Get to the left side earlier

[Carolina Golfer]

I am reading a lot of posts and videos that are mentioning get to the left side early (rightie golfer) or another way of saying it is starting your downswing, before the backswing is completed. I find this hard to do. But, understand this is the same concept as throwing a ball. I once played with a scratch golfer and he had a hard time explaining why he was so good. He said, the golf swing is a throwing action. I took this as throwing the clubhead. Some use this as a drill. Throw a club in a field. That didn't work for me. Maybe, he meant it is the same throwing action, your body does? Like stepping forward, while the arm (like a football throw) is going back?

 

[bodog]

There is a lot of over-complication of the golf swing, especially for many beginners and high cappers just looking to get a bit better. I played baseball as a kid and there are some similarities in the body motion when hitting and throwing a baseball. I didn't play hockey, but hockey players tend to be good players, possibly due to lower body movements that are maybe similar when hitting a slap shot?

When you're a kid, you just pick up a stick and swing it at something. For instance: swinging a stick and clipping off dandelions or whatever. Didn't think about it, just did it by instinct.

I find myself trying to de-clutter my mind in the same way with the golf swing now. And yes, if you just close your eyes and swing a club or a stick through the air and feel what your body does naturally, you will probably feel what your lead hip SHOULD be doing.

 

[blugold]

I have this move in my swing, but it's not a conscious choice. Whenever I tried to do that move, it never worked. Just sequence the swing correctly and it will happen. Of course, it's not the secret to being good either.

 

[Carolina Golfer]

There is a lot of over-complication of the golf swing, especially for many beginners and high cappers just looking to get a bit better. I played baseball as a kid and there are some similarities in the body motion when hitting and throwing a baseball. I didn't play hockey, but hockey players tend to be good players, possibly due to lower body movements that are maybe similar when hitting a slap shot?

When you're a kid, you just pick up a stick and swing it at something. For instance: swinging a stick and clipping off dandelions or whatever. Didn't think about it, just did it by instinct.

I find myself trying to de-clutter my mind in the same way with the golf swing now. And yes, if you just close your eyes and swing a club or a stick through the air and feel what your body does naturally, you will probably feel what your lead hip SHOULD be doing.

Sounds like a lot of stuff that Shawn Clements preaches. More intent based concepts/drills to let the body to do it's thing.

 

[bodog]

Sounds like a lot of stuff that Shawn Clements preaches. More intent based concepts/drills to let the body to do it's thing.

I'm not familiar with Mr. Clements, but after a frustrating fall season of golf in 2021, I decided I needed to stop trying to manipulate the ball. So, I spent this winter just swinging the club and hitting into my net in my garage with no simulators or equipment to let me know the results, just trying to go by feel. Once again I can easily feel if I pull it push it or slice it.

What I have found by trying to be more natural with my swing is that there is less stress and pain on my 64 year old body and my scores and ball striking have become quite good again.

 

[rocullen]

There is a lot of over-complication of the golf swing, especially for many beginners and high cappers just looking to get a bit better. I played baseball as a kid and there are some similarities in the body motion when hitting and throwing a baseball. I didn't play hockey, but hockey players tend to be good players, possibly due to lower body movements that are maybe similar when hitting a slap shot?

When you're a kid, you just pick up a stick and swing it at something. For instance: swinging a stick and clipping off dandelions or whatever. Didn't think about it, just did it by instinct.

I find myself trying to de-clutter my mind in the same way with the golf swing now. And yes, if you just close your eyes and swing a club or a stick through the air and feel what your body does naturally, you will probably feel what your lead hip SHOULD be doing.

Here, here!

If you will just eliminate the golf ball for a moment and take a natural swing, you will feel what you should be doing.
You stick a golf ball down in front of you and 2-4 hundred years of do's and don'ts flood the system.

I really, really hate to give credence to "the hands drive the steering wheel'" fan, but with the free natural swing you and your body WILL be following the hands.
If you could just marry the two, the natural swing with hitting the golf ball, you'd be way ahead in the game.

It kinda comes down to marrying the natural swing, very little required mechanics, proper kinematics(which likely happens during a natural swing) and just letting the ball get in the way in the swing path.

If your "aim" at the ball, all kinds of bad things can/will creep into the swing because it becomes a "golf swing".

 

[Carolina Golfer]

Here, here!

If you will just eliminate the golf ball for a moment and take a natural swing, you will feel what you should be doing.
You stick a golf ball down in front of you and 2-4 hundred years of do's and don'ts flood the system.

I really, really hate to give credence to "the hands drive the steering wheel'" fan, but with the free natural swing you and your body WILL be following the hands.
If you could just marry the two, the natural swing with hitting the golf ball, you'd be way ahead in the game.

It kinda comes down to marrying the natural swing, very little required mechanics, proper kinematics(which likely happens during a natural swing) and just letting the ball get in the way in the swing path.

If your "aim" at the ball, all kinds of bad things can/will creep into the swing because it becomes a "golf swing".

I agree with you in chipping and pitching. It is very feel oriented. But, believe the downswing must start with the lower body - but, acknowledge this is hard to do "naturally".

 

[jvbart]

My biggest swing flaw by far is leaving my weight back on my right foot. I try really hard to focus on shifting and rotating through which is the key to success for me.

 

[rocullen]

I agree with you in chipping and pitching. It is very feel oriented. But, believe the downswing must start with the lower body - but, acknowledge this is hard to do "naturally".

well, if you do a "natural" swing, the body will automatically start the swing. I am not saying the hands start the swing, just that if you naturally, without the golf ball go to make a swing, your body will initiate the swing. It's just when you throw a golf ball down there, it seems a wrench is thrown into the spokes.

 

[aloha_from_bradley]

Most pros have returned their weight back to both feet while the club is still setting at the top of the back swing. Hard move to master.

 

[annsguy]

Try a step drill to ingrain the move
Keep feet together and take a full backswing. While still in backswing take a step with the lead foot. Be sure to stay in posture.
Lower body will lead the downswing. Do it slowly and build up speed.
I am not very good but this has helped me.

 

[McLovin]

Try a step drill to ingrain the move
Keep feet together and take a full backswing. While still in backswing take a step with the lead foot. Be sure to stay in posture.
Lower body will lead the downswing. Do it slowly and build up speed.
I am not very good but this has helped me.

yep, this is the drill i've been given. it hasn't really helped me in the actual swing, though. it looks easy, but it is a very difficult drill to do well. getting stuck on my trail side has crept up in my game over the last 6-9 months, and it's proven very difficult to remedy.

 

[aloha_from_bradley]

Try a step drill to ingrain the move
Keep feet together and take a full backswing. While still in backswing take a step with the lead foot. Be sure to stay in posture.
Lower body will lead the downswing. Do it slowly and build up speed.
I am not very good but this has helped me.

I've used this drill in the past as well. Also, just hitting balls with your feet completely together helps a lot too. You have to move to your left side and stay balanced or you will fall down.

 

[razaar]

I'm in the rotation camp regarding the pivot. In a rotational swing their is very little shift of weight pressure because the focus is on rotating the pelvis via the hip joints. Conversely the sliding camp includes some lateral movement with less rotation. It is this lateral movement that produces the shift in weight pressure by moving the centre of mass (mid point of the pelvis and the body when standing erect) laterally. All the great players have very little lateral pelvic movement until past impact when the hip thrust (top of the pelvis tilts back) shifts the weight to the left.

 

[Desmond]

Not sure what to say here... but here goes...

1. I do the drill of feet together and by the time you are half-way to the top my pelvis is rotating clockwise to the point where my weight is on my front foot

2. As to the loading of the shaft or loading the shoulders -different terms for the same motion. My chest is still slightly rotating back while the pelvis starts rotating counterclockwise getting the left hip out of my way, This motion gives one a nice "load".

3. I find it easier to practice this loading on short game shots before going to mid irons then the rest of the bag. Of course, in the short game partials, I am not transferring any weight, which stays on the front foot. But the zip is there on the load.

4. The result of the loading is an easy zinging of the ball to the target.

 

[pattyboy21]

The best instruction I've seen on this deal with paying attention to the pressure you place in your feet. So while avoiding any dramatic lateral moves, the subtle pressure exerted on the back foot, and transferring the pressure to the left foot, gets the job done. It's the timing of when you apply the pressure that is crucial - and yes, that pressure shifts from the back foot to the front foot before the backswing is complete. (I think Danny Maude is the instructor in the vids I'm thinking of specifically.)

 

[rocullen]

Tiger slow mo

I don't know, but it sure looks like Tiger, arguably one of the best(if not the best) had quite a bit of slide.

 

[razaar]

Tiger slow mo

I don't know, but it sure looks like Tiger, arguably one of the best(if not the best) had quite a bit of slide.

He did when he was with Foley, who was teaching a variant of Stack & Tilt method.
Kelvin Miyahira's Article "Linear (Lateral) vs Rotational Golf Swing" is worth a read.

 

[Desmond]

Tiger slow mo

I don't know, but it sure looks like Tiger, arguably one of the best(if not the best) had quite a bit of slide.

I see the hips getting out of the way, not so much on the backswing (not that deep) but on the downswing.

I think his 2011-13 swing had a bit more lateral movement.

 

[rocullen]

Rory slides half his body width

 

[rocullen]

I see the hips getting out of the way, not so much on the backswing (not that deep) but on the downswing.

I think his 2011-13 swing had a bit more lateral movement.

however he "gets his hip out of the way" they are forward about half his body width more than at address.

 

[rocullen]

Bryson, not so much

Bryson only moves a couple of inches at most.

 

[Desmond]

however he "gets his hip out of the way" they are forward about half his body width more than at address.

I just don't call it a slide. From what I know over 25 yrs and being around instructors, we have two swings -- the arms driven swing where the body reacts to the arm movement, and the body-driven or rotational swing - getting on the front side means the body is going to rotate and end up near the front leg.

But the question is the importance of getting on the front side - arms-driven types are going to define it one way, and the body-driven swing is going to do it differently.

The body-driven or rotational swing, and I can't get into details because I am ignorant of the intricacies, will rotate the hips and shoulders back and by the time you get near or at the top, you are on the front foot and rotate again. Tiger's shoulders are rotated fully on the backswing and he gets the left hip out of the way and is open at impact.

Both arms driven and rotational work - pick your swing.

 

[rocullen]

well, I guess we have to have different opinions then because I see his hips quite a bit forward from where they started before opening up.
yes, they are in process , but not nearly open.

how much do they have to move forward before you call it a slide?

 

[Desmond]

well, I guess we have to have different opinions then because I see his hips quite a bit forward from where they started before opening up.
yes, they are in process , but not nearly open.

Whatever... They are not going to be completely open at impact. They are open and opening. Hope that helps. At contact, the swing is not finished, it is finishing.