HOW TO CONTROL YOUR LEG ACTION
BY: MARK GIBSON, GOLF AUSTRALIA TEACHING EDITOR

An often-overlooked aspect of the golf swing is the role your legs play in making a good pass at the ball. Your legs are the foundation of your swing. Your body sits on top and your legs are the foundation or pillars holding your body in position. Now imagine if your legs move incorrectly, or too much, during the swing. It will have the effect of causing the whole structure of your swing to become unstable, much like a building on its foundations.

Excessive leg movement creates inconsistent ball-striking. Ideally,your right leg (for right-handers)should maintain its original positionduring the backswing (pic 1). Any lateral motion of that leg is a root cause of swing inconsistency (pic 2).

Likewise, on the through swing, your left leg should be slightly outside where it started and be the support of all of your body weight as you swing through to the finish.

A drill that can help you get used to these positions is very easy to create and utilise. To set up the drill, you need two old golf shafts (your local PGA pro might be able to lend you two) or two lengths of curtain rod. One shaft needs to be stuck into the ground at a slight angle to your rear and hard up against your right leg. The second shaft should be stuck into the ground at the same angle but just outside your left foot.

Start the drill with a practice swing and feel that the right leg doesn’t move laterally towards or away from the target (pic 3). It is imperative the right leg holds it’s position as you wind up and make your backswing and move into the downswing (pic 4).

On the downswing and into the follow-through, your left leg can move slightly toward the target (pic 5) and you should finish the swing with most of your weight on the left foot (pic 6). After practicing this for a while, you will be able to hit balls with the club shafts in place.

THE DRILL SERGEANT SAYS:
“It is imperative the right leg holds it’s position as you wind up and make your backswing and move into the downswing”

Mark Gibson is a teaching professional at Lakelands GC, on the Gold Coast, Queensland. He is available for lessons on (07) 5579 8700.