How do I make solid contact with the ball?

Making Solid Contact with the Lever Swing

As Lane "The Lever," I guide golfers toward effortless, rhythmic ball striking where power flows from precise timing and a sweeping arm release. Solid contact—the sweet spot connection that sends the ball compressing off the clubface—comes not from forceful mechanics but from feel, tempo, and a natural extension through impact. In the lever swing, your arms and wrists generate speed while your body provides a stable pivot, allowing the clubhead to brush the grass freely and release fully.

Essential Setup for Pure Contact

Begin with a foundation that promotes arm extension and stability. A proper grip is essential—firm yet relaxed in your fingers, ensuring control without tension that disrupts rhythm.

• Ball Position: Place the ball slightly forward of center in your stance. This allows your arms to fully extend through impact, promoting a sweeping path that brushes the turf rather than digging.
• Stance and Posture: Feet shoulder-width apart for balance, but experiment with feet together to develop the pure feel of an arm-dominated swing. Maintain your spine angle through impact for stability—your pivot stays steady as arms sweep forward.
• Alignment: Aim the clubface squarely at the target, with your body aligned parallel to the target line for a connected swing where all parts work cohesively.

Swing Sequence for Effortless Release

The lever swing builds a long, sweeping backswing for maximum arc, then unleashes through timing. Focus on sensation over positions: feel the club falling into the slot on transition without rushing, then release fully.

1. Backswing: Take a long, smooth arc with arms and wrists loading naturally. Visualize coiling into rhythm, not forcing rotation.
2. Transition: Let the club drop halfway into the slot—pause if needed to groove the feel—then sweep forward with tempo.
3. Impact: Straighten your right arm (for right-handers) aggressively through the ball for full extension. Release the clubhead fully, as if throwing it at the ball. Let hands and forearms rotate naturally, allowing face closure without manipulation. Brush the grass post-impact for that pure, compressing strike on the sweet spot.
4. Follow-Through: Finish with arms extended high and weight balanced on your front foot, embodying the swing's artistic flow.

Proven Drills to Groove Solid Contact

Practice builds the internal timing for consistency. These feel-based drills emphasize rhythm over repetition.

• Pump Drill: Swing to the top, pause, let arms drop halfway, then release through impact. Repeat slowly to ingrain sequencing and extension.
• Feet-Together Drill: Hit half-speed shots with feet close together. This isolates arm feel, eliminating lower-body interference for centered contact.
• Brush-the-Grass Drill: Focus on sweeping the clubhead along the turf through impact, feeling the release without early lifting or digging.

Common Misses and Lever Fixes: Toe strikes? Stand closer to the ball for better extension. Heel contact or fat shots? Check forward ball position and spine stability. Timing-dependent pushes or pulls resolve with pump drill tempo work—patience refines the release.

Key Takeaways for Lifelong Solid Striking

Solid contact in the lever swing is artistry in motion: a smooth, timed release where arms extend, the clubface meets the sweet spot, and power emerges effortlessly. Prioritize feel—rhythmic backswing, natural drop, aggressive extension—and practice patiently. Master these elements, and your strikes will sing with compression and distance, turning every swing into a beautiful, flowing expression of golf's tempo.