Sliding during the downswing

ttucliffhanger

2024 Bag Boy Championship - Aqua Men
Albatross 2024 Club
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So I was striking the ball great and then I just started sliding during the downswing causing my hips to thrust towards the ball. I think this is something that’s always been in my swing but it has gotten real bad and I can’t even get off the tee box on par 4/5s, which makes it hard to set myself up for a descent approach shot. This is making me hit off the heel and clubface is open. Has anyone else has this problem and if so how did you correct it or do you have a drill you use to help suppress this movement?
 
The golden rule of golf swing is to keep to centre and to rotate. What is the point of setting up at address and then slide the swing centre past the address position before the ball has left the clubface? There are two swing centres - the left shoulder (righty) for the arm swing, and the midpoint in the upper sternum for the body. Keeping the left side of the face to the right of the ball through impact is a good thought. Another is seeing an imaginary line from the target foot to the head at address and try to keep the left shoulder moving upwards on the target side of this line during the downswing.
 
i did it for years and as result really struggled with the driver. Could of things that helped me was taking my backswing in a mirror and ensuring my head moved almost none. This really forces the turn. Something I do as part of my golf exercises is take the backswing holding a 8# medicine ball. No tendency to slide with the ball.
 
I have the tendency to do the same thing. My instructor has been working with me on feeling my swing coil around my spine instead of swaying off and then back on to the ball. My heel side block is starting to disappear but I still have to concentrate on my takeaway to make sure I don't regress.
 
With your practice swings, try and hit your left toe.
 
to op are you saying you're early extending, or you're maintaining your lower body space just getting your center of gravity shifted too far toward the target? from your first post it sounds like you're early extending. i will say with every ounce of my soul to NOT watch ANY video about early extending. early extending is a reaction to something else that went wrong in your setup, or your backswing, or your position at the top, or your downswing, or your weight shift. so literally ANYTHING could be causing it, whereas like every single youtube video about early extending will tell you the same things over and over. go see an instructor, or get with some like @TrueMotionMatt who can diagnose your issue.
 
Is that what was causing the shanks?
 
to op are you saying you're early extending, or you're maintaining your lower body space just getting your center of gravity shifted too far toward the target? from your first post it sounds like you're early extending. i will say with every ounce of my soul to NOT watch ANY video about early extending. early extending is a reaction to something else that went wrong in your setup, or your backswing, or your position at the top, or your downswing, or your weight shift. so literally ANYTHING could be causing it, whereas like every single youtube video about early extending will tell you the same things over and over. go see an instructor, or get with some like @TrueMotionMatt who can diagnose your issue.

the way we grip the club can spell doom as well. I'd argue the placement of the fingers and level of pressure from lead to trail hand sets the stage and all else follows.
 
Here is a 2 min video from titleist... I've had success with it. Hope it helps.


I am going to try that for sure. I don’t have my alignment sticks with me since I’m on travel with the Navy. I will for sure try this at home in my net just to get the feeling.
 
@mcl
to op are you saying you're early extending, or you're maintaining your lower body space just getting your center of gravity shifted too far toward the target? from your first post it sounds like you're early extending. i will say with every ounce of my soul to NOT watch ANY video about early extending. early extending is a reaction to something else that went wrong in your setup, or your backswing, or your position at the top, or your downswing, or your weight shift. so literally ANYTHING could be causing it, whereas like every single youtube video about early extending will tell you the same things over and over. go see an instructor, or get with some like @TrueMotionMatt who can diagnose your issue.

yes I am absolutely early extending. I know my transition is where it looks like it starts but I’m sure it could be something else for sure. Is @TrueMotionMatt an online instructor? I would love to sink up with one to work on this. here is a video from today.
View attachment trim.D302B9AC-1823-453F-8DBF-FD56EDE3CF48.MOV
 
It doesn’t cause as big of an issue in my irons but longer clubs to driver is the part where it’s the worst.
 
@ttucliffhanger yes @TrueMotionMatt is an golf instructor, and i believe he does online as well as in person lessons. a few thp'ers have been able to get with him for online lessons (and i think @dhartmann34 works with him in person) and their journeys are in various threads. i work with a guy here in orlando who does a ton of online instruction, but he's in pretty high demand so his prices have escalated.
 
@ttucliffhanger yes @TrueMotionMatt is an golf instructor, and i believe he does online as well as in person lessons. a few thp'ers have been able to get with him for online lessons (and i think @dhartmann34 works with him in person) and their journeys are in various threads. i work with a guy here in orlando who does a ton of online instruction, but he's in pretty high demand so his prices have escalated.
Gotcha. I would definitely be interested in some online instructing. The biggest thing is I do better with in person showing me and helping me in the moment. I have only taken a few lessons total and that was when I was like 10.
 
Gotcha. I would definitely be interested in some online instructing. The biggest thing is I do better with in person showing me and helping me in the moment. I have only taken a few lessons total and that was when I was like 10.
I work with Tim with in person lessons, who is partner's with Matt. They have their academy https://www.truemotiongolf.com/ which is where the online lessons and academy takes place so you can check that out.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk
 
Gotcha. I would definitely be interested in some online instructing. The biggest thing is I do better with in person showing me and helping me in the moment. I have only taken a few lessons total and that was when I was like 10.

my guy (and i'm sure others) does zoom lessons as well. you set up a camera (or more than one if possible), put in some earbuds, and get going. so it's real time, just not not in person.
 
That’s actually really cool.
my guy (and i'm sure others) does zoom lessons as well. you set up a camera (or more than one if possible), put in some earbuds, and get going. so it's real time, just not not in person.
 
So I was striking the ball great and then I just started sliding during the downswing causing my hips to thrust towards the ball. I think this is something that’s always been in my swing but it has gotten real bad and I can’t even get off the tee box on par 4/5s, which makes it hard to set myself up for a descent approach shot. This is making me hit off the heel and clubface is open. Has anyone else has this problem and if so how did you correct it or do you have a drill you use to help suppress this movement?
I catch this sometimes and it leads to weak heel side misses, and eventually the sh@nks...

 
So I was striking the ball great and then I just started sliding during the downswing causing my hips to thrust towards the ball. I think this is something that’s always been in my swing but it has gotten real bad and I can’t even get off the tee box on par 4/5s, which makes it hard to set myself up for a descent approach shot. This is making me hit off the heel and clubface is open. Has anyone else has this problem and if so how did you correct it or do you have a drill you use to help suppress this movement?
That's not a slide...that's a thrust forward.
 
That's not a slide...that's a thrust forward.
I stated I was thrusting as well. I am sliding in my swing. I can feel it. I wish I had taken a video of my swing from another angle because it's hard to see from that angle as well.
 
The golden rule of golf swing is to keep to centre and to rotate. What is the point of setting up at address and then slide the swing centre past the address position before the ball has left the clubface? There are two swing centres - the left shoulder (righty) for the arm swing, and the midpoint in the upper sternum for the body. Keeping the left side of the face to the right of the ball through impact is a good thought. Another is seeing an imaginary line from the target foot to the head at address and try to keep the left shoulder moving upwards on the target side of this line during the downswing.

No golden rule according to Mike Adams , Terry Rowles and Ed Tischler who say 1/3 of golfers are each Gliders/Spinners/Launchers.
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"If your wingspan is greater than your height, score a point for gliding. Having long arms means you don’t have to bend over as much at address. And since a taller stance creates a flatter swing, you’re forced to lift your arms on the backswing to create some angle to the ball. The only way to slot the club on the downswing from this upright arm position is to glide toward the target."

"If your forearm is longer than your upper arm, score a point for gliding. A longer forearm tends to elevate the club to a more upright position at the top, requiring glide to lower and slot it coming down."

If your right hand moves under your left, you’re what we call an “under” golfer. Score a point for gliding. You need a big shift toward the target at the beginning of the downswing to slot the club from this “under” position.

If you shift toward your rear leg as you rotate, you’re what we call a “rear-poster.” Score a point for gliding.A glider needs horizontal force on the downswing to move weight from his back foot to his front; otherwise, the shot may be caught thin.

Will await his book and the proof that he has gathered after measuring/testing hundreds of PGA/LPGA tour golfers that substantiate these claims . If the data shows a high degree of correlation between body measurements and their swing techniques , then we might have a blueprint for golf instruction based on the individual's body measurements, strength and flexibility.

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With regards keeping centered, if you look at the double-pendulum model used by Theodore Jorgensen (see image below) he found that gliding the 'fixed pivot' laterally increased clubhead speed by 9%. So maybe certain golfers who are natural 'Gliders' sense that they can create more clubhead speed and shift laterally during their downswing.


1621423105885.png
 
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Players of all shapes and sizes, no matter their "build" can have a proper pivot.
Agree....I"m not saying measurements are entirely inconsequential....but then again static measurements vs. how one actually swings, or feels comfortable swinging, seem like another path to over-analysis that's far too prevalent in golf. Otherwise, anyone armed with a tape measure would be shooting scratch golf. I also think Jack fooled a lot of folks to make them think his weight was on his right side at the top because he lifted his left heel, but in reality, and all it takes is a quick try.....I can have plenty of, if not all my weight on my lead side and still lift my left heel. Jack did not advocate for a lateral shift....he wanted to stay over the ball.
 
Agree....I"m not saying measurements are entirely inconsequential....but then again static measurements vs. how one actually swings, or feels comfortable swinging, seem like another path to over-analysis that's far too prevalent in golf. Otherwise, anyone armed with a tape measure would be shooting scratch golf. I also think Jack fooled a lot of folks to make them think his weight was on his right side at the top because he lifted his left heel, but in reality, and all it takes is a quick try.....I can have plenty of, if not all my weight on my lead side and still lift my left heel. Jack did not advocate for a lateral shift....he wanted to stay over the ball.
Is "comfortable" a criteria for correct? Especially if we consider the introduction of a new mechanical feeling?
 
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