Hip Rotation during the Backswing

[shermanM4A1]

I've heard conflicting theories on this. What's your take?

Is it better to turn the hips considerably during the backswing to generate power? Or is it better to turn the hips just a little, drawing most of the power from a shoulder turn?

I've tried both, and both seem fine to me. I'm just wondering which method is better for me in the long run.

[d373rm1ned]

The hip closest to the target will have to rotate some to allow for a nice flexible full shoulder turn. For me, it is easier to return to my starting position at impact when I keep my hips quiet during the backswing.

[mkoreiwo]

I guess what works for you is best. But I have tried to restrict my hips and try to feel the pull between hips and turn. It seems to make the swing a bit easier, and stops me from overswinging. Everybody is different of course...

[DavidFehertysBike]

Keeping your bottom half quiet and stable should be your major concern. I wouldnt worry about hip turn too much at 36 handi.

[muggs]

I'm with everyone else when they say it's really what works for you because every swing is different. But, for me, I rotate them a little on my backswing to allow myself to get the most shoulder turn I can, then start the downswing by rotating my hips through the ball. I was taught that's the proper way to do it.

A lot of it depends on your level of flexibility. In order to get the full shoulder turn, less flexible people need to rotate their hips more in the backswing than some. I'm about middle of the road when it come to flexibility- something I've been trying to improve.

[blackxpress]

If your hips turn too far in the back swing it can be a power drain. At the top of the swing there needs to be a fair amount of resistance between your torso and your lower body (in your core muscles). That's where most of your torque comes from. Really long ball hitters actually begin rotating their hips toward the target a split second before they finish their back swing. That creates an incredible amount of torque in the core and really helps generate a lot of club head speed. I wish I could do it but I'm too uncoordinated.

[shermanM4A1]

Keeping your bottom half quiet and stable should be your major concern. I wouldnt worry about hip turn too much at 36 handi.

How much should my lower body move during the backswing?

I occasionally whiff and sometimes hit the ground hard with the club before striking the ball (causing a very fat shot). I'm not sure if any of this is attributable to lower body movement. All I know is that so far, two different guys have told me to keep my lower body mostly still during the backswing. No one has commented on my arms or my grip yet, though I'm sure there are problems there as well.

[jojoampt]

Ive found recently that with a pretty good size hip turn with my driver, it frees up a lot of room for me to drop my club/elbow into the slot easier. Thus drastically reducing the sub-conscience urge to cast or throw my right shoulder forward. Ive also found I can swing easier and get the same distance. I do this down to my 7 iron, and then I keep my lower body a bit more quiet on my short irons. Thats just me though.

[Ben]

You don't need a powerful backswing, its the downswing and follow through that hits the ball. Hips are very important in this move though. So simply turn around the question a bit and ask about Hip Rotation During the Downswing. Ben Hogan talks about a twist of the left help, that gets the power started down from the top, towards the ball. Better the hip turn, better the power.

[jambalaya]

I used to let my hips turn freely but have adopted the less hip turn on the backswing idea. Have you ever looked at instruction videos by Shawn Clement. I lot of people swear by them and you can find many on YouTube. I was surprised when I took notice of how much he lets his hips turn. I had to stop watching Clement because I think a lot of what he teaches depends on turning the hips more.

[DavidFehertysBike]

How much should my lower body move during the backswing?

In regards to the legs, its more important to keep them quiet at your level because youre most likley still learning to swing the club. The drill with your feet together and hitting wedge shots is a drill you should be doing. The legs are the base of the swing, if their too active and moving all over the place your ballstriking will be inconsistant. I know this because i still stuggle with an overactive legs from time to time.

To as much your hips should turn in the backswing? Put your back flat to a wall and make a mock turn without a club, arms crossed. Turn (dont sway backwards) your body untill your left buttcheek comes slightly off of the wall. Thats the general idea of how your hips should be moving. Too much hip turn back, and you'll most likley get overswing and stuck on your back leg coming back - a reverse pivot. (causing those fat shots you mentioned earilar) Plus it robs your power. I would practice, when youre at the range, keeping your back leg stable and the knee flexed with some half shots. Try to keep the weight shit a little neutral so you dont get stuck in the backswing. Youre just trying to get the feeling, not make a swing change, per sea. I did the same drill when i was first learning.

[ApocG10]

No, people think they need to turn the hips back on the backswing to make power, but by keeping the lower body quiet really helps your body positioning while swinging, and the hips can generate hundreds of pounds of force with a good half turn.

The best training for your hips is boxing. Training in a boxing club for 6 months (you dont have to actually fight in the ring to train), will do wonders for the way you use your hips when golfing. It also helps in learning other activities, like martial arts, dancing, and basketball...

[RC]

If I could do it, and still get a decent shoulder turn, I would turn my hips the opposite way on the backswing, that is the way to generate the most power -- go throw rocks 3/4 underhand and watch your hip action. The more power comes from a larger difference in hip and shoulder turn, i.e. coil. The problem is the strength, flexibility, and coordination to maximize this while staying well balanced and creating a repeatable swing. I view a larger hip turn as a fault that has to be corrected on the downswing by delaying the shoulders until the hips return to a position where they should have been to start with. Good timing can allow a person to do that, but the really big hitters (C.F: Sadlowski) have huge shoulder and as little hip turn as possible. Perhaps this is too harsh, but the right thigh needs to be looking at the ball on the backswing, even if the hip joint turns slightly (which it does.)

[shermanM4A1]

Thanks for your responses.

I have tried limiting my lower body movement during the backswing and I've seen some dramatic improvement in my game. I don't get the fat shots as often anymore and I rarely whiff now. The limited lower body movement seems to give me more power and consistency.

Now, if only I can fix my slices.

[wannabe]

nice posts. Chuck Cook has a nice video on youtube (Golflink Channel) talking about generating more power, and he recommends envisioning a milk crate between your feet and then swinging with a full shoulder turn, basically restricting the hip action going back.

Something I've been working on with good progress.

[misty_mountainhop]

If your hips turn too far in the back swing it can be a power drain. At the top of the swing there needs to be a fair amount of resistance between your torso and your lower body (in your core muscles). That's where most of your torque comes from. Really long ball hitters actually begin rotating their hips toward the target a split second before they finish their back swing. That creates an incredible amount of torque in the core and really helps generate a lot of club head speed. I wish I could do it but I'm too uncoordinated.

Bingo! Couldn't have put it much better.

[tm22721]

Nonsense the right hip has to turn back quite a lot making a lateral shift to the target in the backswing to get the lower spine and COG shifted to the left. The downswing is a simple turn of the left hip while keeping the right hip back until just before impact. Power comes from the left lat muscles stretched in the backswing. A proper transition will start the left hip moving to the target before the shoulders are finished the backswing producing float lag then stored momentum whips the club down.

[jambalaya]

Nonsense

Are you a contortionist?