Follow Through And Pose

[Yanks Fan]

This is one thing I'm uncertain about. How important is your "pose" or how you finish off your swing? My follow through after I hit the ball is pretty good, I extend out to my target, right arm is relatively straight, pointing to the target. My pose on the other hand is bad. Once my arms reach about shoulder height on my follow through, my arms jerk back down to waist level with the club. My buddy tells me that it is a bad habit to do that and it could be effecting my shots. Whenever I try to finish in a "correct" pose, I focus so hard on getting the proper finish that I hit my shot poor. Should I really work on getting a proper finish (holding my iron behind my head perpendicular to the target, driver pointing to the target behind my head, etc)? Or is it really not too important and just for show?

[retozimmermann]

This is one thing I'm uncertain about. How important is your "pose" or how you finish off your swing? My follow through after I hit the ball is pretty good, I extend out to my target, right arm is relatively straight, pointing to the target. My pose on the other hand is bad. Once my arms reach about shoulder height on my follow through, my arms jerk back down to waist level with the club. My buddy tells me that it is a bad habit to do that and it could be effecting my shots. Whenever I try to finish in a "correct" pose, I focus so hard on getting the proper finish that I hit my shot poor. Should I really work on getting a proper finish (holding my iron behind my head perpendicular to the target, driver pointing to the target behind my head, etc)? Or is it really not too important and just for show?

I would think the question is why you have your jerk-back. Apart from making a good follow through, a good and stable finishing position tells you something about your balance. Why don't you remain in the position you swung to? Do you have your jerkish motion to regain some balance you didn't have during the swing?

With very few exeptions I could remain in my finishing position indefinitely, which I'm quite glad about. If I couldn't or for some reason just didn't, I'd certainly ask myself why this is. So, while your after shot motion may not necessarily affect your shot, my guess would be that the underlying reason for it does.

[Dub]

Great question...don't know the "right" answer. I do know that many of the best shots I've hit are when I get to a balanced finish with the club coming to rest behind my neck. I suppose it's proper weight transfer, balance and tempo. Wish I did it every time!!!!!

[kc8kir]

It's good to hear you are focused on the result, and not the image. One of the first things my golf instructor told me was to stop thinking about the finish pose, and focus on the impact position. Done correctly, impact pulls you into a proper finish. An improper finish is sign of compensations made upto and into impact. That being said, the proper finish position depends a lot on your swing's intricacies. Look at Moe Norman, he didn't finish in a nice looking pose at all. Ben hogan finished amazing with long clubs, but with short irons and wedges, he kept the club in front (I suppose he figured, short swing, short finish). Both of them did one thing very well... arrive at a solid impact position.

I'll take the golf channel response here...

... and if you have any questions, go see your local PGA professional.

[Chief Broom]

I do know that many of the best shots I've hit are when I get to a balanced finish with the club coming to rest behind my neck.

Same here. If I try to make a conscience effort to maintain my position after my follow through I usually find myself having to pull back into that position. There is a kind of reverse coiling of my body and to hold that position takes effort. At the First Tee they really preach to the kids about maintaining that finished position and some of the older kids there who are good golfers do that, but you can still see them having to hold that position with force. I'm torn wondering about how efficacious this practice is in building a repeatable swing? One the one hand a good shot usually seems to result in a well balanced finish that you can maintain without effort. On the other forcing that position doesn't influence the shot you've already hit. My hunch is though that practicing maintaining that position makes it easier over time, so doing so is ultimately beneficial.

[kc8kir]

It helps young golfers learn to swing "within themselves".

A good practice for anyone, and yes, the first few times you stay in your posture / spine angle through the shot, it feels very restrained. The club however is moving much better and much more efficiently.

[Eeryck]

I understood the finish position to be the result of a complete turn and good balance and tempo.

Meaning if you coil on the backswing and uncoil through the swing, the full turn to the finish position is the natural result of staying loose through the swing and using consistant tempo.

Personally, I find the fractions of a second at impact position a very difficult and small portion of time to focus on or try and change things. I have personally experienced my biggest improvements when looking at my address and finish positions, but what do I know I am a high capper.

-E

[Ben]

This is one thing I'm uncertain about. How important is your "pose" or how you finish off your swing? My follow through after I hit the ball is pretty good, I extend out to my target, right arm is relatively straight, pointing to the target. My pose on the other hand is bad. Once my arms reach about shoulder height on my follow through, my arms jerk back down to waist level with the club. My buddy tells me that it is a bad habit to do that and it could be effecting my shots. Whenever I try to finish in a "correct" pose, I focus so hard on getting the proper finish that I hit my shot poor. Should I really work on getting a proper finish (holding my iron behind my head perpendicular to the target, driver pointing to the target behind my head, etc)? Or is it really not too important and just for show?

In teaching my students I use those exact words, "follow through and pose" a lot. But, its more for my students that don't get to that "finished" position to begin with. The students who tend to hit at the ball, or decelerate to the ball. Not the ones, like yourself, that get there, and come off it. Hell, I rarely keep my "pose" at the end of my swings, unless I've taken a perfectly balanced swing. So while, I think it is important to get to that pose, I think it is for a reason other than what your friends suggest.

[hamletsdead]

I have constant recurring back problems, and can't hold a pose for more than a second or so. When I was taking lessons, the teaching pro kept after me to hold it longer, but it really destroyed my back, so my finish is not very statue-like. Frankly, while I understand the idea behind saying that your finish should mirror your position at the top of your downswing, a ton of good -- in fact, great -- golfers have less than perfect finishes, and fairly ugly swings. It seems to me you finish and/or pose doesn't matter much at all if the ball is going where you want it to. And I don't really think the pose is what gets your ball there.

[Yanks Fan]

Thanks for the responses guys. Bunch of nice reads.

Next time I go to the range I'm going to try and work on trying to finish in a proper pose to see if it will help or not

[McGolf-Doggie]

I did go and "see my local PGA professional" as they say on TV, a number of times -- and will continue to do so as time and other considerations fit -- and the results in consistency at the range were encouraging.

As can be expected, getting to a proper finish position was one of the things he emphasised. Holding it is a challenge for this older, somewhat beat-up bod, so everything within reason/moderation.

[PEZGolf]

This is one thing I'm uncertain about. How important is your "pose" or how you finish off your swing? My follow through after I hit the ball is pretty good, I extend out to my target, right arm is relatively straight, pointing to the target. My pose on the other hand is bad. Once my arms reach about shoulder height on my follow through, my arms jerk back down to waist level with the club. My buddy tells me that it is a bad habit to do that and it could be effecting my shots. Whenever I try to finish in a "correct" pose, I focus so hard on getting the proper finish that I hit my shot poor. Should I really work on getting a proper finish (holding my iron behind my head perpendicular to the target, driver pointing to the target behind my head, etc)? Or is it really not too important and just for show?

As I understand what you wrote, you do a "pose" similar to Arnold Palmer--it is a recoil action. It is unusual, and obviously has a cause that produces it. Most good swings that are do in a smooth rhythm, good balance, and proper acceleration through the ball result in a good follow through and then a "pose" that is well-balanced with the shaft of the club hitting the back of your head. Good examples of this would be Freddie Couples, Fred Funk, Stuart Appleby, etc. A good follow through and pose are consequences of the swing itself. They should not be "manufactured". The most important question is this: what is your handicap and do you hit good shots? If you have a low handicap and hit the ball well, do not change anything. Otherwise, figure out why you have the pose you describe. And do not be afraid to ask your local PGA pro.

[Yanks Fan]

As I understand what you wrote, you do a "pose" similar to Arnold Palmer--it is a recoil action. It is unusual, and obviously has a cause that produces it. Most good swings that are do in a smooth rhythm, good balance, and proper acceleration through the ball result in a good follow through and then a "pose" that is well-balanced with the shaft of the club hitting the back of your head. Good examples of this would be Freddie Couples, Fred Funk, Stuart Appleby, etc.

I'm just around a 15 handicap but have only been playing for a year so I'm kinda happy with my progress thus far. I've been debating taking some lessons so I might seriously look into that now.

[Mr Eagle]

After hiting the ball the last thing I want to do is follow through,especially if Ive been for a few beers and a curry the night before

[Chas]

Most of the best golfers have a pose at the end that shows they have maintained their spine angle throughout the stroke, which is why they are "leaning" their upper body to the right somewhat (right-hander) at the end. The shaft should end up in the desired location around your neck if you make a good release with a nicely extended right arm and let the club naturally complete its on-plane swing (just don't look to me to demonstrate this ....).

Of course it helps a tad to stay in balance throughout the process ...

Just wish I could do all of this on a regular basis myself.
*sigh *

[PEZGolf]

I'm just around a 15 handicap but have only been playing for a year so I'm kinda happy with my progress thus far. I've been debating taking some lessons so I might seriously look into that now.
Trust me---you will find the lessons very helpful and worth the money, time, and effort. Ask your friends about a good pro to use. Some are better teachers than others.

[Pat007]

After I broke my ankle playing softball in June, I can't hold a pose. I kinda finish and walk, looking a bit like Gary Player. Oh well, at least I'm out of the cast!

[kc8kir]

There is actually much debate over "the proper pose" at the end of the swing. According to Harvey Penick, you should finish with the elbows out in front. Some instructors say you should finish like the pga logo. In the 70s, many golfers finished with hands high in a reverse C position (my father still does this, with the club vertical down his back at the end of the swing - I can't get myself in that position at all). Others want the club wrapped so far around your head it points back down the target line. It's very individual. Many ways to swing the golf club.

And btw, many good golfers have recoiled after the followthrough. Moe Norman, Ben Hogan, and lately, Padraig Harrington come to mind. It shows a total release of the momentum of the club.

I personally find it difficult to maintain a club wrapped around my head pose at the end of the swing. I let the club rebound so I fully release the club and don't overcontrol my downswing trying to get into a "pretty picture position".