The straightening of the left leg

The left leg straightens at some point between the top of the backswing and the end of the follow through. But where?

Luckily some angled views from the back can show us what's going on.

The "P" positions are approximate because it's difficult to see where the shaft and left arm are. But it would appear that the left leg doesn't start to straighten until past P6!!

I was very surprised to see this.

I've had chronic tush line problems over the years, and I'm guessing now that it's in part due to my left knee straightening too soon which restricts the left hip from rotating back and around. It now feels that both knees bend from the top of the back swing to impact and left knee straightens when it reaches the end of external rotation.

Top of backswing

P5

P5.5

P6

P6.5

Impact

Almost straight now

Straight

Good front view here:

[attachment=1997607:powergolfP6.jpg]

[attachment=1997609:powergolf_impact.jpg]

[attachment=1997603:powergolf_almost_straight.jpg]

[attachment=1997605:powergolf_straight.jpg]

Very cool just how bent he has it so deep into his swing. Whereas Tiger I guess is already beginning to lock it out before he hits P6.

Do you think you can do this image taking for Tiger to see when he straightens it out? I'm expecting big diffs.

Great topic!

Nice pic sequence. Thanks for posting.

[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1388150522' post='8353967']
Very cool just how bent he has it so deep into his swing. Whereas Tiger I guess is already beginning to lock it out before he hits P6.

Do you think you can do this image taking for Tiger to see when he straightens it out? I'm expecting big diffs.

Great topic!
[/quote]

Will do. I'll also try to post some LPGA pics because some of them snap the crap out of that leg.

The problem is finding the right sequence because often you can't really see the bend in the knee because of camera placement which makes it look straight.

I think Knudsen had it bent even longer. D - if you try to squat / lower into impact that may help with the tush line issue. You will have to re-find the low point, b/c your standing up is creating space, the bent left knee will take some of that away. Mac keeps it bent long... I Think Sergio has a long time bent left leg too There are other common themes among these guys.

How about a guy like byron nelson who was known to have that sucker bent. I'm sure he also straightened it at some point.

Love this stuff.

Because of the camera angle it's difficult to make definitive statements, but there's probably enough here to make some observations.

1992 Tiger: I'd say that he had some left knee bend at impact here. He had slow arms and fast hips back then didn't he!
[attachment=1997837:tiger1992.png]

2000 Tiger: Hard to say but I'd guess that he straightened it earlier in 2000 when compared to 1992
[attachment=1997839:tiger2000.png]

2009 Tiger: Shoes off the ground speaks for itself. SNAP!
[attachment=1997841:tiger2009.png]

2011 Tiger: I'd say straight by impact.
[attachment=1997843:tiger2011.png]

Oddly enough in the 2000 swing he very clearly has knee flex well past impact. In the second to last image he still has some bend. WOW! Wasn't expecting that. He has more snap in 2009 and 2011 than in 2000. Who would have thought that?

George Knudson on the other hand kept it very bent like ej said, and never seemed to straighten it fully!! It appears to make him a bit flat footed at impact.

We often hear that straightening the left leg is a power source. Does anyone know wether GK was a short or long hitter?

[attachment=1997851:knudson1.jpg]

[attachment=1997853:knudson2.jpg]

[attachment=1997855:knudson3.jpg]

Very interesting on Knudson! Also curious to know if he was a short or long hitter.

And here's Mac. Still a bit of bend at impact, and straight by the time that all of his levers are spent.

[attachment=1997857:m2.jpg]
[attachment=1997861:m3.jpg]
[attachment=1997859:m4.jpg]

Jack was a long hitter and kept it bent all the way!

[attachment=1997863:jackpebb.jpg]

[attachment=1997869:jack64.jpg]

Byron kept it bent

[attachment=1997887:nelsondual.jpg]

Player snaped the crap out of it through impact.

[attachment=1997889:playerdrive.jpg]

[attachment=1997891:playertrackman.jpg]

man...it's all over the place.

I was about to ask if you think the bent knee thing is more for a CF or CP pattern or swing vs hitter or whatever. But looks to be all over the map.

Yap! Def all over the place! Something to think about.

What in their swing is making them snap it? Is it just a power move or is it to make room for the arms by driving the hips up?

Hmmmm....

[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1388168884' post='8355287']
Yap! Def all over the place! Something to think about.

What in their swing is making them snap it? Is it just a power move or is it to make room for the arms by driving the hips up?

Hmmmm....
[/quote]

I was also starting to wonder wether it had anything to do with CF and CP.

Do you think to CP you must keep is bent through hitting area, but CF you have the option?

We need a really smart person to come and explain all of this to us. Any volunteers? iteach? 8iron? slicefixer? Lake? ej? chrisgilly? monte? B Hughes? Drewspin? HG101? polish guy? tee? anyone?

[quote name='dairic' timestamp='1388169672' post='8355353']
[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1388168884' post='8355287']
Yap! Def all over the place! Something to think about.

What in their swing is making them snap it? Is it just a power move or is it to make room for the arms by driving the hips up?

Hmmmm....
[/quote]

I was also starting to wonder wether it had anything to do with CF and CP.

Do you think to CP you must keep is bent through hitting area, but CF you have the option?

We need a really smart person to come and explain all of this to us. Any volunteers? iteach? 8iron? slicefixer? Lake? ej? chrisgilly? monte? B Hughes? Drewspin? HG101? anyone?
[/quote]

Jack is more CF right? I really have no idea i'm trying to think. iTeach or Monte would be nice to have their feedback.

Not that I know but just because I am secretly in love with Tembolo.
In the old days when I was handsome, on the backswing having the left knee pop straight out was considered wrong, but this seems to be the norm nowadays. Back then the left knee was supposed to come in along the target line (still has to go out a bit).
When you do this, it much easier to keep it bent through impact.
See Johnny Miller (sorry to mention that name) even with very vertical arms he kept a bent left knee at impact I think because his knee comes "in" a lot in the back swing.
If it pops straight out it on the back swing seems to naturally want to pop straight back on down swing. It is working perpendicular to the target line rather than along the target line.
The plane angle the arms swing on also have an effect I think, the more vertical the arms the more the body wants to straighten up to counter-balance the weight. if the arms travel more around the body is not pulled up so much.

That's an awesome post Pin. I have to think about that and try it.

So bent or straight at impact won't have an effect on power you think? Or?

To me it seriously looks to be all over the place.

Awesome Pin!

I'll see if I can find some pics and vid that supports this.

Hey D who's the dude in your avatar?

[quote name='tembolo1284' timestamp='1388292438' post='8361689']
Hey D who's the dude in your avatar?
[/quote]

That would be Gary Player. The more I look at his stuff the more I get impressed. His golf swing was vicious.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zwG4m8kuwgM

Haha ooops. Embarrassing! I shoulda known that. Yes...he was a sex machine in his day indeedy!

Gary Player 165 Professional wins, 9 majors
Ben Hogan 68 Professional wins, 9 majors

[quote name='dairic' timestamp='1388293917' post='8361767']
Gary Player 165 Professional wins, 9 majors
Ben Hogan 68 Professional wins, 9 majors
[/quote]

And Gary did that with Jack, Watson, and Palmer right there in his face!

I think most of his wins were international. But still...he's got almost 100 more wins than Ben Hogan!