Nose Goes Over Toes
By Dr. T. J. Tomasi, Keiser University College of Golf Senior Faculty and Director of Research
Don’t you hate it when your golf swing gets short and choppy, and you feel completely rushed and out of sync? In addition to all the bad feels, your ball scatters all over the course and flies much shorter than normal — especially with the driver.
While there are many causes for this uncomfortable situation, the good news is that it’s only temporary if you know the simple solution: Get in balance before you swing, then stay in balance while you swing. In many cases, the problem is that you’re pitching forward toward the ball at the very beginning of the swing, making the rest of the swing a battle to regain balance. And once you trip the natural warning system that tells you you’re falling over, there is nothing you can do but react.
Nose Over Toes
How to Cure the Problem
First, check your weight distribution at address. Bad balance often begins here, with the weight too far forward on the toes. It should be distributed from the balls of the feet back to the heels, so your center of gravity is straight down through the middle of your body. With this arrangement, you’re not immediately pulled forward and off-balance at the start of your swing.
Second, once your setup is balanced, focus on your tempo and make a smooth, unhurried swing with no leaps or lurches. Do this first with your practice swing, then with your actual swing. Think of your swing as being long and lazy instead of short and choppy. And hold your pose at the finish to make it look pretty.
Golf Swing Takeaway
While you’re smoothing your swing physically, mentally visualize a wall at address from your nose to your toes. While your body pivots, your nose and toes hug the wall so that you’re both rotating and coiling but not rocking and rolling.
By always keeping your nose over your toes in an aggressive stance, you’ll be using natural laws of body balance to become a more effective golfer.
At impact, our model still hugs the imaginary wall from nose to toes. Note that while his belt buckle gets closer to the wall (as it should if you’re firing the pelvis), his nose stays put.
If you’d like to study with Dr. Tomasi and other PGA Master Professionals, contact The College of Golf today.
