Hanging Back on my right side

Question
QUESTION: I video taped myself and found that some good and bad.  Hard to describe but you know Tigers move once back swing is complete is down and towards that ball.  He does a great job of transfer his weight.  I on the other hand do not.  I do a good job of staying behind the ball  but I'm hitting the ball thin, on the toe, and my divots are really shallow.  My right shoulder is really down low at impact and I just don抰 seem to be transfer my weight.  I抦 staying so far behind the ball that I can抰 release the club. Thoughts on drills to help my first move at the top be forward with the hips?

ANSWER: Brian:  Take another look at your video with special notice to your foot and leg work.  Does your back foot roll to the outside?  And does your back knee move to the outside of your right foot?  My guess is that one or both of these are occurring.  Once the weight moves to the rear of the back foot or to its heel, it must return to the inside before one can push off.  In this split second that the weight is moving back to the starting position so it can be the basis for the drive forward, the upper body is well into the forward swing.  Rather than drive through with the legs, the tendency is to stand or raise up because in essence, you are out of balance if you're rolling on your feet.  As you see Brian, once the swing begins, about 95% of what occurs during the swing is controlled by your reflexes which are responding to what's going on.

Compare your foot & leg action to Tiger's and I think you'll see what I mean.  You might also copy his profile which will put you in a position of optimal balance before the swing begins.  Note how he bends from the hips to reach the ball, flexes his knees just to the point of unlocking them, plays the ball far enough from him to allow the arms to hang from his shoulders and has his weight on the balls of his feet.  This position allows his reflexes to respond to hitting the ball instead of the struggle to keep his balance.

Good luck Brian; I'd be interested in being updated on your progress.

Fairways and Greens,

John
www.golfnutts.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks John.  I'm impressed.  I found that I wa almost rolling my back right foot.  Most of the weight was on the outside and edge of the foot and my knees are bent much more than how you explained Tigers.  So my optimal knee flex should be to straight them and then just unlock them.  Then bend at the hips to get to the ball?

ANSWER: Hi again Brian and thanks for the complement.  I don't know that that won't work as long as you end up on the balls of the feet to start the swing.  I might suggest doing it by locking your knees straight, bending from the hips until your shoulders are about 2 inches in front of your toes, then with the knees still locked, lean towards the ball until you feel like you're going to tip over.  Then as you just unlock the knees, you'll feel the weight settle on the balls of the feet.  Doing it this way ensures a correct spine angle; one that allows a full shoulder turn with neither running into your chin.

Then in the backswing, your sternum should end up over your right foot with the majority of the weight that started on the right foot, still on the ball of that foot.  From that position you'll be coiled and poised to start the forward swing with a slight lead by the lower body.

Keep me posted!!

John


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks John.  I feel better about the weight transfer and set up at the ball.  I was still have hits on the toes and a snap hook here and there.  A local pro noticed my swing  was really flat on the back swing.  I raised it up some and now my contact is much better.  Still fighting an occasional over the top pull but all in all golf is getting fun again.

Answer
Glad to hear it Brian.  Just as your old swing was a product of your old setup, your swing will change in response to your new setup.  Making the change the pro suggested is much easier when your setup encourages the move.  What you're experiencing is what I call swing hangovers; even though you're not set up to hit those old bad shots any more, they will come back to haunt you once in a while.  What I've learned is that as one seems to get used to the new setup, sometimes they are really semi-reverting back to the old.  You must check yourself frequently to make sure you're setting up properly; of course you'll know it's time to check when you hit one wayward.

Keep up the good work Brian and keep me posted!!

John

Keep up the good work