Power in the golf swing comes from your ability to use the ground. Harness ground reaction forces and get those forces out to the club, and you have a recipe for hitting bombs. Sounds simple enough, right? The problem is, if you’re like most amateur golfers, the ability to capture and use these mysterious forces is downright mystical.’
Fortunately, there’s a golf training aid or two (or a thousand) on the market built to help you capture that feeling and burn it into your golf swing. As with all things golf training aids, some are more effective than others, and some are simply a variation on the same mouse trap the first guy built. It can be a lot to sort through. That’s why we’ve identified three of the top golf training aids that will help you learn how to apply ground reaction forces in your golf swing.
The Downshift Board
One of the cardinal rules of using the ground in the golf swing is that pressure should precede motion. Of any golf training aid on the market, the Downshift Board is the king of identifying when and how much you shift pressures in your golf swing. More importantly, it’s an invaluable tool for helping you improve your pressure shifts.
Imagine a large skateboard. Now, remove the wheels, and glue on a dowel rod down the middle on the underside of the board, between where a golfer’s feet would go. Tada, you have a Downshift Board. Using the board teaches you to start the swing from the ground up and in the proper sequence, the key to attaining that effortless power you’re longing for.
You know you’ve got a good golf training aid when the knockoffs and eerily similar products start to emerge. If imitation is a form of flattery, the Downshift Board should be pretty flattered. You won’t have to look for long to find other golf companies offering their version, perhaps with a tweak or “improvement” here or there. The real OG is the Downshift Board however, and you’ll find it to be competitively priced compared to these other boards.
The Leadbetter Step Toe
Brought to you by the legendary David Leadbetter, Step Toe is placed under a golfer’s foot and provides an audible click when pressure is applied correctly. To trigger that click, the golfer will feel pressure down through the lead foot starting with the big toe, generating a sensation of stepping into the shot like a batter at the plate in baseball. The result is a swing that uses the ground to initiate the downswing, as the pros do. Amateurs who can successfully learn this move will realize significant increases in power generation and consistency.
Force Pedals
Buy a package of Force Pedals and you’ll get two rubbery discs, a softer orange one and a firmer yellow-green one. Placed under your feet at the toe or heel, depending on the drill or your particular goals or needs, the discs challenge your stability and balance and force you to use the ground effectively to deliver the club to the ball. The Force Pedals enhance the feedback and feels of pushing into the ground and generating those coveted ground reaction forces. They are also available in a mini version with applications for short game training.
Bonus Forces
If learning to use the ground is really your thing, and you’re after every tactic available to do it, do yourself a favor and get a pair of SQAIRZ golf shoes. Among many features, SQAIRZ employs a wider and more squared-off toe box that allows your toes to splay and operate in a more biomechanically efficient manner.
Put another way, a pair of SQAIRZ shoes will let you grip the ground better than other more conventional golf shoes. The end result: more clubhead speed and more yards. Get to the SQAIRZ site and check out the independent studies verifying their claims.
If using the ground in your golf swing is a mystifying concept to you, it’s time to call in some help. The Downshift Board, the Step Toe, and Force Pedals are three of the top golf training aids available for helping you tap into the ground reaction forces that can help you realize serious gains in clubhead speed and distance. They’re a sound investment if hitting bombs is your goal this coming season.