Alignment, Rotation and Hitting the Sweet Spot

Monday Morning Match is a quick post – maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea – intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.

In anticipation of the coming golf season, my daughter Riley has been having regular sessions with her swing coach. The winter weather prohibits them from being outside on the golf range, so they have been restricted to indoor hitting cages and controlled conditions. As challenging as it is to be in an artificial environment, one things is certain; all the focus and attention goes to the set up and mechanics of the swing.

It Starts with the Proper Set Up

Alignment of a golfer’s feet, hips, hands, arms and shoulders are critical to give the player the best chance to starting the golf swing correctly. A major concept of a good golf swing is for the player to return her club to the exact position as it was before the swing began, except now the club and body are in full motion and the ball will be propelled upward and towards the target. The slightest degree to which a golfer is out of alignment could cause poor contact with the ball and an unfortunate outcome for the shot. Hello bunkers, water hazards or out-of-bounds, all of which will add unwanted strokes to the golfer’s score.

“It goes without saying that it is no good having a perfect setup, perfect grip and perfect golf swing if the whole thing is misaligned. It sounds obvious but many players simply do not spend enough time getting themselves on target.” – Nick Faldo

Proper bend and rotation of the body are also integral aspects of proper execution of a golf shot. Players must learn to set up comfortably over the ball, with adequate bending of the knees and hips (towards the ball), while at the same time leaning the torso from front to back (away from the target). An ideal swing allows the arms to swing freely while the lower body and upper body work as both a fulcrum and resistance at the same time. A proper balance of bend, swing and tempo will allow the club to strike the ball in the “sweet spot” and deliver a precise hit while even the slightest of clumsy moves or a poorly timed position change could result in a poor shot.

The golfer who can groove his or her swing through consistent repetition and practice will be able to execute the best shots when it counts.

How’s Your Alignment and Rotation?

Each day, do you have a good sense of what you’re aiming for? As you set up each day, can you see your long terms goals, broken down into smaller, short-term goals and even into monthly, weekly or daily activities? Is what you’re working on now the best use of your time,energy and money?

True alignment means that not only will your hands and feet allow you to do the job but your head and heart will remind you of why you are doing what your do? The “player” who has their hands and feet AND head and heart aligned will be the winner more often than not.

Does your marketing message rotate through various channels (personal relationships, social media, direct mail, word of mouth) so people in all areas of your life and business are reminded of who you are and what you do?

How have you been making sure that you move from activity to activity, task to task and relationships to relationship with the proper emotion and energy so the people you serve will see value in what you’re doing and want to tell others about it?

Remember, all it takes is the slightest stutter or loss of focus to put yourself in a tough situation to recover for your next shot. Take a deep breath and make sure your aim is true. Once you’re locked in, your foundation is stable and you can envision the results, start that swing and get ready to hit the sweet spot.