Right heel off ground before impact.

[jerry1967]

I have looked at many pro golfers swinging and I have noticed many of the good players have the right heel off the ground before impact.

When I see this I get the idea that the player is pushing the right knee toward the ball or the plane line to start the downswing.

Can someone tell me if I am wrong with this idea?

Reminds me of Jimmy Ballard's swing thought to start the down swing, push the right knee toward the ball.

When Tiger was swinging good his right heel was off the ground way before impact.
.

 

[dschultz6072]

I think it's just a reaction. I don't see how you get any power pushing your right knee forward through the ball.

 

[jeffy]

I think pushing with the right knee toward the ball to start the downswing is a bad idea and one of the most damaging things Ballard ever promoted. It can easily lead to "early extension" or hip thrust. The greats let the left knee lead then the right followed, very easy to see in these legendary swings:

Jamie Sadlowski's right heel is way up at impact but the right knee actually travels in a counter-clockwise circle in the downswing: first away from the target, then straight out, then back toward the target:

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/gkmymyrJtz8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/y8OxqVE6rCs?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[jeffy]

I think it's just a reaction. I don't see how you get any power pushing your right knee forward through the ball.

You get power when the hips and knees go from flexed and externally rotated (knees bowed out) to extended (straightened) and internally rotated (knees close together).

 

[Dariusz J.]

Rear heel can lift off the ground because (one of the below-listed reasons or mixed ones - two unintentional/reactional and one intentional):
- the rear hip joint cannot maintain its tush line and starts goat hump;
- the hips are spun out to a very open pre-impact position;
- deliberate push-up done by the rear side to reinforce impact.

Of course, in microscale all depends also on RoM of ankle/knee joints - the smaller it is the sooner the rear heel will lift off the ground independently on everything else.

Cheers

 

[jeffy]

Flexed and externally rotated:

Extended and internally rotated:

 

[footwedge]

You get power when the hips and knees go from flexed and externally rotated (knees bowed out) to extended (straightened) and internally rotated (knees close together).

Very little power there that gets transfered to the clubhead.

 

[Brian Manzella]

Jerry & Jeffy,

They are just preparing to go normal.

 

[jeffy]

Very little power there that gets transfered to the clubhead.

Rubbish. Show me video of a REALLY long hitter that doesn't do this.

 

[footwedge]

Rubbish. Show me video of a REALLY long hitter that doesn't do this.

I guess your right and all the scientists that measured it are wrong. Just tell me how a guy standing on a basketball can hit it 280 or more or how a guy on his knees can hit it 300. Got no knees or legs to use.

From Sasho M.


In the simulated golf swing, the main
source of power delivered to the golfclub originated
from the passive joint forces created at the
wrist joint as result of the whip-like kinematics
produced by the torso and arms.

 

[footwedge]

FOR UNDERPLANERS.

Golf - Trick Shot 1: Drive Set Up On Your Knees (Golf Tricks)

 

[jeffy]

I guess your right and all the scientists that measured it are wrong. Just tell me how a guy standing on a basketball can hit it 280 or more or how a guy on his knees can hit it 300. Got no knees or legs to use.

From Sasho M.


In the simulated golf swing, the main
source of power delivered to the golfclub originated
from the passive joint forces created at the
wrist joint as result of the whip-like kinematics
produced by the torso and arms.

I said REALLY long. That is tour average long, not tour leader or long-drive contender long. And I would assume that those isolated examples are produced by freakishly good athletes that are able to maintain their balance on a basketball or hit from the knees with adequate freedom of motion. Such anecdotes don't prove anything. Furyk hits it 280 and he only uses one side of his body. So what? Sadlowski outdrives him by 100 yards.

Also, the torso and arms could very well be the "main" source as Saasho M. posits. That doesn't rule out substantial contributions from other sources. Ever look at young Jack's swing? You don't think his hip flexors and glutes aren't adding something to his torso rotation?

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZI-qQhMQZMo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[footwedge]

I said REALLY long. That is tour average long, not tour leader or long-drive contender long. And I would assume that those isolated examples are produced by freakishly good athletes that are able to maintain their balance on a basketball or hit from the knees with adequate freedom of motion. Such anecdotes don't prove anything. Furyk hits it 280 and he only uses one side of his body. So what? Sadlowski outdrives him by 100 yards.

Also, the torso and arms could very well be the "main" source as Saasho M. posits. That doesn't rule out substantial contributions from other sources. Ever look at young Jack's swing? You don't think his hip flexors and glutes aren't adding something to his torso rotation?

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZI-qQhMQZMo" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Believe what you want. Sasho has in his research how much each segment contibutes to power as do other researchers. I would say if anyone is freakish it's the long hitters. They have the fastest torso and arm swings than anyone else so their legs respond accordingly for the release. If they measured the longest hitters they would get the same results the torso and arms provide the main power source that gets transmitted via the wrist joints to the clubhead.

 

[dschultz6072]

Do these guys count as long?

 

[trickyric67]

Think "force against the ground". If you hung someone on a swing where they did not touch the ground they would lose distance. even Dennis Walters has force against the cart he is strapped to. It is much more visible in log hitting females.

 

[jeffy]

Do these guys count as long?

Long enough, and they do exactly the same thing as Jaimie and all the other big hitterrs:

Hips and knees flexed and externally rotated:

Hips and knees extended and internally rotated:

 

[jeffy]

Believe what you want. Sasho has in his research how much each segment contibutes to power as do other researchers. I would say if anyone is freakish it's the long hitters. They have the fastest torso and arm swings than anyone else so their legs respond accordingly for the release. If they measured the longest hitters they would get the same results the torso and arms provide the main power source that gets transmitted via the wrist joints to the clubhead.

I'm not arguing at all that the "main" source of power is the torso and arms. What I am saying is that the big hitters augment that power with the lower body. And I've seen no research that contradicts that.

BTW, how many players did Sasho study? Who were they? Most of the studies I've looked at study very few players and none of them qualify as "elite". Can you provide links to these studies you reference?

 

[jeffy]

Very little power there that gets transfered to the clubhead.

I repeat my challenge: show me a video of a REALLY long hitter that does not go from both hips and knees flexed and externally rotated to both hips and knees extended and internally rotated. Visual evidence please.

 

[footwedge]

I'm not arguing at all that the "main" source of power is the torso and arms. What I am saying is that the big hitters augment that power with the lower body. And I've seen no research that contradicts that.

BTW, how many players did Sasho study? Who were they? Most of the studies I've looked at study very few players and none of them qualify as "elite".

I don't know how many but you can contact him and ask, I have talked to him and he will definetly answer your inquiries.

Well then we have no need to debate any longer. Your wrong and Sasho's right...lol

 

[jeffy]

Well then we have no need to debate any longer. Your wrong and Sasho's right...lol

That wouldn't be any fun!

Look at this: