If you don’t know what the impact is in golf, it’s the point in time when you swing your golf club between your downswing and your follow-through. The impact is the single sequence where you make contact with the ball, and this is typically the only chance you get to direct the golf ball where you want it to go. The following tips will help you improve your impact point with the golf ball.
Hand Position at Impact – Ahead of the Club
At impact, you want your hands ahead of your clubhead. This position is called keeping the lag. The lag is referring to the fact that your hands will set the pace that your club follows. So, the club lags your hands into the correct position. If you’re in the correct position when you set up the shot, you’ll want to lean your shaft forward. You want to keep your hands leading during your downswing.
In contrast, many people allow their hands to unhinge early on in the impact point, and this is called a flipping the club swing error. If you cast the club during your swing, this can happen as well.
Head Position at Impact – Down
With all that goes into actually making an impact with the ball, it’s very tempting for you to look up to see where your ball is flying after you hit it. However, you want to promote solid impact points. This is why it’s critical that you look at the ball as you hit it.
A lot of people make the mistake of lifting their head and eyes to see where the ball is going before they hit it. It’s very common in amateur golfers who are just starting to learn the game or who don’t trust their swings yet.
Hip and Hand Position at Impact – Pointing at the Target
When your club makes contact with the ball, you’ll have rotated your hips enough to have them point toward the target. You don’t want to lazily uncoil your hips to an open position and stop before manually aiming them toward your intended target.
Additionally, your hands should be in a square position when you reach the impact point. Both the back of your hands and the palms should point toward your target. Your hands will be instrumental in positioning your clubhead square into the target position to get a solid impact.
Left Knee Position on Impact – Slightly Bent
At impact, you want your knees to retain a little bit of flex. The goal is to keep your knee angle intact throughout the duration of your swing. If you don’t do this, your knee can lock up. If it locks up, you’ll end up with thin shots because your hands and upper body raise right before you make an impact with the ball.
Spine Angle at Impact – Intact
You set your spine angle at address, and you want to keep this same angle throughout your backswing and downswing to the impact point. Doing this is called staying down on the ball or staying committed to the ball. If you don’t keep your spine angle consistent, you will end up rising on the downswing and changing your spine’s angle as you go toward the impact point. You want to avoid this.
Hit Up with Woods and Down with Irons
You’ll get a solid strike with your irons when your club hits the ball first and goes on to create a divot into the ground. You’ll only see this happening when your club hasn’t reached the bottom of the swing’s arc when it makes contact with the ball. When this happens, you’ll be hitting down the ball. This is the direct opposite of striking the ball after the clubhead makes it through the swing arc and starts rising again. If this happens, you can end up with thin shots.
When you use a wood, you want to aim the club in a way that allows you to strike the ball when the clubhead starts rising up from hitting the lowest point. When you do this, you’re hitting up on the ball. This is the direct opposite of hitting the ball when the clubhead is still on the way down. To hit up on the ball, you want to position yourself very carefully forward in your stance. You do this as you set up at the address.
Learn More About Your Golf Swing Impact
Do you want to learn more about your golf swing impact? Maybe you’re just starting to play, and you want to get good habits instilled straight away to give you a solid foundation. Consider taking golf lessons, or going a step further with earning a degree. Try to find a PGA instructor to make sure you get the right information to help your game.
