Role of Shoulders in Downswing?

[Sean2]

I was taught to just turn my hips and let everything else follow. I am wondering what the role of the shoulders are in the downswing. It seems to me there are some big muscles back there and could be used to generate some club head speed.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on the matter?

 

Thanks!

[thenewbie]

answers will vary, but I know for a fact that I use those muscles. I know, because back when I started, I'd have trouble even lifting my left arm after a long range session. the muscles got really sore, and thats is coming from a former weightlifter and football player.

 

Like most here, I believe that efficient power comes from correct sequencing, from the ground up through your body, then into your arms, then into the club. the shoulders play the same roll in that sequence that everything else does. when you combine correct sequencing of motion with the firing of the right muscles at the right time, you will mazimize your potential power.

 

the actuall muscles involved would change depending on your swing, with a big factor being whether a swing is one or 2 plane. however, the roll of the upper and front deltiod are probably less than the rear delt and the latisumus dorsi, since the shoulders really produce more of a downward motion than the rotational movement of the hips and abs.

 

I'd say that a 1 plane swing would probably allow you to get more power from the shoulders and upper body than a 2 plane, since in a 2 plane the shoulders do more lifting and dropping of the club than producing forward movement. as a one planer, I'd be interested to hear what Hoganfan would say on the subject.

[birdie_man]

As of now I use my left shoulder throughout the swing.....to "lead."

 

"Left shoulder up." That's how I "hit it" in the downswing. ("wallop the ball with your pivot")

 

As of now anyway.

 

I have some different ideas though. And I'm gonna test em. With plane line being the main concern. (I am trying to ensure I swing left enough)

[Sean2]

I'm a bit confused. If you lead with the hips, but "force" the shoulders, don't you end up OTT?

[gators78]

My question is, I understand (roughly) how the shoulders turn in the backswing, my question is do they turn down on that same angle on the downswing? For example, if you look at the picture I posted of Paul Casey you can clearly see how his shoulders are tilted at the back of his swing. Now if you were to draw a line along his shoulders in this picture, would his shoulders then be turning on that same line on the downswing??

[mainegolfa]

The shoulders should turn on a 90 axis to your spine angle, no matter how you swing. The newbie is right. the role of the shoulders on the downswing is subject to the plane of your swing. if your a flat swinger(one planer), you're supposed to turn though the shot to where your shoulders are 20* to 30* open to the target line at impact. As your swing plane becomes more upright, your shoulders should become increasingly more square at impact, to the point where an extremley upright swing should place your shoulders at impact nearly square. in short, the flatter your swing the more aggressively you should turn your shoulders throught the shot and vice versa.