John Lucas

I want to discuss pressure. That is what moves the golf ball but not the club head hitting it. It works like a basketball bounced on the gym floor. The floor doesn't move the ball, the ball flattens out against the floor and moves itself off the floor.

A well-struck golf shot works in the same manner, with the ball being compressed against the club head, then moving itself off the club.

A leaning shaft still has the ability to work. A shaft in line with the right arm at impact has spent its ability to work or apply pressure.

At impact, the forward lean of the shaft and club head put pressure down into the ball. You want the feeling that the whole shaft is leaning on the ball, not just the club head.

At impact, a bent right wrist is supporting and putting pressure on the left hand and shaft.

At impact, a bent right arm is putting pressure on the bent right wrist and supporting the left arm and club.

At impact, when a bent right elbow is down in front of the right hip, the body is behind the elbow supporting and playing pressure. At impact, when the upper left arm is still on the upper chest, the body is behind the left arm supporting and applying pressure.

Learning how to create, using and sustain on-plane pressure is the foundation of the approach to improving golf swings. There is a Law of Force and Motion that states: "Once you have created a force, if you can control the direction of this force, you can control the direction of what the force hits." This force is pressure.



Rules teaser: In match play, a player removes a loose impediment from a water hazard in which his ball laid. He decided to play his ball from the hazard and took relief under the rules. Ruling?



John Lucas is the golf professional at Sky Ridge Golf Course and can be reached at john98382@olypen.com.