Weight transfer ?

Originally Posted by Cliff

When golfers get over the ball we are blinded by the Scientific method of a golf swing the mind is in overload.

Lets get down to basics here, how would you go about hitting a nail in the wall, would you think about a delayed wrist angle or just let it happen on its own!

I bet if you thought about the way you turn you hips and retain that wrist angle prior to impact/hitting the nail on the head you would miss that nail?

Go back one more step here. Let’s throw a ball to a target say 30 metres out in front of you, I think if you are allowed to just throw it you would come very close to the target. Now before you throw the next one think about hip turn and the dreaded wrist delay while you are throwing and see how close you get!

The game of golf is all about balance and control, if you can do that without the fuzzy head thoughts you are well on your way to play this game.

Originally Posted by pnearn

I personally think the idea for *most people* of restricting hip turn brought about by the X-Factor primarily has put a lot of people back a long way in their golf swing. Trying to limit hip turn just leads to a lateral sway as for all the but most flexible its not possible. The key is turning the core section and maintaining width and if that means turning the hips then fair enough. The guy who turns his hips the most on tour is John Daly !

Through long experimentation, ive found the best hip movement is to just coil a "connected" straight left arm around the mid-section. The downswing is then a case of bumping that hip forward whilst keeping the head still and the upper body back to allow the arms connected to your upper torso to uncoil by itself through the ball. Very simple, no arms, no hands and you will hit it a mile

The main issue with weight transfer is balance, a person doesnt naturally want to make a coil and let the coil uncoil by itself via the lower body. We always feel like helping it by smashing it fast, and not allow the "Ernie Els" slow motion auto uncoil happen by itself. We try and add speed by throwing the shoulder, or right arm or spinning the hips and losing balance. Or by allowing an upper body dive where the head gets too far forward - so many things can go wrong ! But done right its very simple

Personally I try hard to keep my right foot planted (although I know it rools some), hip lateral shift, staying balanced trying to "sit on the bar stool" - let the upper body uncoil by itself

Originally Posted by Cliff

Many players old and young have trouble from time to time with balance/transfer of weight through impact . So you are not alone on this trust me on that.

My cure when I had that same fault was to build a platform to stand on that would show me my fault while I practice.

This platform is 30 inches wide x 20 inches deep. If you are right handed then set up the platform like this.

1st under the right edge place a dowel say ¼ inch diameter and tape/screw it down the right edge.

2nd under the centre of the platform screw another piece of dowel all the way down the centre.

As you stand on the platform (that needs to be ¾ inch thick so it won’t bend) you will transfer your weight to the right as with a normal swing but just prior to the down swing try and transfer you weight with a move back towards the target with your hips and back. In doing so you will feel the platform drop very slightly to the left and you will feel the MOVE that needs to be made to set you up for a great follow through the ball.

Practice the move then take your feelings to the range/course. Remember the MOVE is not excessive prior to and through impact and can be over accentuated (the old saying of swinging inside a drum comes to mind) would suit many a player.

This will work for you and anybody that has the wrong feeling at impact.

Use this on a firm surface like patio, due to the small amount of movement under the platform. If you would like to hear it move as well, screw a small hinge under the platform on the left side midway so when it touches down you will hear it close the hinge.

Regards Cliff

I was going to patent this product but never got round to it !

Originally Posted by Cliff

Misunderstanding is the downfall of most our problems on the golf course/practice range, even when put in such a way that all can understand.

You wrote (I have always been good at throwing a ball, very accurate. I shift the feet, bring the arm back, step and plant the front foot, pivot and release.)

Now before you throw the next one think about hip turn and the dreaded wrist delay while you are throwing and see how close you get!

Try and play golf with only one thought, like good follow through or retain the right knee bend while making the back swing.

I agree you need to practice, that’s good but only practice one thing at a time. (Old saying today’s cure will be tomorrows fault!) over do the change and you need another change to put it right.

Originally Posted by Cliff

What I find so annoying as you get older the less you remember! It will happen to you all lol

But with a great website like this we still have a chance to re-learn the ways of the force.

Originally Posted by jambalaya

Could you explain this bit:

Through long experimentation, ive found the best hip movement is to just coil a "connected" straight left arm around the mid-section.

Exactly what it the left arm doing here? I can't imagine my left arm coiling around my mid-section. I think I need visuals.

This sounds familiar:

We try and add speed by throwing the shoulder, or right arm or spinning the hips and losing balance.

Originally Posted by pnearn

What Im trying to say (badly!) is if you set up in good posture with your left arm straight, upper arm connected to chest then you want to coil the mid section of your body (chest primarily but hips will come too depending on flexibilty). Then turn that connected 'triangle' as far as you can without breaking down. That shoud leave a wide swing, with a straight left arm where it still connected to the chest. Left arm will be on or slightly under the shoulder plane. Use the turn to move the arms. Never use the arms or hands to turn the body - I dont think its possible to sequence them right or at least very difficult

Does that make sense?

As for the familiar bit I think were all in that boat

Originally Posted by pnearn

What Im trying to say (badly!) is if you set up in good posture with your left arm straight, upper arm connected to chest then you want to coil the mid section of your body (chest primarily but hips will come too depending on flexibilty). Then turn that connected 'triangle' as far as you can without breaking down. That shoud leave a wide swing, with a straight left arm where it still connected to the chest. Left arm will be on or slightly under the shoulder plane. Use the turn to move the arms. Never use the arms or hands to turn the body - I dont think its possible to sequence them right or at least very difficult

Does that make sense?

As for the familiar bit I think were all in that boat

Originally Posted by jambalaya

Good. I gotcha now. But this is a good opportunity for me to ask some other questions: What is a connected left arm? Is that the ol' squeeze a head cover in the left arm pit and don't let it fall out ('til impact?) thing? Is that applicable to one and two plane swings? When do you lift your arms in your swing? In my example, won't the head cover fall out if I lift my arms? In my set up and swing I wouldn't be able to keep a head cover in either arm pit I think. Is it a flaw that should be fixed? Maybe I wouldn't be so armsy and handsy if I did that.

Originally Posted by Cliff

I don’t know any golfer that uses the towel or head cover under the arm pit practice routine swing more than ½ to ¾ without it falling away.