Payne Stewart was one of the best scorers of his generation.
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Welcome to Play smarta regular game improvement column on GOLF.com that will help you become a smarter and better golfer.
Payne Stewart he was one of the best strikers of his generation. That’s obvious when you look at his resume, which includes 11 PGA Tour wins and three major titles.
If it weren’t for the tragic plane crash that killed Stewart in 1999, these numbers would certainly be higher. But while Stewart may no longer be us, we can still learn from his solid swing.
In the video below, shot during Stewart’s heyday, the three-time major winner talked about a common error he saw in many golfers’ swings and shared a great way to fix it. Check it out and you might just up your game.
Stewart’s ball striking tip
Improper weight transfer during the backswing is a swing defect that many recreational players struggle with. They either don’t shift their weight at all, or when trying to make a big turn, they “reverse spin” and stay in a bad position at the top of the backswing.
“Proper weight transfer is shifting the weight from the right side to the left,” Stewart said.
Only this week it included a great experience for getting into the right position at the top of the backswing. In the video above, Stewart shows us how to easily unload the weight during the downswing.
Once you reach the top of your swing, you need to transfer your weight (and energy) to the ball to hit a solid shot. A great way to learn this is to exaggerate the feeling.
When you take a few swings on the range, step your foot toward the target after impact. You will feel awkward at first and may not have good contact with the ball, but once you do it will be impossible to keep your weight on the back side.
If you have difficulty shifting your weight during the downswing, try this exercise.
