Weight shift, weight shift, weight shift.....

[launcher]

After a pretty solid season, i started to play pretty poorly. Thought it was end of season anxiety, as nothing worse here in the Northeast than finishing off playing badly, and thinking about it all Winter. 

 

Pretty sure I have it worked out tonight. Did a practice nine holes. I was hitting across it, (wiping it), and not catching anything solid through the bag. This has happened to me before, but it's usually a more obvious flaw, as I'll be hitting driver behind the ball. I wasn't doing that, but my shoulders were spinning out ahead of my hips, causing an outside in swing path. Can't move my hips if all my weight is on my back leg right?  

 

I had gotten out of sequence, My first move down is usually a full weight shift to my front foot/leg. Then I can uncoil my hips and easily drop into the slot, hiiting the ball on the inside track.  Anyone else struggle with this? 

 

 

[phizzy30]

I have in the past.  If a golfer starts their down swing with their upper body and the hips rotate too late, it's almost always trouble.  Even till this day I always have to remind myself to initiate my down swing with my hips.  It's easier said than done. 

Edited October 26, 2020 by phizzy30

[coops]

I do struggle with it - often don’t get ‘into’ my left side before unwinding and get some degree of pull/ pull hook.

 

It’s worth considering the difference between mass, weight and force....

 

If you ask me what i weigh... i’ll happily reply 86 kg... but i am also aware i do NOT weigh that. 86kg is my mass.

 

In golf, ‘weight shift’ gets misunderstood as a shifting of mass around - it would be better to view it as a shifting of force...

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-force-N-and-weight

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 26, 2020 by coops

[nlk10010]

Amazing, isn't it, how you can be hitting it well, sequencing correctly, and then, one day, POOF!, no more sequence. You start coming over the top, using your arms.

 

Now I'm the last one to help you with this, but shouldn't the club "drop into the slot" BEFORE you unwind your hips (sort of as you finish the forward weight shift)? If you unwind and THEN drop you will come over the top. 

 

 

[launcher]

27 minutes ago, nlk10010 said:

Amazing, isn't it, how you can be hitting it well, sequencing correctly, and then, one day, POOF!, no more sequence. You start coming over the top, using your arms.

 

Now I'm the last one to help you with this, but shouldn't the club "drop into the slot" BEFORE you unwind your hips (sort of as you finish the forward weight shift)? If you unwind and THEN drop you will come over the top. 

 

 

Not totally sure, but I do know that when I've found myself out of sync like this in the past, that when I start my downswing with a solid weight shift to my front leg, everything else seems to fall into place on it's own. 

 

As you indicated, it's truly "amazing" how things can go so well for so long, then one day, you're lost. I think the problem is breakdowns in the golf swing happed very subtly and can go totally unnoticed. But when the ball is going everywhere, psychology takes over, and compensations start, then It's just a train wreck. 

[BraxtonFullerton]

I had this happen a couple weeks ago... Everything was just out of sync. Chunking every iron & wedge, pulling every driver/hybrid/wood. Extra layer of clothing on can make you "feel" like you're turning enough through the swing, but I had my buddy take a video of me and my hips were just not turning back nor firing through, at all. I was compensating by closing the clubhead with the arms/wrists leading to pulls & chunks.

 

I found starting my swing with just a little more squat in my legs helped me really feel what my body was doing; not just getting feedback from a hoodie feeling snug on my torso.

[naval2006]

I'm in this wagon too.  No pivot when I start overusing my hands so no weight shift and no finish.  It's my swing's vicious circle.  Loss of distance, which means faster and faster until my rhythm is complete crap.  I may go like this for two weeks to two months until I hold my horses and go back to feeling the weight transfer and hips working and finally right shoulder unwinding under my chin.  

[launcher]

8 hours ago, naval2006 said:

I'm in this wagon too.  No pivot when I start overusing my hands so no weight shift and no finish.  It's my swing's vicious circle.  Loss of distance, which means faster and faster until my rhythm is complete crap.  I may go like this for two weeks to two months until I hold my horses and go back to feeling the weight transfer and hips working and finally right shoulder unwinding under my chin.  

That pretty much sums it up. I played this morning, and saw a huge difference. Tried to focus on my weight shift first, and everything else just seemed to follow. Still hit some bad shots of course, but overall, hit it rock solid. Unfortunately, it was 6 degrees, (42 fairenheit). when I teed off this morning. Didn't get much better either. Forgot how much distance that kind of temperature can cost you. 

[mikpga]

Understand what helps you control the low point of your swing...

 

[Fairway14]

Swing faults originate at the address position. Notice Jack Nicklaus fundamentally sound address technique, including grip-posture-alignment.

In the photo below , revealing a driver, 5-iron, and wedge, at address has his head well behind the ball, his right shoulder well below his left shoulder, and the straight line formed between his left arm and the club shaft.

[CB67]

 Question regarding the single plane guys and weight shift.
 

In the conventional swing you have the back swing ,then the slight lateral hip bump of weight shift or pressure shift to the lead side to start the down swing followed by the pivot as per the Malaska video where the lead hip socket pushes back and lead leg straightens / looses flex as you post up.

 

What have these single plane guys found in adding flex to that lead knee while transitioning more laterally at impact instead ? What are the benefits or disadvantages to it ? They aren’t perfectly square on to the ball at impact , their hips are open slightly but not near as open as conventional and  that lead leg is really flexed. Also their feet remain on the ground at impact and only come up well after the follow through. 
 

There’s a guy I know who’s making the transition to the Moe style swing who’s been swearing by this lead knee brace at impact and claiming its been his difference maker. I looked into it a bit and there’s a few guys out there who have grooved this swing and  few of them still bomb the ball out there a long ways. 
 

What are the advantages / benefits to this lateral braced lead knee transition and keeping the rear foot planted ?

Here’s some pictures: 

 

1. Moe Norman

2. Reed Howard 

3. Greg Lavern 

4. Todd Graves 

5. One of Moes former caddies ( Wesley Lawson?)

6. Single plane discovery YouTube channel not sure of  his name. 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2020 by CB67

[New_age99]

On 10/29/2020 at 5:07 PM, CB67 said:

 Question regarding the single plane guys and weight shift.
 

In the conventional swing you have the back swing ,then the slight lateral hip bump of weight shift or pressure shift to the lead side to start the down swing followed by the pivot as per the Malaska video where the lead hip socket pushes back and lead leg straightens / looses flex as you post up.

 

What have these single plane guys found in adding flex to that lead knee while transitioning more laterally at impact instead ? What are the benefits or disadvantages to it ? They aren’t perfectly square on to the ball at impact , their hips are open slightly but not near as open as conventional and  that lead leg is really flexed. Also their feet remain on the ground at impact and only come up well after the follow through. 
 

There’s a guy I know who’s making the transition to the Moe style swing who’s been swearing by this lead knee brace at impact and claiming its been his difference maker. I looked into it a bit and there’s a few guys out there who have grooved this swing and  few of them still bomb the ball out there a long ways. 
 

What are the advantages / benefits to this lateral braced lead knee transition and keeping the rear foot planted ?

Here’s some pictures: 

 

1. Moe Norman

2. Reed Howard 

3. Greg Lavern 

4. Todd Graves 

5. One of Moes former caddies ( Wesley Lawson?)

6. Single plane discovery YouTube channel not sure of  his name. 

 

 

It’s the braking system in the transition.  It brakes and braces the lower body and then the arms whip through. I’ve been working hard on this swing from the Todd Graves site and books along with the YouTube videos and this move makes it feel so much easier to keep the club face online. I don’t feel like the ability to flip the hands is near as prevalent anymore. 

 

What Moe did works. May be your cup of tea may not be but I’m hooked.