Myth of Maintaining Your Address Flex in the Rear Knee

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Thanks to instructor Terry Rowles for these videos

And both of those guys keep more flex in their right legs than the average pro because they're gumbies.

[onephenom]

Originally Posted by Stretch

And both of those guys keep more flex in their right legs than the average pro because they're gumbies.

Perhaps you could expand on gumbies?

[Stretch]

Ridiculously flexible.

[boogielicious]

About to become the Master's Champion.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by jd924

Hey Mike I'm curious what else lack of hip turn does to detriment a golf swing. Would it effect club face control and cause the golfer to hit hooks? Note I'm not going to go try and fix my swing by myself, that's what you evolvr guys are for. I am simply just wondering.

It could, just depends on how the golfer compensates for the lack of rotation.  Might see this with better players in an effort to swing out, shallow out the hip slants, get the club head in at A6, lift the right heel off the ground.

[CrazyD3]

Is this the reason for both Ricky and Dustin releasing their right hand bent after impact as saw in the video?  It was discussed that in another thread that the norm is no release.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by CrazyD3

Is this the reason for both Ricky and Dustin releasing their right hand bent after impact as saw in the video?  It was discussed that in another thread that the norm is no release.

No Rickie and DJ don't do what I just described, not the reason they lose the bend in their right wrist.  What's important is that they both have an inline impact, left arm and shaft matching up, resulting in some bend in the wrist wrist.  After the ball is gone, that right wrist has no effect on the ball.

[CrazyD3]

Here's the move that wreaked havoc on my back. Although it looks like I've completed a full turn, too much of it has come from my hips ( see photo ). My right knee is straight because the majority of my weight is stuck on my left side. This tips my torso toward the target and increases the pressure on my lower spine.

Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2013-05/photos-rickie-fowler-fix-swing#ixzz2RleekY36

This is found in the current Golf Digest website.  What did Rick do wrong with the straight right leg?  Not moving the weight to the right?

[cipher]

Originally Posted by CrazyD3

Here's the move that wreaked havoc on my back. Although it looks like I've completed a full turn, too much of it has come from my hips (see photo). My right knee is straight because the majority of my weight is stuck on my left side. This tips my torso toward the target and increases the pressure on my lower spine.

Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2013-05/photos-rickie-fowler-fix-swing#ixzz2RleekY36

This is found in the current Golf Digest website.  What did Rick do wrong with the straight right leg?  Not moving the weight to the right?

Wouldn't allowing more turn/tilt in the hips reduce the pressure of the turn on the back?  Could it be from too much side tilting? There is no way the majority of the weight is on his left side as well.  I am thinking he should still have more than 50% on the right side.

[Mr. Desmond]

Apparently, you're extending towards the target, instead of extending but tilting left.

[Stretch]

I like GMac and he's a great follow on Twitter, but this made me wince.

[cipher]

Originally Posted by Stretch

I like GMac and he's a great follow on Twitter, but this made me wince.

Yikes, I just don't get it.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Stretch

I like GMac and he's a great follow on Twitter, but this made me wince.

Maybe he doesn't look at his own swing very much lol

Originally Posted by CrazyD3

Here's the move that wreaked havoc on my back. Although it looks like I've completed a full turn, too much of it has come from my hips (see photo). My right knee is straight because the majority of my weight is stuck on my left side. This tips my torso toward the target and increases the pressure on my lower spine.

Read More http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2013-05/photos-rickie-fowler-fix-swing#ixzz2RleekY36

This is found in the current Golf Digest website.  What did Rick do wrong with the straight right leg?  Not moving the weight to the right?

Yes his spine is almost titling towards the target and he's kicking in some lumbar extension to prove his point

Originally Posted by cipher

Wouldn't allowing more turn/tilt in the hips reduce the pressure of the turn on the back?  Could it be from too much side tilting? There is no way the majority of the weight is on his left side as well.  I am thinking he should still have more than 50% on the right side.

It's just an odd pic, obviously posed.  Weight is definitely not left, head is in between his feet and his hips are relatively centered.

[mvmac]

Another good video by James

[Phil McGleno]

Just wanted to tag @Dr Draw after seeing his avatar.-Read this thread, son. It will help you.

[joekelly]

Did not read all these posts but does it not make sense that squatting down a bit then pushing up is a source of power? I mean who can dunk a Bball if not bending the knees and springing upwards?  So if one can mobilize the pushing power of the back leg into a twisting motion of the hips then more hip speed can be generated. The technique of power transmission from upwards to forwards is no doubt not too easy but, please correct me if wrong, does not Rory, and others, use this squatting down method?

[Ernest Jones]

Did not read all these posts but does it not make sense that squatting down a bit then pushing up is a source of power? I mean who can dunk a Bball if not bending the knees and springing upwards?  So if one can mobilize the pushing power of the back leg into a twisting motion of the hips then more hip speed can be generated. The technique of power transmission from upwards to forwards is no doubt not too easy but, please correct me if wrong, does not Rory, and others, use this squatting down method?

We're talking backswing and I think you're talking downswing? The trail leg releases flex in the backswing in order to allow for rotation around an inclined plane, the knee will regain flex on the downswing and allow you to push off or "jump" through impact. You should really read the thread from the beginning. Take a look at Rory at A1 and compare his knees to A4 and you'll see a definite change in flex. We are not talking about fully straightened and locked but there is a definite straighten-ing going on. Look at Tiger, a notorious squatter, at A4 and you'll see that there is clearly a change in knee flex from the address position. Very, very few pros truly maintain flex (the only one I can think of is Anthony Kim) and the ones that do are probably risking injury and aren't as consistent as they could be.

[mvmac]

Did not read all these posts but does it not make sense that squatting down a bit then pushing up is a source of power? I mean who can dunk a Bball if not bending the knees and springing upwards?  So if one can mobilize the pushing power of the back leg into a twisting motion of the hips then more hip speed can be generated. The technique of power transmission from upwards to forwards is no doubt not too easy but, please correct me if wrong, does not Rory, and others, use this squatting down method?

Please read the first post in the thread.

We're talking backswing and I think you're talking downswing? The trail leg releases flex in the backswing in order to allow for rotation around an inclined plane, the knee will regain flex on the downswing and allow you to push off or "jump" through impact. You should really read the thread from the beginning.

Take a look at Rory at A1 and compare his knees to A4 and you'll see a definite change in flex. We are not talking about fully straightened and locked but there is a definite straighten-ing going on.

Congrats, with what you just said you could be a top 100 instructor Living up to your avatar name

Look at Tiger, a notorious squatter, at A4 and you'll see that there is clearly a change in knee flex from the address position. Very, very few pros truly maintain flex (the only one I can think of is Anthony Kim) and the ones that do are probably risking injury and aren't as consistent as they could be.

Keegan comes to mind as someone who doesn't release very much but he definitely increases flex in the left knee, so somethings gotta give.