By Erika Larkin on 8/15/12

I would argue that over 80% of golfers need to improve their forward weight shift during the golf swing. This topic comes up often in my lessons with both adults and juniors. With the kids (and many times with my adult students too!), I use this little phrase to help them remember a proper rhythm and follow through position: "One, two, show me your shoe."

Simply explained:

• One = wind-up/backswing


• Two = un-wind/downswing


• Show me your shoe = finish in a position where your right knee (for a right handed golfer), both of your hips and shoulders are pointing to the target, arms are folded up and over the left shoulder.

Be picky on this position because many golfers fall short of the full rotation of their body and full weight shift. Your right foot should be COMPLETELY pivoted on its toe box (not on the ball of the foot) to ensure that you've made a full weight shift and are not hanging back. If someone was standing behind you, they should see the entire sole of your right shoe.

If you can finish consistently in this position you are probably already going to hit the ball better, but it is still possible to "fake" your follow-through and end up in a good position but as an afterthought. So, remember that timing of what happens at "two" is just as important as then end position; start to shift your weight as your first move after the backswing by sliding your hips laterally over your left hip and foot, then let your arms start to fall down. This magic move will help you maximize the benefits of the weight shift and body turn through impact (power, clean contact, leverage). It will also make it much easier if your weight has already shifted to your front foot to then "show me your shoe!"

Good luck!

Erika Larkin is the Director of Instruction at Larkin Golf Learning Community at Stonewall Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. She was recently named the 2012 Middle Atlantic PGA "Teacher of the Year" and the 2011 "Top Golf Pro" by Washingtonian Magazine and she's ClubSG's newest columnist. She'll be writing on a variety of topics including instruction, so if you have a question for her or an idea for a column, email her at erikalarkin@pga.com.


Image via Flickr, pocketwiley

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