By Denis Pugh
Golf International Teaching Professional
Golfers have heard all about the importance of getting their weight across and on to the right side in the backswing, which is perfectly correct with a driver (as per the
previous article). But with the irons – and particularly the mid- to short irons – the danger is that in moving too far 'off' the ball you risk losing the accuracy of your delivery coming back down.
Remember, you have to get back to the left side to strike the irons properly, which involves making sure that your body weight is centred more on top of the left foot as you hit the ball.
With a driver, if you can first get behind it and then stay behind it, you will enjoy flighting your tee-shots with a good powerful trajectory. With the irons, if you get behind the ball and stay there, you are likely to hit it fat. To counter that, my advice is that you work on this feeling of being more on your left side throughout – i.e. staying more 'on top of the ball'.
The big feeling you should go after is that of turning your upper body away from the target without consciously shifting your weight across on to your right side – i.e. turn more about the axis of your left hip.
Be aware that when you work on this you are going to feel more weight on your left side during the backswing than you have done before – even though your left heel may still come up off the ground a tad, as mine has (inset). That's perfectly OK, provided the left knee retains its 'braced' position and that your weight is then fully on top of your left foot as you proceed to unwind through the ball.
