Left leg: should it straighten?

[GeoffDickson]

On the downswing/ follow through, should the left leg straighten or retain the same amount of flexion as at address?

If it straightens, when should it straighten?

If it straightens, should it 'lock'?

 

[jenhaoyen]

i think it depends on the shot you are hitting as well.

If you are trying to hit really really high, you might have a bend left leg..

 

[dschultz6072]

Looking forward to hearing an instructor type chime in. I'd asked mine and he doesn't think it should straighten through impact. I can't do anything BUT straighten mine.

 

[mgranato]

Can you jump without the leg moving from flexed toward straightening?

 

[hp12c]

Can you jump without the leg moving from flexed toward straightening?

I agree with you and would also say if the left leg gets locked straight in a very quick motion continiously,over time that knee joint is going to get injured.

 

[siksta]

Nicklaus did not.

 

[ms1170]

I agree with you and would also say if the left leg gets locked straight in a very quick motion continiously,over time that knee joint is going to get injured.

Countless numbers of golfers have been straightening their left leg for decades. Tiger is the only player I can think of that's had a knee problem, and we can't even say it was caused by doing this.

 

[Dariusz J.]

Depends where the vector of the dynamic weight is located approaching impact. If it is close to the heel of the lead leg (under the ankle joint) - the natural consequence of meeting the limit of the rotational RoM in the lead leg joints is the straightening of the leg.
It all depends how big the RoM is as well - compare Hogan and Snead who had a similar great rotary motions but differed in how soon the lead knee extended.

Cheers

 

[hp12c]

Countless numbers of golfers have been straightening their left leg for decades. Tiger is the only player I can think of that's had a knee problem, and we can't even say it was caused by doing this.

Ok, I said locked straight and u said straightening, I believe these are two seperate conclusions with two diferrent outcomes. So if I get your statement correct the left knee going from flexed to a straight locked position in a few seconds will not over time cause an injury or deterioration of the knee joint, is that correct? I didnt mention Tiger Woods.

 

[willgolfer]

Looking forward to hearing an instructor type chime in.

Everything else is noise, right?

 

[ms1170]

Ok, I said locked straight and u said straightening, I believe these are two seperate conclusions with two diferrent outcomes. So if I get your statement correct the left knee going from flexed to a straight locked position in a few seconds will not over time cause an injury or deterioration of the knee joint, is that correct? I didnt mention Tiger Woods.

Your leg is either bent or straight. I don't know what you mean by locked. Every athlete that jumps is straightening their leg. Any golfer that has their left heel off the ground( Johnny Miller, Paul Casey, Davis Love, Bubba Watson, etc, and probably over 50% of the LPGA tour) on the downswing is straightening their leg. Golfers, Basketball, Football and Soccer players are aggressively straightening there legs constantly without injury.

 

[dschultz6072]

Everything else is noise, right?

More like "This is what works for me and may or may not work for you, but I don't really care because I know it usually works for me and I'm not you."

 

[faux_maestro]

On the downswing/ follow through, should the left leg straighten or retain the same amount of flexion as at address?

If it straightens, when should it straighten?

If it straightens, should it 'lock'?

I've played around a lot with this. I have to be careful not to aggressively snap the knee like Tiger talks about. I have left knee issues too and if I snap it too hard I have trouble walking the next day. But I think it does straighten. Most players today seem to have it completely extended at some point.

I didn't originally hurt my knee golfing but sometimes the torques aggravate it. Tiger didn't originally hurt his knee golfing but sometimes the torques aggravate it.