Need help with hip turn on back swing

[ukblue35]

Hey everybody! I just recently got a video lesson where I send a few different videos of my swing from different angles to an instructor and he gives me feedback, etc. Was an AWEsome experience! The takeaways from the lesson were: (I'm right handed) 1) right hand V was pointing way past my right shoulder. He wants it to point to my buttons on my collar, left hand looks fine, no problem. 2)S curve in spine......................working on pushing belt buckle up and not sticking butt out (I'm 6'5" and former college basketball player, this is a natural position for me)., I am having no problem with this. So #3 is the one that I'm struggling with and that is the hip turn, trying to get my right front pocket into where my back pocket it. He wants me to flare my feet out a little, which I get. The PROBLEM is that on my hip turn, my weight goes TOWARDS my toes and this he says I'm a "jumper" which is how I get my speed on the swing (driver SS @ 103 or so). I also tend to hit a ton of shots on the toe and hook the ball. So I worked on getting the hip turn and "thought" I had it down a little better and sent him a video through the Coach Now app and it was just me hitting some 50 yard 56 degree wedges in my back yard. He sent a detailed video back and highlighted how my right knee goes towards my toes on the back swing and my back foot weight goes straight to my toes. I guess I'm just so used to doing it that I do it by instinct. I'm so used to bracing that right leg and keeping it flexed that I'm not getting the weight back in my heels. He said that on the back swing that if I'm doing it correctly that I could LIFT all of my toes on my right foot as I take the club back and get it to the top. THAT made perfect good sense and so I finally understand what he is saying. Have any of you had this problem? He also said that is why I hit shots on the toe and probably release the clubhead early since I have to straighten my right arm to get the clubhead to the ball with weight on my toes. Anybody got some good drills, videos, thoughts, etc. on this? With all of that said, I can still hit an easy 8 iron 155 yards or so and hit my driver @270 or so. I'm thinking when I get this hip turn down that I will go back to when I used to hit it close to 300 and an easy 9 iron from 150 (I took the better part of the last 9 years off besides a few yearly tourn. here and there). Thanks in advance!!!

 

[razaar]

I will try my best. Like you I came to golf from a basketball background. In basketball we learn to keep our Centre of Mass (COM) low to the ground for speed, pivoting, change of direction and speed off the mark. The COM is the mid point of the body when standing, located in the centre of the pelvis. In golf we need the COM to remain directly under our centre of gravity which is is in the upper section of sternum/upper spine just below the neck. The movements of the COM determines the weight pressure we feel in our feet - for example if we move the COM one inch to the right, the weight pressure moves five inches to the right (ratio is about five to one). The same applies forwards and backwards. This is the reason why we need to st up with the COG over the Insteps of the feet with high hips underneath. In the backswing turn our COG shifts to the right because the spine twists and tilts to the right (especially for a tall person). The COM will also shift an inch or to towards the right heel as the hip pulls back to allow the trunk to turn. It is this movement that moves the weight to the right heel. To complicate things we also need to keep the knee from moving laterally, so the foot and lower leg has to rotate towards the ball during the takeaway and the upper leg rotates away from the ball during the upswing while holding the right foot twisting towards the ball. At the completion of the backswing the right knee should be inside the right foot with the knee pointing outside the right foot.

 

[Phil75070]

For me, keeping it simple, to aid in hip turn in the backswing I go old school. I let the left heel come off the ground and the left knee point behind the ball.

 

[McLovin]

sorry i'm a little slow, but are you saying you're having a hard time getting deeper in the backswing and turning into your trail heel? like in the backswing, your weight is shifting to your toes and pulling your lower body into the ball, losing space? when the opposite should be happening?

i'm just trying to understand what's going on because it sounds like something i struggle with as well

 

[AnthonyC]

Sounds like you have a solid instructor.

I focus more on torque, not turn. Torque is what delivers the power and speed. Some people's torque comes from a big turn, and other's do not.

I hope that perspective helps you!

Welcome to the best golf community.

 

[WILDTHING]

It might be best to send a video of your swing to Tru Motion Matt for an opinion and recommended drill. The best drill I use to keep myself centred and not swaying from side-side or front-back is the feet together drill. If your weight drifts to the toes you will lose your balance and fall over with the feet together drill so doing it properly will ingrain better balance.

So go to the range and hit about 20 balls with the feet together.

 

[RayG]

It might be best to send a video of your swing to Tru Motion Matt for an opinion and recommended drill. The best drill I use to keep myself centred and not swaying from side-side or front-back is the feet together drill. If your weight drifts to the toes you will lose your balance and fall over with the feet together drill so doing it properly will ingrain better balance.

So go to the range and hit about 20 balls with the feet together.

I tried this as well... not JUST for getting rotation, but for keeping the sway at bay. Starting together, then widening by a foot's width as I went along. I found I was TOO wide and "getting my weight shift to the back foot" meant I was practically rocking like Kyle Berkshire on one of his Long Drive hits. I found a 'sweet spot that allowed as much rotation as my body allowed without swaying off the ball.

 

[ukblue35]

sorry i'm a little slow, but are you saying you're having a hard time getting deeper in the backswing and turning into your trail heel? like in the backswing, your weight is shifting to your toes and pulling your lower body into the ball, losing space? when the opposite should be happening?

i'm just trying to understand what's going on because it sounds like something i struggle with as well

That is exactly what is happening. Weight is on my toes during backswing and it prohibits my hips from making a turn. So I've gotta work on getting to the top and being able to lift my right toes off of the ground.

 

[ukblue35]

It might be best to send a video of your swing to Tru Motion Matt for an opinion and recommended drill. The best drill I use to keep myself centred and not swaying from side-side or front-back is the feet together drill. If your weight drifts to the toes you will lose your balance and fall over with the feet together drill so doing it properly will ingrain better balance.

So go to the range and hit about 20 balls with the feet together.

This DRILL is my go to!!! LOL I use it with a 7 iron and was doing it the other day and just nailing every single iron right a little right to left ball flight. I've gotta learn to carry it over to the course though, thanks for the reply! It's really amazing how great of golf shots you can hit with the feet together.

 

[TrueMotionMatt]

That is exactly what is happening. Weight is on my toes during backswing and it prohibits my hips from making a turn. So I've gotta work on getting to the top and being able to lift my right toes off of the ground.

If you’re weight is on your toes you have zero chance of getting any depth. I’d check your SetUp first to see where you’re at. 99% of backswing issues happen because of a poor Setup that restricts turn.

Post a video and I’ll let u know.
Matt

 

[TrueMotionMatt]

And I would strongly discourage you from messing with what he’s saying is too strong a grip. Lots of successful tour pros who have strong to very strong grips would suggest it’s quite beneficial. Having a “strong” grip allows for less face manipulation and better rotation; which you will need if you get a better turn.

And at 6’5” if you turn correctly and get a proper Pivot Down... 8-iron should be 170+

 

[BahBahBS]

I started using the Molinari foot flair and it has been treating me well. I don't lift the left foot though? Seems like I get a bit more hip turn and my backswing seems like it is smoother/has better tempo and my follow through on the downswing is much more complete/I'm hitting through the ball with more consistency?

Francesco Molinari says these two left foot tricks gained him a ton of distance

Francesco Molinari is one of the best ball-strikers in golf, which was on display during his victories at the Open Championship and Ryder Cup. It was these two left-foot tricks that helped him gain a ton of distance and take his golf swing to the next level.

www.google.com

 

[BahBahBS]

Molinari has an okay turn IMHO...he's not loading his as well as others and missing some key aspects that cause him to lose some speed and be a little flippy.

Yes, he is an elite player, but not necessarily the best model for a turn.

Not implying that he's the best model, I KNOW I'm not. Just saying that little trick helped me, and I KNOW I'll never be elite or a model anything...seems to have helped me get a bit more rotation though.