The golf swing is a rotational swing

[Sandhills Golfer]

A former co-worker (70's shooter) once told me, that the golf swing is a rotational swing. I kind of knew what he meant. But, not really. Recently my pro told me I am lifting and swaying with no turn. Now, it clicked. I should be rotating my chest on the backswing and rotating through on my down swing - hitting the ball with my pivot? My question is, can you play good golf (in the 80's, for me) with this swing? Can you play good golf with no lower body key on the downswing. Ie: hip bump, swing from the ground up? Cheers, SG

[SavvySwede]

A former co-worker (70's shooter) once told me, that the golf swing is a rotational swing. I kind of knew what he meant. But, not really. Recently my pro told me I am lifting and swaying with no turn. Now, it clicked. I should be rotating my chest on the backswing and rotating through on my down swing - hitting the ball with my pivot? My question is, can you play good golf (in the 80's, for me) with this swing? Can you play good golf with no lower body key on the downswing. Ie: hip bump, swing from the ground up? Cheers, SG

You need to use the lower body for a good swing, but that doesn't mean you need to actively think about it. As long as you're not over-doing it with your current swing thought the legs should be reacting naturally to the rest of your action.

[Sandhills Golfer]

You need to use the lower body for a good swing, but that doesn't mean you need to actively think about it. As long as you're not over-doing it with your current swing thought the legs should be reacting naturally to the rest of your action.

Thanks, SavvySwede. It would be wonderful if the lower body engagement, happened on it's own. When I throw a baseball or football, it does happen naturally,

[Mr. Desmond]

I must work, work, work with a golf swing ... it is not natural to me, perhaps because of previous instruction from the late-90's that I haven't forgotten until recently to change the picture.

Haney instructors of the late 90's told me the body will react naturally on the downswing .... mine did not. I wasn't savvy enough to recognize what one must do. Oh, yes, a little weight will move forward, but you must put yourself in position to get 85-95%  (estimated) of it forward at ball impact.

[saevel25]

Thanks, SavvySwede. It would be wonderful if the lower body engagement, happened on it's own. When I throw a baseball or football, it does happen naturally,

Most golfers struggle with turning enough on the backswing and downswing. PGA Tour players are typically have their hips open 25-30 degrees at impact. You can get someone like Rory who has his hips 60 degrees open.

As for what the golfer feels, it depends. For a good 3-4 months I had to make swings just feeling I was driving my right side more towards the target. I am much more right side oriented so I really don't feel the hip bump or left hip turn.

[mvmac]

Can you play good golf with no lower body key on the downswing. Ie: hip bump, swing from the ground up? Cheers, SG

No.

Thanks, SavvySwede. It would be wonderful if the lower body engagement, happened on it's own. When I throw a baseball or football, it does happen naturally,

You learned how to engage the lower body when throwing a ball when you learned how to throw a ball. Using the lower body may have not been specified but you figured it out. Either by observation, trial and error, someone giving you feedback or a combo of all three.

[saevel25]

No.

Especially since Key 1 helps with Key 2 which helps with Key 3 and so on.

So not nailing those early keys making really hard to hit consistent shots.

[mvmac]

Especially since Key 1 helps with Key 2 which helps with Key 3 and so on.

So not nailing those early keys making really hard to hit consistent shots.

Yes and to do Key #1 properly you need to turn your torso and hips. With Key #2 you need to transfer the lower body and rotate.

[Vinsk]

I think it's been discussed before, but I'm not a fan of the "slot." It's the Bermuda Triangle for me. When I laterally move my hips to the right (I'm leftie) it does nothing to my arms. They don't drop into any slot. I think I need to take some swings from parallel back to parallel through and learn this proper rotation. From the 5SK disc 1 I do the stretching up my left side and compressing my right which just leads me to plow the ground about 6" behind the ball.

[mvmac]

From the 5SK disc 1 I do the stretching up my left side and compressing my right which just leads me to plow the ground about 6" behind the ball.

You might already bend enough or stretch enough, so feeling it more could cause problems. The dvd is just describing what happens in a good golf swing, not necessarily what you need to feel or focus on.

[dchoye]

A former co-worker (70's shooter) once told me, that the golf swing is a rotational swing. I kind of knew what he meant. But, not really. Recently my pro told me I am lifting and swaying with no turn. Now, it clicked. I should be rotating my chest on the backswing and rotating through on my down swing - hitting the ball with my pivot? My question is, can you play good golf (in the 80's, for me) with this swing? Can you play good golf with no lower body key on the downswing. Ie: hip bump, swing from the ground up? Cheers, SG

I can play like this when I hitting the ball off the turf. But I find I have to use my hips whenever I tee up the ball. Also I find I can get some more club head swing speed if I can time my hips and lower body with my the rest of my body in proper sequence

[Sandhills Golfer]

I can play like this when I hitting the ball off the turf. But I find I have to use my hips whenever I tee up the ball. Also I find I can get some more club head swing speed if I can time my hips and lower body with my the rest of my body in proper sequence

I find the same thing. The balls goes further involving the lower body when the ball is teed up and there seems to be more time to do it. On the ground, just swinging works best. Have you tried

mixing the two for a long period of time? SG

[dchoye]

I find the same thing. The balls goes further involving the lower body when the ball is teed up and there seems to be more time to do it. On the ground, just swinging works best. Have you tried mixing the two for a long period of time? SG

For all shots off the turf I don't really think about my lower body, they move with my swing. Out of green side bunkers and intentional fat shots around the green I will deliberate preset my hips so I can hit fat and I do have to think about my lower body at set up With the tee ball, I initiate my hips from the top of my backswing as a conscious thought so my hips are moving forward as I complete my backswing with my upper body

[jcjim]

I used to screw with my hips especially my left hip but it was endless. I then went to upper body turning with the emphasis on my foot connection with the earth and staying in balance throughout the swing. I no longer mess with the hips they just do what they need to do..

I believe the key to everything is total balance from beginning to the end of the swing...If I don't have that balance it sets up all sorts of problems that you may/may not be aware of..

I stared by concentrating on my rear pushing back to balance the force of my arms and club swinging and my foot connection with the ground...

[Sandhills Golfer]

I used to screw with my hips especially my left hip but it was endless. I then went to upper body turning with the emphasis on my foot connection with the earth and staying in balance throughout the swing. I no longer mess with the hips they just do what they need to do..

I believe the key to everything is total balance from beginning to the end of the swing...If I don't have that balance it sets up all sorts of problems that you may/may not be aware of..

I stared by concentrating on my rear pushing back to balance the force of my arms and club swinging and my foot connection with the ground...

Did you see Bubba Watson swing into the drivable par 4 this past weekend? His feet were hardly grounded. I guess there are always different ways of doing it. But, then again - he is not the norm.

[Brakkus]

There's an interesting take by Kelvin Miyahira about the chi line in golf that goes from the left foot up the back and side of the head. To deliver your maximum power on the downswing particularly with longer clubs you to rotate on that line as closely as possibly. Some players with too much of a slide forward or get their left hip outside the foot struggle with power because they have lost optimum balance in the swing.He calls it a hip stall and the only thing left is for hands to save it with some kind of flip. Very intriguing to read about and investigate.

[Vinsk]

There's an interesting take by Kelvin Miyahira about the chi line in golf that goes from the left foot up the back and side of the head. To deliver your maximum power on the downswing particularly with longer clubs you to rotate on that line as closely as possibly. Some players with too much of a slide forward or get their left hip outside the foot struggle with power because they have lost optimum balance in the swing.He calls it a hip stall and the only thing left is for hands to save it with some kind of flip. Very intriguing to read about and investigate.

@Iacas, @mvmac....your thoughts?

[iacas]

@Iacas, @mvmac....your thoughts?

I'm just arriving in Arizona for the Newport Cup but my quick thoughts are that the golf swing certainly involves a lot more than generating the most power possible.