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Clearing the Hips

ShotScope
Johneli

Johneli

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When you want to clear your hips especially for driver do you slide them to your left or turn the right hip toward the target as you swing?
 
Correct me if I am wrong but from that question you are left handed right? If so you never want to slide to the right. You will want to feel a bump out with the right hip to start the downswing, but you want to post up or straighten the right leg early in the downswing.

You want that right hip opening up to the target as you are coming into the ball. A person standing directly behind you should be able to see almost all of your backside at impact.

To sum up. Post up against a solid right leg and let the hips start to open up to the target as you approach impact. Hope that helps and let me know if there is more that I can do to help.
 
amollerud said:
Correct me if I am wrong but from that question you are left handed right? If so you never want to slide to the right. You will want to feel a bump out with the right hip to start the downswing, but you want to post up or straighten the right leg early in the downswing.

You want that right hip opening up to the target as you are coming into the ball. A person standing directly behind you should be able to see almost all of your backside at impact.

To sum up. Post up against a solid right leg and let the hips start to open up to the target as you approach impact. Hope that helps and let me know if there is more that I can do to help.
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Nope...right handed. I should have said "Do you slide your hips to the left or swivel your right hip along with the swing so that your belt buckel ends up facing the target?"
 
Johneli said:
Nope...right handed. I should have said "Do you slide your hips to the left or swivel your right hip along with the swing so that your belt buckel ends up facing the target?"
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Boy, there's a glaring mistake on my part. I don't post up that right leg at all. In fact I try to keep it flexed. No wonder my right hip gets in the way and I have to struggle so much to clear it. I recently am paying very close attention to not swaying to the right on my backswing and have found that if I don't PUT the hip in the way (by swaying) then I don't have to struggle to move it as much.
 
Not to step on amollerud's advice, but have you ever considered playing from an open stance?

I've played that way all my life and I have never had a problem clearing my left side because an open stance basically takes care of that without even thinking about it.

"Posting" on your left leg is necessary from a square stance (like Tiger) but from an open stance, my finish usually ends with my weight on the outside of my left foot and my foot rolled over on its outside.

The only real "issue" I have to contend with is that if I get lazy, I have a tendency to "short-turn" my backswing or cast on my downswing. Both are solved by reminding myself to take the club back to the inside, but other than that, I think an open-stanced swing has a lot of advantages over a square-to-square setup.

Of course if you're already used to a square setup, then I wouldn't recommend changing to an open setup because it's easier to fix something in a familiar setup than it is to learn a whole new one. But if you're still deciding, maybe you should consider giving an open-stanced setup a try.


-JP
 
I like the basic idea behind what you are saying JP. I am a fan of having the left foot (front foot) turned out or open a touch to allow the hips to clear and get a fuller finish. I am ok with a stance that is a little open you just need to be very careful not to open it up too much which can lead to numerous issues in the takeaway.

Johneli....we need to look at all of this again from a right handed players point of view. For starters I don't want you to ever post up against the right leg. The right leg should have flex in the knee throughout the entire swing. Just reverse the earlier post and replace the right leg comments with the left leg. I want the hips clearing and you posting up against a firm left leg. Please let me know if this needs some clearing up....just the way I read the question I assumed it was for a lefty not a right handed player. My bad.

Johneli...If you need more on this pm me or even better if you can video your swing and post it here I would be more than happy to take a look at it for you.
 
Never slide the hips always turn only, if you slide you will slice uncontrollably. Sliding the hips opens the club face to about 30 degrees open for most people as the club reaches the bottom of your swing arc. Only a ridiculous adjustment to your grip or stance will allow you to hit a ball anywhere near where you are aiming if you slide instead of turn. This is a mistake that some pros still make under pressure so don't feel too bad about doing it when you are trying to get a few extra yards, but at least now you know why it happens. Most of those drives you hit high and right that turn even farther right (if you are right handed) are because of this, left handed it is the opposite of course. Best way to combat this slide is to make sure your first move down to the ball is to get that left foot back on the ground solidly and this will start your hips turning instead of sliding.
 
Doesn't opening the stance on purpose decrease the shoulder turn, leading to shorter hits? Not that I don't do that sometimes to make sure (or, try to make sure) I hit the fade I am trying to hit.
 
Smallville said:
Doesn't opening the stance on purpose decrease the shoulder turn, leading to shorter hits? Not that I don't do that sometimes to make sure (or, try to make sure) I hit the fade I am trying to hit.
Click to expand...

Best thing to do is to just swing normally but open the clubface a little bit to hit a fade.
 
pjcedog said:
Best thing to do is to just swing normally but open the clubface a little bit to hit a fade.
Click to expand...

I really disagree with that one. I am sure Andy will come in and clean that up. I was always told that there are so many better ways to hit a fade than just opening the club face a little bit. That can lead to many bad things with my swing.
 
I don't understand how an open stance will promote clearing of the RIGHT hip which is the problem for me. When I don't get that hip turning with my swing it gets in the way and I come over the top.

The one key I'm looking for is HOW DOES THE RIGHT HIP WORK WITH THE SWING.....SHOULD THE HIP START TURNING BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR DOWNSWING, AS YOU BEGIN, OR AFTER YOU'VE STARTED YOUR DOWNSWING. AND, BESIDES PLANTING YOUR LEFT FOOT ARE THERE ANY OTHER KEYS TO GET THE HIPS MOVING AT THE RIGHT TIME?
 
Johneli said:
I don't understand how an open stance will promote clearing of the RIGHT hip which is the problem for me. When I don't get that hip turning with my swing it gets in the way and I come over the top.

The one key I'm looking for is HOW DOES THE RIGHT HIP WORK WITH THE SWING.....SHOULD THE HIP START TURNING BEFORE YOU BEGIN YOUR DOWNSWING, AS YOU BEGIN, OR AFTER YOU'VE STARTED YOUR DOWNSWING. AND, BESIDES PLANTING YOUR LEFT FOOT ARE THERE ANY OTHER KEYS TO GET THE HIPS MOVING AT THE RIGHT TIME?
Click to expand...

Not sure but you might want to check your posture at address. If your angles aren't right starting out it is very difficult to get everything working together, it is easy to get stuck. I never think about hips during my swing, they stay relaxed and only turn in response to my left knee moving either toward the ball on the back swing or back to where it started on the downswing. I can tell you that when I get tired and my left knee action gets lazy is when I start hitting fats and tops, that knee bend going back is critical, and has some effect on the quality of my impact with every club in the bag hit with a full or even a half swing.
 
JB said:
I really disagree with that one. I am sure Andy will come in and clean that up. I was always told that there are so many better ways to hit a fade than just opening the club face a little bit. That can lead to many bad things with my swing.
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Respectfully noted. This may not work for everyone but I find that I hit more controlled draws and fades by keeping everything as normal and square as possible. Anything else creates a lot of uncertainty as to exactly how much the ball will move.
 
Johneli...is it the right hip that is getting stuck or are your arms and hands getting bound up coming into impact? The left hip should be clearing out (opening to the target) at impact while the right hip is driving the body through to a full finish. Lets try and answer your question.

From the top of your backswing to start the downswing and get to impact. The feel you need to have to start it all is this.... Feel the left hip make a small bump out or move towards the target. While that happens you need to feel the right shoulder start to work down towards the right knee and have the hands follow.

As the arms and hands are working down to the ball the left leg should be posted up (straight) and the left hip should be opening up to allow you to drive the arms and your right hip through the shot. I hope this helps and if you need more on this let me know or pm me.
 
To address the Fade or slice shot mentioned in this thread. I am not a fan of just opening or closing the club face at setup. There is no way to have consistant control. Please check out volume 3 of THP TV for a simple and useful way to work the golf ball.
 
Thank you for all your advice. Yesterday afternoon I had a revelation of sorts. I found that if I shorten my backswing and don't go all the way to parallel that everything seems to work without thinking about it. I feel that if I take the club back too far that I must be losing the connectivity that I get when I take it back in "one piece." And once disconnected at the top anything can go wrong. Distance is actually better and accuracy much better. Heck, if it's good enough for Stricker, Glover, Johnson and many others then a shorter backswing is fine with me. It's the first time I've actually felt really good about my game in months. The reason it works for me is that when I stop my backswing at a certain point in my mind I KNOW I can't hit the ball with my arms and hands from that short a distance away from the ball and am forced into getting my upper torso and shoulders REALLY into the swing.
 
amollerud said:
To address the Fade or slice shot mentioned in this thread. I am not a fan of just opening or closing the club face at setup. There is no way to have consistant control. Please check out volume 3 of THP TV for a simple and useful way to work the golf ball.
Click to expand...

Okay, I'm confused (no comments).

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but isn't opening the stance and swinging along your feet with club pointed at target AND opening the club face at setup basically the same thing? :dont-know:

I guess I should go back and watch Volume 3 since it was a month or so ago I saw it, but it seemed that you swing along your feet and not perpendicular to club face. (Maybe I'm thinking of your bunker lesson...)
 
Johneli said:
Thank you for all your advice. Yesterday afternoon I had a revelation of sorts. I found that if I shorten my backswing and don't go all the way to parallel that everything seems to work without thinking about it. I feel that if I take the club back too far that I must be losing the connectivity that I get when I take it back in "one piece." And once disconnected at the top anything can go wrong. Distance is actually better and accuracy much better. Heck, if it's good enough for Stricker, Glover, Johnson and many others then a shorter backswing is fine with me. It's the first time I've actually felt really good about my game in months. The reason it works for me is that when I stop my backswing at a certain point in my mind I KNOW I can't hit the ball with my arms and hands from that short a distance away from the ball and am forced into getting my upper torso and shoulders REALLY into the swing.
Click to expand...


There is one fundamental rule of golf that has proven itself to me time and time again and that is:

"If your backswing is longer than your follow through, you're headed for trouble".

That applies to every swing with every club and it's usually true.


-JP
 
dannyka said:
Okay, I'm confused (no comments).

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but isn't opening the stance and swinging along your feet with club pointed at target AND opening the club face at setup basically the same thing? :dont-know:

I guess I should go back and watch Volume 3 since it was a month or so ago I saw it, but it seemed that you swing along your feet and not perpendicular to club face. (Maybe I'm thinking of your bunker lesson...)
Click to expand...

I will need to look at the lesson mentioned, this is a very interesting subject.
 
JPsuff said:
There is one fundamental rule of golf that has proven itself to me time and time again and that is:

"If your backswing is longer than your follow through, you're headed for trouble".

That applies to every swing with every club and it's usually true.


-JP
Click to expand...

True for me. I just have to resign myself that I'm not 20 anymore and if I can get it out there to 260-280, and I'm in the fairway........I'm just sayin. My problem is that I have been trying to get a game back that existed 40 years ago......and have only recently realized that one has to make concessions for time.
 
pjcedog said:
Never slide the hips always turn only, if you slide you will slice uncontrollably. Sliding the hips opens the club face to about 30 degrees open for most people as the club reaches the bottom of your swing arc. Only a ridiculous adjustment to your grip or stance will allow you to hit a ball anywhere near where you are aiming if you slide instead of turn. This is a mistake that some pros still make under pressure so don't feel too bad about doing it when you are trying to get a few extra yards, but at least now you know why it happens. Most of those drives you hit high and right that turn even farther right (if you are right handed) are because of this, left handed it is the opposite of course. Best way to combat this slide is to make sure your first move down to the ball is to get that left foot back on the ground solidly and this will start your hips turning instead of sliding.
Click to expand...

:banghead: Now I know why I keep blocking my shots!
 
One of the things I tell weaker players who are having an obviously difficult time controlling the ball is to always line up the club face with the target, always. If you do this you have a much greater chance of hitting a shot that lands where you want it than you will if your clubface is left or right of the target. It sounds simple but it works and it allows the quirks in your swing to work themselves out. Have someone look to see where your clubface is actually aiming sometime you will be surprised how far off it can be from time to time, especially when hitting onto an uphill or downhill fairway or green. There is a reason that the LPGAers have a caddy help line them up shots.
 
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