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Swaying off the ball

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pullslice

Travis
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Alright, one of my biggest issues is when I substitute hip and shoulder rotation from bending my knee and swaying away from the target. I get super 'handsy' and just kind of slap at the ball.

I will usually fade or slice it from there and lose a ton of distance.

Any tips on increasing flexibility and staying centered over the ball?
 
This is a really good one. These guys explain things pretty down to earth.
 
I like the way those guys give you methods to self diagnose.
 
pullslice said:
Alright, one of my biggest issues is when I substitute hip and shoulder rotation from bending my knee and swaying away from the target. I get super 'handsy' and just kind of slap at the ball.

I will usually fade or slice it from there and lose a ton of distance.

Any tips on increasing flexibility and staying centered over the ball?
Click to expand...

Here is a photo Jack Nicklaus addressing a driver, 5-iron and a wedge. Notice how his head is set well behind the ball at address, and the straight line formed by his left arm and club shaft. The function of his address technique to promote a proper turn back and thru around a steady head. If you adopt Nicklaus address technique you will not sway off the ball.
 

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A golf instructor / friend of mine sent me this video. I have fallen into the trap of thinking "OK, weight to the right, now rotate". The result of that, at least for me, is that it can quickly lead to a windmill swing vs rotational and can move the bottom of the swing arc to the right. I corrected that by thinking (and no club practicing) "turn-into my right side" not "onto my right side" if that makes sense. The other flaw that I have gotten into is using my hips to rotate back vs. my core. If I use my hips to turn back the right hip starts to shift back via early right knee straightening which actually shifts my weight to my left side early which promotes a reverse pivot and OTT move.

 
My Fav is swaying Through the ball, not on the backswing
 
At the range- Take swings with a 7 iron with your feet together. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to sway off the ball without falling over. An even tougher drill is to swing Driver like that. It will keep your weight centered and you will rotate instead of sway. Gradually widen the stance as you get that feeling. There's all kinds of drills using sticks at your hip as well. Put it off your trail hip by a inch or two and take your swing without touching the stick.
 
What helped me fix this issue was placing an alignment stick in the ground right behind my right (back) hip, and then work on not touching it. I used one of those driveway markers from HD.
 
pullslice said:
Alright, one of my biggest issues is when I substitute hip and shoulder rotation from bending my knee and swaying away from the target. I get super 'handsy' and just kind of slap at the ball.

I will usually fade or slice it from there and lose a ton of distance.

Any tips on increasing flexibility and staying centered over the ball?
Click to expand...
Can you post a video?
 
GolfLivesMatter said:
A golf instructor / friend of mine sent me this video. I have fallen into the trap of thinking "OK, weight to the right, now rotate". The result of that, at least for me, is that it can quickly lead to a windmill swing vs rotational and can move the bottom of the swing arc to the right. I corrected that by thinking (and no club practicing) "turn-into my right side" not "onto my right side" if that makes sense. The other flaw that I have gotten into is using my hips to rotate back vs. my core. If I use my hips to turn back the right hip starts to shift back via early right knee straightening which actually shifts my weight to my left side early which promotes a reverse pivot and OTT move.

Click to expand...


GLM, Thanks, for sharing. The frustrating part of golf is hearing conflicting info. First we saw Jack's set up with a reverse k and now this vid, saying to stay stacked. I guess there are different ways of getting it done.
 
Carolina Golfer said:
GLM, Thanks, for sharing. The frustrating part of golf is hearing conflicting info. First we saw Jack's set up with a reverse k and now this vid, saying to stay stacked. I guess there are different ways of getting it done.
Click to expand...
It's very interesting because back in the day there was conflicting instruction between pro's regarding the foundation of the golf swing. Many taught the right leg must be bent, yet Hogan and Snead's right leg was virtually straight at the top....which inferred (IMO) stack and tilt.
 
RayG said:
At the range- Take swings with a 7 iron with your feet together. You'd be surprised how difficult it is to sway off the ball without falling over. An even tougher drill is to swing Driver like that. It will keep your weight centered and you will rotate instead of sway. Gradually widen the stance as you get that feeling. There's all kinds of drills using sticks at your hip as well. Put it off your trail hip by a inch or two and take your swing without touching the stick.
Click to expand...

BigDill said:
What helped me fix this issue was placing an alignment stick in the ground right behind my right (back) hip, and then work on not touching it. I used one of those driveway markers from HD.
Click to expand...

Good tips both! The hips have to "slide" just a little bit, and then they turn! They have to turn, otherwise there is no chance for a successful golf swing. This is much like the old saw of "keep your head still"! Some of the worst advice ever given to young golfers! It should be "keep your head steady." This can allow for the head to move a bit, which it must.

As long as you're not wobbling all over the place, you have a chance of dialing in a decent swing. The key is how to understand what it is you are doing.
 
Buckeyegolfnut said:
Good tips both! The hips have to "slide" just a little bit, and then they turn! They have to turn, otherwise there is no chance for a successful golf swing. This is much like the old saw of "keep your head still"! Some of the worst advice ever given to young golfers! It should be "keep your head steady." This can allow for the head to move a bit, which it must.

As long as you're not wobbling all over the place, you have a chance of dialing in a decent swing. The key is how to understand what it is you are doing.
Click to expand...
I just bought the S&T "red book" that the guy mentioned in the video. They do mention a slight slide and also to "tuck the butt" under during the down swing. That sounds odd but once I got the hang of it my shots were far better.
 
Check your setup and address position. Slow your backswing way down. Focus on getting the left shoulder behind the ball. Be aware of head position relative to the ball, making sure it doesn’t change.
 
In my multi faceted, flawed swing this is among my biggest issues. I've been working with @TrueMotionMatt @TrueMotionTim this week on drills to stop this. Might have made some headway this weekend. (y)(y)
 
Took lessons from an ex-LPGA pro again. Funny thing is she quickly determined that my shoulders and arms were WAY TOO TENSE at address. I had NO IDEA...but after checking she was 100% correct. Then she wanted me to work on separation such that my lower body turns left in the downswing and the club "stays back" for a moment.
 
GolfLivesMatter said:
Took lessons from an ex-LPGA pro again. Funny thing is she quickly determined that my shoulders and arms were WAY TOO TENSE at address. I had NO IDEA...but after checking she was 100% correct. Then she wanted me to work on separation such that my lower body turns left in the downswing and the club "stays back" for a moment.
Click to expand...
It pretty much has to if you are going to shallow out the club. You have to get your hips out the way to make room for your trail elbow to lead the start of your downswing. Hips should be open to the target at impact.
 
Stryker said:
It pretty much has to if you are going to shallow out the club. You have to get your hips out the way to make room for your trail elbow to lead the start of your downswing. Hips should be open to the target at impact.
Click to expand...
Exactly. The interesting aspect was that she caught a fault that has nothing to do with mechanics, but ruins mechanics such as tenseness. For me, tension builds without knowing and starts in the hands, then up through the arms and shoulders. At the top my tense shoulders and arms are thus given "priority" to initiate the downswing. See GD article below.

www.golfdigest.com

You Tried It: How a tension-free swing solves lots of problems

On Wednesdays at the Instruction Blog, we often turn to our readers for the best tips they ever received. Please submit your favorite tip to Editors@GolfDigest.com. This week we hear from Alastair Plowman, who emailed...
www.golfdigest.com www.golfdigest.com
 
GolfLivesMatter said:
Exactly. The interesting aspect was that she caught a fault that has nothing to do with mechanics, but ruins mechanics such as tenseness. For me, tension builds without knowing and starts in the hands, then up through the arms and shoulders. At the top my tense shoulders and arms are thus given "priority" to initiate the downswing. See GD article below.

www.golfdigest.com

You Tried It: How a tension-free swing solves lots of problems

On Wednesdays at the Instruction Blog, we often turn to our readers for the best tips they ever received. Please submit your favorite tip to Editors@GolfDigest.com. This week we hear from Alastair Plowman, who emailed...
www.golfdigest.com www.golfdigest.com
Click to expand...

Good stuff GLM. Tension is a killer for me. I often pose on my through swing and notice I am squeezing the handle REALLY HARD. That can't be good. Also, a great point in the article is that the tension could make starting with the lower body difficult. Never thought about this. One might just say, I can't do it or it doesn't work well for me, when tension could be the culprit. Good stuff! CG
 
pullslice said:
Alright, one of my biggest issues is when I substitute hip and shoulder rotation from bending my knee and swaying away from the target. I get super 'handsy' and just kind of slap at the ball.

I will usually fade or slice it from there and lose a ton of distance.

Any tips on increasing flexibility and staying centered over the ball?
Click to expand...
The trick to staying centred is to hold the trail lower leg in its address position from the takeaway past transition in the downswing and keeping the target side of the face to the trail side of the ball through impact until the shoulder hits or brushes the chin in the follow through. This is the only formula that produces
the most centered strikes, and that is why it is a feature of elite golf swings.
It is normal for those players who have forward upper body lean at address for their shoulders to move away from the target during the backswing - the more forward lean the more shoulder movement sideways as the trunk coils. As the coil tightens the thoracic spine extends back towards the target while the lower spine is tilted away from the target in a reverse C shape. The correct transition movements with the tailbone moving away from the target reverses the hip coil and spine twist to an S shape returning the mid point of the pelvis directly under the centre of the shoulders.
 
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