Help explain shoulder turn to my daughter

[allin]

My daughter who is not visual at all is having trouble understanding proper shoulder turn. She feels she won't hit the ball if she turns the right shoulder away [she turns on a very vertical plane] and her swing is very steep coming back as a result. I explained it as the back shoulder turning away and allowing the front shoulder to turn under. That just got her all disconnected from her torso. She is very kinesthetic and once she gets it will do it perfectly, but we speak different languages.

[1puttit]

How old is your daughter?

Since she is very kinesthetic she needs to feel it. Try this - have her hold a club straight out in front of her like a baseball bat. Swing back and forth like you're tryin to hit a baseball. As she swings bigger and bigger she will have to turn her shoulders. Ask her what feels more powerfull, the arm only swing or the swing with her shoulders, arms and torso working together?

I have young kids. I explain that this baseball type swing is like a merry-go- round in that it goes round and round on a horizontal plane. The other extreme is a ferris wheel (try and demonstrate an arms only completely vertical swing). I want them to swing half way between a ferris wheel and a merry-go-round. When they get too vertical you just tell them they need a little more merry-go round in their swing.

Hope this helps.

[allin]

How old is your daughter?

She is almost 14. Little athletic background, talented in music and dance.

[Instagolfer]

Maybe it's a matter of terms. Many people think the shoulder is the shoulder joint and when asked to turn or rotate the shoulder they try to manipulate the joint (moving the arms across the chest). Make sure you start with a good definition of the shoulder.

If she's having trouble feeling the right shoulder turn away, try having her feel the left shoulder. Sometimes I find it helpful feeling my left shoulder pointing at (or behind) the ball.

[J.P.]

I had a teacher once simply stand a few feet behind me while I addressed the ball. He then had me put down the club, and told me to turn and look at him back there behind me. This is a good start cause you can't do it with out turning shoulders!!! I suppose the hips could go too far, but hey, worry about that problem should it develop once this one is solved!

[niblick]

I had a pro illustrate like this: have your daughter take her basic address position without a club. Have her extend both arms, palms up, and hand her an empty golf bag. Ask her to throw the bag down her target line.

Doesn't have to be a golf bag, and she doesn't actually have to throw it, but you get the idea. You can't really do it without rotating your shoulders around your spine. It worked for me.

[allin]

Thanks everyone. Dense dad finally got it. Daughter did not understand that that everything kind of happens at the same time. Dancers isolate movements when learning and then tie them together later. Just showed her the turn away with folded hands extended that no manipulation is needed, take the club back while you turn in one piece.