Coming up Short on your Drives?

If so, maybe you need to change your Swing. It takes some work, but it often pays dividends. One swing approach you may be thinking about is the Stack and Tilt Golf Swing. Al the rage several years ago, tour pros, like Aaron Badderly, Will MacKenzie, and Charlie Wi, adopted the swing approach and played great golf using it.

But if you’re looking to increase power, the Stack and Tilt golf swing may not be the best choice. It requires you to make several subtle but critical changes to a normal golf swing that can short-circuit power for some golfers. Also, these changes aren’t intuitive. So, mastering this golf swing takes time and practice. You may not have that kind of time.

A Better Golf Swing Approach

A better approach to boosting power for weekend golfers is the Load and Lean golf swing taught by Mac O’Grady, a former Tour player and a current golf teaching pro. Recognized as one of the world’s top instructors, he teaches at his Mac O’Grady Golf Schools and lives in Palm Springs, California. He is also a scratch golfer who can play golf both right-handed and left-handed.  

The Load and Lean is a simpler, more intuitive golf swing than the Stack and Tilt, making it easier to learn and master. It also easier ingraining the mechanics of this swing approach than the Stack and Tilt golf swing’s—many of which trace back to the Load and Lean approach anyhow. In fact, some experts estimate that Stack and Tilt incorporates about 60 percent of Load and Lean’s principles in its methodology.

Shift in Center of Gravity is Key

One big difference between the two golf swing approaches is the placement of the center of gravity (COG) in the swing. With Stack and Tilt, your center of gravity is ahead of the ball. With Load and Lean, your center of gravity is behind the ball, where many experts think it should be at address. Having your COG behind the ball allows for a massive increase centrifugal force in lag, increasing power.  

Maintaining your COG behind the ball also generates the correct angle of descent for you the club. That, in turn, causes all of the stored energy in your swing to release without you having to resort to a secondary spine tilt. If your COG doesn’t move properly, your arms and hands must play catch up to square at impact. Making an adjustment like that can cause mishits, costing you strokes.

The Load and Lean golf swing eliminates the need for making adjustments. Below are some keys to the Load and Lean setup:

• Bow your feet out at address — Bowing out your feet has several advantages, including setting your kneecaps, thighs, and hips in a ready and active position.  This position supports proper loading of power and distributes weight evenly across both feet, which is also crucial for proper loading.  

• Place your front foot forward — Load and Leans calls for you to set your front foot slightly forward, with the big toe of the back foot in line with the ball of the front foot. The knees, hips, and shoulders, however, are square to the baseline. Like the key above, this setup position is crucial for proper loading and generating more power.

• Relax your upper back— The Stack and Tilt approach asks you to keep a straight upper back position at address. Load and Lean calls for a somewhat relaxed, slightly bowed upper back. This position allows your shoulders to fall forward, an absolute must for your pelvis and spine to release properly through impact.

• Keep your head slightly down and relaxed — Stack and Tilt asks you to keep your head up and somewhat rigid. Load and Lean suggests the opposite. The change allows your front shoulder to drop down and rotate correctly in your takeaway. It also allows the front shoulder to release properly through impact and beyond, which is critical to solid hits.

• Turn and thrust pelvis forward — You can do this by pushing with your legs and feet. This move makes your lower body more of a factor in your swing. More importantly, it helps you create a chipping-like effect with your arms that dramatically increases power and distance.  

Put simply, the Load and Lean address position sets you up in a good position to drive the ball forward while releasing all the stored energy in your swing—the key to hitting longer straighter shots.

The Hammer Golf Drill

A good way to learn the feel of the Load and Lean golf swing is to take your address position with a hammer instead of a club. Now take the hammer back and swing it as if you were going to strike a nail. As you do, you’ll naturally move into the right position for striking the ball. Also on the way down, you’ll feel yourself move down and forward, which is how you want to feel.

Using a sledge hammer instead of an ordinary hammer in this drill forces you to stay balanced and centered as you move into the striking position. That’s critical for delivering awesome power at impact.  So, if you’re looking to generate more power from your golf swing by adopting the Stack and Tilt principles, think again. The Load and Lean golf swing maybe a better option.

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