Starting the downswing

[jimbouk]

having problems with a thought to start my downswing.
Should it be a pull down with hands, shoulder turn , movement of hips or let the club drop down with its own weight.
Any advice would be much appreciated

[Simon Woo]

Re: Starting the downswing

Hi Jim I was just reading this page. You might like to give it a try

http://www.swinglife.iwarp.com/pages/downswing.html

[ubizmo]

Re: Starting the downswing

That web site is interesting. Speaking as someone who is just beginning to achieve what I think is a proper transition, the *feeling* of it is somewhat whip-like. When I do it right I can definitely feel that, and I can see it on video too. I've recorded my swings that felt "good" and those that didn't. Then I step through frame by frame, and I can see that on the good swings my hip is uncoiling just an instant before the downswing starts.

Btw I also realized, from looking at these videos, that this is why a fairly slow backswing is important too. If the backswing is fast, it takes more energy to reverse the club direction, the wrists are more likely to overbreak, and the club will arrive at the ball late, with the face open, and you get a big push. I had been hitting pushes a *lot* and couldn't figure it out until I videotaped my swing and *saw* the rushed backswing, the wrists collapsing, etc. Now it's all about practicing until the right tempo is automatic.

I should add that even when I felt I was pretty consistently making a slow smooth backswing and getting the "whip" feeling on the practice range, on the actual course it took a while to recapture it.