Load and Turn

[$2 Nassau]

..…well maybe 3 minutes. Sorry, sort of long.

You mentioned something a while back in a Stack & Tilt thread (at least I think it was a S&T; thread). It stuck with me and lately I have been putting it to use with very good results. Just wanted to pick your brain on it if you don’t mind.

You mentioned that you do something at times, that from my point of view, is directly opposite of the S & T. Basically you said in your post (and I wish I could find the post to quote it) that when your ball striking goes awry, you simply load a little weight on your back foot at address, then it’s just a simple turn (not sway) around the back foot/leg on the backswing and then a turn through the ball creating a nice weight transfer through impact to a finish.

I’ve experimented with this and I must say it has simplified things immensely for me. I tend to sway back and through. I have always had the thought that I need to make this huge weight transfer back and through which causes me to sway instead of turn, causing all kinds of balance problems and as you might imagine, leading to very inconsistent shots.

Here’s what I started doing:

Preset maybe 60% of my weight on my back foot, ON THE INSIDE PORTION of the foot, or the “instep” if you will. Then, it’s just a nice smooth TURN on the backswing, keeping that weight on the instep of the back foot, not allowing it to get to the outside of the back foot like I always used to. Then from there, everything just seems natural. Probably because I’m actually in balance for once. I’m able to transfer weight easily to my front foot and get to a good finishing position. My shots have been a lotstraighter for one thing, and a little bit longer as well.

My question: Is this something you always do? Or is it just a drill? Am I way off here? Again, it was a while back and I can’t quite remember.

Now that I think about it, I sure HOPE it was you that had mentioned this, I’m pretty sure it was. If not I apologize.

Oh yeah - I figured this swing needed a name….I’ve dubbed it LOAD & TURN.

[iacas]

You mentioned that you do something at times, that from my point of view, is directly opposite of the S & T. Basically you said in your post (and I wish I could find the post to quote it) that when your ball striking goes awry, you simply load a little weight on your back foot at address, then it’s just a simple turn (not sway) around the back foot/leg on the backswing and then a turn through the ball creating a nice weight transfer through impact to a finish.

It's not something I do just when the ballstriking goes awry. That's my swing these days. I have largely solved my old problem of swaying off the ball. I've never hit my clubs better than I have this year. I usually make good contact these days (bearing in mind I'm a little pickier than most golfers).

It's not a "special" swing - that's my swing now. No real weight shift (which I've also mentioned in the "weight shift" or "weight transfer" thread) - just turning. The weight shift takes care of itself.

Preset maybe 60% of my weight on my back foot, ON THE INSIDE PORTION of the foot, or the “instep” if you will.

Yes, you never want to get your weight over or outside of your feet. That's important.

My question: Is this something you always do? Or is it just a drill? Am I way off here? Again, it was a while back and I can’t quite remember.

Oops, guess I got ahead of myself. No, it's something I always do.

When I took up golf, it was spring of my freshman year in H.S. I spent all winter reading everything I could get my hands on. I learned that the average golfer sliced the ball and had a reverse pivot, so my first year of golf, I had a massive weight shift (the opposite of a reverse pivot) and a massive hook (the opposite of a slice). I did NOT want to be an average hack, dangit, so I sure as heck wasn't going to slice or have a reverse pivot! Finally, this year, I've really finally managed to get away from both. A more upright swing has me hitting more fades than ever (actually, I can hit the ball however I want, but my "natural" shot is a tiny fade), and a quieter, less "weight-transfer" approach to the backswing has me hitting the ball more solidly than ever.

Oh yeah - I figured this swing needed a name….I’ve dubbed it LOAD & TURN.

I like that name. Can I patent it and charge Tour pros $30k/year like Plummer and Bender?

P.S. I hope the status of your 2007 goal changes soon, though a lot of that will come through short game work.

[$2 Nassau]

Thanks for the input!

I like that name. Can I patent it and charge Tour pros $30k/year like Plummer and Bender?

Throw me a little slice of that $30k/year rate per pro and you've got a deal.

I think I recently took a step in the right direction with a 39 in my league the other night. My best 9 hole score ever. Better ball striking certainly played a big part in that, but you're not kidding about the short game....when it comes down to do it, that 39 came from getting up and down a few times and solid putting throughout the round.