lateral slide - swing video

[RC]

We always talk about clearing the left side, and you are doing that. Something not often mentioned is many great ball strikers have two common leg positions with the right leg/thigh. First is at the top the right thigh still has an angle so that a perpendicular line drawn from mid-thigh actually points above a parallel to the horizon. Check the thumbnails of the swing on the right. Secondly, as quickly as possible the right leg thigh, when viewed from face on (90 degrees from your ball flight line) become straight up and down, from the hip to the knee. So yes the left side clears early, but the right leg drives around very hard as well. To get this feeling, it will seem like you make impact with your hands beside your right pants pocket. No one does, but you want to get there as soon as you can. Your right leg still straightens a bit more than I like, but many very good players do that. I guess it does not hurt if you are quick enough to still get through the shot. You are blasting it, but the right leg straightening gets your club a little above the plane, and lets you cross the line slightly at the top -- try to hold that right knee so it looks at the ball no matter how hard it is, then fire like crazy clearing the left side but also driving the right side around so the knee winds up below the right hip as soon as you can around impact time. This is what the really long bombers do.

Take all this with a grain of salt... there are lots of ways to hit a golf ball reliably. You have a really good swing but I suspect there is a little more power and the potential for a dead straight shot lurking in a small improvement in your lower body. Notice I almost never mention the upper body. That is because I come from the school of thought that believes the lower body working optimally will automatically control the upper body. This only holds true if your backswing does not get inside on the take-away and if you keep good separation (and of course your grip is dialed into your swing.) You have those things down fine. Most golfers would love to have your swing.

Love those thumbnails... great stuff.

[jambalaya]

First of all thumper, the swing looks great!! I'm sure there were countless hours involved over the winter trying to change things, break bad habits, etc.. It's hard to find a lot of faults here. You mentioned something about maintaining lag, so I figured you might get something out of this: (see attached)

I was thinking the same thing. I think you ought to make your stance with your irons a narrower too. Maybe as much as a shoe width. Makes it easier to turn the hips and hit down on the ball.

[Quinn07]

If you get rid of the straightening of your right leg, your coil and tension will be much greater and therefore more power when you release. I believe there is an article in this month's golf digest about creating lag or keeping the hands in front of the clubhead.