's forearms at the halfway down point; his forearms are PARALLEL to his aim line to the target.

Now look at his forearms at impact. They are now PERPENDICULAR to his aim line. The only way to accomplish this is by rotating your upper arms with your lead elbow staying close to your body. It's slightly in front of you at that halfway down point, and it moves in close to your lead side at impact.

The reason your hands appear to rotate on the way down is because your elbows straighten out in the bottom half of your swing. If you take your address position and keep both arms straight while you turn your shoulders back and lift your hands to waist height, then turn back to impact and through to a half finish while continuing to keep your arms straight, you'll see the club face go from FACING TOWARD us at waist high on the downswing to SQUARE at impact to FACING AWAY from us at the half finish.

And that "moving forward" motion Michael says your trail arm makes and the "moving backward" motion he says the lead arm makes? It's not as dramatic with your normal grip but it happens because your shoulders continue to turn until your belly faces the target.

Play around with this drill for a while. It may seem hard to understand at first but eventually an understanding of the motion will sink in. And when it does, your swing is suddenly going to become so much easier to repeat...!