left shoulder up

[RyanB]

In never slice again, the left shoulder up move is for axis tilt, i get that. is there supposed to be a little rotation as well because moving it like its demonstarted in the video has me swinging to the right, a problem which ive been suffering for a long time. should i be moving towards a never hook again type pattern where i keep my belt buckle leading my hands then the club head.

Just to give you a little backgroung on myself, im a good player a 3 handicap, but my ball striking in inconsistant. yesterday i shot a 75, bunting it all over the course, with some big pull hooks, a few blocked drives, some fat, and some that werent solid at all. good thing my short game came through for me. any help would be great?

 

[Brian Manzella]

Messages....and Recipients.

IN the very best golf swings, left shoulder movement from the top is first very pure rotation—on the backswing axis, then nearer the middle of the downswing, as the right shoulder goes more down plane, the left shoulder goes UP...and back, as the AXIS TILT (in degrees) almost always matches the OPENness of the SHOULDERS, just post impact.

A slicer's left shoulder does none of this. From the top their left shoulder goes downward and open more rapidly with often a REVERSING of the axis tilt they had at the top.

THEY ARE TRYING TO PLAY THEIR SLICE!!!!!!!

So, a good player, trying to just make the left shoulder go UP, will almost always get below plane. Just as you say.

I'd follow this advice if I was you:

Imagine that ADAM MALLORY (the student in NSA 2) is making the "rockem sockem robot" movement to a Brian who was standing much more behind him, the actual drill I use on David Toms from time to time.

OPEN...then OPEN AND UP!

 

[ColinMB]

Man, I wish I *had* that problem.

I rotate my shoulders like nuts way too early. Of course this would explain why you have a 3 handicap and my handicap is.... pretty handicapped.

If I had your problem of swinging out to the right too much, I'd be on cloud 9. If you're attacking the ball from the inside too much, dropping behind it too much, perhaps 'hitting the box' would help?

I'm just guessing here, but I thought originally Brian's drill on that was for ensuring shoulder rotation (Something I have way too much of).

Back to 'left shoulder up', I always thought that drill was to enforce a more inside/out swing path (which you seem to already have too much of). That was my understanding anyway.

++EDIT++

Just saw Brian actually answered this so obviously ignore my response.

On left shoulder up, it seems to it almost has to be RIGHT up. Not 'kinda up' or around, or else I revert to over the top again. Again, I'm envious of you guys who have it nailed.

A bit off topic, but the only thing that seems to work for me is actually from a different, but very popular instructor (who shall remain nameless)... basically I keep my back to the target as long as humanly possible and let my left arm seemingly swing under my shoulders. It's awkward but saves my swing. Like I said, I wish I came under plane too much.

 

[welshdentist]

Colin, I think the left shoulder up part would get you too much inside, but combined with the back gets you attacking inside correctly.

I may be wrong but I think this is what happens with DT's swing, too much up and getting under plane not "stuck behind "

So I THINK he doesn't get enough "back" with the "up"

I think by not turning back, you are doing what you need to do....If too open too soon is your problem, feeling like not turning, is probably turning enough allowing the right shoulder to fire downplane.....

Please correct me someone if i'm wrong......in fact I think I almost certainly just said what Brian did.....

 

[RyanB]

one more question....

thank you brian, you are a WORLD CLASS teacher. In doing what you prescribed, my only other question is do my arms just drop down like in the nha pattern? i can straighten my right arm at it right?

 

[RyanB]

and....

do i make an effort to hold the angle of my right wrist too?