Rick Smith Golf Academy

Whether you are just learning the game of golf or trying to lower your handicap, the Rick Smith Golf Academy at Tiburón has instructional programs specifically designed to improve your skills. Here’s a tip from the pro himself that can help you improve the impact position of your golf swing.

Everything we do before striking the ball, from focusing on our target line, to setting the clubface perpendicular to it, is for the sole purpose of promoting square, solid clubface-to-ball contact at our optimum attainable swing speed. That is why impact is the golf swing’s most critical position. 

If you were to study the impact positions of one hundred good ball strikers [such as Trevor Gliwski (shown left)], they would all share the following common traits: body weight predominantly on the forward leg, right heel slightly elevated, both arms extended (with elbows close together and pointing downward, toward each hip), the back of the left hand straight and in line with the left forearm, both hands slightly in front of, or even with, the clubhead. The hips are open to approximately 30 degrees, and the shoulders are square or just slightly open. 

At the precise moment of impact, the clubhead is traveling along the target line, not going left or right. The clubhead is also moving at optimum attainable speed; it has approached the ball from the proper angle of descent, not too steep or shallow; and the clubface is square to the target, not open or closed. The ball is being struck in the center of the clubface.

From recreational golfer to PGA tour champion, Rick Smith is recognized as one of the top golf instructors in the country. The Rick Smith Golf Academy offers customized programs for all golfers, from beginners to the PGA Tour's elite. Lee Janzen, Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, Rocco Mediate and Raymond Floyd have all utilized Rick Smith's proven instructional methods. Rick and his staff achieve success through solid fundamentals, clear communication and state-of-the-art swing analysis video technology.

For more information contact the Rick Smith Golf Academy at Tiburón in Naples, call (941) 593-1111, or toll free (877) 464-6531. Visit our website at: www.wcigolf.com/ricksmithacademy.