One of the most critical elements in achieving consistent ball striking and solid compression in your golf swing is properly moving your trail shoulder through the ball. In this lesson, Eric Cogorno from Performance Golf breaks down the importance of trail shoulder motion, common mistakes amateur golfers make, and key drills to help improve this crucial aspect of your swing.
The Importance of Trail Shoulder Motion
A proper trail shoulder movement ensures solid contact and consistent ball striking with both irons and drivers. If the trail shoulder remains stuck back in the downswing, you’ll be forced to release your hands early, leading to inconsistent impact positions, contact issues, and loss of compression.
However, when the trail shoulder moves forward correctly, the hands naturally follow, leading to better ball striking and a better impact position! Let’s get into how you can get better golf ball contact with a simple move.
Key Checkpoints for Proper Shoulder Movement
To determine whether you’re executing the correct motion, use this simple checkpoint: by the time your arms reach parallel in the follow-through, your trail shoulder should be in line with the golf ball (see below).
This position is consistent among top ball strikers and helps ensure better rotation and solid contact.
Drills to Improve Trail Shoulder Motion
Try these two drills (and be sure to follow the video for clear instruction) to get your shoulders and arms positioned correctly in the golf swing.
Club Across the Shoulders Drill
Follow these steps to ensure you’re achieving the correct shoulder motion as you rotate through the ball. Keep in mind these are for right handed players, so you can swap left/right as needed for lefties.
- Place a club across your shoulders with the clubhead extending to your right side.
- Take your setup and rotate into your backswing.
- As you move into the downswing, feel the clubhead move towards the ball.
- Close your left eye and ensure that, from your right eye’s perspective, the clubhead appears to be directly behind the golf ball.
- This drill emphasizes both forward and downward shoulder movement, which is crucial for proper impact.
Golf Swing Stance Adjustment
To exaggerate the correct motion, and take it a step further, you can modify your stance:
- Level 1: Maintain a square stance and focus on moving the right shoulder forward.
- Level 2: Pull the trail foot back so that its toes align with the middle of the lead foot. This closed stance forces the right shoulder to move more aggressively forward.
- Level 3: Pull the trail foot back even further so its toes align with the back of the lead foot. This further exaggerates the correct shoulder movement and helps train a more effective turn against the lower body.
While moving the shoulder forward, keep these two key factors in mind:
- Maintain Tilt: The right shoulder should not move too high, as this can cause thin or fat shots. Keep the shoulder down to maintain tilt through impact.
- Keep the Head Back: Although the right shoulder moves forward, the head should remain relatively stable to prevent excessive forward motion, which can lead to poor contact.
The Shoulder is the Key to Better Ball Contact
Mastering the movement of your trail shoulder through impact can lead to more consistent ball striking and better compression. By using the drills provided and ensuring that your shoulder moves both forward and down while keeping your head stable, you can achieve a more powerful and repeatable golf swing. Try these drills in your next practice session and see the improvement in your ball striking, fast!
