If you want to hit the ball pure and with power, one essential element to focus on is generating ball-first contact. To achieve this level of contact, your swing arc must reach its low point slightly ahead of the ball at impact. This is what professional golfers do to achieve Tour-level contact and the feeling of catching the ball well. Shifting your center of mass towards the target as you strike the ball is the key to achieving this type of impact.
To visualize how to achieve this move, imagine a line running straight down to the ground just off your lead shoulder at address. As you reach the end of your backswing, the goal is to shift your body forward so that your lead shoulder is positioned a good half foot in front of the imaginary line. This movement involves shifting your head, torso, hips, and lower body towards the target, allowing your swing arc to reach its low point ahead of the ball.
Many recreational players make the mistake of only tilting their hips towards the target, which can cause their upper body to hang back and move the bottom of the swing arc behind the ball. To avoid this, focus on shifting your entire body towards the target as you strike the ball. Once you master this move, you will not only hear the sound of pure compression but also feel it in your swing.
Brady Riggs, a Top 100 Teacher and instructor at Hansen Dam GC in Pacoima, Calif., and PGA WEST Golf Academy in La Quinta, Calif., emphasizes the importance of generating ball-first contact in golf swings. This technique, used by professional golfers, can help recreational players improve their striking ability and increase the distance and accuracy of their shots. By shifting your center of mass towards the target at impact, you can ensure that your swing arc reaches its low point ahead of the ball for optimal contact.
Incorporating this movement into your golf swing requires proper visualization and practice. By picturing a line off your lead shoulder and focusing on getting your lead shoulder in front of that line as you strike the ball, you can improve your chances of making clean and powerful contact. Understanding the importance of body positioning and weight transfer in generating ball-first contact can help you achieve a better impact position and improve your overall consistency on the golf course. Practice with this concept in mind and feel the difference in your swing.
