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How Do You Trigger Your Swing?


EmperorPenguin

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There are so many ways to trigger your swing.  Forward press, kick-in knee, "stationary press," head swivel, and squat press.  I used to use the forward press, but that required grounding the club, and you certainly do not want to do that if the ball is sitting on pine needles.  About ten years ago I started hovering the club because there are so many benefits to doing that (e.g., playing shots out of the bunker with ease, ball moved but no penalty since club was not grounded, etc.), and it took only a few days at the driving range to get used to that, but I lost my forward press.  I used to kick my right knee a little, but I felt that sometimes I overkick it inward and it may have caused a few bad swings.  I tried Nicklaus' "stationary press" (i.e. swivel head slightly while gripping a little more firmly), but for me that just seemed too awkward.

 

I finally found a good trigger that helped me, and it may help you too, especially if you are one of those golfers who hover the club at address: the squat press.  I was watching Nick Faldo's swings during his prime and he starts with a tiny knee flex.  It looks cool because the club's sweet spot is maybe an inch above the center of the ball, and the tiny squat lowers that sweet spot to the middle of the ball, and then he takes it away.  Take a look for yourself at this fine sample.  Excellent pre-shot routine worth emulating.

 

 

I have been using it for the past year and I can attest that my ball striking is noticeably better, and I feel more confident taking the club back.  I think I will use this trigger for the rest of my life because it works for me.

 

What trigger do you use?

Edited by EmperorPenguin
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Good ole' waggle a couple times before setting club down.  Relieves tension in my arms and shoulders.  Always a good way to start the swing...

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Little weight shift to the lead foot, start your exhale, and then off we go. 

 

 

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I push the club back slowly with my left hand with pressure focused on the middle joint of my index finger.

 

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Depends on the shot for me: 

 

Full Swings: mini-Wolff with the hips and a Nicklaus head swivel 

Partial Wedges: mini forward press

Greenside: left toe tap

Bunker Shots: flex left knee

Putts: quick putter head taps (generally 3-4x) 

 

None of these are conscious movements, just a reaction to shots I want to hit

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My trigger is not something I thing about tbh. I'm sure I have one but find if I start thinking or being conscious of it then it becomes a conscious move and I think it should be an unconscious action that's natural.

 

The trigger should be natural to you and how your body wishes to move. IMHO

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with a countdown. rocket ship has to launch at the designated number or it doesn't launch. i've tried different physical movements (e.g. forward press, lifting club head, kicking in right knee) and haven't settled on one permanently. but i like the countdown because it allows me to trust my swing without any thoughts whatsoever. when it's go time it's go time -- just gotta react somehow! 🚀

 

why hover irons? it's obviously important to practice hovered iron shots for bunker play, pine needles, etc -- but what good is hovering for fairway shots or stable rough?

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21 hours ago, hoselpalooza said:

why hover irons? it's obviously important to practice hovered iron shots for bunker play, pine needles, etc -- but what good is hovering for fairway shots or stable rough?

From Golf My Way:

 

     I almost always start the swing with the club held slightly above the ground.  I think the habit started because I played many shots as a kid out of Scioto's fescue rough.  The ball tends to sit on top of this type of grass, and grounding the club would occasionally cause the ball to roll over.  I guess I developed a bit of a phobia about the stroke penalty imposed on moving the ball.

     I've stayed with the habit for a number of reasons, though.  First, it prevents stubbing the club going back.  Second, it forces me to start black slowly and smoothly.  Third, it helps me break down tension at address.  Finally, not being allowed legally to ground my club in a trap is no concern at all.

 

Edited by EmperorPenguin
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4 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

From Golf My Way:

 

     I almost always start the swing with the club held slightly above the ground.  I think the habit started because I played many shots as a kid out of Scioto's fescue rough.  The ball tends to sit on top of this type of grass, and grounding the club would occasionally cause the ball to roll over.  I guess I developed a bit of a phobia about the stroke penalty imposed on moving the ball.

     I've stayed with the habit for a number of reasons, though.  First, it prevents the stubbing the club going back.  Second, it forces me to start black slowly and smoothly.  Third, it helps me break down tension at address.  Finally, not being allowed legally to ground my club in a trap is no concern at all.

 

 

thanks for sharing! i always lift the club head prior to takeaway to prevent stubbing it. actually tried purely hovering at the range yesterday evening because i saw your post earlier in the day. biggest challenge for me was getting distance to the ball and club face alignment correct. i usually sort those out when the club head is grounded so the routine got thrown off a bit. didn't feel bad, just weird.

 

i wonder if lifting prior to takeaway provides the same benefits as purely hovering? 🤷‍♂️

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8 hours ago, hoselpalooza said:

 

thanks for sharing! i always lift the club head prior to takeaway to prevent stubbing it. actually tried purely hovering at the range yesterday evening because i saw your post earlier in the day. biggest challenge for me was getting distance to the ball and club face alignment correct. i usually sort those out when the club head is grounded so the routine got thrown off a bit. didn't feel bad, just weird.

 

i wonder if lifting prior to takeaway provides the same benefits as purely hovering? 🤷‍♂️

The Rules of Golf states that, through the green, you have addressed the ball when you take your stance and grounded the club.  If the ball sits on any awkward surface and you ground your club while addressing it, if the ball moves for any reason you have deemed to have moved it, thus a one-stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced.  You should always consider this because there is no guarantee you will have a stable lie every time.  The more I thought about it, the more it made sense for me to ditch grounding the club.  Of course, by hovering the club I lost my forward press.

 

It took a little while to get used to, but after just a few days I got it done.  What convinced me more about hovering was that in the golf swing, the angle of approach for most clubs is a very slight descending blow to impart backspin.  By hovering the club, it helps promote the clubhead coming in with a slightly descending blow.  Address a 5 iron with the clubhead slightly above the turf, say one inch.  When I first did it, the thought in my mind was Gosh, with the club this tiny bit above the ball, I think I will hit down on it slightly.  Well duh!  You are supposed to hit down on it slightly anyway.  Remember I said slightly, not steeply.  It is a very shallow angle of approach, but it is still descending.  I even hover a 2 iron at the ball and my clubface comes in also with its very slight descending blow, but because of my wider stance, ball position and weight distribution a little toward my back foot, the club comes to the ball so shallow that I do not take a divot, yet the angle of approach is indeed very slightly descending.  I hope this makes sense.

 

Also consider the driver or any club with a ball on a tee.  Because the ball is teed up an inch or so, and hovering the driver brings the sweet spot dead behind the ball, just take it back normally and swing through.  Your stance, ball position and weight distribution will bring that driver head coming in just about level.

 

Once you convince yourself the need to hover the club, the more you need a trigger that allows for the hovering.  Try hovering the club and doing a forward press: impossible.  Try hovering the club and kicking in your right knee: you might touch the ball and move it or knock it off the tee.

 

I say just keep hovering until you are comfortable doing it and when you start hitting good shots with it your mind will quickly accept it.  For me it took only a few days.  Well worth it!

Edited by EmperorPenguin
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