Question on one of the 10 instructor questions. When are the hands at their lowest point?

[nevets88]

So the answer was the hands are lowest on the downswing around when the hands get to the back thigh. What is the reasoning behind this? Other than visual verification.

If the low point of the swing is in front of the ball, based on this, you'd think the hands are at their lowest point even more forward than the trail thigh. Does it have something to do with the body extending?

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by nevets88

So the answer was the hands are lowest on the downswing around when the hands get to the back thigh. What is the reasoning behind this? Other than visual verification.

If the low point of the swing is in front of the ball, based on this, you'd think the hands are at their lowest point even more forward than the trail thigh. Does it have something to do with the body extending?

In the downswing... You regain flexion - and then go into extension.  When you go into extension - it raises the handle and thus your hands get higher...

[Golfingdad]

If you think about it basically, it seems logical that the hands would be at their lowest point at the same time the club is at its lowest point ... right after impact for irons, and right before for a driver (or for me, still after impact ... oops).

That's obviously not the case, but it's too technical for me to worry about unless they tell me to ;))

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

In the downswing... You regain flexion - and then go into extension.  When you go into extension - it raises the handle and thus your hands get higher...

Yep.  By impact you're already in the process of extending your legs.  Think of Tiger goes down, then up.

[birlyshirly]

The other thing to look for is, in a face-on view, there's a point prior to impact where the left and right shoulders appear to be at the same height. From that point on, the left shoulder is rising.

Functionally, the club is releasing into impact, which for any amount of forward shaft lean at impact, means that the clubhead is releasing downwards (relative to the hands). If the hands weren't moving slightly upwards through impact (thereby offsetting somewhat the downward arc of the clubhead), the resulting angle of attack would be pretty damned steep.

[iacas]

http://thesandtrap.com/t/53131/lag-too-much-of-a-good-thing