Drills

Woman's Top 50 Teaching Pro, Debbie Doniger, Keeps Your Swing Tight During the Winter Months

By: Debbie Doniger with Naimah Jabali-Nash
Photos: Ryan Kobane

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So, summer has come and gone. But that doesn’t mean your swing has to. For those not lucky enough to bask in the sun’s glow year-round or book a flight, the second a multi-colored leaf flutters to the ground—we hibernate. We shove our clubs away and look gloomily out the window until spring returns. And when it does the one thing that has increased besides your waistline (damn those holiday deserts!) is your handicap. Each season is déjà vu: your swing is sluggish, you’ve caught a case of the “dead hands” and wonder why you marked down the days awaiting this game of torture. This issue The Green Magazine has teamed up with leading teaching professional, Debbie Doniger, to keep your swing in shape during the off-season and one stroke ahead of the competition.

Split Grip:
• Grip your 7 iron normally. Then take your right hand and slide it down the shaft so there is 2-3 inches of space between each hand.
• Swing your arms half way back. You will notice your right arm stays above the left and there is extension in each arm. Make sure you turn your torso with your arms half way back.
• Then swing half way through. Your right arm should roll over the left, your arms are extended and your weight has shifted to the left leg.  
• This is a great drill to feel your arms and hands work properly mid-swing and is perfect body motion when space is limited. Your arms and body should slowly feel in sync.