Dropping Hands to Initiate Downswing

[zipazoid]

Thanks. Heh, after I posted that I went back & saw I posted the same thing 11 months ago. At least I was consistent.

[Divotmaker77]

If you want to play bad golf, keep thinking the word "hand" in your swing.  My pro has been hammering me about this problem.  The over-the-top creeps into my swing every year and I tend to cast the club as well.  It is ALWAYS because I get too handsy with the club which is a death sentence when trying to play good golf.

The drill I use is putting an impact bag behind the ball and swing inside to outside trying not to hit or touch the bag.  A lot safer than putting an alignment rod in the ground behind you and watching it fly out towards a fellow golfer on the range beside you.

If you watch Tiger's preshot routine where he swings outside-in I go from inside to out.  Greatly exaggerate it by going as far inside on your backswing and then act like your downswing is going 2 oclock out.  Its not the pretiest swing in the world but does wonders in getting me to quit going over-the-top.  Amazing how much more solid I hit shots after practicing that one move on the range.  I hit about 3 buckets but only hit easy half swings the entire time.  Folks who go out to the range and wack at 2 buckets of balls never get better. I was one of those folks so I know.

Now, if I could only ever get this lag and release thing down I can finally get under 10HC.  To me, by far the hardest move to learn.

[dak4n6]

Actually, zipazoid's 'swing-from-the-ground-up' should induce a good lag. While the feet and then knees and hips are doing their thing, the hands are dropping in behind the torso, but only as a consequence of movement of the lower body. You don't really 'do' anything with the wrists or hands at this point. That passivity while dropping down creates lag.

[bunkerputt]

Get to the top with the right inclination and use the knees and hips correctly in the transition.  It will become very clear what to do with the hands once they are in a position to hit.

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by dak4n6

Actually, zipazoid's 'swing-from-the-ground-up' should induce a good lag. While the feet and then knees and hips are doing their thing, the hands are dropping in behind the torso, but only as a consequence of movement of the lower body. You don't really 'do' anything with the wrists or hands at this point. That passivity while dropping down creates lag.

Sergio Garcia is a great example of this -

First move is lower body & as a result the hands drop with lots of lag.

[dak4n6]

Sergio is a lag freak. I don't think anyone else creates more. I've seen frontal shots of him where his hands are even with the ball and the clubhead is still back around 9:00.

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by dak4n6

Sergio is a lag freak. I don't think anyone else creates more. I've seen frontal shots of him where his hands are even with the ball and the clubhead is still back around 9:00.

True, and part of the reason for the lag is the lower body movement. But yes, he's pretty extreme.

[iacas]

We may have different definitions of "drop" but I don't see it as much as you might seem to think here.

Red line is BOC at A4. Green line is BOC at A7. Hands never really "drop" per se, the right elbow simply re-attaches and the hands get on their final plane as a result of that. Never below green.

Everyone's hands will move "downward" because they've gone back, UP, and in and need to go DOWN, out, and forward.

[Wpgrad74]

Had the same problem, and 1/2 the same solution.  Had to widen my stance to give my hips room turn going back and starting down.  If you start your swing with your hips turning, the hands will drop into place naturally. Do not need to make an adjustment there.  Go to you tube and watch some of Hogan's swings. MJ

[Beachcomber]

Sorry, what does 'BOC' stand for?

Originally Posted by iacas

We may have different definitions of "drop" but I don't see it as much as you might seem to think here.

Red line is BOC at A4. Green line is BOC at A7. Hands never really "drop" per se, the right elbow simply re-attaches and the hands get on their final plane as a result of that. Never below green.

Everyone's hands will move "downward" because they've gone back, UP, and in and need to go DOWN, out, and forward.

[KrazyTrain18]

This is something that I learned last season, just practice and practice and force yourself to do it, you really have nothing to lose.

[TheDoc]

"If the world's best golfer can't do the move very often, how should we expect the average amateur to do it?"

I thought Rory McIlroy pretty much did it every time

[dak4n6]

Originally Posted by iacas

Everyone's hands will move "downward" because they've gone back, UP, and in and need to go DOWN, out, and forward.

We're talking about not only the hands moving downward, but downward in the proper place (I call it 'behind the torso', but only because I don't know the proper terminology). On the course (but not on the driving range), my son brings his hands downward AND OUT because he rushes from the top using his arms and shoulders, rather than accelerating gradually from the ground up.

[dcahill2]

It should not be necessary to drop the hands down and in to initiate the forward swing unless you are above your swings inclined plane. If you are on plane and crossing over the top of the plane slightly you can play your fade all day long.  If you get too far over the plane weal left to right shots result.

If you are on plane at the top pay attention to your down the line video to see how you are turning your torso and your pelvis.  A fair number of people also come over the top by pushing their arms

at the target line.

[Teambobbright]

You snap it back and snap it forward, gravity is swinging your club.  If you tells you not to go over the top you will start going over the top. Get a good wrist cock on the backswing and it will help your down swing, you see the back of the right hand on impact and the club snaps as you get to the 8 oclock position.

[Ben]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dak4n6

Actually, zipazoid's 'swing-from-the-ground-up' should induce a good lag. While the feet and then knees and hips are doing their thing, the hands are dropping in behind the torso, but only as a consequence of movement of the lower body. You don't really 'do' anything with the wrists or hands at this point. That passivity while dropping down creates lag.

Dude, wow! Spot on!

I read the title of this thread in wonderment. But then again, there is no one way to swing a golf club. However I'll take a cue from my man, "the best ball-striker, ever", Mr. Hogan. Hands are the last thing to go on the downswing. I love this video I found a while back on youtube. You can really get the sense of a hold-off of the hands in each of the swings, even the little 50 yard pitches he hits (around 1m40s), they stay suspended up at the top forever, and then at the very last instance, right to the ball.

[zipazoid]

I couldn't watch the vid you posted, Ben, but I found this one with the man himself describing it -

[hacker100]

If you bump your hip your hands will drop. If you drop your hands your hip will bump. I find it more relaxing to drop the hands. No difference in contact.