Back Heel Up

[jambalaya]

I peruse golf swings at Swing Academy and one thing I notice about a lot of us amateurs that I don't quite understand is the lifting up of the back heel or conversely getting up on the back toe before impact. What does it mean? Usually there is not much hip turn but the heel comes up. Sometimes the heel is well up half way down. What is the cause for this? It can't be good.

[jambalaya]

Wow, I am really surprised that nobody has answered. Is it a stupid question or a poser? I had a thought though. Each time I see this it is usually of course beginners. Back heel lifts and little or no hip turn. Could it be that you cannot create enough room for the club to come through without opening the hips therefore you have to lift the heel to make room. I mean I see this on golfers that do a pretty good job of dropping the club down in the slot. Is there a choice of either lifting the heel and bringing the arms in close or going over-the-top which also in a way creates room for the club?

[bm303]

Not a stupid question at all, because I know for a fact that I lift my heel during the downswing and lose my spine angle. Not really sure how to fix it, but slowing down the swing and keeping my head back usually helps a little.

[1dayIllBaPro]

It's because you kick your right knee to ball, Instead of kicking it to the middle. Try this, do the same backswing, but in downswing, do nothing to your right knee. In addition, only concentrate on pulling you left hip out of the way while keeping your right foot on the ground. This will make your right knee kicking in to the middle of your stance, instead of kicking out toward the ball.

I have had this problem before, because so many golf books tell us to "kick right knee to the ball" ......... wrong instruction.

This should fix the problem. Hope this help.

[$2 Nassau]

Wow, I am really surprised that nobody has answered. Is it a stupid question or a poser? I had a thought though. Each time I see this it is usually of course beginners. Back heel lifts and little or no hip turn. Could it be that you cannot create enough room for the club to come through without opening the hips therefore you have to lift the heel to make room. I mean I see this on golfers that do a pretty good job of dropping the club down in the slot. Is there a choice of either lifting the heel and bringing the arms in close or going over-the-top which also in a way creates room for the club?

Just saw this thread or I would have definitely answered sooner. I put my swing on video back in May and had some people look at it and also posted it on Swing Academy. This was an issue of mine that was noticed by a few folks right away.

I worked on it this year and it has helped. It is amazing how much keeping your foot grounded just a split second longer helps your ballstriking. I was told that instead of coming up off your heel, you should really be trying to shift weight to the inside of your back foot at impact. This will cause the outside of your back foot to come off the ground. To simluate, stand up right now and move your back knee towards your front knee, that is all the weight shift that is really needed. Then of course on your follow through your back heel will come off the ground, but don't rush it! I was trying to force the club into the slot with my arms (not good!). But keeping that heel grounded a little longer has helped it to happen naturally. For some reason I've always had the tendancy to push my weight onto my toes on the downswing, causing me to get closer to the ball at impact. This caused me to come over the top a bit to re-route the club to the ball. You can get away with it with short irons usually, but not with the longer clubs. Hook city. This, combined with the tip of "keeping your back knee flexed throughout the swing" has changed my game. Dropped about 4 strokes this year because of it.

[jambalaya]

Thanks for the replies. It just seemed like something important to me, something that was a tell for something going awry in the downswing.

[1dayIllBaPro]

Good job Nassau !!! Very clear explanation. He's right. You should feel outside of your back foot come off the ground while inside of your back foot stay on the ground. Also keep your right knee flex.

It helped me drop 10 strokes this season (well, I actually change my whole swing :P)