Lack of Hip Participation

[Erik_K]

After God-only-knows how many range sessions with video (I record it myself and watch it at the range) I still can't figure how/why my hips, more or less, do not participate in the stroke.

Recently I have been battling some fat shots and I believe, at least in part, that the ball was too far back in my stance. I feel that my swing is not nearly as 'rotary' as it should be.

Is their some psycholgogy involved? Yes. When I make practice swings, things look OK but it seems that my start down move puts the club in an overly steep position on the way down and maybe I can't have active hips because I would pull the ball 70 yards off to the left (?).

These issues, lately, have been tied to the mid and short irons and this is particular frustrating because the tee ball might be OK, but I duff the approach shot or hit so far left that I have rely on my pitching skills to save bogey (or worse). One would think that hitting an 8 iron from 150 out is easier than teeing up the driver or 3W.

Is the answer Axis Tilt? Probably. But that's easier said than done. I think you can keep your head back and tailbone forward all you like but still have a roundhouse move with the right shoulder. In other words I probably 'set the stage' with the proper amount of tilt, but I lose it because of the wrong action of the right shoulder.

It's been kind of upsetting to say the least because I all hear is how pretty the swing is, but it's a swing that couldn't break 110 (and I've been playing since I was 10...I am 31) on a good day.


I live near Damon Lucas and I've attended a number schools/clinics hosted by Brian. I think his teachings have been helpful. My old swing was terrible. How my swing looks today is a tribute to Brian and Damon.


Let me me sort through the camera and try to post some video. Stay tuned.

Erik

 

[Erik_K]

Start the back swing?

It's a move with the hands. I try to employ the SD pattern and I like to feel that my hands pass right over the right thigh or pants pocket.

Issues with backswing have been a sway to the right. I try to feel more centered over the ball when I take the club back (more of a rotary feel).

Erik

 

[niblick1]

It's been kind of upsetting to say the least because I all hear is how pretty the swing is, but it's a swing that couldn't break 110 (and I've been playing since I was 10...I am 31) on a good day.

Erik

I remember Brian's comment at Lake P. about your swing last year. Heck, it IS a good looking swing you have. I can understand the frustration.

 

[rogerdodger]

I would look to your clubface, particularly at the startdown. Brian has me starting the downswing with a little twistaway, to keep the face from opening. If I do that, my hips do what they are supposed to. If my clubface is open, my hips seem to know it and stop moving. If I do move them with the open face, shankola time. Yesterday I hit forty yard lob wedges in my back yard for hours, focusing on the hips and pivot. Any face opening really affects the pivot, even on short shots.

 

[Erik_K]

I would look to your clubface, particularly at the startdown. Brian has me starting the downswing with a little twistaway, to keep the face from opening. If I do that, my hips do what they are supposed to. If my clubface is open, my hips seem to know it and stop moving. If I do move them with the open face, shankola time. Yesterday I hit forty yard lob wedges in my back yard for hours, focusing on the hips and pivot. Any face opening really affects the pivot, even on short shots.

Roger -

That is something that warrants attention. I'll post some video soon. I believe the issue is tied to the face, which is tied to the path (startdown move).

Erik

 

[aaron_lohan]

Maybe your just thinking too much about it, you've got to be able to get up there and hit it with no conscious thought.

 

[Erik_K]

I suggest getting your torso more involved early on. Try to feel you start your swing with your mid or right torso\ lower right rib cage. Need to do it without a club first. This will also help your rotary thing, and sway.
If you hit it so far left at times, must be a clubface issue.

I'll post some stuff soon. This weekend I am tied up, but I'll get it up as soon as I can.

I will try out suggestion at home without a club.

Erik

 

[Erik_K]

Video

These are from last weekend.

Club: 7 Iron


Down the line view:

SwingAcademy.com

Face on:

SwingAcademy.com

Any comments about the swing will be appreciated. I'love some feedback on whether or not I am too steep coming down to the ball and whether or not my hips are not really helping me out much. My long-term goal is get more of a snap release.

Erik

 

[Matt 4-L]

Erik, it looks nice except for the "fit in" move right before impact. You stop your hips and come up a bit to keep from crashing into the ground, the one thing I notice on the transition is you don't shallow out the swing plane, you need the hands to drop a little with the counterfall, I think Hogan called it the free ride the hands get, I think if you got a little of that you wouldn't have to stall the pivo,t you could swing freely through.

 

[Matt 4-L]

Look at your follow through and notice how steep the club exits.

 

[softconsult]

Erik, it looks to me like you are letting your swing center drift in front of the ball on the downswing.
No, axis tilt equals no room to swing your hands through.

Michael Jacobs has a very good video over on Gotham Golf Blog called Acceleration Part II.
He talks about what you are doing, namely that your upper half is dominating your
swing. Check it out. Might help.

 

[Erik_K]

Wow!

That explanation really did help! Thanks so much guys. I also appreciate your comments. It's quite clear that I am a poster child for the over-acceleration/lack of axis tilt issues that plague many golfers.

If only you guys knew how often I hear positive comments about my swing, but then slow me down on video and it's quite obvious that I am devoid of any real power or snap. No doubt this discussion has exposed the flaws. I need to work on action of the hips and pelvis. I'd imagine that my ballstriking will suffer in the short-term because the club will be coming in on a shallower path.

thanks again!

Erik

 

[Erik_K]

Look at your follow through and notice how steep the club exits.

Thanks, Matt. When I pause the down the line view on frame 71, it looks like the club is over my left shoulder.

Where should it be? I am thinking you want the club, as it exits, to be more parallel to the plane of the shoulders on the follow through? That is to say, a bit shallower, right?

thanks,
Erik

 

[Matt 4-L]

Erik, you lift the club alot at the top of the swing, which is fine but you need to let the hands drop back down some to get on a shallower plane, if you get on a shallower plane, where the club exits will take care of itself. I only pointed it out because its visual evidence of how steep you are coming into it. At frame 73 the club is almost straight up and down. Brian told me to think of Hogan at Merion and liked to see the club in the ball park of 45° angle on the exit.

 

[Erik_K]

One other comment:

I know I struggle with hip or pelvis move because i am worried that the club will bottom out well behind the ball. After I establish some axis tilt, I probably need (to me) an agressive amount of rotation to transport the club to the ball.

Erik

 

[softconsult]

Probably not.

 

[greenfree]

Your off balance at the top towards your toes and at frame 58 in the dtl view you have moved further out on your toes and it would now be hard to re-center yourself in a milli-second as it's easier to keep going outwards and that's what you do.

You need to be more centered on your feet, middle of your arches and you need to feel that your in the arches as you transition to the d.s.

I think you start in a setup that has most of your upper body too far over your toe line thus your balance center is out and it snowballs from there. IMO.

 

[Erik_K]

Your off balance at the top towards your toes and at frame 58 in the dtl view you have moved further out on your toes and it would now be hard to re-center yourself in a milli-second as it's easier to keep going outwards and that's what you do.

You need to be more centered on your feet, middle of your arches and you need to feel that your in the arches as you transition to the d.s.

I think you start in a setup that has most of your upper body too far over your toe line thus your balance center is out and it snowballs from there. IMO.

I've bought some new shoes (the ones in the video - Five Fingers!) hoping that I will be more comfortable and balanced when I swing. I agree that that balance is an issue and I often fall backwards or forwards.

Thanks for the observation. I'll pay more attention to where my weight is at address.

Erik