ADDRESS
Thanks to good fundamentals, I've always had athletic posture. I try to set up with everything--my feet, knees, hips, arms, shoulders and eyes--square to or parallel-left of the target line. I also want to be very relaxed, so I can make a tension-free swing.
TAKEAWAY
My objective here is to swing the club back along the angle that the shaft was set on at address. The clubhead moves slightly inside as I turn away from the ball. I used to favor a much earlier wrist cock, but now it's gradual. When I'm a quarter of the way into my backswing, I should have about a quarter of my full wrist cock.
HALFWAY BACK
I've maintained the triangle created at address by my arms and chest, which means I've remained connected and right on plane. At this point, my hips have barely moved. This creates good resistance with my lower body and helps me make a big coil with my upper body--a real key to power.
AT THE TOP
A steady head means I've rotated around a fixed point, a critical factor in stabilizing my swing. I used to rock my head toward the target on the backswing, then reverse the direction on my downswing, which tended to make my hands turn over too much. Now my head is more centered and my eyes more level to the ground. The clubface is parallel to my left forearm, an indication that my grip is in a neutral position.
THE RELEASE
This position is a mirror image of halfway back. It shows nice extension down the target line. I'd like to keep my head a little higher and let it follow my body, but I'm getting there. My right foot is grounded, my left foot has rolled forward, and I'm in good balance. I'm hitting a draw here: Notice how the clubface is turning over, and the tee stayed in the ground--proof I caught the ball on a slight upswing from the inside
THE FINISH
I used to snap my left leg straight, and my left foot would jump around. Much better here. I really like this finish with the shaft over my shoulder, and my head and belt buckle facing the target. You can see every spike on my right shoe, so I'm up on my toes nicely. My right knee is flexed, a sign that I didn't come up out of the shot.
