stay on top of your game
even when YOU don’t HAVE TIME to play
3
by annika sorenstam
golf digest playing editor with stina sternberg
I
n the 16 months since I stepped away from competitive golf, I’ve gotten married, had a baby and become more involved in business. Needless to say, I
don’t have much time to play golf these days—I’m lucky to get in 18 holes a
month. So to keep my game sharp between diaper changes and board meetings, I’ve devised a practice plan that works as well in my back yard or living room as it does on the golf course, and it requires only a few minutes
of my time every day. Here are three of the drills from my practice sessions.
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G O L F D I G E S T. C O M
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M AY 2 0 1 0
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t
rotat i o n d r i l l
feel a good turn
and stay balanced
T
wo things that tend to
deteriorate when you
don’t play much are body
rotation and balance—you slip
into making weak, arms-only
swings. To prevent this, I take
practice swings with my feet
together, and I try to make a full
motion going back and swinging through without losing my
balance. In the backswing, I turn
my left shoulder under my chin
while shifting my weight to my
right leg. Then I do the opposite
on the downswing and followthrough, keeping my body
perfectly centered.
1
2
3
4
q
BAC KSW ING d r i l l
four steps to a solid
position at the top
I
constantly check my swing
positions in a mirror. When
I’m off at the top of the backswing, here’s what I do:
(1) I start by taking my normal iron stance. (2) Then I lift
the club and rest it on my right
shoulder. (3) I turn back just like
I would on a regular swing but
keep the shaft on my shoulder.
(4) From there, I extend my
arms from my body while staying in my posture. This is where
my hands and club should be
at the top of my swing. I do this
drill over and over until that position is second nature again.
n
y
y
t
all secondary Credits • will go here • as shown
PITCHING d r i l l
check your plane
TO Wedge it close
M
aintaining a steep swing
plane is important for
hitting high-flying, quickstopping pitches. But when
you’re not playing a lot, you get
lazy and let the club go back too
far inside. To stay on the correct
plane, I set up with my back
facing a wall (my feet are a foot
from the wall) and make pitch
swings without the club touching the wall on the backswing or
follow-through. ♣
P HOTOGR A P HS B Y
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STEPHEN SZURLEJ