What about the left hip in the back swing?

[Golfbeat]

I think that we all know that an unrestricted deep right hip turn during the back swing is generally beneficial. However, I found that letting the left hip go forward unrestricted in the back swing as well is not so desirable. It causes me to over swing more easily and makes it more difficult to get the left hip back again in the down swing. When I try to keep the left hip a little bit back in the back swing everything seems to be a bit more sequenced and my tendency to early extend seems to be reduced.

 

Does this make sense to anybody else?

[George1174]

Yes. Use your left hip as fulcrum for the backswing and the right hip as fulcrum for the downswing.

I used to do it the other way around. Perfect recipe for early extension, shanks etc...

 

[Golfbeat]

Yes. Use your left hip as fulcrum for the backswing and the right hip as fulcrum for the downswing.

I used to do it the other way around. Perfect recipe for early extension, shanks etc...

 

That is very interesting. I would have thought that it was indeed the other way around!

[ddetts]

Yes. Use your left hip as fulcrum for the backswing and the right hip as fulcrum for the downswing.

I used to do it the other way around. Perfect recipe for early extension, shanks etc...

 

I'm not an expert in swing mechanics. What do you mean by using either hip as fulcrum?

[Man_O_War]

if you leave your left him at it's address position, you won't get a good hip turn. the left knee has to get behind the ball a little and the left hip will also move.. this is what's used on the downswing to get the knee/foot back then the left hip also. otherwise, you are just doing stretches.

[George1174]

Yes. Use your left hip as fulcrum for the backswing and the right hip as fulcrum for the downswing.

I used to do it the other way around. Perfect recipe for early extension, shanks etc...

 

I'm not an expert in swing mechanics. What do you mean by using either hip as fulcrum?

 

I mean, that I pull my right hip back in the backswing, so that it feels to me like I'm turning my pelvis around the left hip socket. And I pull my left hip back in the downswing so it feels as if I turn my whole body around my right hip socket that has been pulled back, even though my weight shifts to the left and in reality I turn around the left leg. That feeling is the only way I am able to keep my hips back.

It took me some time to figure this out because the standard "keep your behind against the wall/bag/alignment stick" just did not work for me. I need to do something actively instead of keeping something in place. I found that out for me when I read the article about Ben Hogan's pivot and saw the pictures. He pulls his hip back so much in the backswing , that his head drops.

[Macogardy]

Good post, I agree, and it's a much better way of eliminating Early extension then trying to keep your but on a wall or trying to forcefully stay in tilts.

[Golfbeat]

Yes. Use your left hip as fulcrum for the backswing and the right hip as fulcrum for the downswing.

I used to do it the other way around. Perfect recipe for early extension, shanks etc...

 

I'm not an expert in swing mechanics. What do you mean by using either hip as fulcrum?

 

I mean, that I pull my right hip back in the backswing, so that it feels to me like I'm turning my pelvis around the left hip socket. And I pull my left hip back in the downswing so it feels as if I turn my whole body around my right hip socket that has been pulled back, even though my weight shifts to the left and in reality I turn around the left leg. That feeling is the only way I am able to keep my hips back.

It took me some time to figure this out because the standard "keep your behind against the wall/bag/alignment stick" just did not work for me. I need to do something actively instead of keeping something in place. I found that out for me when I read the article about Ben Hogan's pivot and saw the pictures. He pulls his hip back so much in the backswing , that his head drops.

 

I had to try what you said in practice and it was really tough. I really felt my glutes when I pivoted like this but it clearly achieves the objective to keep the hips more back. Will need a lot of work to include that in a real swing. Thanks for posting.

[George1174]

Yes. Use your left hip as fulcrum for the backswing and the right hip as fulcrum for the downswing.

I used to do it the other way around. Perfect recipe for early extension, shanks etc...

 

I'm not an expert in swing mechanics. What do you mean by using either hip as fulcrum?

 

I mean, that I pull my right hip back in the backswing, so that it feels to me like I'm turning my pelvis around the left hip socket. And I pull my left hip back in the downswing so it feels as if I turn my whole body around my right hip socket that has been pulled back, even though my weight shifts to the left and in reality I turn around the left leg. That feeling is the only way I am able to keep my hips back.

It took me some time to figure this out because the standard "keep your behind against the wall/bag/alignment stick" just did not work for me. I need to do something actively instead of keeping something in place. I found that out for me when I read the article about Ben Hogan's pivot and saw the pictures. He pulls his hip back so much in the backswing , that his head drops.

 

I had to try what you said in practice and it was really tough. I really felt my glutes when I pivoted like this but it clearly achieves the objective to keep the hips more back. Will need a lot of work to include that in a real swing. Thanks for posting.

That's the point, you should feel your glutes instead of your quads. When you fire your glutes (pardon my french) you stay back and your hands have ample room to rotate around your body. When you activate your quads during the downswing you're lost because now you have stood up and you need to release very early or even flip at the ball. I know what I did for years.