This week’s video tip comes to you from a long drive champ and a former long drive world record holder Brad Peterson.

How you take the golf club to the top of your backswing has a huge effect on your swing path and the power of your golf shots. That’s why this week’s video is so important.

Let’s start off with the basics. Each person will have a unique backswing that should feel comfortable, but all good golf backswings should have a few things in common.

First they should all rely primarily on the twisting motion of the torso to get the club back. This twisting of the torso stores power.

Second, you should always load your wrists in the backswing. Loading the wrists means that the club shaft is at about a 90 angle to your hands at the top of the swing. This loading action stores power to be released through impact.

Third, a great golf backswing should set you up to have a proper swing path for the downswing. This last point is the main focus of this video. A proper swing path creates consistency and accuracy. If you get the other two right you may be storing a lot of power, but when your swing path is off you won’t be able to translate that power into long straight golf shots.

To get your swing path off to a good start you need to pay attention to where your hands and club are at the top of your backswing.

As Brad explains in the video, when your hands are too far back your golf club swing path will be too flat. You’ll have trouble getting solid contact with the ball and your shots won’t be straight.

If your hands are too far forward (toward your head) you’ll also have trouble hitting consistent golf shots because your swing path will be too steep. This usually results in popped up shots, you know, the ones that leave a nasty mark on the top of your driver.

Learning these principles is easy, it’s feeling them and knowing where the happy medium is that’s the tough part. As Brad demonstrates in the video that happy medium is usually when your hands and the golf club are over the space between your head and your right shoulder.

A great way to visually check this in your own swing is to get in front of a full length mirror and go through the motions. Just remember to keep an eye on the ceiling fan.

Remember making a solid connection at impact is a lot easier when you start your downswing from the right spot.

To get your hands on Brad’s A-Z golf instructional program check out his 7 Steps to Smokin’ Hot Club Head Speed DVD Package.