Left foot: I'm on my heals at impact...HELP!

[kangta]

To any instructor or person willing to help:

 

As the title states, I'm on my tippy toes at impact, I believe this has been the primary reason that I've had difficulty over the years with consistent ball striking; especially my 3-wood off the deck. Here is a video of my swing , if you, anyone, can offer some advice or some drills I can do, I'd appreciate it.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA7C7smwwRM

[HX Guy]

[quote name='kangta' timestamp='1282947407' post='2664678']
To any instructor or person will to help:

As the title states, I'm on my tippy toes at impact, I believe this has been the primary reason that I've had difficulty over the years with consistent ball striking; especially my 3-wood off the deck. Here is a video of my swing , if you, anyone, can offer some advice or some drills I can do, I'd appreciate it.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA7C7smwwRM[/media]
[/quote]

Nice swing. I don't think your problem is being on your toes. plenty of great players are on their toes at impact. If you slow it down you can see that you come up out of your posture and you have to reach for the ball. usually problems with holding posture through the swing are caused by a weak core. Many swing flaws are caused by things like weak or tight muscles and unstable joints. If you do some core strengthening mixed with a few back strengthening excercises you should find yourself staying down a little better. you might hit it fat for a while but it probably means its working. If you want to be serious with the game get with an experienced physical therapist to discuss the body mechanics of the golf swing. you will learn a lot. I don't know where you are but if your around san diego i can suggest someone. otherwise, i wish i had your swing.

[stanford]

i had the same problem of my left foot coming off the ground and it finishing with my toes facing the target and it is a powerful move but only when timed perfectly. when its timed poorly it can lead to some very crooked drives. and believe me i know this. anyways i looked at some of tigers swings on youtube before the last knee surgery and noticed that his left leg locked up at impact and his left foot did the same thing as you do and that is that left foot coming completely off the ground. so i went and looked at some swings on youtube after the knee surgery and noticed that his left leg stays bent at impact and to the finish. the main point to what im trying to say is that just try to keep the left leg bent or flexed at impact and you will hit the ball better more consistently. this is coming from somebody who now does this move at impact that im recommending to you.

[dream_stryker]

Actually, it looks as if you have a slight crook in the middle spine at address. This means that the sternum is more parallel with the ground than at an angle. To get a fairer assessment of the body angles however, 3/4 front side should give you a better idea. The front foot thing isn't that much of a problem IMO because you appears to be in balance throughout the swing.

[kangta]

[quote name='stanford' timestamp='1282953852' post='2664808']
i had the same problem of my left foot coming off the ground and it finishing with my toes facing the target and it is a powerful move but only when timed perfectly. when its timed poorly it can lead to some very crooked drives. and believe me i know this. anyways i looked at some of tigers swings on youtube before the last knee surgery and noticed that his left leg locked up at impact and his left foot did the same thing as you do and that is that left foot coming completely off the ground. so i went and looked at some swings on youtube after the knee surgery and noticed that his left leg stays bent at impact and to the finish. the main point to what im trying to say is that just try to keep the left leg bent or flexed at impact and you will hit the ball better more consistently. this is coming from somebody who now does this move at impact that im recommending to you.
[/quote]

Your main point is the reason why I made this post. I don't know how to keep it down. Even when I try to keep it bent, it flips up. Are there any drills I can do to keep it down?

[PingG10guy]

[quote name='kangta' timestamp='1283485184' post='2676820']
[quote name='stanford' timestamp='1282953852' post='2664808']
i had the same problem of my left foot coming off the ground and it finishing with my toes facing the target and it is a powerful move but only when timed perfectly. when its timed poorly it can lead to some very crooked drives. and believe me i know this. anyways i looked at some of tigers swings on youtube before the last knee surgery and noticed that his left leg locked up at impact and his left foot did the same thing as you do and that is that left foot coming completely off the ground. so i went and looked at some swings on youtube after the knee surgery and noticed that his left leg stays bent at impact and to the finish. the main point to what im trying to say is that just try to keep the left leg bent or flexed at impact and you will hit the ball better more consistently. this is coming from somebody who now does this move at impact that im recommending to you.
[/quote]

Your main point is the reason why I made this post. I don't know how to keep it down. Even when I try to keep it bent, it flips up. Are there any drills I can do to keep it down?
[/quote]

I would lift the toes of both feet in your shoes through the whole swing. And a side note your right heel come straight off the ground in transition as opposed to going to the instep. So definitely keep the heel (or instep) of the right foot on the ground longer.

The "toes at impact" thing is a bi product of the jump you do in this vid for that little extra club head speed. Its a toned down version of the tiger squat. most people on tour who drive it long leave the ground briefly somewhere through/after impact. They just do this move with the driver though. not fairways off the deck and especially not iron shots. I would say there arent any drills...you just need to be working on the fairway wood swing to make it [i]more[/i] stable. If you have a very forward ball position like hogan then maybe you would come off that right heel prior to impact. If your approaches are played out of the middle of the stance I dont really see a reason for all the foot movements through the swing. Just focus on a stable base.

Hit balls with the feet together drill. And pay attention to shawns feet through the drill and the full swings in the video.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AXReWUx4Cg[/media]





Then do the one leg drill to instill a stable left foot at impact

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2FnfZlRwak[/media]


Above all do not ever flex the left knee through impact consciously. If you are bending your knees and moving correctly through impact then i assure you your knees are flexed. Some people go overboard with reading about strategic tension in their swing. over tense on the lead knee will tense lead hip which will inhibit the spine. Ive had plenty of back spasms from trying out "flex through impact" one liners. Before you know it you'll have a list of 10 things to flex when you strike the ball (which i used to have). Its just compensatory moves to keep balance and angles. You have a great swing by the way. Good rhythm as well. A final thought; Read up on early extension here:

[url="http://www.golffitnessproducts.net/swing-faults-early-extension-hip-thrust.html"]http://www.golffitne...hip-thrust.html[/url]

good luck sir.

[PingG10guy]

[quote name='kangta' timestamp='1283485184' post='2676820']
[quote name='stanford' timestamp='1282953852' post='2664808']
i had the same problem of my left foot coming off the ground and it finishing with my toes facing the target and it is a powerful move but only when timed perfectly. when its timed poorly it can lead to some very crooked drives. and believe me i know this. anyways i looked at some of tigers swings on youtube before the last knee surgery and noticed that his left leg locked up at impact and his left foot did the same thing as you do and that is that left foot coming completely off the ground. so i went and looked at some swings on youtube after the knee surgery and noticed that his left leg stays bent at impact and to the finish. the main point to what im trying to say is that just try to keep the left leg bent or flexed at impact and you will hit the ball better more consistently. this is coming from somebody who now does this move at impact that im recommending to you.
[/quote]

Your main point is the reason why I made this post. I don't know how to keep it down. Even when I try to keep it bent, it flips up. Are there any drills I can do to keep it down?
[/quote]

Oh yeah make sure the left foot is flared out correctly. Watch my left foot here. It just spins out because i had it square. Open it up a bit more...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fX718Im4MMk[/media]

A little diagonal stance and that was the last time my left foot spun out like that....

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgfccmQDD6U[/media]