The Downswing “Magic Move”

Adownswing with an “inside” club path and powerful wrist/hand/arm release with a balanced body rotation, produces best ball-striking results. Club speed, solid contact and consistency are achieved. The key is to start the downswing with a smooth weight-shift lateral turn of the front hip, establishing a planted stable front foot and braced front leg; and at the same time, the hands/arms smoothly find the “power slot” (right elbow returns to body), to release clubhead on an inside path through impact. Both shoulders are quiet to achieve this “Magic Move” that famous Golf Instructor Harvey Penick described in his 1992 Little Red Book.

If the shoulders charge out of position, it takes the hands outside with body ahead of the arms, and the power slot is not attainable. Planted front foot & elbow to the side is the move.

At our DynaSwingFIT Golf School, the best results drill is the Pump-Drill. From top of the backswing position, pump grip handle down to the hitting zone (about belt high and at back foot with elbow at side) holding the release (arm and shaft is 90” angle with clubhead LAG). Go back to the top of the backswing and repeat the move smoothly.

Go back to the top again but this time make your full swing with full acceleration through impact, allowing momentum of the force to take you to a full face-the-target finish.

Notice that the release point with fully-loaded wrist angle is back at the foot, providing ample time for the wrist to be fully uncocked and the front arm extended in-line with the shaft through impact. This is NOT the “late-hold-it” position often incorrectly described the instant before the clubhead meets the ball.

Feeling this powerful release, working in-sync with smooth balanced body rotation, you will see how Tour Players achieve their effortless swing motion. Do this pump-drill with practice swings. Do not hit the ball. This motion drill will groove-in results. Try in front of a mirror adding plane angle for greater understanding.