Home › Golf › Golf Tips
From the pro: Upper body is one key to stay inside the ball
Everything golf

Learn everything about local course, players and perfecting your swing at our special golf page.
Enter now »
Many of you have heard a television golf analyst make a statement after some tour professional has hit a good shot that he/she really "stayed inside the ball."
What does that mean?
Staying inside the ball on the downswing means your upper body was facing the ball at impact with your left hip (right hip for left-handers) turned out of the way.
To feel this position, address the ball with your hands even with the ball. Turn your hip and waist toward the target without turning your shoulders.
Your trailing knee should also be moving toward the target.
The clubface should be square to your target line at impact and will be in that square position for only a millisecond during the through swing.
Another drill that will help you feel this position is to swing the club through the impact position and keep your trailing shoulder between you and the ball.
Don't let your trailing shoulder move out toward the ball on your downswing.
— Lee Martin is the director of instruction at River Ridge Golf Course. He can be reached at 983-4653.



(Requires free registration.)
Article discussions on this site are to support community debates of issues related to our stories and editorials.
Discussions should not stray from the subject of the story or editorial.
We do not allow the following:
We reserve the right to delete threads and/or ban users for these or other reasons we deem necessary.
Opinions are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.