The Biggest Secret? Slide Your Hips

[Jwat381]

I may need to sacrifice a few buckets, because when I try I tend to make pretty poor contact. I understand how it could be beneficial, just haven't mastered it yet.

[jonwil]

Originally Posted by bunkerputt

I had a buddy who I tried to get to take up golf.  He was a crazy smart guy, finished an EE degree in two years, pretty eccentric, ran away at 7 years old and was raised by carnies, not in that order.  I put a club in his hands and his first thought was about using the body to cantilever the club and generate speed with the head fixed in space.  He tilted left on the downswing and tilted back to the right on the backswing keeping his head in the same spot.  There were some technical issues that needed to be fixed for consistency, but the whole motion was a lot closer to being correct than if he had thought "You know, the golf swing is really all about rotation and clearance.  I need to rotate back and rotate through and then spend the rest of my life obsessed with release and plane."  Too bad he went to prison.

Interesting.

[Jwat381]

I finally got this going a little yesterday. It was a very good day at the range. I think the biggest problem I was having with this was moving my whole body with my hips, my head included. Once I was able to keep my head (relatively) still while sliding my hips without over rotating, the results got a lot better. Hopefully the feeling carries over.

[The_Pharaoh]

I have only two students that I would consider over slide their hips, so I really agree with this thread. The vast majority of my students struggle to get back to the ball on the downswing. Not surprisingly, both move their head forward of where it was an impact, both play straight-fades and both have problems with their AoA being too descending (drives pop up). Working on keeping the head back and turning more through impact helps them turn their straight-fades into push-draws/straight balls.

In general though, sliding ones hips is solid advice.

[Jwat381]

This is very true about the head movement in relation to hip slide, and the biggest thing for me has been focusing on the ball and my line with one eye. I lock onto the ball with my left eye, and therefore my head hangs back more during my down swing while my body moves forward. It's really helped my ball striking immensely.

Originally Posted by The_Pharaoh

I have only two students that I would consider over slide their hips, so I really agree with this thread. The vast majority of my students struggle to get back to the ball on the downswing. Not surprisingly, both move their head forward of where it was an impact, both play straight-fades and both have problems with their AoA being too descending (drives pop up). Working on keeping the head back and turning more through impact helps them turn their straight-fades into push-draws/straight balls.

In general though, sliding ones hips is solid advice.

[dean007]

I've been reading and rereading this.  Great info by the way.  Maybe I'm missing something.

For a right hander, the right knee gains flexation in the downswing. When does this exactly happen?  Does the right knee gain flexation at the start of the downswing or shortly before?  A "squat" move and then move the hips forward?  Or do you try to move the hips forward first then gain some flexation to tuck the butt and make the jump move?

[shamus]

I seriously think this thread just changed my life.

Quote:

Their right knee pushes towards the target, rolling the right foot on the instep, not lifting up on the toe as early.

Especially the above part. It seems that has really helped me get the hips moving correctly.

THANKS!

[GoldenBearCub]

Agreed on if you do this correctly, it is astounding! But, if you make minor errors throughout the process, you're facing some hard slices.  Rotating the hips, in my opinion, is a more forgiving technique and swing thought!

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by GoldenBearCub

Agreed on if you do this correctly, it is astounding! But, if you make minor errors throughout the process, you're facing some hard slices.  Rotating the hips, in my opinion, is a more forgiving technique and swing thought!

Why would a hip slide create a hard slice?

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Why would a hip slide create a hard slice?

I agree. Rotating the hips too quickly usually creates a hard slice.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Why would a hip slide create a hard slice?

For me it happens because I concentrate on sliding the hips, but I don't rotate my shoulders through the downswing and fail to finish the swing.  My right side just never takes over.  I've started to remedy that though.

Brandon

[GoldenBearCub]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

For me it happens because I concentrate on sliding the hips, but I don't rotate my shoulders through the downswing and fail to finish the swing.  My right side just never takes over.  I've started to remedy that though.

Brandon

Yeah what you said, I worded mine poorly.  My shoulders fail to fully rotate with the swing thought of sliding the hips. When I rotate them, I get a nice, high draw.

[PivotPro]

Here is a video link to a research that I did about two centers in golf.  This may help answer some of the questions posted in this forum.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by PivotPro

Here is a video link to a research that I did about two centers in golf.  This may help answer some of the questions posted in this forum.

We call it Secondary Axis Tilt but don't think the upper center is behind the lower center on the backswing, they stay Centered .  Left shoulder moves under the chin, shoulders turn in an circle on an inclined plane.  As if you were turning in a hula hoop, concentric circle.

[The_Pharaoh]

Mike, Erik,

I am noticing one issue with this advice with my students. It causes the lower body to outrun the hands and so for golfers already casting it only serves to exacerbate their problem. How do you guys tackle this issue? I am having great success using the Leadbetter Swing Setter in conjunction with the sliding hips.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by The_Pharaoh

I am noticing one issue with this advice with my students. It causes the lower body to outrun the hands and so for golfers already casting it only serves to exacerbate their problem. How do you guys tackle this issue? I am having great success using the Leadbetter Swing Setter in conjunction with the sliding hips.

With what advice, specifically?

I'm just going to say this: it's not a matter of how far the hips go forward, but how long they are able to continue forward.

[Mr. Desmond]

I hope it's okay if I repost Dave's video. It helps me tremendously with the slide or secondary axis tilt (I think that is the correct term) by thinking about throwing a boulder. I basically drive the front shoulder as Dave does, then go into throwing a boulder.

[The_Pharaoh]

Originally Posted by iacas

With what advice, specifically?

I'm just going to say this: it's not a matter of how far the hips go forward, but how long they are able to continue forward.

Sliding the hips forward. From my experience, a lot of people sway during the backswing and then hit from a position further back than where they started from. Usually this is coupled with the early uncocking of the wrists. What I have noticed when working on sliding the hips forward is the early uncocking of the wrists continues regardless of where the hips are at impact. I usually work on a steady head first, then weight forward...but perhaps I need to concentrate on the wrists before the weight forward piece.