Sliding hips in backswing.

[soapythecat]

Hey,

I am well aware that I have developed a nasty slide with my hips to the side in my backswing. It causes no end of horrendous shots but the most painful for my card are a block come slice and the odd top!

I would appreciate any help or advice on how to stop the sliding hips. When I concentrate on my hips I become so tense the whole swing suffers even more.

Many thanks,
Mark.

[jambalaya]

Re: Sliding hips in backswing.

Concentrate on the flex in your back knee and its' movement. At setup, you should have some flex in your back knee. Maintain that flex all the way to the top of your swing. Do not allow your back leg to straighten. In addition, don't let your back knee rotate or move back. Your hip will still rotate but not as much. You should feel tension on the inside of your right leg and feel like your upper body is coiling.

You shouldn't feel a lot of tension in your arms, shoulders or grip but tension on the inside of the right leg and in your hips to a degree is natural. You are probably straightening your back leg and just kind of letting your body slide back with no resistance. You have to set up some resistance otherwise you just slide or straighten the right leg.

[LowPost42]

Re: Sliding hips in backswing.

Tape a steak knife to the edge of the kitchen table so that the blade overhangs th edge. Stand with your trailing hip by the tip. Now make your golf swing and don't poke yourself!

(Or, you can leave the steak knife out of it and simply use the table - don't touch the table. You'll have to turn.)

[BrianW]

Re: Sliding hips in backswing.

Tape a steak knife to the edge of the kitchen table so that the blade overhangs th edge. Stand with your trailing hip by the tip. Now make your golf swing and don't poke yourself!

(Or, you can leave the steak knife out of it and simply use the table - don't touch the table. You'll have to turn.)

Chainsaw strapped to a workbench works for me

[LowPost42]

Re: Sliding hips in backswing.

Chainsaw strapped to a workbench works for me

But I'll bet you didn't see improvement until the chainsaw was running.

Which brings me to my next joke.

A lumberjack heads into the hardware store, having broken his last axe. He's curious about these new chainsaws, but has never used one before. The salesman assures the lumberjack that a chainsaw is indeed the way to go - and that he'll be cutting 16 cord of wood a day once he got used to using it.

So the lumberjack buys it and heads out. A few days later, he comes back to return the chainsaw. The salesman asks why he's returning it. The lumberjack says "Well, I was pretty excited the first day, got up early, but only managed 5 cord. I was disappointed at the end of the day, and didn't work quite as hard, and only managed 3 cord the second day. But, I remembered that you said that once I got used to it, I'd manage to cut 16 cord. So I worked as hard as I could the next day and only managed 6 cord - I can't get the hang of it... it just takes forever to cut a tree - even longer than my old axe!"

The salesman is perplexed. He asks to see the chainsaw. He says "Let's see what's going on here..." and fires up the chainsaw. The lumberjack jumps back and yells "what'n the hell is that noise?!"

[arch11]

Re: Sliding hips in backswing.

i have this problem sometimes too. The best way i have found to fix it is to spend some time on the range, with your umbrella stuck in the ground behind you trailing foot (right if you are a right hander). You will hit the umbrella if you sway back with your hip. My swing thought is to use my right hip as the fixed point and rotate around it. You will probably block the first few right because you will swing to far on thew inside and not release properly but with some work will soon understand the benefits.

[Spiffo]

Re: Sliding hips in backswing.

The most influential tip I have ever had from a lesson was same as all the comments above, I was straightening my right leg. My instructor stood behind me and poked the back of my right leg with a club on my backswing so my right knee stayed flexed.

I immediately felt I was restricting my movement to the right and felt more of a coil on the backswing (was hitting an extra 20 yards instantly).

Another tip for this is too put a golf ball under your outside right foot, restricts your movement to the right.

[Matt10]

Re: Sliding hips in backswing.

For those that have seen my attempts at trying a traditional swing, with no luck due to an incurable reverse pivot, I have recently decided, thanks to the symple swing concept, to just start the setup with the lower body as if I was taking my backswing already. Basically, a pre-set backswing for the lower body.

So I stand up straight, bend from the waist, sole the club...

1. Stick my butt out to my left (rh) a bit ( as if I was sitting down on a bar stool slightly to my left)

2. Swinging is simple, rotate left shoulder under chin - rotate back and let the ball get in the way. Arms and hands are passive.

Has made a big difference and is a very repeatable swing, no need to worry about shifting etc, helps me get in the correct feeling on the downswing as well.

[cyc53870]

Re: Sliding hips in backswing.

Try experimenting with a 3/4 swing first...

[Timothy Slaught]

Re: Sliding hips in backswing.

Hey SoapyCat:

I agree with right knee theory. You kneed (bad pun) to keep that right knee flexed and do not let it rotate in the backswing. On the longer clubs you may find that it rotates a little but keep it to a minimum and make sure you maintain the flex.

This all starts at adress, so make sure you have your weight balanced betweeen the balls of your feet and heels. Feel very solid and flexed like a tennis player would look ready to return a serve. Ultimately you will be placing a majority of weight on your right heel at the top of the backswing. Those that suggest placing a golfball under the outside of your right foot are using a tried and true method to feel the sensation of taking a golf swing while maintaining the right knees address position. If you are used to swaying, the ball will force you to cease this "death move".

All of this leads to limiting your hip rotation on the backswing and you will then be stretching the lateral muscles in your torso instead. You will have to make a full shoulder turn so you may have to work on flexibiility for this to work. On the downswing you will have to work on rotating your hips through the shot and this may take some practice but this is a very powerfull source of energy and will keep your swing in balance.

Try to look at video clips of pros swinging and pay attention to the right knee and how little it moves in their backswings and also how quickly they rotate their hips in the downswing. The proper use of the legs and hips is the true power plant of a good swing. Swaying, caused by the right knee movement causes major inconsistencies as you know.

Best of luck.
Tim S.