Role Of Hips In Golf Swing?

[live4u120]

I was wondering, where do the hips come in the golf swing? I've read in my golf magazine that spinning out with the hips will cause a push, but so far I'm really unsure on what's the whole sequence of the hips. Any drills on curing this kind of push?

[grantc79]

I was wondering, where do the hips come in the golf swing? I've read in my golf magazine that spinning out with the hips will cause a push, but so far I'm really unsure on what's the whole sequence of the hips. Any drills on curing this kind of push?

The hips are pretty much the motor that powers the golf swing. There are other factors of course but your main power supply is the hips.

Basically the hip sequence you are looking for is: 1: Make your backswing 2: Slide the hips (I believe down the club path line basically diagonally in between the ball and the target line though some would disagree and say simply slide them down the target line) 3: The hips then open which more less happen on their own

[Arrogant_Kid]

The hips are pretty much the motor that powers the golf swing. There are other factors of course but your main power supply is the hips.

Correct. But I'd like to point something out.

Make sure your hips don't slide too far to the target. If they do, they won't have enough time to clear and you'll push/slice everything. Something is I do is think about 'pulling' my leading hip back. This keeps me from sliding forward to much and lets me fire them properly.

[iacas]

Correct. But I'd like to point something out.

Almost nobody pushes the hips forward enough. This isn't a concern for 99.8% of golfers.

And pushes and slices are not often linked. Pushes come from the club coming from the inside, and slices the opposite (though a push with a REALLY open clubface can slice of course).

[Arrogant_Kid]

Almost nobody pushes the hips forward enough. This isn't a concern for 99.8% of golfers.

Guess I'm part of the .2 percent then. haha

[westcyderydin]

Guess I'm part of the .2 percent then. haha

yea along with me, one of my better golfing friends and anyone else i know who played baseball.

[iacas]

yea along with me, one of my better golfing friends and anyone else i know who played baseball.

Uhm, nope.

I played baseball. The hips don't go forward in baseball anywhere near as much as they need to in golf. Let's compare some pictures: Yeah, those look similar... (in the words of Borat...) NOT. Drop a line down from their lower center (between their belt buckle and their tailbone) and see where it ends up. With Bonds it's closer to his back foot. With Hogan it's at his front heel. But like I said in another thread, I had a long day in the sun and it's nearly midnight, so I'm going to bed.

[live4u120]

I just need to wait for Tuesday. I think I can just ask for a solid lesson on hip movement. Haha.

[three]

I lead with my hips not pushing them around right or left but twisting them. I turn them right to start off into my backswing then at the top turn them the other way to kick off the downswing. Try twisting your hips like this with your arms relaxed just hanging down and you will see your shoulders/arms/hands cant help but follow your hips lead. Like swinging an elephant's trunk or a whip... I pity the ball that gets in the way.

[Zeph]

I lead with my hips not pushing them around right or left but twisting them. I turn them right to start off into my backswing then at the top turn them the other way to kick off the downswing. Try twisting your hips like this with your arms relaxed just hanging down and you will see your shoulders/arms/hands cant help but follow your hips lead. Like swinging an elephant's trunk or a whip... I pity the ball that gets in the way.

No, no, no, that is the complete opposite of what you want to do. By only rotating, you never get the weight forward and are bound to hit a lot of shots fat or thin because of a swing bottom too far back. The hips are also likely to spin too early and leave the upper body behind.

From the top, (wherever that position is, some shift the entire body back, S&T; perscribe you keep it more forward) the hips should start moving forward. Since they have turned some 40-45º, they will start rotating right away automatically when you start pushing. If you push all the way to the finish, they will rotate by themselves. Rotating from the top does not get the weight forward, you have to push them and keep pushing all the way. Like I mentioned in another thread, there are different ways to feel the hip push. I like to use my legs, or more specifically the right leg and knee. From the top of the backswing, I move the right knee towards the left, without it overflexing, and rolling/banking the right foot inwards. If I try pushing the hips, I end up rotating them instead. Demonstrated here by Dave at Golf Evolution. You clearly see his left knee moving forward, many players push the left knee forward to get the hips going. Experiment to find what works best for you.

[three]

No, no, no, that is the complete opposite of what you want to do. By only rotating, you never get the weight forward and are bound to hit a lot of shots fat or thin because of a swing bottom too far back. The hips are also likely to spin too early and leave the upper body behind.

Sorry I didn't mean that my hips don't move forward at all. I meant I lead my swing by rotating them... not 'only rotating'. I do spin my hips with my upper body following on purpose. I used to slide my hips more years ago but now I'm all about rotation like Jamie Sadlowski

[Zeph]

Why on earth would you want to copy the swing of Jamie Sadlowski? He may hit a drive 400 yards, but out of ten drives, maybe one of them would be in play on a course. He is all about power and just hope for a swing where the ball ends up in the area where it is accepted in the competition.

If you have gone from sliding to rotating, you have pretty much gone the exact opposite way of what you should be doing. Nobody on the tour wants to rotate their hips like Jamie. Some may say they do, but all of them push the hips forward.

[jhawker23]

What drills help to groove this? This plagues me. I feel this is a major reason I'm casting the club. I will be posting video on this. It would be great if some of you could give me an idea about the hip movement.

[iacas]

Why on earth would you want to copy the swing of Jamie Sadlowski? He may hit a drive 400 yards, but out of ten drives, maybe one of them would be in play on a course. He is all about power and just hope for a swing where the ball ends up in the area where it is accepted in the competition.

Well, I wouldn't say there's not a contingent of pros who rotate more than they should (or do so prematurely). Some do, with Phil Mickelson being a prime example. He ends up looking more like the baseball player (weight back, rear knee sagging into impact, somewhat faking the follow-through position) than Ben Hogan in his impact position. But his miss is a big pull or a big fade. His stock shot's a pull-fade because he cuts across the ball slightly.

But mirroring your swing after the long drive guys is, I agree, silly. They get to put the ball on a tee and many of them struggle when the ball's put on turf. They have one specialized skill that doesn't apply much to even regular golf because, as Zeph pointed out, we don't get 3 or 4 or 10 attempts per hole to put a ball in play.

[three]

I am not copying his swing. I don't think thats even possible but is an example of the technique.

What I'm actually copying is the moeller drumming technique using my whole body as a whip to get speed and power with less effort.


Worked for me, sorry if its bad advice for others. My drives hit the ground around 300yds now instead of 270 and its very hard not to hit this nike sq straight. To bad this doesn't work for my chipping and putting!

[grantc79]

My drives hit the ground around 300yds now instead of 270 and its very hard not to hit this nike sq straight.

Not to derail the thread but basically you are saying your swing speed is around 130 right?

You carry it 300? That means you carry is 20 yards further than tour average TOTAL distance which is 280. That means you carry it about as far as Bubba Watson maybe further? I love the folks who have no idea how far they hit a ball. I went to Watts yesterday to try out all the new drivers and despite the fact that I was averaging 110 swing speed (which won't get me within 40 yards of 300 carry), everyone in there already seemed to hit their drivers 300 to 320. This was all despite the fact that at best their swing speeds were 100 to 105. Amazing stuff. It makes me wonder if everyone that is currently driver shopping already has a driver that gets them out there 320 with lower swing speed than me, why are they driver shopping?

[three]

Yes and I have a good idea how far I hit the ball. It's the sign with 300 painted on it. Howerver, I am 6'5" with a 87" armspan in my 30's. I hit my 9i 150. I hit my putter everywhere but into the hole! My driver is from 2006 and I'm not shopping for a new one.

There is a big difference between me on the range and a pro in a tournament. If it was just about distance you'd see me on TV if I didn't choke from stress http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/

[Zeph]

Have you verified that the range distances are correct?