Weight Shift Issues

[salmotrutta]

A bit of background since this is only my second post...

 

My current handicap index is 12.3 (unofficial - I keep it based on the USGA formula but am not presently in GHIN) and I am in the process of a pretty major swing change. To be more accurate, I suppose it is more of a change TO a golf swing from kind of an over the top hatchet lunge thing. As many people can probably relate to, my best handicap with my former "swing" was just about what it is now, but it had hit a plateau for quite a while. The number rose for quite a while during the transition, and is now coming back down.

 

Now that I am trying to execute something that can actually be accurately referred to as a golf swing, I have found myself struggling with weight shift issues. Not being cursed with overactive metabolism, my body type is of the Jason Gore/Kevin Stadler/Tim Herron mold, so I have a bit of weight to shift. My backswing is good, and am flexible enough to put a decent swing on it when I can execute properly.

 

I am really trying to groove the "feel" of what the proper shift feels like, so that I can brace, turn the hips, and swing through the ball to the finish. My most solid shots go left 10-15 degrees of the target. I know that when this happens my swing path is out - to - in. When I try to hold back and get my path better, I tend to send it high and right. (I am a righty.)

 

All that being said, and with the disclaimer that "feel" is absolutely subjective, when you start your downswing with the weight transfer to the left foot, does it feel like you are basically planting the foot BEHIND you, since your back is to the target because of your shoulder turn? I experimented a bit with this on the range today and it seemed to help quite a bit, although I still have some other things to work on. When I executed it smoothly, I really got the "from the ground up" idea that seems to be the goal.

 

I know I need to take this to my instructor, but he's not available for a couple of weeks and wanted to see if this made any sense in the interim.

 

Thanks

 

Brian

[BeautifulNice]

Brian:

 

I think you want to think less in terms of weight shift and more in terms of weight transfer flowing from a good transition from top of backswing to impact. You might fool around with the stack and tilt method to get the idea of a weight transfer. You're not really shifting weight back to the right on your backswing--you're just rotating into your right side on the way back and then rotating back through impact. It's really just two turns with some weight transference to maintain balance. The big loading of weight on the right leg is minimized.

 

There aren't any real quick fixes to your problem because proper position on the backswing depends on good fundamentals that precede it (grip, stance, posture) and then some idea about how the transition is supposed to unfold (rotate the core with shoulders and arms following with passive hands). Lots of different swing theories but bottom line is you've got to turn back and then through and some weight gets moved around in the process. The key thing is to keep the sliding to a minimum and stay balanced.

 

S&T really keeps the sliding to a minimum and will give you a sense about how the weight can move around a little, just a little, and still produce an accurate, powerful shot.

 

Read the Plummer and Bennett thread if you've got a few hours. You might find it helpful.

[againstthegrain]

Brian,

 

You can start the weight shift by pushing your right knee towards the left. Having been through what you're going through I would make sure you got weight on your left side but the main focus of the movement should be around NOT down the line.

 

Also take a look at the magazine article "the O-factor" by Robert Baker. It describes and pictures clearly what needs to happen throughout the swing.

 

 

Paul

[salmotrutta]

Thanks for the input. My, uh, "interpretation" of the S&T works OK with the irons, but the woods and driver results are horrible, with two way misses. I will go back and re-read the O-factor article as well.

 

B

[rwilcox]

I think Paul's advice to push the right knee toward the left to begin your downswing is worth following. Of course, you push the inside of that knee laterally toward the inside of the left knee and you do not raise the inside of your right heel off the ground during this phase. It does not require much effort because you are simply unloading the right side and thereby loading the left. For me, the swing thoughts of pushing off the right foot or shifting/bumping the hips never worked--but pushing the right knee laterally did. You need a weight shift before you begin rotating your hips.

[tbyeaton0627]

Thanks for the input. My, uh, "interpretation" of the S&T works OK with the irons, but the woods and driver results are horrible, with two way misses. I will go back and re-read the O-factor article as well.

 

B

 

The reason people find it hard to control with drivers is becuase they overdue the tilting...lower clubs more tilt longer clubs less tilt...secret of S&T is combining the correct amount of lateral and horizontal motion of the shoulders