Straightening R knee on back swing

[gcruz86]

Do you straighten your knee on your back swing? The reason I'm asking is because I was a slicing machine on the course today.

Typically, I keep my right knee somewhat flexed on my back swing. Today, I got so tired of slicing the ball that on the last 3 holes, I started straightening out my right leg and the result was a more manageable slice on the 16th hole and then more of a pull fade/slice on the 18th hole.

 

[blugold]

I have always been told that straightening the right knee is a bad thing. In fact, in the most recent Golf Digest Dustin Johnson said that maintaining knee flex was one of his keys to distance and consistency.

 

[BradMorris64]

You should definitely maintain your knee flex. In fact, I try to "stay seated" all the way to the top of my back swing. As mention, check out Dustin's swing keys...

 

[gts1982]

Keeping my right knee as steady as I can reduces my slice if not eliminates it. I resist my hips from turning and helps me produce more power.

 

[giedz]

I maintain my knee flex throughout my swing

 

[Flykixz23]

Just saw a 30 minute show earlier on the Golf channel about this and the Hogan swing and how active his knees and legs were but....they really said the key is to keep that back leg straight through the whole swing and never get it very active or bending and to be pressing towards your target with your hips after the follow through vs leaning back which is a given to most who know the game.....but that does not mean people cannot get away with an abnormal swing as we have seen plenty! If it is not natural though and not working then it should be addressed!

 

[blugold]

Just saw a 30 minute show earlier on the Golf channel about this and the Hogan swing and how active his knees and legs were but....they really said the key is to keep that back leg straight through the whole swing and never get it very active or bending and to be pressing towards your target with your hips after the follow through vs leaning back which is a given to most who know the game.....but that does not mean people cannot get away with an abnormal swing as we have seen plenty! If it is not natural though and not working then it should be addressed!

Really? I just watch 3 different hogan swings. He didn't straighten his back leg in any of them. He maintained the flex on the way back and get flex trough contact.

 

[tequila4kapp]

The very first thing I was told to correct in my lesson series last winter was straightening the back knee. For me at least that move contributed to a whole series of compensations, all of which were bad - swing too inside and up right, standing up (losing spine angle), over the top move, etc.

 

[Tadashi70]

If you start your back swing with leg flex then that flex must be maintained through out the swing. If you straighten the right leg on the back swing you are changing the swing plane. Now the swing becomes a timing swing and you will have to compensate in some way in order to get back a solid position.

Have people played with a straight right leg, yes. But the modern swing is built upon flex in the legs and maintaining that flex throughout the golf swing.

 

[Scrap Iron]

If my leg get's a little straight I lose power and slice the ball, my hips just get stuck.

 

[gcruz86]

Thanks everyone. Looks like it's time for lessons again. It has been a while.

 

[Tadashi70]

Thanks everyone. Looks like it's time for lessons again. It has been a while.

Listen, think back to those last couple of holes where your slice was not as bad. What else was happening with the swing. My guess is that by straightening your leg your swing path was not so much over the top. You were still swinging from the back foot so the right to left will be there. Keep the leg flexed and swing out to right field and get off that back foot, I think you'll see improvement.

 

[TimG3394]

I work on a straight back leg, not locked out, but straight

 

[TimG3394]

With the exception of a couple most have a straight back leg. Feel is not real

 

[blugold]

Listen, think back to those last couple of holes where your slice was not as bad. What else was happening with the swing. My guess is that by straightening your leg your swing path was not so much over the top. You were still swinging from the back foot so the right to left will be there. Keep the leg flexed and swing out to right field and get off that back foot, I think you'll see improvement.

Hey Freddie. If a golfer lacked flexibility, could straightening the right leg help increase shoulder turn? As means to overcome that lack of flexibility.

 

[oiler3535]

I was just reading an article with DJ in Golf Digest and one of his 3 things to simplify his swing was to not straighten his back leg. Think there was a Nicklaus article saying the same thing. Funny that I was just reading it today and then saw this thread. I know I straighten so am looking forward to spring so I can try keeping it flexed.

 

[TimG3394]

Hey Freddie. If a golfer lacked flexibility, could straightening the right leg help increase shoulder turn? As means to overcome that lack of flexibility.

I don't mean to chime in but straightening (not locking) the knee helps facilitate hip turn. But I don't think that anyone should be thinking about what the knee is doing during their swing

 

[Tadashi70]

With the exception of a couple most have a straight back leg. Feel is not real

you look at these and see more straight.legs then flexed? What you see is a very active lead leg which makes the back leg look straight. Make no mistake, these boys all still have flex in the back knee.

 

[blugold]

I don't mean to chime in but straightening (not locking) the knee helps facilitate hip turn. But I don't think that anyone should be thinking about what the knee is doing during their swing

I'm curious why you think that. Not that your wrong. I have had instruction where we focused on working to maintain that flex.

 

[Tadashi70]

I don't mean to chime in but straightening (not locking) the knee helps facilitate hip turn. But I don't think that anyone should be thinking about what the knee is doing during their swing

You do realize that the majority of amateurs change their swing path by losing the flex in their back leg? You do realize that to generate power you want to turn into you back hip, no open them? Too much hip turn causes all types of issues in most golf swings.

 

[TimG3394]

you look at these and see more straight.legs then flexed? What you see is a very active lead leg which makes the back leg look straight. Make no mistake, these boys all still have flex in the back knee.

certainly straighter at the top as opposed to set up. The hips turn in a circle which is done by straightening the back leg and gaining flex in the front leg. I never said the legs are straight (which people take as locked) but less flex, yes.

 

[blugold]

certainly straighter at the top as opposed to set up. The hips turn in a circle which is done by straightening the back leg and gaining flex in the front leg. I never said the legs are straight (which people take as locked) but less flex, yes.

Boy. I don't know about that. Maybe in some of the older players. But not the "young guns". Everything I have ever heard has been to do everything possible to maintain a consistent knee flex coming back.

 

[TimG3394]

Boy. I don't know about that. Maybe in some of the older players. But not the "young guns". Everything I have ever heard has been to do everything possible to maintain a consistent knee flex coming back.

Well it doesn't seem like we will see eye to eye, that's the beauty of the game. We both can get around a golf course doing it differently.

 

[Tadashi70]

Hey Freddie. If a golfer lacked flexibility, could straightening the right leg help increase shoulder turn? As means to overcome that lack of flexibility.

To answer your question, yes. But as I said before, you have to return the leg back to the address position at impact. If you can straighten the back leg, make a full turn. Re-flex the back leg, fire the left hip, drop the arms, old the angle, shift the weight, cover the ball, release the hands and finish high....you'll be all set. Phil does it and has won a few times but he has also been part of some of the worst collapses in golf.

 

[blugold]

There is nothing in that picture that says "modern golf swing". Hahah.

I'm just really interested in your ideas here. Just because it is counter to what I have been taught.