Weight Transfer To Improve Your Iron Shots

So what is common between great ball strikers?  I would be lying if I said there was one thing that everyone did, but I want to share with you a trait that a high percentage seem to have.

They create a stable turn of the hips keeping the posture angles they started with at address in the backswing through to impact.

So often with players that struggle creating a consistent impact on the centre of the clubface, their stomach and hips move forward towards the ball on the backswing and downswing, a fault called Early Extension.  This not only makes striking the ball from the centre of the club face difficult, but also it will position their arms behind their body in an effort to keep the club on the correct plane, pushes, hooks and thinned iron shots are often the result from this position

When the stomach and hips remain stable during the swing, it becomes a lot easier to return the club back to the same position you were at address, on plane, striking the ball solid, and starting the ball down your target line.

The cause

You would be surprised at just how many problems in the golf swing start in the feet.  Often, I have found that when players understand how to transfer weight or move pressure points inside their feet, it can result in a more stable lower body, and one that allows the player to maintain their posture angles.   The picture below gives you an idea of the correct movement.

• Weight starts in the middle of the feet.  The centre line represents this.
• As the pressure starts to move to the right, it also moves into the right heel.  This allows the hips to turn in the same angles they were in at address.
• In the start of the downswing, the pressure will move back to the left, towards the left toes or ball of the foot. This is a good transition which helps the club head start down on plane.
• Towards impact, as the left hip is turning, the pressure will move into the left heel.  Again, this allows the hips to turn and stay in the angles that were created at address and backswing.  The club head can return back on a good plane, with the club shaft angle very similar to that of the address position.

Here’s an example of incorrect movement:

• In this example, the weight position is a good at address, but be aware that bad balance at address will not help stabilize the lower body in the swing.
• In the backswing, the weight moves to the right, but instead of moving into the heel, it moves forward in the right foot.  This will cause the hips and stomach to also have moved forward towards the ball.
• In the downswing and impact, the weight moves to the left but stays forward of the centre balance line.  This is where the hips and stomach have moved more forward towards the ball, and the arms cannot return to the same position at impact as they were at address.
• Well after impact, the weight moves into the left heel.  If this player did not, they would fall over in their finish position!

How to fix:

Drill 1

• Take your shoes off.
• Because your shoes are off, you will now be able to feel where your weight is moving in your feet.
• Feel balance at address
• Feel the weight moving into the right heel in the backswing.
• Feel the weight moving left in the downswing.
• Feel the weight moving into the left heel at impact.
• Make practice swings with your eyes closed.  It will help you sense your weight movement.

Drill 2

• Place a chair behind you, touching your bottom at address.
• In practice swings or hitting shots, feel your right bum turning into the chair in the backswing, and your left bum turning into the chair in the downswing.