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Back foot slipping on driver swing

braveheart

braveheart

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My friends and I have noticed that my back foot slips back behind me at or after impact. Seems to happen the most when using a driver. I setup in a closed stance, back foot turned out, quick tempo, short backswing and I know I use too much arms and not turn well. I actually have pain and stiffness in that ankle/foot after playing. Been awhile since I posted a swing but perhaps some thoughts, ideas of why its happening or ways to fix it ?Appreciate your input in advance. Freddie. Thanks.
 
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My 1st thought is are you wearing spikeless shoes?
 
I’d definitely encourage getting the swing on video but initially I’m thinking you need to work on balance and tempo. If you can go to the range and swing at 1/2 speed and 1/4 speed and see if the foot moves. Work on repetition and groove that feeling of not moving the foot and then build up to a full swing.
 
Slipping on the backswing, downswing, contact point, or follow through?

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A video would definitely be helpful but I agree with @zbeekner4 . When I have seen the slide back in the right foot ( versus moving forward or dragging like I do ) with some of my golfing buddies its always a combination of tempo ( quick arms ) and lack of left hip getting out of the way which forces the body to move the right side back a bit to get into position to get in time with the fast tempo. I'd run the drill that Beek's mentions above and see at what level of effort (1/4 speed swing, 1/2 speed, 3/4 speed, etc. ) you start noticing your right foot move.
 
If you think about it, your weight can't be on your right heel to slip back at impact, so your right-side weight must be teetering more towards your toes. My only suggestion is to trace back through your swing to see how you're shifting your weight on the down swing because I bet it starts there. It could be a right-side dominate swing that pushes your weight forward from the right. Just my 2 cents.
 
Walk me through what you feel under your feet during the backswing, transition, and then through swing. Specifically, where do you feel pressure under your feet as you go through this backswing, transition and through swing movements? What if anything are you doing with the rest of your body to influence what is happening under your feet.
 
leftshot said:
Walk me through what you feel under your feet during the backswing, transition, and then through swing. Specifically, where do you feel pressure under your feet as you go through this backswing, transition and through swing movements? What if anything are you doing with the rest of your body to influence what is happening under your feet.
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Good question.
 
leftshot said:
Well, you got things started with your post.
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I too can be right-side dominated which throws my weight forward from my right side just enough to cause a right foot slip. I found this happens when my right side wants to dominate my swing which promotes a right foot "push".
 
braveheart said:
My friends and I have noticed that my back foot slips back behind me at or after impact. Seems to happen the most when using a driver. I setup in a closed stance, back foot turned out, quick tempo, short backswing and I know I use too much arms and not turn well. I actually have pain and stiffness in that ankle/foot after playing. Been awhile since I posted a swing but perhaps some thoughts, ideas of why its happening or ways to fix it ?Appreciate your input in advance. Freddie. Thanks.
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Hey Freddie,
My guess from reading your post is there is a rotational element missing during the downswing that is causing the back foot to slip. A closed stance makes the back swing rotation easier but restricts the forward swing rotation. Check that your sacrum (tailbone) is shifting away from the target during transition from backswing to downswing and continues to move away from the target until everything stops.
 
leftshot said:
Walk me through what you feel under your feet during the backswing, transition, and then through swing. Specifically, where do you feel pressure under your feet as you go through this backswing, transition and through swing movements? What if anything are you doing with the rest of your body to influence what is happening under your feet.
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In the backswing, I mainly focus on turning as much as I can. Whether it’s with my shoulders or right pocket back depends on the day. I tend to be too quick and and be all arms. I feel weight on back foot and feel like I don’t get off of it or onto my left side quick enough.
 
GolfLivesMatter said:
I too can be right-side dominated which throws my weight forward from my right side just enough to cause a right foot slip. I found this happens when my right side wants to dominate my swing which promotes a right foot "push".
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This describes it better than I do.
 
razaar said:
Hey Freddie,
My guess from reading your post is there is a rotational element missing during the downswing that is causing the back foot to slip. A closed stance makes the back swing rotation easier but restricts the forward swing rotation. Check that your sacrum (tailbone) is shifting away from the target during transition from backswing to downswing and continues to move away from the target until everything stops.
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I will try this. So focused on trying to create more backswing and inside path on downswing in setup and feels that may be causing the issue I brought up here. Thanks.
 
braveheart said:
I will try this. So focused on trying to create more backswing and inside path on downswing in setup and feels that may be causing the issue I brought up here. Thanks.
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Elite golfers never have their hip alignment closed to the target, it creates so many problems with forward rotation. If they have their feet alignment closed to the target, their hip alignment will be parallel or even open to the target.
This is also directly related to an inside path of the club head into impact, but not to most golfers' perception. The inside element in elite golf swings is created during transition by external rotation of the right shoulder and the right elbow returning inside the right hip, which flattens the shaft and drops the club head behind the hands. It is body rotation and keeping the elbow ahead of the hands that creates club head lag so that the club head will release from behind the hands out towards the ball on an in to out path into impact. The hands swing on a downwards path though their address position towards the feet.
 
razaar said:
Elite golfers never have their hip alignment closed to the target, it creates so many problems with forward rotation. If they have their feet alignment closed to the target, their hip alignment will be parallel or even open to the target.
This is also directly related to an inside path of the club head into impact, but not to most golfers' perception. The inside element in elite golf swings is created during transition by external rotation of the right shoulder and the right elbow returning inside the right hip, which flattens the shaft and drops the club head behind the hands. It is body rotation and keeping the elbow ahead of the hands that creates club head lag so that the club head will release from behind the hands out towards the ball on an in to out path into impact. The hands swing on a downwards path though their address position towards the feet.
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I think you are advising me to get out of the closed stance I have habitually done? Could be the cause producing the effect?
 
braveheart said:
I think you are advising me to get out of the closed stance I have habitually done? Could be the cause producing the effect?
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Hogan had a closed stance with the driver but his hips were open to the target. The benefit of a closed stance is it promotes a turn and lift backswing rather than a lift and turn (Trevino). The former tends towards an pright swing plane and the latter a flatter swing plane with average golfers.
 
braveheart said:
In the backswing, I mainly focus on turning as much as I can. Whether it’s with my shoulders or right pocket back depends on the day. I tend to be too quick and and be all arms. I feel weight on back foot and feel like I don’t get off of it or onto my left side quick enough.
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Looking for more detail. We need to know where you feel the weight under each foot and when. Is it over your toes, heel, instep, outside? What percentage of your weight is on your back foot when you complete your backswing? During the transition from backswing to through swing how does your weight shift, how much and where? What changes occur during the through swing? At impact?

You can learn a ton about your swing by focusing on what's happening with your feet.
 
My guess is on the backswing, at least 80-90% weight is on lateral back heel. Setting up in a closed stance with driver to 7 iron. On downswing, I don’t think I get that much on my left foot before impact. I feel the foot spin open and I fall back feeling. Worse the longer the club. Again, all my efforts have been to turn more in backswing. Rarely concern myself with downswing, impact and finish. Funny, another thing that will happen is my hands will try to separate after impact as well. The slip has got to go. The off-season is upon me so it will be my focus. Thanks.
 
Just my thought, but whether open or closed stance is inconsequential to good golf. I think one has to figure out what their body/brain prefers vs. some sort of possible forcing to comply with another golfer, or a legend. Even the "legends" often said they did "one thing" and actually did quite another. Describing how one's body/brain interprets, then how they react during the golf swing is IMO impossible, even though we endlessly try with ultra-slo-mo video. I think folks, and likewise myself, need to explore how their body/brain wants to basically swing, and hone that particular set of moves.

I've had 6 Tequila shooters so please don't flame me....but sometimes Tequila, like peyote in the Billy Jack movies, helps discover a new level of thought.:confused::oops:
 
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