Tyler Ferrell is the only person in the world named to Golf Digest's list of Best
Young Teachers in
America AND its list of Best Golf Fitness Professionals in America.
Identify Key Body Checkpoints for a Better Downswing
After this video, you'll be able to:
- Identify when your lower body should be aligned with the target line
- Understand the relationship between your arm position and body rotation
- Detect early arm action that may be hindering your swing efficiency
Learn how to use body checkpoints to analyze your downswing and improve your speed generation. This video breaks down the role of your lower and upper body to ensure a more effective swing sequence.
Video Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.940
This drill is body checkpoints.
2
00:00:02.940 --> 00:00:06.500
So body checkpoints is a good way to use video to look at your downswing and
3
00:00:06.500 --> 00:00:06.840
see where you're
4
00:00:06.840 --> 00:00:08.600
creating your speed from.
5
00:00:08.600 --> 00:00:11.820
A couple good checkpoints are where is your lower body and where is your upper
6
00:00:11.820 --> 00:00:12.280
body.
7
00:00:12.280 --> 00:00:14.840
So we're going to essentially take the arms out of the equation.
8
00:00:14.840 --> 00:00:18.390
We're going to look at when the lead arm is parallel and then when the shaft is
9
00:00:18.390 --> 00:00:19.080
parallel.
10
00:00:19.080 --> 00:00:23.400
Now I don't want you to feel like it's this two piece type movement.
11
00:00:23.400 --> 00:00:26.720
Those are just checkpoints to make sure that you're making the right movements.
12
00:00:26.720 --> 00:00:30.660
So the first checkpoint of that left arm parallel, one of the most common
13
00:00:30.660 --> 00:00:31.420
checkpoints
14
00:00:31.420 --> 00:00:33.880
that I'll use here is where is the lower body.
15
00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:38.790
Ideally the lower body by the time the left upper arm is parallel to the ground
16
00:00:38.790 --> 00:00:39.320
should
17
00:00:39.320 --> 00:00:44.080
be roughly facing the golf ball or parallel to the target line.
18
00:00:44.080 --> 00:00:49.000
If it's not, then that's a good indication that you're using your arms earlier
19
00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:49.460
in the
20
00:00:49.460 --> 00:00:53.080
swing than say this stock to our model.
21
00:00:53.080 --> 00:00:57.910
So one of the keys is to make sure that when that lower body starts, it
22
00:00:57.910 --> 00:00:59.320
transfers through
23
00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:03.760
the core and that it's not just the lower body getting out of the way.
24
00:01:03.760 --> 00:01:07.720
The second checkpoint, which will be easiest to see from down the line, is then
25
00:01:07.720 --> 00:01:08.080
is the
26
00:01:08.080 --> 00:01:13.730
upper body parallel to the target line or roughly parallel to the target line
27
00:01:13.730 --> 00:01:14.280
when the
28
00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:15.800
shaft is parallel.
29
00:01:15.800 --> 00:01:21.570
So if the lower body gets parallel by the time the arm is, then that next phase
30
00:01:21.570 --> 00:01:21.960
the
31
00:01:21.960 --> 00:01:25.720
lower body should continue rotating, the upper body kind of comes with it, and
32
00:01:25.720 --> 00:01:26.280
now by the
33
00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:30.150
time you've got shaft parallel, your chest should roughly be facing the golf
34
00:01:30.150 --> 00:01:30.600
ball.
35
00:01:30.600 --> 00:01:34.660
A lot of golfers who get their arms involved too soon will tend to have, well,
36
00:01:34.660 --> 00:01:35.220
before they
37
00:01:35.220 --> 00:01:40.440
get to impact their hips and chest facing well right of the golf ball.
38
00:01:40.440 --> 00:01:46.240
And it is possible to hit shots that way, but it tends to rely a lot more on
39
00:01:46.240 --> 00:01:47.440
hand timing.
40
00:01:47.440 --> 00:01:50.380
You tend to not be able to swing hard and you tend to struggle with the longer
41
00:01:50.380 --> 00:01:50.880
clubs like
42
00:01:50.880 --> 00:01:52.120
the driver.
43
00:01:52.120 --> 00:01:55.680
So getting that body to power the swing, you can use a couple of these
44
00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:56.640
checkpoints and
45
00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:01.520
always make sure that these body movements are making you feel like your hands
46
00:02:01.520 --> 00:02:02.120
are more
47
00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:04.280
powerful.
48
00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:08.020
If you're just getting up there and just kind of faking these turn things, but
49
00:02:08.020 --> 00:02:08.640
it's not
50
00:02:08.640 --> 00:02:15.860
actually creating force on the club, almost like when I do the bracing movement
51
00:02:15.860 --> 00:02:16.920
, the bracing
52
00:02:16.920 --> 00:02:23.120
is so that I can feel the body kind of resist the club as it swings past me at
53
00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:23.840
the end
54
00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:25.040
of the release.
55
00:02:25.040 --> 00:02:29.280
Well, what I'll do is I'll grab the club and I'll say, okay, what I want you to
56
00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:29.560
do
57
00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:33.570
is I want you to use that lower body, but I want you to feel like it transfers
58
00:02:33.570 --> 00:02:34.040
into the
59
00:02:34.040 --> 00:02:37.400
upper body, not just turn like so.
60
00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:40.950
So you can hook this up against the golf cart or door, or you can have a buddy
61
00:02:40.950 --> 00:02:41.880
hold it,
62
00:02:41.880 --> 00:02:45.660
and you can make sure that when you hit these body checkpoints, it's pulling on
63
00:02:45.660 --> 00:02:46.760
the club,
64
00:02:46.760 --> 00:02:53.800
it's not just arbitrarily getting you into position.
65
00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:59.720
So in swing, it looks something like that.
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.940
This drill is body checkpoints.
2
00:00:02.940 --> 00:00:06.500
So body checkpoints is a good way to use video to look at your downswing and
3
00:00:06.500 --> 00:00:06.840
see where you're
4
00:00:06.840 --> 00:00:08.600
creating your speed from.
5
00:00:08.600 --> 00:00:11.820
A couple good checkpoints are where is your lower body and where is your upper
6
00:00:11.820 --> 00:00:12.280
body.
7
00:00:12.280 --> 00:00:14.840
So we're going to essentially take the arms out of the equation.
8
00:00:14.840 --> 00:00:18.390
We're going to look at when the lead arm is parallel and then when the shaft is
9
00:00:18.390 --> 00:00:19.080
parallel.
10
00:00:19.080 --> 00:00:23.400
Now I don't want you to feel like it's this two piece type movement.
11
00:00:23.400 --> 00:00:26.720
Those are just checkpoints to make sure that you're making the right movements.
12
00:00:26.720 --> 00:00:30.660
So the first checkpoint of that left arm parallel, one of the most common
13
00:00:30.660 --> 00:00:31.420
checkpoints
14
00:00:31.420 --> 00:00:33.880
that I'll use here is where is the lower body.
15
00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:38.790
Ideally the lower body by the time the left upper arm is parallel to the ground
16
00:00:38.790 --> 00:00:39.320
should
17
00:00:39.320 --> 00:00:44.080
be roughly facing the golf ball or parallel to the target line.
18
00:00:44.080 --> 00:00:49.000
If it's not, then that's a good indication that you're using your arms earlier
19
00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:49.460
in the
20
00:00:49.460 --> 00:00:53.080
swing than say this stock to our model.
21
00:00:53.080 --> 00:00:57.910
So one of the keys is to make sure that when that lower body starts, it
22
00:00:57.910 --> 00:00:59.320
transfers through
23
00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:03.760
the core and that it's not just the lower body getting out of the way.
24
00:01:03.760 --> 00:01:07.720
The second checkpoint, which will be easiest to see from down the line, is then
25
00:01:07.720 --> 00:01:08.080
is the
26
00:01:08.080 --> 00:01:13.730
upper body parallel to the target line or roughly parallel to the target line
27
00:01:13.730 --> 00:01:14.280
when the
28
00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:15.800
shaft is parallel.
29
00:01:15.800 --> 00:01:21.570
So if the lower body gets parallel by the time the arm is, then that next phase
30
00:01:21.570 --> 00:01:21.960
the
31
00:01:21.960 --> 00:01:25.720
lower body should continue rotating, the upper body kind of comes with it, and
32
00:01:25.720 --> 00:01:26.280
now by the
33
00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:30.150
time you've got shaft parallel, your chest should roughly be facing the golf
34
00:01:30.150 --> 00:01:30.600
ball.
35
00:01:30.600 --> 00:01:34.660
A lot of golfers who get their arms involved too soon will tend to have, well,
36
00:01:34.660 --> 00:01:35.220
before they
37
00:01:35.220 --> 00:01:40.440
get to impact their hips and chest facing well right of the golf ball.
38
00:01:40.440 --> 00:01:46.240
And it is possible to hit shots that way, but it tends to rely a lot more on
39
00:01:46.240 --> 00:01:47.440
hand timing.
40
00:01:47.440 --> 00:01:50.380
You tend to not be able to swing hard and you tend to struggle with the longer
41
00:01:50.380 --> 00:01:50.880
clubs like
42
00:01:50.880 --> 00:01:52.120
the driver.
43
00:01:52.120 --> 00:01:55.680
So getting that body to power the swing, you can use a couple of these
44
00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:56.640
checkpoints and
45
00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:01.520
always make sure that these body movements are making you feel like your hands
46
00:02:01.520 --> 00:02:02.120
are more
47
00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:04.280
powerful.
48
00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:08.020
If you're just getting up there and just kind of faking these turn things, but
49
00:02:08.020 --> 00:02:08.640
it's not
50
00:02:08.640 --> 00:02:15.860
actually creating force on the club, almost like when I do the bracing movement
51
00:02:15.860 --> 00:02:16.920
, the bracing
52
00:02:16.920 --> 00:02:23.120
is so that I can feel the body kind of resist the club as it swings past me at
53
00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:23.840
the end
54
00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:25.040
of the release.
55
00:02:25.040 --> 00:02:29.280
Well, what I'll do is I'll grab the club and I'll say, okay, what I want you to
56
00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:29.560
do
57
00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:33.570
is I want you to use that lower body, but I want you to feel like it transfers
58
00:02:33.570 --> 00:02:34.040
into the
59
00:02:34.040 --> 00:02:37.400
upper body, not just turn like so.
60
00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:40.950
So you can hook this up against the golf cart or door, or you can have a buddy
61
00:02:40.950 --> 00:02:41.880
hold it,
62
00:02:41.880 --> 00:02:45.660
and you can make sure that when you hit these body checkpoints, it's pulling on
63
00:02:45.660 --> 00:02:46.760
the club,
64
00:02:46.760 --> 00:02:53.800
it's not just arbitrarily getting you into position.
65
00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:59.720
So in swing, it looks something like that.
Tyler Ferrell is the only person in the world named to Golf Digest's list of
Best Young Teachers in America AND its list of Best Golf Fitness Professionals in America.
Identify Key Body Checkpoints for a Better Downswing
After this video, you'll be able to:
- Identify when your lower body should be aligned with the target line
- Understand the relationship between your arm position and body rotation
- Detect early arm action that may be hindering your swing efficiency
Learn how to use body checkpoints to analyze your downswing and improve your speed generation. This video breaks down the role of your lower and upper body to ensure a more effective swing sequence.
Video Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.940
This drill is body checkpoints.
2
00:00:02.940 --> 00:00:06.500
So body checkpoints is a good way to use video to look at your downswing and
3
00:00:06.500 --> 00:00:06.840
see where you're
4
00:00:06.840 --> 00:00:08.600
creating your speed from.
5
00:00:08.600 --> 00:00:11.820
A couple good checkpoints are where is your lower body and where is your upper
6
00:00:11.820 --> 00:00:12.280
body.
7
00:00:12.280 --> 00:00:14.840
So we're going to essentially take the arms out of the equation.
8
00:00:14.840 --> 00:00:18.390
We're going to look at when the lead arm is parallel and then when the shaft is
9
00:00:18.390 --> 00:00:19.080
parallel.
10
00:00:19.080 --> 00:00:23.400
Now I don't want you to feel like it's this two piece type movement.
11
00:00:23.400 --> 00:00:26.720
Those are just checkpoints to make sure that you're making the right movements.
12
00:00:26.720 --> 00:00:30.660
So the first checkpoint of that left arm parallel, one of the most common
13
00:00:30.660 --> 00:00:31.420
checkpoints
14
00:00:31.420 --> 00:00:33.880
that I'll use here is where is the lower body.
15
00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:38.790
Ideally the lower body by the time the left upper arm is parallel to the ground
16
00:00:38.790 --> 00:00:39.320
should
17
00:00:39.320 --> 00:00:44.080
be roughly facing the golf ball or parallel to the target line.
18
00:00:44.080 --> 00:00:49.000
If it's not, then that's a good indication that you're using your arms earlier
19
00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:49.460
in the
20
00:00:49.460 --> 00:00:53.080
swing than say this stock to our model.
21
00:00:53.080 --> 00:00:57.910
So one of the keys is to make sure that when that lower body starts, it
22
00:00:57.910 --> 00:00:59.320
transfers through
23
00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:03.760
the core and that it's not just the lower body getting out of the way.
24
00:01:03.760 --> 00:01:07.720
The second checkpoint, which will be easiest to see from down the line, is then
25
00:01:07.720 --> 00:01:08.080
is the
26
00:01:08.080 --> 00:01:13.730
upper body parallel to the target line or roughly parallel to the target line
27
00:01:13.730 --> 00:01:14.280
when the
28
00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:15.800
shaft is parallel.
29
00:01:15.800 --> 00:01:21.570
So if the lower body gets parallel by the time the arm is, then that next phase
30
00:01:21.570 --> 00:01:21.960
the
31
00:01:21.960 --> 00:01:25.720
lower body should continue rotating, the upper body kind of comes with it, and
32
00:01:25.720 --> 00:01:26.280
now by the
33
00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:30.150
time you've got shaft parallel, your chest should roughly be facing the golf
34
00:01:30.150 --> 00:01:30.600
ball.
35
00:01:30.600 --> 00:01:34.660
A lot of golfers who get their arms involved too soon will tend to have, well,
36
00:01:34.660 --> 00:01:35.220
before they
37
00:01:35.220 --> 00:01:40.440
get to impact their hips and chest facing well right of the golf ball.
38
00:01:40.440 --> 00:01:46.240
And it is possible to hit shots that way, but it tends to rely a lot more on
39
00:01:46.240 --> 00:01:47.440
hand timing.
40
00:01:47.440 --> 00:01:50.380
You tend to not be able to swing hard and you tend to struggle with the longer
41
00:01:50.380 --> 00:01:50.880
clubs like
42
00:01:50.880 --> 00:01:52.120
the driver.
43
00:01:52.120 --> 00:01:55.680
So getting that body to power the swing, you can use a couple of these
44
00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:56.640
checkpoints and
45
00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:01.520
always make sure that these body movements are making you feel like your hands
46
00:02:01.520 --> 00:02:02.120
are more
47
00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:04.280
powerful.
48
00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:08.020
If you're just getting up there and just kind of faking these turn things, but
49
00:02:08.020 --> 00:02:08.640
it's not
50
00:02:08.640 --> 00:02:15.860
actually creating force on the club, almost like when I do the bracing movement
51
00:02:15.860 --> 00:02:16.920
, the bracing
52
00:02:16.920 --> 00:02:23.120
is so that I can feel the body kind of resist the club as it swings past me at
53
00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:23.840
the end
54
00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:25.040
of the release.
55
00:02:25.040 --> 00:02:29.280
Well, what I'll do is I'll grab the club and I'll say, okay, what I want you to
56
00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:29.560
do
57
00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:33.570
is I want you to use that lower body, but I want you to feel like it transfers
58
00:02:33.570 --> 00:02:34.040
into the
59
00:02:34.040 --> 00:02:37.400
upper body, not just turn like so.
60
00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:40.950
So you can hook this up against the golf cart or door, or you can have a buddy
61
00:02:40.950 --> 00:02:41.880
hold it,
62
00:02:41.880 --> 00:02:45.660
and you can make sure that when you hit these body checkpoints, it's pulling on
63
00:02:45.660 --> 00:02:46.760
the club,
64
00:02:46.760 --> 00:02:53.800
it's not just arbitrarily getting you into position.
65
00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:59.720
So in swing, it looks something like that.
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.940
This drill is body checkpoints.
2
00:00:02.940 --> 00:00:06.500
So body checkpoints is a good way to use video to look at your downswing and
3
00:00:06.500 --> 00:00:06.840
see where you're
4
00:00:06.840 --> 00:00:08.600
creating your speed from.
5
00:00:08.600 --> 00:00:11.820
A couple good checkpoints are where is your lower body and where is your upper
6
00:00:11.820 --> 00:00:12.280
body.
7
00:00:12.280 --> 00:00:14.840
So we're going to essentially take the arms out of the equation.
8
00:00:14.840 --> 00:00:18.390
We're going to look at when the lead arm is parallel and then when the shaft is
9
00:00:18.390 --> 00:00:19.080
parallel.
10
00:00:19.080 --> 00:00:23.400
Now I don't want you to feel like it's this two piece type movement.
11
00:00:23.400 --> 00:00:26.720
Those are just checkpoints to make sure that you're making the right movements.
12
00:00:26.720 --> 00:00:30.660
So the first checkpoint of that left arm parallel, one of the most common
13
00:00:30.660 --> 00:00:31.420
checkpoints
14
00:00:31.420 --> 00:00:33.880
that I'll use here is where is the lower body.
15
00:00:33.880 --> 00:00:38.790
Ideally the lower body by the time the left upper arm is parallel to the ground
16
00:00:38.790 --> 00:00:39.320
should
17
00:00:39.320 --> 00:00:44.080
be roughly facing the golf ball or parallel to the target line.
18
00:00:44.080 --> 00:00:49.000
If it's not, then that's a good indication that you're using your arms earlier
19
00:00:49.000 --> 00:00:49.460
in the
20
00:00:49.460 --> 00:00:53.080
swing than say this stock to our model.
21
00:00:53.080 --> 00:00:57.910
So one of the keys is to make sure that when that lower body starts, it
22
00:00:57.910 --> 00:00:59.320
transfers through
23
00:00:59.320 --> 00:01:03.760
the core and that it's not just the lower body getting out of the way.
24
00:01:03.760 --> 00:01:07.720
The second checkpoint, which will be easiest to see from down the line, is then
25
00:01:07.720 --> 00:01:08.080
is the
26
00:01:08.080 --> 00:01:13.730
upper body parallel to the target line or roughly parallel to the target line
27
00:01:13.730 --> 00:01:14.280
when the
28
00:01:14.280 --> 00:01:15.800
shaft is parallel.
29
00:01:15.800 --> 00:01:21.570
So if the lower body gets parallel by the time the arm is, then that next phase
30
00:01:21.570 --> 00:01:21.960
the
31
00:01:21.960 --> 00:01:25.720
lower body should continue rotating, the upper body kind of comes with it, and
32
00:01:25.720 --> 00:01:26.280
now by the
33
00:01:26.280 --> 00:01:30.150
time you've got shaft parallel, your chest should roughly be facing the golf
34
00:01:30.150 --> 00:01:30.600
ball.
35
00:01:30.600 --> 00:01:34.660
A lot of golfers who get their arms involved too soon will tend to have, well,
36
00:01:34.660 --> 00:01:35.220
before they
37
00:01:35.220 --> 00:01:40.440
get to impact their hips and chest facing well right of the golf ball.
38
00:01:40.440 --> 00:01:46.240
And it is possible to hit shots that way, but it tends to rely a lot more on
39
00:01:46.240 --> 00:01:47.440
hand timing.
40
00:01:47.440 --> 00:01:50.380
You tend to not be able to swing hard and you tend to struggle with the longer
41
00:01:50.380 --> 00:01:50.880
clubs like
42
00:01:50.880 --> 00:01:52.120
the driver.
43
00:01:52.120 --> 00:01:55.680
So getting that body to power the swing, you can use a couple of these
44
00:01:55.680 --> 00:01:56.640
checkpoints and
45
00:01:56.640 --> 00:02:01.520
always make sure that these body movements are making you feel like your hands
46
00:02:01.520 --> 00:02:02.120
are more
47
00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:04.280
powerful.
48
00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:08.020
If you're just getting up there and just kind of faking these turn things, but
49
00:02:08.020 --> 00:02:08.640
it's not
50
00:02:08.640 --> 00:02:15.860
actually creating force on the club, almost like when I do the bracing movement
51
00:02:15.860 --> 00:02:16.920
, the bracing
52
00:02:16.920 --> 00:02:23.120
is so that I can feel the body kind of resist the club as it swings past me at
53
00:02:23.120 --> 00:02:23.840
the end
54
00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:25.040
of the release.
55
00:02:25.040 --> 00:02:29.280
Well, what I'll do is I'll grab the club and I'll say, okay, what I want you to
56
00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:29.560
do
57
00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:33.570
is I want you to use that lower body, but I want you to feel like it transfers
58
00:02:33.570 --> 00:02:34.040
into the
59
00:02:34.040 --> 00:02:37.400
upper body, not just turn like so.
60
00:02:37.400 --> 00:02:40.950
So you can hook this up against the golf cart or door, or you can have a buddy
61
00:02:40.950 --> 00:02:41.880
hold it,
62
00:02:41.880 --> 00:02:45.660
and you can make sure that when you hit these body checkpoints, it's pulling on
63
00:02:45.660 --> 00:02:46.760
the club,
64
00:02:46.760 --> 00:02:53.800
it's not just arbitrarily getting you into position.
65
00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:59.720
So in swing, it looks something like that.
Related topics
This video hasn't been assigned to any topics yet. Browse all topics in the sidebar.