Does anybody lift their left heel anymore?

[rundmc]

Yo . . . does anybody lift their lift heel anymore ala Jack Nicklaus? If so why (other than flexiblity issues)? Do you think this will ever make a come back?

 

[Bigwill]

I don't need to, but I notice that it helps my rhythm when I do.

 

[bantamben2]

yeh the first one that comes to mind is phil mickelson he lifts his heel especially with the driver

 

[Brian Manzella]

Don't call it a comeback, I've been here for years!

It gives you what Ben Doyle calls MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION.

It had a lot to do with JWN's success.

I avoid it for golfers who don't replant it well, due to a varitey of reasons (#1 being roundhouse shoulder and little axis tilt).

If you do it right, however.....BOOM!

 

[tongzilla]

For a good combo of power and control, try taking as much pressure off the left heel as possible without actually lifting it. Some people just lift the outside of their left foot, which is ok too.

 

[self-mastery]

I've tinkered with lifting my left foot off of the ground and it seems to really help me get my lower body through the ball. I actually use the replanting of the left foot as a signal to start my down swing.

 

[Paul_K2]

I've played about with it, to help me sit more into my right side in the backswing.

 

[Perfect Impact]

I think there is a wrong premise in using the form of verb, "does lift." My experience is that in a good swing, "IT GETS LIFTED."

There is a big difference.

 

[mrodock]

I think there is a wrong premise in using the form of verb, "does lift." My experience is that in a good swing, "IT GETS LIFTED."

There is a big difference.

PI,

What about the idea of allowing it to lift with the backswing coil? I used to feel that there was so much pressure on my left foot that there was no way my turn was going to lift my left heel.

Matt

 

[Perfect Impact]

PI,

What about the idea of allowing it to lift with the backswing coil? I used to feel that there was so much pressure on my left foot that there was no way my turn was going to lift my left heel.

Matt

Absolutely yes. JN speaks of this in the manner I do: IT GETS LIFTED due to the appropriate amount of hip turn and consequent weight shift to the right heel. If you do NOT shift TO THE RIGHT, you will have a reverse pivot and an extremely weak topofswing position.

So if you feel pressure on your left foot I would guess that you are not moving your weight off of it, that your weight stays centered, and that you consequently are not accessing a ton of power available to you.

And besides that, the left knee MUST bend to allow the hips to turn. So if the knee bends, shortening the distance between left foot and left hip, either you allow your hip to dip way down, OR you allow the heel to rise.

 

[mrodock]

Absolutely yes. JN speaks of this in the manner I do: IT GETS LIFTED due to the appropriate amount of hip turn and consequent weight shift to the right heel. If you do NOT shift TO THE RIGHT, you will have a reverse pivot and an extremely weak topofswing position.

So if you feel pressure on your left foot I would guess that you are not moving your weight off of it, that your weight stays centered, and that you consequently are not accessing a ton of power available to you.

Thanks PI. I wasn't reverse pivoting before my lesson with Brian, but I wasn't shifting much weight to the right side.

 

[Perfect Impact]

Hip motion is in the DS from right to left, so in the backswing it has to BE to the right so that it CAN return to the left.

And when this occurs, the shoulders rock in a vertical plane!!!!! I.e., ON plane with the orbit of the clubhead. Which is neat since the force applied by the legs to the hips moving that way moving the shoudlers that way moves the arms that way and as insiders say, this is the LOC, line of compression. So instead of sideswiping the ball somehow, the right shoulder down towards the target line POWERS the swing.

Bottom line: the legs power the arms/hands/handle end of the club. The OTHER end of it shows up on time for the collision [unless prevented by holding on too tight] because of that old thingee we call COAM...