Further experimentation with the pre-turned hip: Using the Irons
A couple of extended range sessions with the irons confirmed the findings I had with the driver using the pre-turned hip at set-up: (1) increased clubhead speed and (2) lower dispersion. Iron distance across the board was increased by approximately 10 to 12 yards with a few considerably more.
I was more comfortable with this setup having experimented with the driver and I could get right into the swing mechanics and some further experimentation.
Here’s what seemed to work best for ME. I’m not saying the following is applicable for every golfer (one size does not fit all) and I think there is room for improvement as the experimentation continues.
I was pre-turning the trial hip into a braced trail leg so that I felt a clockwise torque on the inside of the trail foot. Seemed to work better that letting the trail leg float a little and felt nice and stable.
The pre-set hip came back about 3 to 4 inches from the normal setup except for the wedges which were less.
I let the lower body find its own weight distribution at setup for balance rather than pre-setting the weight at 50-50 or 60-40 etc. The result felt about 50-50 after the pre-turn of the hip but seemed to want to favor the lead foot once I torqued the trail hip against the trail foot a little. In the BS I had only a slight transfer of weight to the trail leg and no feeling of posting on that leg for a double post swing. (That’s not to say a double post won’t work for some golfers)
A word of caution here: When preforming the pre-turned hip action there is a tendency to also pre-turn the shoulders some. If this occurs there is a tendency to take the club back in the BS too far inside and get the resultant swing flaws (heel hits, etc). I won’t say that pre-turned shoulders is either good or bad at this point, but if you are pre-turning the shoulders some with the trail hip, be mindful of you hand path so they don’t come too far inside and/or get the clubhead behind the hands in the BS.
Numerous times I had the feeling of performing the Right Sided Swing and just rotating around a single post (left leg). It also felt somewhat like the ‘early hip return’ position supposedly performed by Hogan post-accident. In either case I again, like the driver, felt a freer DS and good rotation throughout the swing. Also felt the potential for a more powerful swing if I chose to use it; which I didn’t because I didn’t want another variable in the swing at this stage.
Impact tape indicated that I was getting as good or better center-face contact compared to my regular setup.
After two range sessions with about 500 balls I had no back issues so I’d suggest this setup is user friendly.
Next is to do a session or two with the idea of going for the fences with the driver and perhaps the irons to see how the balance holds up under those conditions and what my limitations are.
I’ve played single digit handicap golf for a lot of years and can say that so far this setup shows promise for further improvement while also being body friendly.
Dear sacto84,
Thanks for the 'right on' detail of your experiences with 'Bumpy back'. I especially liked your emphasizing the 'keep it back' process, including the feeling with the right foot on the ground.
As for your next test of increased energy/distance, be prepared to bend your knees a bit more, an inch at a time if your dynamic stability is reduced, and the dispersion increases from what you have already established.
If you have access to a launch monitor, I would appreciate having examples of the 'before and after' with a few clubs, especially the driver. Also, please take a look at my recent post #11 on "Thread: An honest question for all professional teachers" so you can start to track your improvement with a combined distance/dispersion I believe will be good for the professional golf instruction folks.
Regarding your discussion of posting, one or both legs, I am always appreciative of references to accomplished golfers such as Hogan, Nick Faldo etc, but personally put them in the 'exceptional talent AND trial and error, too much practice required category. What you are experimenting with, or are feeling from the 'Bumpy back experiences, is based on hypotheses using sound dynamic balance and stability principles, and soon, with help from the momentum of this wonderful media, we will be able to turn hypotheses and experiments and positive results like yours into much needed 'golf truths', my passion, and dream.
To that end, I will offer one more suggestion to your experimenting, so you don't get caught in a lengthy 'trial and error' loop.
This has to do with the hips, pelvis and rotation during the down swing.
Considering large centripetal force imbalances that would lead into lower body INSTABILITIES' it is great to read, that during your tests, your lead hip rotated counterclockwise FIRST, as the trail hip more slowly kind of pulled out of the Bumpy back position. This first move of the downswing, so far only analytically determined, ADDS lower body stability margin allowing the upper body to operate more energetically.
In a somewhat complicated way using 'instantaneous screw axis theories', this rotating lead hip is followed by the trail hip rotation AFTER THE PEAKS OF THE KINEMATIC SEQUENCE, and maybe as late as impact. This lead hip first, trail hip next rotation sequence should just be a smooth flow, not a numerically sequenced event, and I predict it will simply flow from your keeping the trail hip back as you have described so very clearly.
Please let us all know how the next phase of your much appreciated test program works out.
Very sincerely,
art.
