Jason Carbone / GOLF.com
Welcome to Shaving Strokes, a new series from GOLF.com in which we share improvements, learnings and takeaways from amateur golfers just like you – including some of the speed bumps and challenges they encountered along the way.
Whether you’re an amateur, competitive college, or professional player, everyone wants to find the secret recipe for hitting the ball.
Sure, that means squaring the paddle at impact and spin as it’s supposed to, but it also means having the skill to draw or fade shots, allowing you to control the spin and direction of the ball with great precision.
Although many casual golfers may not think they will ever gain this kind of ability, it is achievable – it just requires various adjustments in swing and hand positions.
In Today’s Razor Strike, Top 100 Golfer Jason Carbone describes how he helped his student become a better striker of the ball by rebuilding her back. While his student was already a varsity player with a handicap of +4.3, this improvement changed her playing style so much that it helped her win this year’s ASU/PING Invitational.
So take a look below to see how Carbone helped this golfer go from being a good tackler to a world class hitter.
Carbone says, “I have a very talented student. So much so that she can feel very slight changes and, at times, can force me to give her very vigorous drills that strengthen her swing.”
In a recent lesson with his student, Carbone says the two worked to bring the club into better balance, making the incline more reactive. It’s a simple two-step process anyone can use to build a better backlink – here’s how.
1. Drill preparation
Place your tee at the end of your grip, then place your golf bag about 15 feet from the ball, making sure it is directly on the target line (the imaginary line from the target bag across to your golf ball).
2. The first checkpoint
Start your backhand with everything swinging apart together, allowing pressure to transfer from your lead foot to your front foot until the putter is just shy of parallel to the ground. At this point, check that your shaft and clubhead are pointing at the base of your golf bag.
3. The second barrier
Keep moving your body, allowing your bent arm to flex and your wrist to be bent back. When done correctly, your tee should protrude from the end of your grip and point toward the top end of your bag (or headgear).
From here, swing across the ball with no thoughts — other than finishing evenly with all of your weight entirely on your front leg. Now go ahead and watch shot after shot fly to your target with the improved ability to kick the ball.
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