Need some drills/help for clearing hips through impact

Check out this video from Monte that he posted on YT yesterday, it helps explain why you might be "flipping" and why addressing it might not be the first best step.

If your club face is open on the way down, you will need some form of compensation to square it up. Try taking a super strong grip and hitting some shots, your body will subconsciously open up in an attempt to try square the clubface. If you don't address the clubface first will just end up hitting it way right. I know this because I battle with this exact issue in my swing too!

Thanks for posting that! Monte is great and I hadn't seen that video. I guess I'm not entirely sure what is causing the flip to begin with... but it has pretty much always been there. 

you sound like me but I am 6'2", former scratch, long arms.  Can shoot 72 or 82

From what iteach told me I have the club open starting down so the stall and flip can be in play

I already have a very strong grip though

cardoustie said:

you sound like me but I am 6'2", former scratch, long arms.  Can shoot 72 or 82

From what iteach told me I have the club open starting down so the stall and flip can be in play

I already have a very strong grip though

You might like this.  As I commented on in the video, the am typically uses the right hip as the "hinge" and moves his left hip out on the backswing while the pro uses the left as a hing and moves his right hip back.  This makes the downswing hip movement much easier.  But, as others have said, your flip is not coming from not opening your hips most likely.  It's probably the opposite.  You have to flip and not open up more because your face is open and flipping/not rotating is the only way to hit the ball straight.

mIght as well say it, without video it's only a guess about what you are or aren't doing - an self diagnosis is more likely  to be poorly focused.

glk said:

mIght as well say it, without video it's only a guess about what you are or aren't doing - an self diagnosis is more likely  to be poorly focused.

Before the experts opine, I'm going to say you have a big overturn on the backswing and then your first move down is very steep.  From where you're coming from, no way to get more open with hips and that shouldn't be your focus right now.

Of course, I am a "Level 2, advanced member" so maybe you want to listen to me.   ;)

chigolfer1 said:

You might like this.  As I commented on in the video, the am typically uses the right hip as the "hinge" and moves his left hip out on the backswing while the pro uses the left as a hing and moves his right hip back.  This makes the downswing hip movement much easier.  But, as others have said, your flip is not coming from not opening your hips most likely.  It's probably the opposite.  You have to flip and not open up more because your face is open and flipping/not rotating is the only way to hit the ball straight.

 

 

chigolfer1 said:

Before the experts opine, I'm going to say you have a big overturn on the backswing and then your first move down is very steep.  From where you're coming from, no way to get more open with hips and that shouldn't be your focus right now.

 

Of course, I am a "Level 2, advanced member" so maybe you want to listen to me.   ;)

I have exactly the issue that the OP first mentioned (not clearing hips on downswing). But I also have a tendency to bump myself ahead of the ball.

This video is interesting but flies in the face of (a) what my pro is working with me on now, and (b) me getting too far ahead of the ball. It would seem that if I tried the move in the video I would get right back to the place where I’m too far ahead of the ball. That said, this move my pro is trying to get me to do has me on my back foot at impact (not good) and I see no way to fix it. This video could help with that.

Anyone have any other tips/videos on clearing hips that also doesn’t involve a big lateral shift forward?

Here’s a short little drill from @jakehuttgolf starting from near the bottom of the swing to working on getting properly open:

> @ShutSteepStuck said:

> Here’s a short little drill from @jakehuttgolf starting from near the bottom of the swing to working on getting properly open:

>

>

Love it. practice drill 3x/week, 20 minutes each time, for a year.

That is about what it seems to me to take, for real.

Look a bit close to the ball at setup - if you took your right hand off the grip where does it swing?    Should swing such that it would come right back onto the grip - if you are too close it will swing away from your body.

Takeaway looks good.

That left knee moves too much in toward the right knee - should work out toward the toes and the turn will bring it a bit back toward the right knee - pretty much what the AM in the video appears to be doing too.

Transition is all rotation without any initial lateral movement to shift pressure to the left side, arms rotate leftward, ie steep, and lead wrist stays cupped/extended which leave the face open at shaft parallel - so you stall, early extend and flip.

The setup and knee/hip movement are pretty straight forward, transition/release is the hard part to work on.     

All that said, best course would be to see a good instructor.     

I practiced the pro vs am video in the mirror a little bit and I think I like it. Will report back after hitting balls. I’ve been told by my pro for years to rotate my hips more open at impact, and to stop the lateral bump at the beginning of the downswing (and to try to immediately clear the front hip instead). This has never been my main problem, and everything I’ve tried to fix it has been unhelpful, so I’ve ignored it while fixing other things. Anyway, it is now my primary issue and I always suspected there was a reason I couldn’t clear my hips...and I’m hoping this might be a start to figuring that out.

Thanks again, WRXers!

I underwent a Wright Balance assessment last August. It's a neat analysis that identifies you as a high-core, mid-core, or low-core player based on various exercises and biomechanical measurements. The extreme high-core model would be a no-turn flipper, while the the extreme low-core model would be a George Gankas "no throw" (hips fully turned to target at impact). Of course, I was assessed as a low-core player, but trying to play like a high-core player. And, I was using ZERO hip turn because it was comfortable.

The Alex Noren warmup is a an exercise I do at the range, in my home office, pretty much any chance I get where I won't look like an idiot doing it, which really limits its use, I guess...

Too bent over and hands too low.

Backswing might be a bit long.

Right elbow needs to get forward sooner (right shoulder external)

Thank you so much everyone. Some great tips for sure!!

I had a range session Friday morning and my pro came over (he was actually my boss for a long time and we play together pretty often) and we talked about everything. He's on board with the changes and gave me one of those back handed compliments "You really shouldn't ever shoot higher than even par." Basically meaning that inconsistent iron play is killing my scores.

Monte, you were right on. My set up was not right. Hands were in fact too low and my shoulders were left at address. As far as my shoulders turner too far back... I completely agree now that it has been pointed out to me. Funny because I've been trying to get more shoulder turn for years now and I think I've gone too far/done it incorrectly. Fixing that seems like it should lead to some increased consistency.

My pro also gave me a drill to do at home... Basically I stand with my "tush" against a door jam (or something similar) and make swings keeping my tush against the jam. Same can be done at the range with a chair/alignment rod. It's certainly a VERY different feel. It feels like I'm about to sit down half way through my swing. For me it is MUCH easier to do the correct things with my hips (i.e. clear them) if I focus on keeping my tush "back-" which makes complete sense.

The work continues!!

You have to dump angle with that head position. It's over the ball and moves more forward in transition.

Have to get behind it. Your left shoulder should be where your head is at impact.

> @DFinch said:

> You have to dump angle with that head position. It's over the ball and moves more forward in transition.

> Have to get behind it. Your left shoulder should be where your head is at impact.

>

>

So if I follow correctly... I need to move my head/upper body back (I.e. more toward my right foot) at address--to get my head behind the ball?

> @FlyingLaw1 said:

> > @DFinch said:

> > You have to dump angle with that head position. It's over the ball and moves more forward in transition.

> > Have to get behind it. Your left shoulder should be where your head is at impact.

> >

> >

>

> So if I follow correctly... I need to move my head/upper body back (I.e. more toward my right foot) at address--to get my head behind the ball?

Yes, but the more difficult part for the move you make will be to keep your head from moving forward in transition. I battle this trait myself.

> @DFinch said:

> > @FlyingLaw1 said:

> > > @DFinch said:

> > > You have to dump angle with that head position. It's over the ball and moves more forward in transition.

> > > Have to get behind it. Your left shoulder should be where your head is at impact.

> > >

> > >

> >

> > So if I follow correctly... I need to move my head/upper body back (I.e. more toward my right foot) at address--to get my head behind the ball?

>

> Yes, but the more difficult part for the move you make will be to keep your head from moving forward in transition. I battle this trait myself.

>

>

Ah okay I understand. I'm working on that as well. I've always done that... It's actually a lot better than it used to be.

Been making a ton of swings at home and I had a REALLY good range session yesterday. My pro (he's also a good friend) didn't have any lessons so he watched me hit balls for nearly 2 hours. Though I was hitting off of mats... My contact toward the end was a good as I have EVER had. Nothing is perfect yet but I feel like I'm trending in the right direction.

Hopefully will get out again this afternoon and get a video.

I've grasped on to get left shoulder away from head then get right shoulder to head. Executing the first requires left knee flex/rotation to do correctly. It also requires solid hip rotation of the correct kind that's pointed out in the AMG video above.The 2nd requires holding upper spine from going forward to target. After months of poor driving, keying in on these simple things got my toughest club finding sweet spot with a much flatter approach angle.

> @Nard_S said:

> I've grasped on to get left shoulder away from head then get right shoulder to head. Executing the first requires left knee flex/rotation to do correctly. It also requires solid hip rotation of the correct kind that's pointed out in the AMG video above.The 2nd requires holding upper spine from going forward to target. After months of poor driving, keying in on these simple things got my toughest club finding sweet spot with a much flatter approach angle.

It's amazing how so many "things" affect other "things" in the golf swing. I really started focusing on keeping my right "tush" cheek from moving forward on the back swing--Just doing that made it instantly easier to do everything else correctly. I'm not perfect yet, but things are improving.

> @Nard_S said:

> I've grasped on to get left shoulder away from head then get right shoulder to head. Executing the first requires left knee flex/rotation to do correctly. It also requires solid hip rotation of the correct kind that's pointed out in the AMG video above.The 2nd requires holding upper spine from going forward to target. After months of poor driving, keying in on these simple things got my toughest club finding sweet spot with a much flatter approach angle.

I think we all here at wrx tend to move like a herd through swing changes. This whole r shoulder past the head, don’t lean towards the ball is like the last piece of the major swing redo for me. Those swings when it all happens (good transition, good posture, good weight/pressure) I hit the ball great. Just need to make that swing more consistently

> @wmblake2000 said:

> I think we all here at wrx tend to move like a herd through swing changes. This whole r shoulder past the head, don’t lean towards the ball is like the last piece of the major swing redo for me. Those swings when it all happens (good transition, good posture, good weight/pressure) I hit the ball great. Just need to make that swing more consistently

>

Yeah we're all seeking same summit and might be on a differing trails but that sequence where left side clears properly and right side fires without losing upper spine center has been my bane for a long time. Found how my left knee positions and rotates which in kind promotes how good things work from knees to hips is key to allowing left shoulder to drop down and accelerate away from head which in turn makes it easier to pass right shoulder on by and fire hands thru. Read about this here a lot, but my body speak no English, lol. Have not hit Driver so solid in eons. Pretty pumped considering it's only March and the rust is still dropping off me.

> @bogeypro said:

> chigolfer1 said:

>

>

> You might like this.  As I commented on in the video, the am typically uses the right hip as the "hinge" and moves his left hip out on the backswing while the pro uses the left as a hing and moves his right hip back.  This makes the downswing hip movement much easier.  But, as others have said, your flip is not coming from not opening your hips most likely.  It's probably the opposite.  You have to flip and not open up more because your face is open and flipping/not rotating is the only way to hit the ball straight.

>

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> Thanks for the video.  I like that!

yes, thank you for the video.

> @"Tremendous Slouch" said:

> Quit moving what needs to be moved, the club.

Huh?