impact bag golf training aid

Q: I was a guest at a country club, and at the driving range the pro had several training aids available for the members' use, including a bag called an "impact bag." A student was beating on the bag with a club, but I couldn't figure out what he was doing besides making a lot of noise. Could you please give me an insight? -- T.R., from the Web

A: The impact bag is supposed to give you the feel of the proper impact alignments. Clubs are designed to be forward- leaning at impact, with the grip end of the shaft leading the club head. However, when most golfers hit the ball they deliver the club head to the ball well ahead of the grip by flipping their wrists so the handle moves in the opposite direction from where it should -- away from the target. The result is loss of power and off-line golf shots. Here is how you should proceed if you want to use the bag correctly:

First, set up a ball at the base of the impact bag, address it and then pose your impact position, making sure the shaft is in contact with the top edge of the bag. This puts the shaft in the proper forward-leaning position. This exercise alone is often useful in giving the golfer a new impact feel even though the handle is only about an inch ahead of the club head.

Next, remove the ball and very slowly take the club to the top. Then swing back to the impact bag, making sure the club head lags behind the club handle. Now increase the speed of your swing to half-power, concentrating on producing a slight club-head lag. When you do it correctly, you'll be surprised how loud the sound is for such a slow swing speed. This audible cue is a valuable feature of the bag because it teaches you that force comes from technique, not brute strength.

A note of caution: Make sure that you don't increase the force too much because if you swing hard you can hurt your shoulder and/or bend your club. The idea is not to send the bag flying, but rather to get the feel of club-head lag.

impact bag golf training aid