staying centered

[mchepp]

Originally Posted by tpcollins

I made a simple web search on  "flexed or stiff right knee in the golf backswing". On the first page and a half, every link said to keep the right knee flexed. I'm going to stay with a flexed right knee.

Well, everything on the web MUST be true.... I am kidding, but that State Farm commercial is pretty funny..bon jour.

You need to do some of your own research on golfers that keep the right knee truly flexed. I know of only a few pros who do it even remotely close to what the pros tell you to do. Keegan Bradley, KJ Choi, and KJ is really borderline, and maybe Carl Petterson, again borderline. All are very upright swingers of the golf club. All re-route the club to flatten it. Keegan has a great flattening move and I would venture to say it is probably un-repeatable for most of us mortals. Most people from such a upright swing plane are going to slice. That being said even Keegan loses a little flex.

What you need to think about is what is going to make you the best golfer. What will help you hit it far and straight. If almost all the pros straighten to increase their hip turns don't you think it might be a good idea? A pro might tell you something that is his feel, but that is not what may be happening.

[Hacker James]

Originally Posted by mchepp

What you need to think about is what is going to make you the best golfer. What will help you hit it far and straight. If almost all the pros straighten to increase their hip turns don't you think it might be a good idea? A pro might tell you something that is his feel, but that is not what may be happening.

I think that is a fair assessment.  I am sure that although I try to hold a certain amount of flex at address and well into the backswing, I more than likely straighten a lot more than I think I do.

[Hacker James]

from looking at the photo what I see is that although the right knee is less flexed, the left knee gains a little. His head position is the same and his hip/back inclination has not changed. It appears he is turning around a fixed axis with left shoulder turning downwards. (I don't know if I am explaining it correctly).   another way might be to say  is that to me it looks as if the left knee flex increased in proportion to the right knee losing it (one goes up another goes down). Assuming the camera angle is the same. My eye is not "trained" but that is what I think I see.

[Ernest Jones]

I'm getting confused at certain points in this thread.

My post ( post # 7 ) was referring to having the right (trail) knee kicked ever so slightly towards the target in the set-up . This helps me stay centered and prevents the sway backwards off the ball during the backswing, it also gives me a good feel for banking that trail foot on the downswing.

None of the above has anything to do with maintaining flexion in the rear leg, I make no attempt at maintaining flex, I just let it straighten as I rotate which allows my hips to have a fuller turn. The feeling may differ for each player but you definitely don't want to literally keep that trail leg flexed. I'm currently working on the rates that everything turns and straightens but the total % of turn and straighten hasn't really change much, just the rate that it all happens at.

I may have misunderstood the OP or, the topic may have mutated since my post, either way, this post is just to clarify my point not to take away from others.

All kinda moot as I'm not currently using the kicked in knee at set-up, but I may go back to it at some point once I get my turning rates sorted out.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Hacker James

from looking at the photo what I see is that although the right knee is less flexed, the left knee gains a little. His head position is the same and his hip/back inclination has not changed. It appears he is turning around a fixed axis with left shoulder turning downwards. (I don't know if I am explaining it correctly).   another way might be to say  is that to me it looks as if the left knee flex increased in proportion to the right knee losing it (one goes up another goes down). Assuming the camera angle is the same. My eye is not "trained" but that is what I think I see.

Yes, they tend to offset each other, so the hips can turn in a circle as well.

Ernest, I think some people either try to or believe that they do keep the knee flexed inward (target-ward) throughout their swings.

[saevel25]

Unless your a genetic freak who can go all contortionist on us, to have a steady head in the swing, you must have the knee's change level. The hips must rotate on an incline (back hip goes around and up, and front hip goes around the spine and down towards the ball). Unless you take your right foot off the ground, the right knee must straighten. Sorry, but your joints kinda say otherwise. Its pure biomechanics. You may be feeling like your right knee is staying the same, but it aint happening unless your moving your head to the right in the swing a significant amount.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by iacas

Yes, they tend to offset each other, so the hips can turn in a circle as well.

Ernest, I think some people either try to or believe that they do keep the knee flexed inward (target-ward) throughout their swings.

Yeah, I feel like the knee condition remains sorta constant when I use this set-up but I'm sure it's not. I wasn't filming any FO back when I was doing this so I can't say for sure, or if it was my head was probably drifting back fairly significantly.

[iacas]

To be clear, when most people say "keep the flex in the trail knee" most people will read that as "keep ALL the flex in the trail knee."

If you mean to say "keep SOME OF the flex in the trail knee" then I can agree with that, but will suggest that you add those two words, as most people will add the word "ALL." As I just typed in a PM, when I tell my kid "drink your milk" I don't mean "drink some of your milk" I mean "drink all of your milk."

The knees change flex, and "keep the flex" is almost always read as keep the same flex as what you've got at address, and that is damaging to players as it inhibits their ability to turn their hips properly, turn their shoulders properly, keep the sweetspot and their arms and hands on a proper path/plane, etc.

[tpcollins]

Prior to retiring, exact word meaning in my job was paramount.

Webster's Dictionary definitions:

straighten - a verb = make or become straight

flex - a verb = to bend

some - adj = being of an unspecified amount or number

Buried in this thread someone stated that the knee was not locked - if that is still valid, I'm all set.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by tpcollins

Prior to retiring, exact word meaning in my job was paramount.

Webster's Dictionary definitions:

straighten - a verb = make or become straight

flex - a verb = to bend

some - adj = being of an unspecified amount or number

Buried in this thread someone stated that the knee was not locked - if that is still valid, I'm all set.

You're all set.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by tpcollins

straighten - a verb = make or become straight

flex - a verb = to bend

some - adj = being of an unspecified amount or number

Buried in this thread someone stated that the knee was not locked - if that is still valid, I'm all set.

Yeah, I said it: http://thesandtrap.com/t/68267/staying-centered#post_865066 . The point is not to leave out the word "some" when you say things like "retain the flex." You're all set.

FWIW "retain flex" means "flexion" or "bending." It's obviously being used as a noun, just like "shaft flex."