When discussing the golf swing it is easy to get too caught up with technique and positions while overlooking a simple fact, golf is a game of skill and the most important skill is the ability to consistently square the clubface at impact.
You can overcome many technique flaws with this skill. An effective drill to train yourself to square the face is what I call the short swing drill.
Use a pitching wedge.
Adopt normal start position (a little more weight on the left foot than normal).
Swing the club away until it is level with the ground (approximately).
Swing forward through impact until the club is level with the ground.
At this point the club should be on line with the target.
The leading edge of the club should point up to the sky.
The club head should be a little lower than the hands.
The hips and shoulders should be facing the target.
The right knee has moved alongside the left.
The overall feel of this drill is that the arms and body are working together. The wrists should be allowed to hinge but should not be active, no attempt to lift or scoop the ball. As with all shots the ball should be driven forward allowing the loft of the club to get the ball in the air. This is not a drill that you will master immediately, it requires some persistence but it is well worth the effort, you will learn to square the face through impact and also develop a more synchronised swing of the arms and body.
Terry Gingell is a PGA Member. For information about adult and junior lessons at Empire Ranch and Genoa Lakes call Gingell, 690-7970