What are your big swing keys?

[A.J.]

Driver, 6-iron, wedge. What are the main things you think about or concentrate on when taking an average full shot?

For example, the biggest key to come about lately in my swing is in my setup. I found by analyzing Tiger that a kicked-in right knee is essential. Also, the angle of the trunk must be toward the right side and even with the wedge the head and shoulders will be on a tilt. This creates a right leg post and forces the weight around and on the inside of the right foot. My ball striking consistency has been growing as a result.

[DDBowdoin]

when it comes to my driver I like to make sure my tempo is smooth, to quick and I drop the hands and come over the top (which put a larger cut than I usually put on the ball and kills distance)

when it comes to all of my shots I stay away from all of the stuff you described, your swing is unique and you should be natural, I stay away from thinking about pure mechanics... each pro has a unique swing, with that is a level of natural ability that applies to the swing, there is really no true swing...

[DDBowdoin]

also, with irons... I have a very very steep angle of attack... I hit full divots on all my shots so I try to concentrate on a smooth take away while loading the club heavily with my natural body weight and strength

[A.J.]

I guess I see what you mean. Although I think there is reason not to stay away from what I described. One of the keys of every swing, pro or otherwise, is a stable post-like right leg. However you accomplish it, the goal is to pivot around the right (or back) instead of shifting the hips. I can't think of any players off the top of my head that shift laterally to the right (more than an almost imperceptible natural amount).

[FAHooGolfs]

Although I think there is reason not to stay away from what I described. One of the keys of every swing, pro or otherwise, is a stable post-like right leg. However you accomplish it, the goal is to pivot around the right (or back) instead of shifting the hips.

Absolutely. Once you lose the flex in your right leg (for right-handers), it throws your spine tilt out of alignment and can lead to all sorts of other problems - going across the line at the top, reverse pivot, improper weight shift, and a loss of power due to an absence of a stable lower base that you need to be able to turn against in order to create resistance and thus power in the downswing.

Once I pick my line, I have 2 main swing thoughts... the first is to maintain my stable base and knee flex, and the second is to make a full shoulder turn around my sternum. For the second thought, I pretend that there is a pole stuck in the middle of my chest and I like to feel the pressure on that pole in my turn... if you do it right, you can definitely feel your chest muscles working. Both of those swing thoughts keep me on plane and the rest takes care of itself.

[allin]

Actually many great golfers shift their weight substantially to the right and then turn. Byron Nelson and Ken Venturi are probably the most famous. They both made sort of a rocking chair motion. They did maintain knee flex however, if you shift like they did and have any up and down motion consistency is almost impossible. Ben Hogan and Sam Snead among others popularized the idea of starting with a more rotational motion around the right knee.
As far as keys mine change depending on what new bad habits I pick up trying to improve . Right now I have got into the habit of pulling my right shoulder into my body at the end of my backswing. This leads to hooks and pull hooks, not sure why? I think this started during about three weeks of really windy wheather, hitting punches all the time. Generally I tend to concentrate on tempo and relaxation on the course. Techincal thoughts on the course just destroy my play.

[DDBowdoin]

I think I have a lot of natural talent and ability. I have seen my swing on video many times and my body definately sways yet I am a very consistent ball striker so I never know what to make of these posts. It may be the reason why I have a really steep attack on the ball, my swing speed with a 6 iron is 87-88mph and I take very healthy divots on all my shots... so who knows

[A.J.]

There is a difference between shifting your weight and shifting your hips. I was referring to a lateral travel of the hips. Weight transfer to the right is of course necessary.

To note, Sam Snead had a pronounced kicking in of his right knee. You can observe a clear "reversed K" similar to Vijay.

[DDBowdoin]

I have more than just movement in my hips... its like I have a perfect takeaway then on the downswing its like as if I throw all of my weight into the shot, take the divot (which most people think is fat) and I hit my 7 iron 160yards... so whats wrong then?

[DDBowdoin]

I think thats why I have movement in my body is because I am forcing everything onto the ball, literally... I'm 5'7 215lbs but muscular... so I dont have a strong swing speed but I think I load the club pretty heavily

[A.J.]

I have more than just movement in my hips... its like I have a perfect takeaway then on the downswing its like as if I throw all of my weight into the shot, take the divot (which most people think is fat) and I hit my 7 iron 160yards... so whats wrong then?

Not necessarily anything. This post is about what swing keys are biggest for you. I am a big fan of going contrary to conventional wisdom. There are few--a very few--really different golf swings out there that just work for the pros. Your swing just takes a great deal of timing. You're probably losing power but if it works and you're consistent, it works. Not urging you to change anything.

What I'm talking about is something Im working hard on right now. I've been a slight swayer and a decent but inconsistent ball striker as a result. The more pro swings I analyze the more I notice the right knee at address and the relative stability of that right leg on the turn. I think thats a really important component of a good swing, personally.

[iacas]

There is a difference between shifting your weight and shifting your hips. I was referring to a lateral travel of the hips. Weight transfer to the right is of course necessary.

This thread seems to have veered from the original question (or maybe not) into a discussion of weight shift, which is fine...

My thoughts on weight shift are quite simple, and they come from something Dave Koster told me last year when we played the Peek 'n Peak course (there's a review of it on the site). It's simply this: start with your right side pre-loaded, and then all you have to do is rotate. In other words, I start by leaning to my right (I'm a righty) at address. It's mostly spine tilt, and it's less pronounced with a wedge than a driver, obviously, but it's still there. Since my right side (inside of my right thigh) is already "pre-loaded," my swing sequence is 1/2, as in: 1) good shoulder turn (rotate) 2) move through the ball I get into trouble when I don't start with my weight back already - I tend to get "slidey" then. As far as my "swing keys" I started a thread called "fallback flaws" that detail most of my swing keys. But when I'm playing competitive golf, I think only of one of two things, and 99% of the time it's one thing: target. Pre-swing, I'll work on a "feeling" for a shot - high, low, a draw - and that's when one of those fallback swing keys or a swing key that works that day comes into play. But never over the ball in a competitive round. Even rarely in a practice/goof off round. That's what the pre-shot routine is for.

[A.J.]

That's good stuff. I've come to realize the importance of preprograming, if you will, in the way you describe. What you describe sound like swing keys to me, so the thread is on topic for all intents and purposes.

[DDBowdoin]

I played last night and really was suprised with my swing after reading some of the posts here. I tried to implement more of a shoulder turn into my swing and continued with a steep attack but I hit 8 greens last night (only had time for 9) and it felt pretty nice...

could be the new irons and the confidence they have given me

[Rafcin]

Only two:
1. start backswing slow, low and straight (not inside)
2. make sure head doesn't go past the ball at impact (create reverse C).

oh yea, forgot the most important one - hit the s%$t out of it (Note: applies to the DRIVER swing only!!!)