The long drive champion!

Now that's what I call smoooth.

When I watch top athletes, be that at a golf event, at baseball, football or whatever, I am always inspired by their leg action or to be more precise knee action.

There is such elegance on show during these observations and I find a few minutes watching this adds length and consistency to my own golf swing. It always surprises me how quiet and smooth the legs are when power is being generated properly in any sporting skill.I watch and correct people's swings every day and will always give my students a simple lower body tip to improve their power and consistency.

I am always surprised that they somehow cannot comprehend or do not believe that the legs must be smooth. The secret to this lies in the right knee and is used as a basic by a long drive champion. Try this for yourself.

Take a basketball and stand three or four paces away from a wall and throw the ball with both hands, side on in your normal golf stance. Throw the ball underarm, making sure that it strikes the wall no higher than waist height.

It is not important that you catch the ball again. The main feedback you should feel is how smoothly and quietly your legs naturally move. If your 'gross motor skills' are not your forte, don't worry.

Just do this exercise until you feel heightened smoothness in your right knee. Don't complicate this just feel the feedback that your knee is giving and save it.

Now take the feeling onto the range or course and enjoy the results.

We're all so obsessed with mechanics and verbal instruction that we have forgotten how to enjoy the wonders our bodies can achieve without them.

Again I leave the last words of wisdom to Timothy Gallwey (The Inner Game of Golf),

"As coaches we know a lot about the swing but not much about how to help golfers learn it."

Link to previous page from 'long drive champion