Complete Your Swing Plan with Wall-Backed Binswing Practice "Increases Consistency"
[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] "The empty swing is a panacea."
This time, it's about Choi Woon-jung's (30) 'home training secret.' She is a player who achieved her first victory on the U.S. Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour in July 2015 at the Marathon Classic after an extended playoff against Jang Ha-na (28). She is especially famous by the nickname 'Orange Girl' for her fondness of the orange golf balls from her agency Volvik. Since the tour was suspended due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), she has been focusing on 'solo training' at her home in Orlando, Florida.
Choi Woon-jung focused on the 'empty swing.' This is to firmly establish her swing plan. It is worth noting that she ranks 3rd in the LPGA Tour this season for iron shot green hit rate (81.90%). For amateur golfers, she advised, "To increase consistency, the overall balance of the body must be good." Amateur golfers also often have a simple empty swing. The problem is that when entering actual play, greed kicks in and the rhythm breaks.
This is why Choi Woon-jung recommends practicing the empty swing while leaning against a wall. If both feet are close to the wall at address, it is difficult to proceed from the takeaway, whereas if too far, the right hip rotated at the top of the backswing does not touch the wall. You can immediately tell whether the topswing rises steeply and upright or excessively falls back into a flat form. The wall prevents errors.
The correct form is for the right hip to brush against the wall at the top of the backswing. If the hip rotates away from the wall, the upper body twist is minimal, so energy cannot be accumulated, and the shaft at the top does not align parallel to the target. 'Across the line' is the concept, and the opposite is 'laid off.' By consistently repeating this practice, the body naturally remembers the motion and can prevent overswing.
When practicing indoors, securing space is the first priority. Instead of holding the grip, hold the head of the club upside down, or wrap several sheets of newspaper diagonally and swing to prevent safety accidents. Choi Woon-jung emphasized, "Golf swings must be carried out smoothly like flowing water above all else," adding, "The empty swing is a method to complete an ideal swing plan by checking whether each motion works properly at each position."
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