Forward press ... yay or nay?

[tatertot]

I've used a forward press on EVERY golf swing for the last 30 years ... pitches, putts, chips, iron shots, drives ... you name it.

 

This year, I played around with taking the press out of the putting stroke, and it's helped immensely with my speed control - I THINK because I'm more consistent with my loft at contact.

 

Now I'm wondering, is the press hurting me with my full swing? I've been playing with taking it out, and it seems to help with my shot dispersion ... but it's going to take a lot of work to get used to it. I'm a sub 4.0 handicap, and I'm OLD ... is it worth the work to try and get rid of the press, or do I just keep it? Anybody have any experience?

[bcski]

I vote for taking it out.  It is a mental crutch most don't need.

[reefrash1043]

I do it. More of a trigger for me. DJ, Rahm, Stricker…they all forward press. 

[GQ0208]

It has helped me with my swing at times but I can’t do it with my putter. I’ve read books and watched videos by great putters and most of them forward press. It just throws my aim off every time I try. 

[joostin]

38 minutes ago, GQ0208 said:

It has helped me with my swing at times but I can’t do it with my putter. I’ve read books and watched videos by great putters and most of them forward press. It just throws my aim off every time I try. 

Same, not a forward press guy with putter, maybe a tap on the ground as a trigger.

 

For swings I do have a little fwd press as a trigger... except in bunkers!

 

I was interested to see what Matt Wolff did in a fwy bunker but of course no preshot turn to the target there!

 

OP, if it's taking focus away from your intent towards the target or what you're trying to do with the ball, I say stick with your move.

Edited July 9, 2021 by joostin

[Zitlow]

Maybe not with a putter even though it works for some, not with chipping or pitching but puts everything in motion on track in bigger swings. Momentum and inertia are your friends. 

 

[mudge]

11 hours ago, Par Be A Joke said:

I vote for taking it out.  It is a mental crutch most don't need.

 

Hardly, it can be a valuable tool in setting the rhythm for the entire swing 

[ferrispgm]

I find it best to forward press as part of the setup not as part of the putting motion.  When you make it part of the motion it's easier for it to cause face alignment issues.  When it's part of the setup you can make sure the face is square before you take it back.  Also, I think a lot of people overdo the amount of forward press which can cause shoulder alignment issues leading to path problems and speed control problems.  

[Moonlightgrm]

I stopped forward pressing on my full swing shots years ago. I adopted the Gary Player trigger of subtly kicking in my right knee to start my backswing. I forward press slightly before initiating my putting stroke. 

[chipa]

I just tried out a forward press yesterday and see it helped me a great deal. I already play with my hands forward but have not been able to master the forward press until I realized the left hand needs to turn over while I'm doing the press, like Daly, Johnson and Finau. 

 

To me the advantage of the forward press is it helps with mechanics to open the clubface early while allowing the weight to stay centered or on the right side as it is only for a moment. Previously I have played with my hands from a forward press position but had issues with getting my weight on the right side. I think those players with a strong right hand action may benefit getting the clubface open very early.

[naval2006]

I think if you have been forward pressing for so long it's something natural in your swing.  Probably you shouldn't focus on that as an issue, especially because you'll get back to it unconsciously under pressure.  Hand or knee forward press become second nature on many good golfers.  

[NoTalentLefty]

Waggle

[chipa]

1 hour ago, naval2006 said:

I think if you have been forward pressing for so long it's something natural in your swing.  Probably you shouldn't focus on that as an issue, especially because you'll get back to it unconsciously under pressure.  Hand or knee forward press become second nature on many good golfers.  

 

I expect for many good golfers it is natural. I wish I could say my swing was natural, maybe coming through impact but my setup and takeaway are anything but natural otherwise I rarely hit it well.

 

But there is hope - Ben Hogan said the swing is not natural. I don't believe he was referring to the downswing (for the most part), just the setup, takeaway and backswing. In my opinion a lot of people trying to learn the swing are focusing on the downswing when they should be taking Hogan's approach.

[harolease]

What’s a forward press? Is that the motion Matt Wolf does?

[Zitlow]

Step left, step right and you're creating momentum. Snead's backswing pivot is pretty much on auto pilot. It's a shift, tilt and turn blended together in sequential order. 

 

[chipa]

22 hours ago, Zitlow said:

Step left, step right and you're creating momentum. Snead's backswing pivot is pretty much on auto pilot. It's a shift, tilt and turn blended together in sequential order. 

 

 

I find myself doing something similar when I'm swinging well, as well as a waggle. The other day at the range it was a forward press. I think maybe I just need something to start as they say. 

[Barfolomew]

No one can answer this one.... sorry tatertot

 

But we all wanna know when you say OLD.... you mean like 40 or 90?

[RichieHunt]

Nothing wrong with a forward press.  You see a lot of tour players sorta do it to give them some momentum going forward (towards the target) so they get some extra force going back (away from the target) in the backswing.  I think the same goes with putting.  Crenshaw talks about how he is just trying to get the putter head 'behind' the hands in the backstroke and then the putter will basically stroke itself thru in the thru stroke.  So using a forward press can help get the putter head 'behind' the hands earlier.  The key is to not sustain that forward shaft lean at impact.

 

 

 

 

 

RH

[Nickc]

On 8/26/2021 at 12:43 AM, Zitlow said:

Step left, step right and you're creating momentum. Snead's backswing pivot is pretty much on auto pilot. It's a shift, tilt and turn blended together in sequential order. 

 

I used to find a forward press difficult but have started to use a slight right knee kick forward as a trigger to start the back swing especially off the tee. It seems to help eliminate a tendency I had to too often slightly sway too much  keeping me more centered as well as probably helping to set the rhythm of the swing.

Edited June 22, 2023 by Nickc

[ReefDonkey]

On 7/8/2021 at 9:13 PM, tatertot said:

I've used a forward press on EVERY golf swing for the last 30 years ... pitches, putts, chips, iron shots, drives ... you name it.

 

This year, I played around with taking the press out of the putting stroke, and it's helped immensely with my speed control - I THINK because I'm more consistent with my loft at contact.

 

Now I'm wondering, is the press hurting me with my full swing? I've been playing with taking it out, and it seems to help with my shot dispersion ... but it's going to take a lot of work to get used to it. I'm a sub 4.0 handicap, and I'm OLD ... is it worth the work to try and get rid of the press, or do I just keep it? Anybody have any experience?

 

I do a forward press, but mostly I use it as a swing trigger.