A Centered Pivot Golf Swing

[mvmac]

Thought this was pretty good.

 

When you teach juniors every way to keep shoulders on plane and it still doesn't work you have to break out the chalk and make stuff up??

A video posted by George Gankas (@ggswingtips) on Jan 16, 2016 at 9:45am PST

[iacas]

Good "expansion" of the "shoulder pitch with driveway sticks" idea.

And no, I'm not at all claiming that I'm the first to do that, either.

[LeftRightLeft]

I've been working on a steady head/centered pivot (I'm trying to be a bit more systematic about swing corrections this year).  I notice that many of the swings that are demonstrated on this site (like C. Wie, G. Waite) from the face-on view seem to have the spine at 90 degrees to the ground at address.  When I try to match this some of my divots look like I'm digging a grave.   Is it acceptable to add a tiny bit of a reverse "k" to my setup?  I'm finding that this helps me shallow out my plane a little bit, while still having my divots start on the target side.  Any negatives to this adjustment? 

[mvmac]

8 hours ago, LeftRightLeft said:

Is it acceptable to add a tiny bit of a reverse "k" to my setup?  I'm finding that this helps me shallow out my plane a little bit, while still having my divots start on the target side.  Any negatives to this adjustment? 

A little reverse K is a good thing, especially with the longer clubs.

[LeftRightLeft]

Thanks!

[saevel25]

On 1/23/2016 at 1:31 AM, mvmac said:

A little reverse K is a good thing, especially with the longer clubs.

I like it because if gets you preset into a position to really drive the weight forward at impact. It's something I worked on. Getting a tad hip bump preset then turning around the spine. Which feels like I am turning my chest away from the target and really driving that right hip behind me. 

[saevel25]

A good video on Adam Scott's ability to keep his head steady and make a center pivot.

I think the guy at the end makes an excuse that hip flexibility is the cause of hip sway in the golf swing. I think it has a lot to do more with amateurs tendency in not letting the trail leg lose some of its flex as well as not training themselves to even open their hips. It could be flexibility in some people.

If you want to gain some internal hip flexibility then do squats. You don't even need weights. Just hold the back of a chair and go as low as you can with out bringing your heels off the floor.

[mvmac]

3 hours ago, saevel25 said:

I think the guy at the end makes an excuse that hip flexibility is the cause of hip sway in the golf swing. I think it has a lot to do more with amateurs tendency in not letting the trail leg lose some of its flex as well as not training themselves to even open their hips.

Right and I think that's why it's so important for a lot of players to just turn that trail foot out so you don't need to think about the trail knee reducing it's flex.

This is also one of my favorite posts to share when someone uses lack of flexibility as an excuse.

 

 

[Mike Boatright]

On 11/30/2011 at 9:30 AM, mvmac said:

Wanted to put this together to explain an important aspect of what a centered pivot looks like and the movements that are involved.

 

 

 

Great video mac so in your opinion is there a weight shift? I see on the left it looks like a wedge swing where he kinda keeps his weight on the left foot or centered and makes a turn. Luke moves his head about one inch and has a traditional swing that's longer. Where does the weight go is it always 50/50 from the get go and simply stays that way. I think I can do this because I do it with my gap wedge because I keep my weight 70-30 mostly on my front foot and stay there,but struggle my woods and 5 irons because I want to load up so much. I'm not exactly getting the left shoulder thing?

Edited March 27, 2016 by Mike Boatright

[mvmac]

4 hours ago, Mike Boatright said:

Great video mac so in your opinion is there a weight shift? I see on the left it looks like a wedge swing where he kinda keeps his weight on the left foot or centered and makes a turn. 

Yes there is definitely a weight shift (or pressure shift) towards the trail side. You may not be able to "see" it but the pressure matts pick it up.

4 hours ago, Mike Boatright said:

Where does the weight go is it always 50/50 from the get go and simply stays that way.

Where it starts is a bit of personal preference. It can be 50/50 or a little left, I don't think it's a great idea to start with a bunch of weight right.

Here's what happens during the swing.

4 hours ago, Mike Boatright said:

I keep my weight 70-30 mostly on my front foot and stay there,but struggle my woods and 5 irons because I want to load up so much. I'm not exactly getting the left shoulder thing?

It may feel that way but there will be some shift to your right side.

Here's a way to check the left shoulder, it doesn't have to be exactly like this but it gives you an idea of how the shoulder has to track "down and in" on the backswing.

 

[Mike Boatright]

3 hours ago, mvmac said:

Yes there is definitely a weight shift (or pressure shift) towards the trail side. You may not be able to "see" it but the pressure matts pick it up.

Where it starts is a bit of personal preference. It can be 50/50 or a little left, I don't think it's a great idea to start with a bunch of weight right.

Here's what happens during the swing.

It may feel that way but there will be some shift to your right side.

Here's a way to check the left shoulder, it doesn't have to be exactly like this but it gives you an idea of how the shoulder has to track "down and in" on the backswing.

 

This looks like a really good way to hit a controlled 7,8 and 9 iron. and when it comes down to it probably all shots but in my minds eye I see boring 7 iron.

[saevel25]

How do you keep your head from shifting a lot away from the target? I noticed my head shifts a lot. It's not as bad compared to  if my head tilted towards the target in the backswing. I make a pretty good hip turn. Does too much lateral shift away from the target cause major contact issues?

[CyboNinja]

This is a great thread! Thanks for the lesson. This thread is actually how I discovered TST. I googled "how to hit a driver" or something like that and alas I found this. 

I gotta say, I do all thise things now and I still slice it sometimes. I am hitting most of them straight-ish though so there has been an improvement for me. Progress is good!

[iacas]

20 hours ago, saevel25 said:

How do you keep your head from shifting a lot away from the target? I noticed my head shifts a lot. It's not as bad compared to  if my head tilted towards the target in the backswing. I make a pretty good hip turn. Does too much lateral shift away from the target cause major contact issues?

Who are you asking?

[saevel25]

4 minutes ago, iacas said:

Who are you asking?

Those with more knowledge on the subject then I 

[iacas]

14 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Those with more knowledge on the subject then I 

So you're asking how to stop your head going back?

Feel a bit less bent over the right hip. A bit more extension.

[saevel25]

Adam Scott's Centered Pivot Swing

When the guy at the end starts talking about flexibility issues. I wonder how many of those golfers tried to maintain too much knee flex in their trail leg which could inhibit them to turn their torso correctly. 

Either way, a pretty good video on maintaining a spine tilt and a centered pivot. 

[saevel25]

I am currently working on my hip turn. My issue is, my hips slide toward the target way too much in the backswing. Right now, the feel is my right hip going back and away from the target. I just wanted to post this to show that sometimes the centered pivot is not always just stopping a hip slide away from the target. For me, the feel is a hip slide away from the target to actually produce a more centered pivot. Feel aint real.