PUTTING PAID TO THAT FADE
Thinking of Lower Scores?
The Gary Player Golf Experience is SA’s premier teaching academy. Our pro, Gabba Wessels, is an AA Class PGA professional with more than 6 years teaching experience and his offering for this newsletter is his blueprint for PUTTING PAID TO THAT FADE!
Priority 1: Get your grip right!
Since your grip has the biggest influence on your ball-flight, it is vital that you ensure this position at address. As Gabba demonstrates in the picture of the grip, your thumbs and index fingers form V’s which point between your trailing ear and shoulder, known as a “neutral” grip.
Fault-fixing Keys:
- A weak grip, in which your V’s point more towards your leading shoulder, usually causes the ball to fade because the club face is open at impact.
- A weak grip also affects your swing plane and club path as you automatically feel compelled to compensate, causing your club to swing on an out to in swing path.
- This in turn causes “cutting across” the ball, sometimes referred to as “swinging over the top”.
Priority 2: Check your alignment!
A common mistake many golfers make is to aim with their body instead of aligning their body parallel to the target. This often causes compensation that once again results in an “over the top” action.
Fault-fixing Keys:
- You should only aim your clubface at the target whilst your feet, knees, hips and shoulders should be parallel to the target line.
- It will also help to straighten your spine angle by tilting forward towards the ball from your hips.
- A slight flex in the knees and leaning your body weight onto the balls of your feet will help to promote hip tilt and to mobilise your hips.
