Playing with a closed stance (neutral shoulder line) to create more room in backswing.

[westcyderydin]

I have been fighting my backswing all year.  I will golf well for varying amounts of time, but then i go back to the same thing.  I either quit turning my shoulders on the way back or i move my hips back and still have a problem turning.

Sometimes to counteract this i would take some practice swing with my back foot dropped back (behind me) quite a bit to get myself some more room but then i decided to go out there and just swing like that for a whole round.  It was great.  I didn't really have to fight anything, i didn't have a problem turning my shoulders and there wasn't anything in my way to be able to make a nice deep backswing.

Gonna keep the closed stance for a while and see if it keeps working.  There feels like there is just so much more room in the backswing.

Anybody try this before?  Any thoughts?

[GolfBear]

A few weeks ago I was reading something about foot position with the driver and someone posted this picture.    From what I understand this is from Hogan's book and it clearly shows him advocated for a more closed stance with the longer clubs and woods.

I've been doing this for about a month and I think I've hit one hook in the last 10 rounds.   I've never driven the ball better.   I'm a believer!!!

[Jon Robert]

I'm reading the book the Tiger Woods way.

page 48 Tigers set up secret

Hogan = closed stance shoulders square

Nicklaus = open stance open shoulders

Tiger = Closed stance open shoulders

I took note of that because that is what I do. Each foot is square to the target line but my right toe tip is in line with the 2nd or 3rd lace hole of my left foot and my shoulders just naturally hang in an open position.  So it was comforting to learn that I am not doing something "wrong"

[mdl]

Not that you should take Hogan's advice as the word of God or anything, but if he could play that well and many others have found success following his template, seems it can't be the worst idea in the world.

A practice swing thing I've been doing with some success to make the turn smoother and help get the hips out of the way is to take a Snead style back swing for practice, so let the front knee collapse in and the front heel come off the ground while making sure not to sway your hips back at all.  That helps me feel the slot without being restricted or pushed out of the way by my hips.

Just to note, I have trouble not so much making the back swing turn, but more losing a little spine angle and rotating my right hip into the way of my arms on the down swing.  But I thought I'd throw it out there cause it's an alternate way to feel a little looser in a practice swing.

[rustyredcab]

My instructors teach Moe Norman's swing. Moe's feet follow Hogan's pretty closely. Moe moved the ball up a bit for his driver. And his feet were square on short irons with a full swing -- maybe just a touch open.

Shoulders are a bit closed at setup -- in part because the club starts well behind the ball "Already starting my backswing."

It is interesting that Moe was completely self taught, never saw himself on video as a young man, and to his mind he was not copying anyone. May not have seen Hogan's swing until his own  was formed. Two of the best ball strikers of all time. And, they both have the same closed feet on longer clubs.

[erock9174]

If I begin to start coming over the top and outside in I will often take a few practice swings with my right leg pulled bag.  Seems to cure it and I begin to swing inside out.

I never heard of Hogan's advice until reading this thread but earlier in the season I was doing what the pic showed.  long clubs had my right foot back a bit.  With my mid and short irons I was neutral.  Seemed to work but I never trusted it as I thought you're not supposed to do this, lol

[iacas]

Many believe Hogan did this to account for the D-Plane.

Mac O'Grady folks drop the right foot back for the reason (among others) cited in the title of this thread.