In a nut shell… most golfers have no idea that the Lower Body holds or resists on the backswing. This gives the Shoulders something to wind up against to create torque. If the lower body slides towards the back foot on the takeaway, there is no Anchor to wind up against. If you slide, your chances of sliding back to where you started are almost nil. Or worse, the hips are allowed to start the backswing (ouch), that is like the middle of a spring trying to wind itself.
The golf swing is much easier when you learn to resist with the lower body, while you use your shoulders to wind your arms and club around your spine. This takes some work and practice, but the result will be your downswing is awesome, powerful, repeatable, consistent and easy.
4 Comments
No, the hands/arms never get outside the body or become disconnected from the control of the Large Muscles. They will never move on their own or continue any farther, once the front shoulder finishes winding up.
Whenever you are not sure of continuity (body position relationships) just think about throwing a ball. The shoulders take the arm back some, but the real power is the forward movement. The body unwinds and essentially throws the arm forward and you let go. If you want to throw the ball farther, you just turn faster on the forward movement. The arm does not take over in either direction. This being said… there is no real advantage (only less consistency) to allow the arms/hands at any point during the swing to work on their own.
If you just focus on the bigger picture. Use your front shoulder to push your arms and club straight back and up and when your shoulder cannot go any farther, start the downswing using the hips/thighs to unwind pulling (like throwing the ball) the arms and club back down and around, as you turn completely to face the target.
WHEN IN DOUBT, SHORTEN YOUR BACKSWING TO STAY CONNECTED… Ross
Hello Ross: Just started using your approach….finding it very helpful.. I struggle with keeping hands in front of body throughout swing. I notice you commented that turning from ground up…i.,e., with left knee/hip with the feeling of PULLING the club back in front of the body. Are you saying that at or near the top of the bksg. the hands/arms get outside of the body for a while? I’ve felt this myself as I struggle to follow the dictum of hands in front of body all through the swing..especiall at the top. Larry
The front foot setup and rolling to the outside of the front foot is an individual thing I have found over the years. Many golfers can not do this move. Those I usually have flare their front toe out so they can still rotate. I important thing, is keeping the front knee flexed during the rotation until after impact. Some can go all the way flexed. Others have to straighten the knee (harder to balance). You have to find a way to just unwind completely with knees touching, totally up on the back toe and hold that position. If you can do this or learn it, GREAT! If not the arms will have to pass the body and undesirable things may happen. Hope this helps Dennis.
Hi Ross. Have only tried this in the living room but I seem to find it easier to resist on the backswing if I set up with the weight on my front foot slightly favoring the heel and the weight on my back foot evenly balanced between heel and toe or very slightly towards the toes. Is this a helpful concept or will it cause problems?