Left Hip - Bump or Turn

[pnearn]

Guys

Im still having problems with the club getting stuck behind me some and still trying to find ways of working out

I've started expirmenting ( without a ball ) with the concept of my hip move being much more of a turn rather than a lateral bump. The aim here to clear my hips quicker and give my arms more room to swing in front of me

Now this seems to give me a much free-er swing through the ball but im wondering whether this move would encourage an over the top move? Im not trying to keep my shoulders back and when i look in a mirror it seems this move does drop my arms into the right place (i.e the clubshaft across my left arm)

Perhaps because i have so got so used to coming so much from the inside, i need to feel like I clear quicker and have more of an over the top feeling?

Could it really be as simple as removing the bump and replacing with a turn?

[GregJWillis]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

Answer, yes.

Anytime you move laterally, you change the ball position in respect to where you setup. Bump your hip forward and now you are reaching behind you. The only way you can get the face closed in time is to start the hands sooner, so in the long history of trial and error, you grooved the hands this way.

Rotating the hips and letting the ball position stay centered allows the shoulders, arms and hands to swing on their intended plane and paths.

You have to retrain a lot here. Starting with the hips. Then will come the rest having new feelings and position to contend with. But the hope here is that the results will convince the rest that this is a good thing.

Start with the Impact Drill l. It gets your hips in a preset position that makes the shoulders, arms and hands easier to isolate and retrain.

[Ian Hancock]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

Greg is correct of course,

Maybe this little swing video can help explain the swing plane and getting the club stuck behind you and how it happens.


http://www.v1golf.com/consumer/internet_lessons.asp


click on "visit the internet golf acadamy".......


Hope this helps


Ian.

[pnearn]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

Thanks guys. So at impact I guess the belt buckle should at least halfway turned towards the target and the left arm and club forming a straight line behind the ball ?

I wonder why so many instructional guides preach the lateral move of the hip ?

I need to go work on this tomorrow at the range .. i'll let you know how I get on

[TeachingPro]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

Well, there is a slight lateral move to begin with to assist the weight shift and then the turn happens. You can't turn your left hip straight away from where it is at transition.

But there is a fine line between not moving enough laterally or moving too much laterally. Unfortunately, this is only one of the things which is very individual becuase we are all built differently so I can't even give you a rough idea of how much and to slide before your turn.

Not much help I know but it is important that you slide a bit and then turn.

[donaau]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

I am only a C Grade golfer and find much of what you guys discuss a bit technical for me. I do let my left heel lift slightly at the top of my backswing just so I can start my swing by putting it back on the ground. This I hope gives me slight lateral move forward and a bit of hip turn. Am I right in thinking this? Sometimes I hit a nice draw but equally often I hit a high cover drive - block it out to the right Would like to hear your views.

D

[pnearn]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

Well, there is a slight lateral move to begin with to assist the weight shift and then the turn happens. You can't turn your left hip straight away from where it is at transition.

But there is a fine line between not moving enough laterally or moving too much laterally. Unfortunately, this is only one of the things which is very individual becuase we are all built differently so I can't even give you a rough idea of how much and to slide before your turn.

Not much help I know but it is important that you slide a bit and then turn.

But if you try and turn your hips (and clear them) isnt there by natural physics a weight shift and a slight move to the left to make this happen anyway .. as in you shouldnt TRY and move to the left, the turn will make it happen ?

[Ian Hancock]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

Pnearn,

You are correct there is a slight slide forward before the turning of the hips, the problems start when you slide away from the target on the backswing, I think going towards the target doesn't matter......I think Teachingpro is saying that no-one can tell you how much you slide towards the target because it doesn't really matter.

My own personal preference is......on the backswing I try not to move the hips at all.....when you reach the top of the backswing look in a mirror and you will see your hips have moved perfectly although you tried not to move them at all.

On the downswing just let them go first with the help of you legs.....this simply keeps the body torque until the last minute.


Hope this helps


Ian.

[pnearn]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

Cheers Guys

I tried this today for an hour at the range and when I made the effort to ensure my left arm and chest stayed connected and my hip TURN was the action that pulled them through I hit some real solid shots. Lost some distance on the more aggressive hip slide shot I used to have but seeing as they were sprayed all over the place I'll take that

Now all I need to know is how to increase power with this move? Certainly I think I could hold the wrist angle deeper into the downswing

[Mulligan Al]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

Greg is correct of course, Maybe this little swing video can help explain the swing plane and getting the club stuck behind you and how it happens.
http://www.v1golf.com/consumer/internet_lessons.asp
click on "visit the internet golf acadamy".......
Hope this helps Ian.

Ian thanks for posting this site, this is really good stuff.

[stronz]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

Ian

Do you feel some major stretching in your upper back when you resist the turn of the hips?
I'm finding that by resisting or at least limiting the movement of the hips on the backswing, I seem to be in a better position at the top and also the Coil of the hips on the throughswing seems a lot more natural. By that I mean, No real manipulation of the hips to turn towards the target, all I do is move my left knee out at the throughswing begins and its on plane.

Great post btw guys. I have learned so much on this site. I started playing Golf last October and I am obsessed. I have read countless Books and articles, but I seem to get the best advice always on this site.

Tony

[Ian Hancock]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

Stroz,

You are doing it correct if you feel this tention...........resisting the hip movement gives you torque in the upper left part or your back and the lower right by your hip.

The feeling I look for is try not to move the hips at all.....it's actually impossible and I mean impossible to take a backswing without moving the hips......so why try to move them???? it's the mind set to help create power.


If your muscles are tight then you have power.....it's just a matter of releasing it at the right moment.


Hope this helps


Ian.

[cirebonkid]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

i must say that this is my exact problem too. Over last year and a half i have been struggling with a block slice with my driver. it all started when i tried to get my shaft to finish higher on the follow thru so it bisecs my shoulders instead of finishing in a lower position. I do this by altering my plane,making it flatter and allowing my hips to bump laterally in hope of finishing more out rather than pulling the follow thru inward toward my left hip. The block slice practically killed me, but just yesterday i tried a tip from an old pro who told me to stop shifting my weight too early to the left. however, myswing felt very awkward because i feel like im spinning my hips rather than the traditional hip bump. the more i reduced my hip bump the more stacked my body is at impact and the better my ball fligjt becomes. No more high block slices!

[Sparky08]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

Really pleased this thread has come up because it confuses the hell out of me.

On the one hand I have had one pro tell me to resist with my hips on the backswing and keep my belt buckle facing the ball on the backswing, this creates tension but doesn't, IMO, give me enough turn behind the ball and get me fully loaded into my left side, yes I'm a lefty!! His arguement which makes sense is that as soon as you move the the club and the arms away to one side you do have weight shift although I dont feel I'm getting into my back heel. Because the hips have not turned far going back they therefore have less work to do going forward, again, makes sense.

On the other hand I have another pro telling me to really pivot in the backswing and get everything turning from the head to the hips, using my body to swing the club inside and to create space so I can swing from the inside in the downswing. Once again, makes sense, then from the top I then have to make that lateral movement with the lower body first and get some axis tilt on the downswing and this is where I struggle.

My natural movement on the downswing and what was told to me by another pro who I consider to be the dog's wotsits was to clear my hips. The choice is mine on the backswing as long as keep some flex in that back leg but on the downswing the hips must clear, hit the ball with my backside was one of his quotes and when you look at the pro's at impact this makes sense, so I really worked this into my game and got my belt buckle facing the target.

Unfortunately I was finding it difficult to get the time to go and see this pro due to the distances involved so took advice off the first two guys I have mentioned who both told me that I wa spinning my hips far to fast resulting in me coming OTT! Aaaaagggggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

I really want to turn my hips through impact but can see what happens when I do this, I do come OTT, thoughts?

Forgot to say, one of these guys called my hips spinning out an early extension, an early what?? After doing some research on this it has confused the matter even more.

[msklar92]

Re: Left Hip - Bump or Turn

If the club feels stuck, it may be too flat, causing it to feel heavy at the top. When you get to about 3/4 shoulder turn see if the club feels light or heavy, if heavy then it is too horizontal. Position the club to a more vertical angle so you can easily hold it up with the left hand only. From that position, it should be easier to turn. You shouldn't have to think so much about the hips.