Extending the Right Knee on the Backswing

[iacas]

In the context of teaching, I would expect a golfer to look at me with complete confusion if I told him or her,

Right. And that's the definition that's been given from the start, so those who are reading it as "lock the knee out" have not actually read the first post in the thread and are doing themselves a dis-service.

None of the people in the pictures I posted had a locked right leg. But they were all "straighter" or "more straight" or "less flexed" or "more extended" than they were at address.

[Travtex]

Don't know if it's helping or hurting me, but there's no question that I straighten the *@%! out of my back leg.



Though I don't think I reverse pivort, and I don't lock it as some say (And the DTL pic admittedly looks).




(Although in those, my ball position is crap. *haha*)

[misty_mountainhop]

Zeph's first post says "

You're right. My mistake. There does however seem to be a lot of misunderstanding around this point.

Ben Hogan's right leg straightened. Arnold Palmer's. Tiger's. The list is really, really long. I hope people don't dismiss something that's important to how your hips work in the golf swing because they think it's S&T; specific (it's not - it's something a whole lot - a majority - of great players do).

I'm not dismissing it; sorry if I gave that impression. It's something that's mentioned a lot as part of S&T; (even though it's simply part of a decent golf swing and always has been) and therefore

tends to be championed by them. As I mentioned before, I think S&T;'s main problem is the name; if people looked at it as simply a collection of logical, sound golfing information it wouldn't be an issue. I'm still amazed that anyone who purports to be a coach would advocate that you maintain the knee flex as it was at address. Still, no accounting for quacks in any field.

Don't know if it's helping or hurting me, but there's no question that I straighten the *@%! out of my back leg.

The question everyone wants to know is did you clear that building in front of you or put it through one of the windows??

[michaeljames92]

I can't believe this thread has this many replies. Right Knee should not stay at the same flex at address, nor should it go completely straight. Obviously the answer is somewhere in the middle depending on your amount of hip turn. Good Post Zeph

[Travtex]

The question everyone wants to know is did you clear that building in front of you or put it through one of the windows??

Unfortunately, I cleared it. I was trying to express my displeasure regarding my neighbor letting his dogs crap in my yard.

No, seriously. Lil' plastic wiffle ball. Put it right over the center window, which is miraculous considering how far back I had the ball. *laugh*

[nlowplacez]

If so, then I must look really "retarded" to you.

you betcha. could a decent golfer please chime in on this. im looking at the same pics yall are and for some reason, yall are not seeing that none of the legs are straight. except for the pic the poster above submitted, which does look like a not so great backswing. if i saw it when giving a lesson, the first thing i would say is keep the flex. i can't believe the cluelessness going on here

[McGolf-Doggie]

I'm going to begin with this picture:

+1 on the great post.

Lower body is so important, and it's an area I always return to when things begin to go south. I'm keeping that multi-panel photo for my wife and friends to check. Hopefully this doesn't change much with women!

[WUTiger]

Peter Kostis...
If you really let it straighten, and let this leg lock , sometimes all you're gonna do is make this over the top move.

We had a multi-multi-posted blog last summer which talked about this. Overall conclusion, if I remember, was straighten the right knee to allow turn and hip tilt, but don't lock the knee!

[iacas]

you betcha. could a decent golfer please chime in on this. im looking at the same pics yall are and for some reason, yall are not seeing that none of the legs are straight. except for the pic the poster above submitted, which does look like a not so great backswing. if i saw it when giving a lesson, the first thing i would say is keep the flex. i can't believe the cluelessness going on here

You're the last person who should talk about the "cluelessness" going on here. For the last time - "straighten" does not mean "make perfectly straight so as to lock the knee." It simply means to decrease the flex in the knee, to make it less bent or "straighter" than it was.

We had a multi-multi-posted blog last summer which talked about this. Overall conclusion, if I remember, was straighten the right knee to allow turn and hip tilt,

Yep.

[jamo]

you betcha. could a decent golfer please chime in on this. im looking at the same pics yall are and for some reason, yall are not seeing that none of the legs are straight. except for the pic the poster above submitted, which does look like a not so great backswing. if i saw it when giving a lesson, the first thing i would say is keep the flex. i can't believe the cluelessness going on here

Your trolling hardly deserves a response, but here is it: That Vijay Singh, he really sucks, doesn't he? It's not like he was the last person to overtake Tiger as #1 in the world.

He straightens his knee. He doesn't lock it, he makes it more straight.

[walk18]

I made "straighten the right knee" to be basically my only swing thought about 6 months ago, and my ballstriking improved so much I couldn't believe it. It keeps me over the ball instead of swaying off of it, and makes it much easier to hit the same spot on the ground each time.

[nlowplacez]

i don't know what to say. i'm looking at the picture, and the knee flexes for the right leg are virtually the same in both photos. I don't know how we can be seeing this so differently. please watch his live swing. im just posting the first one i found on youtube. pay special attention to the right leg



sorry here it is. dont know how to put videos on here and stuff. sorry

nevermind i guess it worked. notice how much more his knee cap sticks out when hes at the top of the swing. he may have even increased the flex

[Arrogant_Kid]

The right knee HAS to straighten(to an extent) for most people. It actually hurts my knee to try and keep it in the SAME position the entire time. It'll straighten, but you shouldn't lock it.

[iacas]

he may have even increased the flex

It's not increased. It's decreased slightly - Vijay straightens his right leg slightly. Much less than the majority of PGA Tour players.

You've not said anything that contributes to the discussion here other than "nuh uh."

[Phil McGleno]

Though my namesake would disagree, he's a dope.

The rear knee straightens. The distance from the hip to the ankle increases - how else could that happen? Flexing the knee moves the hip and ankle closer together. Extending farther apart.

It's simple.

Squat down with as much knee bend as you can get with your feet staying flat on the ground. Go ahead and try to twist your hips without straightening either knee. Good luck - it won't happen.

[nlowplacez]

could anyone post a link to an article of some sort of validity that sayst to do what yall are saying. heres a few for my argument.

http://www.golflink.com/tipsvideos/tip.aspx?t=29534
http://www.lasvegasgolf.com/articles...swing-6896.htm
http://www.thegolfchannel.com/golf-l...ain-knee-flex/


now can anyone post one single legitimate article to the contrary. i would LOVE to see it

[Arrogant_Kid]

I can.
Go to youtube. Type in Tiger Woods. Or Phil Mickelson. Whoever your favorite golfer is. Watch what their knees do. It will be bent at address, straighten SLIGHTLY, and then boom. The ball is gone.

[iacas]

could anyone post a link to an article of some sort of validity that sayst to do what yall are saying. heres a few for my argument.

Someone writing an article doesn't serve as proof of anything. I can find "proof" in the form of articles that the ball's initial direction is determined by the path the club travels. It doesn't change the fact that it's wrong just because someone wrote it somewhere.

Want some proof? Did you not look at the images I posted earlier? Your input is no longer welcome in this thread.