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3 elements of Kim Kaufman’s technique that any golfer can do. By Todd Kolb

South Dakota’s own Kim Kaufman is one of golf’s brightest up-and-coming stars. She is currently in her fourth year on the LPGA tour, she has earned more than one million dollars since turning professional, and having been part of her golf journey for twenty years, I can say her success does not come as a surprise. Her talent and dedication have been evident since her teenage years, when along with her sister Ashley, she led Clark High School to six consecutive state team championships. She herself won four state individual high school championships, and she was a two-time All-American at Texas Tech University. Kim’s impressive record reflects natural talent and athleticism, but more importantly, her accomplishments reflect discipline and attention to detail. While not everyone can be Kim Kaufman, everyone can take a cue from her highly precise technique and see guaranteed improvements in their game. From setup to backswing to finish, here are three things Kim does that any golfer at any level can do, too.

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The first detail Kim has mastered is in her setup. She positions her lead hip over her lead foot, and as a result, her trail hip is just inside her trail foot. This ideal positioning allows her to push off the lead feet and into the trail hip on the backstroke. In golf, this is what we call “unweighting,” and that rhythmic pressure shift is crucial to a nice, powerful shot. Additionally, Kim positions her club so her hands are just slightly in front of the ball. This enables her to get the ball in the right position and allows for a nice clean takeaway.

 

The second important detail is the centered turn. As Kim goes into the backswing, pressure shifts from her lead foot to her trail foot, but her upper body does not shift with it. Rather, the upper body rotates around the golf ball. In this way, she maintains her centered position, which then allows her to control the bottom of the swing, or what we call “low point,” a key to hitting consistent iron shots.

 

Finally, Kim consistently concludes each shot with a beautiful balanced finish. She does this by moving all the pressure back on her lead foot, completing the rhythm of that left-right-left (lead-trail-lead) pressure shift in the feet. This enables her to finish in a strong, balanced position and ensures a clean, controlled swing.

 

If you ever have the opportunity to watch Kim in action, note the way she maintains this precise form on every single swing. These small details may seem fussy or insignificant to a beginner looking for big results, but I can assure you — Kim’s willingness to sweat the small stuff is a big part of what makes her a champion. A solid golf game is about much more than strength, speed, and aim. It’s about recognizing the ways in which the body, club, and ball all function together as an intricate machine. Power means nothing without precision, but precision can increase your power.

 

Kim Kaufman understands this. And when you perfect her techniques, you will understand it, too.

 

PGA Teaching Professional Todd Kolb is recognized as one of the top instructors in the upper Midwest. He is one of a handful of instructors who have been certified by the PGA of America in golf instruction.

 

Learn more at: toddkolbgolf.com Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

 

Follow Kim Kaufman on Twitter.

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