The Biggest Secret? Slide Your Hips

[Russtopher]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Maybe the left pic will help.  Another good "checkpoint" is to make sure the left knee is flexed past the ankle a few inches (right pic)

Thanks for the pic, Mike. I'm still trying to get this part of the downswing going properly, the stance my pro has me in is helping get the weight shift started, but I still feel like I'm not putting my weight forward enough. I noticed that in my "old" stance my left knee was banking inwards during my backswing; now it's pretty much over my left ankle so I'm going to work on the knee flex you mention to see if it helps. Previously, trying to slide my hips caused nasty, nasty hooks.

[RBA21]

It would have to slide a LOT. More likely the head is tipping back. I saw you had a My Swing thread, but your video is private so we can't see it. "Unlisted" is the way you want to go.

I re-posted the my swing video (hopefully correctly this time) and was wondering what your thoughts were? To me, my left shoulder is working up a bit soon on the downswing causing high blocks and low hooks. I'm not sure what's causing this exactly.Could it be that I just need to release accumulators 1,3 & 4 faster?

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Russtopher

Previously, trying to slide my hips caused nasty, nasty hooks.

Yeah sometimes just sliding can cause the head to tip back and cause those issues.  It's all about HOW you slide.

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Yeah sometimes just sliding can cause the head to tip back and cause those issues.  It's all about HOW you slide.

How do you stop your head from tipping back? Its been an issue for me as well.

[iacas]

How do you stop your head from tipping back? Its been an issue for me as well.

Lots of ways. Feel it going forward for awhile. Or make sure your hips actually go forward enough to create secondary axis tilt.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by iacas

Lots of ways. Feel it going forward for awhile. Or make sure your hips actually go forward enough to create secondary axis tilt.

When I first started "getting my hips forward", I had the issue of actually just tilting my upper body backwards. It wasn't until I saw it on video about 30 times that I fully realized it.

Once I started feeling like my whole body was going forward, that's when my hips started moving. That was the feel I needed.

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

When I first started "getting my hips forward", I had the issue of actually just tilting my upper body backwards. It wasn't until I saw it on video about 30 times that I fully realized it.

Once I started feeling like my whole body was going forward, that's when my hips started moving. That was the feel I needed.

I still have that issue.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by cipher

I still have that issue.

Same. And it almost always results in a slightly fat shot. Getting there though...

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Same. And it almost always results in a slightly fat shot. Getting there though...

I get the occasional fatty out of it, but it is usually coupled with over sliding the hips and having to make a compensation for me.  It also causes many of my path/face issues.  My instructor has got me working on this now and I have to say, I feel it is starting to work.  Like Erik said there are many ways to stop tipping back too much.  For me right now it is improving with how the hips work in the back swing and how the shoulders/arms work in the downswing which is starting to correct the downswing path.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by cipher

I get the occasional fatty out of it, but it is usually coupled with over sliding the hips and having to make a compensation for me.  It also causes many of my path/face issues.  My instructor has got me working on this now and I have to say, I feel it is starting to work.  Like Erik said there are many ways to stop tipping back too much.  For me right now it is improving with how the hips work in the back swing and how the shoulders/arms work in the downswing which is starting to correct the downswing path.

Yeah, I'm sure it's more difficult for you than for me, because you have a lot of finer details to worry about. For me, it's just "Ok...remember...hips forward, steady head, hips forward, steady head..."

That and clubface control. I don't worry too much about path, or arms, or hips in the backswing right now. That stuff is later...

[nlk10010]

Originally Posted by Slice of Life

Same. And it almost always results in a slightly fat shot. Getting there though...

Oh, man, tell me about it.

Every time I hear that thud of my club hitting the mat a nanosecond before it hits the ball I want to wrap that iron around a tree. Wifey tells me I look just like a 5 year old throwing a tantrum. Strangely, I can feel my weight shift slightly to my lead foot just before the top of my backswing; nevertheless I always hit fat, I'm virtually certain that what's happening is I'm throwing the club, primarily with the trail (right) shoulder and arm, tipping my body back. My shoulder is moving down rather than forward and my wrists are releasing early. With one exception, regardless of what I do, I seem to want to tip back despite the fact that at the top of the backswing some of my weight has shifted forward, left knee pointing to the target and out over the foot. I also tend to have a slow downswing which seems to exacerbate the tendency to early release.

The only thing that has worked for me is to use my lead (left) shoulder first on the downswing. If I concentrate on initiating the downswing with the left shoulder and rotating, I can get a crisp hit (doesn't go very far, but that's a story for another day). This move must bring the bulk of my weight over my left hip, somehow. I don't like to do it that way, and I've tried everything else I can think of, but at the end of the day if it's the only thing that sort of works I have to stick with it.

Sorry, had to vent.

[nevets88]

Originally Posted by saevel25

How do you stop your head from tipping back? Its been an issue for me as well.

For me, it is using video and mirror work.

I make slow motion swings without a ball and video myself trying to achieve secondary axis tilt after getting in the optimal impact position in the "correct" way best I can. I do the same in front of a mirror. Initially , I saw myself tip my head back among other things (like translating my head back on the backswing) to fake it. When I look "correct", it feels like I nailed my head to one spot while my lower body shifts forward. Another feel I feel is squeezing the love handles. I'm still working on it and video is still the best feedback for me as I'm visually oriented.

Another thing I do is hold myself in this position and try to feel it in the swing.

[saevel25]

Hmm, something to work on

[Blitz28179]

Another good video I found that I am gonna try around the house to get the feeling of what this feels like.Figured I would post it here.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Blitz28179

Another good video I found that I am gonna try around the house to get the feeling of what this feels like.Figured I would post it here.

Not a huge fan of this video because of what he's doing with his left shoulder. If the left shoulder raises too soon, the arms can't lower and the head might tip back.  Moves low point back.

[nick1998bunker]

What you dont want an what people complain about is sliding way back on the backswing. I used to do that but after reading tigers book i focus on keeping weight on inside of foot they dont worry about the downswing so naturally i bump. Basically dont slide back then through just turn then turn through

[JayFore]

I've read through about half of this thread and it's great information. I'm fortunate to have found stuff like this while just starting out so I can develop good habits. After watching myself swing in video... I felt something looked off. I would be rotating on both my front and back equally. No lateral movement. I finally saw it when comparing to pictures and videos of pros. Which led me here!

I understand the feeling and rhythm I need at the top of back swing. Where I feel as if I sink and drive my hips forward. I'm starting to get it but really want to understand the timing of the different alignment angles at different points during downswing. It just helps for me to visual the different angles of each major body part during each section of the swing and the most efficient, fluid way to move through each.

A4. Top of Backswing: This is when the hip drive begins. I think of it as a quick one-two count at the top, one as the final movement of the backswing, and two is the feeling of loading weight down over left foot, readying the slide.

A5: From all the pictures I see, you want your hips shifted laterally over the front foot AND the hips to be square at this position. However, when you start driving your hips laterally... there are two options to get to this position. 1. You can keep your hip angle closed and shift. I saw a video in this thread that depicted a wall behind you. To take that image, at A4, your back right pocket will be against the wall but not your left (i.e. closed). You can shift laterally while keeping your back right pocket on this wall and keeping your left pocket off. However, this feels a bit awkward (and exaggerated perhaps). It is difficult to then, after this lateral movement, rotate your hips square, with your left back pocket on the wall. You could instead: 2. Slide hips laterally WHILE squaring your hips. Not a rotation. Simply synchronizing the lateral shift of the hips and the squaring of your hips (both back pockets against wall)... to avoid the awkward cocked feeling when you laterally shift your hips but leave the closed angle. I feel as if the second option feels more natural, but I am only a beginner so want to make sure.

Also, to confirm, if that truly is the correct A5 position, then once hips are shifted and square, I would want my arms to be parallel with the front, wrists still cocked.

A6: With your weight loaded laterally over your left foot, which remains bent, you can now drive your right shoulder down. right knee forward towards left toe. I suppose the motion of your shoulder and right leg are the very beginnings of rotation, so hips are ever so slightly open. Additionally, right elbow stays tucked and wrists still cocked (if you are moving hips, shoulders, and hands ahead of the club, that lag should remain without trying).

A7: Impact. A continuation of A6, further rotation here. It was mentioned right knee moving towards left toe. Would it be correct to say that your right hip and right shoulder could feel to be moving in that direction? For instance, I saw a video where it was mentioned to imagine a clubface on your right shoulder (toe up) and you should imagine it hitting the ball squarely. I suppose the hip is starting to drive towards the target (i.e. pin) here. Additionally, the left arm is aligned with your torso and left leg, and since weight is shifted forward, that means in front of the ball (as are hands). Head stays BACK. So there is a slight arch from left foot through left leg through torso to head.

A8: Rotate through impact. Is this where the true rotation occurs? Do you keep right shoulder down (and head still) as long as possible while you continue to rotate hips? At what point do you allow yourself to start standing up and forward? Also, when do you release your hands and have right go over left? When at 45 degrees?

A10: Finish.

Sorry for long post. It actually helped me even typing that up though. I bolded that one section because it is my major "hip slide" question. But if anyone can help me out with other parts of the swing it'd be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[xerex250]

mike austin, the longest hitter the game has known, also described a hip shift to start the downswing. since he also was one of the better ball strikers, this is spot on. thank you for your analysis.