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Fixing the Reverse Pivot

Swing flaws can occur when a player changes his technique to get a certain result. If the player and teacher can identify what the pupil had in mind when the flaw crept in, it speeds the learning process enormously.

As a case study, let's take the reverse pivot, which occurs when players don't shift their weight fully to the right on the backswing. They leave their weight on the left side and then, on the downswing, shift their weight away from the target instead of toward the target.

It's a real distance-killer, among other things.

When players with a reverse pivot tell me they're trying to pick up more yards, they're giving me an important clue. By trying to take the club back further (which a reverse pivot can accomplish), they in fact lose distance.

I can now say: "Let's try to generate some distance this way" and get you on the right track.

Knowing the cause of a problem is basic to both teaching and learning. When you take a lesson, be prepared to explain what you were working on when your swing took that sudden turn for the worse.