The Back Foot

[c_ault]

I couldn't find this is a search so...

Many times I have been told that on my back swing I am ending up on the outside of my right foot (my back foot since I am a righty) especially when hitting the longer clubs (driver especially). The crappy thing is that in the last 5 years, nobody has told me how to correct this. Through all of the comments, the reading, and the videos, nothing/nobody ever said to do "this" to not end up on the outside of the back foot. Until yesterday, the only way I could figure out how not to do this was to restrict my hips on the back swing, meaning I couldn't actually take a full swing. Fine with the shorter clubs but making longer clubs a complete frustration. My biggest fight has always been a push to the right or an over correction resulting in a big hook.

Accidentally, yesterday, I found out how to correct this very easily. In setting up, turn the toes of the back foot away from the target (so instead of Hogan's saying, the back foot should be perpendicular to the target the back foot is about 20-25* toward the back). I've read/heard/seen people talk about turning the back foot away to allow for a full turn, but nobody ever explained that by doing this it is nearly impossible to end up on the outside of your foot and if you do then you have most likely have big problems with sliding/shifting your upper body too far away from the target.

I am really excited to figure this out (by accident) and also really angry about nobody explaining this before. Give it a try if you're like me and have had the problem of ending up on the outside of the foot.

 

[Damaikis]

That's very interesting. Thanks for sharing. My little brother has that problem, and I couldn't think of anything to make him stop falling back like that. I'll definitely give that a try.

 

[c_ault]

That's very interesting. Thanks for sharing. My little brother has that problem, and I couldn't think of anything to make him stop falling back like that. I'll definitely give that a try.

Definitely give it a shot. I can see no reason why it'd hurt.


I should clarify impossible...I am swinging a club in my garage, on a slick concrete floor, wearing oversized slippers (no socks) and with a club my shoulders are turning nearly as parallel with the back foot and all of my weight is distributed between the ball and heel of my right foot (I'll call it the inside arch, exactly like I read it should be). Without a club, I can turn my shoulders beyond this, so if the target line is 0* my turn is around 120* and my weight is still on the inside arch. This is with my left heel only coming off the ground about 2", which is a less than I was lifting it before. For me, it seems like the turn just take any thought about my lower body out of my mind so I can think more about the plane my back and shoulders take. I should also say, it is really easy to turn the hips and waist in the downswing.

 

[dleavitt39]

I used to do this, I will caution one thing. As this opens your stance out makes you prone to a slice. What I do, is practice in warm up, the hit the ball off the outside of your front foot. This makes you stay more upright and really get forward and through your swing and use your full body. When I swing normal after that warm up, I bend sideways just a little on the backswing, which allows me to power through the downswing and rotate hips just prior to impact

Dan

Sent via my Samsung Galaxy S2 using tapatalk

 

[MDV123]

I actually flare out both feet a little bit in opposite directions. Opening up the back foot should make it easier to turn the hips without putting to much strain on the knee, and opening the front should restrict your hips from turning too much.

I've seen Annika Sorenstam hit balls with a golf ball placed under the back edge of her right foot so that all of her weight is gathered in the inside of her back heel. That might also help with hip sway.

 

[Mr. Satchmo]

One thing that i was taught to do was to turn my hips instead of sliding back. Another thing that I was taught was to turn my right knee inside towards my left side which kept my weight from rolling out over the right, also I take a smaller width between my feet to help me.

It's amazing how sometimes people forget to think about turning in the swing, when I told my self to turn my hips I realized I never slid or shifted my weight to the outside of my right foot.

 

[wenpinow]

Watch your right knee (for righties) and make sure your rotating around it (ie. it is the base of your pivot). Do that and you'll be in balance no matter where your right toe is pointed. :thumb:

 

[Grinder]

I have struggled with the same issue for years and tried nearly everything. Last Week I bought a training aid called, "The Anchor" by Perseus Golf. It is a knee brace that locks your trailing knee into a forced flex position. By doing this, it is impossible to Sway or get your weight outside.

I've practiced with it 4 times at the driving range since last Wednesday and I can not believe how much better I'm hitting the golf ball. If your way works, great, however, if you start having problems, I would highly suggest this aid. I did a review on it today.

I firmly believe that my lack of constant knee flex was the root of my swing problems for years. It seems like a really simple fix, however, no one has ever pointed me in this direction before and I bet I've seen 10 instructors over the past 15 years.

Honestly, this was one of those RARE moments in golf where I felt someone finally turned on the lights.

I guess we all have our own journey's. Good luck to you!

 

[c_ault]

I've been re-reading Haney's Essentials of the Golf Swing and he also talks about flaring out the back foot as the length of the club increases. He says that at the 6 iron the back foot should be perpendicular but as the club length increases the back foot should start flaring out. Of course, he didn't mention anything about this keeping your weight on the inside of the back foot but in other areas of the book he talks about being sure that the weight stays on the inside. So, that is both Leadbetter and Haney talking about flaring out the back foot (neither mention it helping keep your weight on the inside).

Also reading the Haney book I've worked on keeping my swing more compact. He does a good job about discussing "width" in the swing and stating that you don't need to create width since this is already done at address with the length of the club. Not trying to create width has also been beneficial in keeping the weight where it's supposed to be.

 

[c_ault]

I used to do this, I will caution one thing. As this opens your stance out makes you prone to a slice. What I do, is practice in warm up, the hit the ball off the outside of your front foot. This makes you stay more upright and really get forward and through your swing and use your full body. When I swing normal after that warm up, I bend sideways just a little on the backswing, which allows me to power through the downswing and rotate hips just prior to impact

Dan

Sent via my Samsung Galaxy S2 using tapatalk

I don't notice it opening up my stance, actually it seems to close the stance for me.

I actually flare out both feet a little bit in opposite directions. Opening up the back foot should make it easier to turn the hips without putting to much strain on the knee, and opening the front should restrict your hips from turning too much.

I've seen Annika Sorenstam hit balls with a golf ball placed under the back edge of her right foot so that all of her weight is gathered in the inside of her back heel. That might also help with hip sway.

I also flare out both feet.

The ball under the foot I've tried before I didn't find it helpful so maybe I was doing it wrong. I think Nancy Lopez was one of the first to talk about that training.

One thing that i was taught to do was to turn my hips instead of sliding back. Another thing that I was taught was to turn my right knee inside towards my left side which kept my weight from rolling out over the right, also I take a smaller width between my feet to help me.

It's amazing how sometimes people forget to think about turning in the swing, when I told my self to turn my hips I realized I never slid or shifted my weight to the outside of my right foot.

I've tried to turn the right knee in before (what do they call that, the reverse K?). I also need to remind myself to narrow my stance.

Watch your right knee (for righties) and make sure your rotating around it (ie. it is the base of your pivot). Do that and you'll be in balance no matter where your right toe is pointed. :thumb:

Good advice. I tend to do this except mostly with the driver. Getting rid of the idea of creating width is helping a lot with doing this also.

I have struggled with the same issue for years and tried nearly everything. Last Week I bought a training aid called, "The Anchor" by Perseus Golf. It is a knee brace that locks your trailing knee into a forced flex position. By doing this, it is impossible to Sway or get your weight outside.

I've practiced with it 4 times at the driving range since last Wednesday and I can not believe how much better I'm hitting the golf ball. If your way works, great, however, if you start having problems, I would highly suggest this aid. I did a review on it today.

I firmly believe that my lack of constant knee flex was the root of my swing problems for years. It seems like a really simple fix, however, no one has ever pointed me in this direction before and I bet I've seen 10 instructors over the past 15 years.

Honestly, this was one of those RARE moments in golf where I felt someone finally turned on the lights.

I guess we all have our own journey's. Good luck to you!

I replied in that thread on my thoughts of the brace and though I have my doubts about it or the overuse of it it should give the right feel and my guess it helps reduce the artificial creation of width.

 

[runpuddrun]

I flare out both feet on all shots, more as the club gets longer. I also use a reverse K setup (right knee kicked in and spine angle away from target). I am working on the Slicefixer swing and these are tenants of his swing and a full body, rotational, big muscle swing. One piece takeaway, no swaying, turn through the hip, pressure ball of left foot on the downswing and turn through the body.