Old School vs New School

[PlaidJacket]

Do you lift your left heel when making your swing? (right heel for lefties) I recently read some info on another forum that got me to thinking about it. You'll hardly ever see anyone doing this anymore. Perhaps the Champions Tour guys do some. It's old school for sure. Well I decided to give it a try... again. You see, I grew up being taught this method/style but over the past century I've transition away from it. Probably because I was younger back then. I've been out practicing a couple of times recently and gave it a try. I like it. Here's the deal.... I'm 62 and not as flexible as I once was. I do some stretching but not near enough. I'm noticing now that I'm lengthening my backswing a few inches more and perhaps gaining some distance too. It's a little premature for me say I'm hooked but I'm going to give it a go for awhile and see if my muscle memory will take over. It's and easy thing to do with little thought. Just lift and turn.

 

How bout you guys. Anyone else swinging like this or trying it again? It has promise I think; especially for guys that are older or less flexible. As a bonus you'll look like young Jack Nicklaus!

[jaskanski]

There's still a lot of validity in using this technique - especially for the older folks. Basically, it makes it a lot easier to transfer the weight through impact, without the unwanted tendency of "swaying" in the backswing if you keep your feet planted. If you can keep your lower body quiet and time the transfer correctly, it makes for a smooth effortless swing if done properly. Not a bad thing for those who may not be quite as supple as they once where.

Never done Nicklaus any harm either - but remember Jack always played the ball from the same position in his stance whatever the club (for most full shots). Anyone trying this technique with a variable ball position may find it rather difficult. My 2 cents.

[BIG STU]

There's still a lot of validity in using this technique - especially for the older folks. Basically, it makes it a lot easier to transfer the weight through impact, without the unwanted tendency of "swaying" in the backswing if you keep your feet planted. If you can keep your lower body quiet and time the transfer correctly, it makes for a smooth effortless swing if done properly. Not a bad thing for those who may not be quite as supple as they once where.

Never done Nicklaus any harm either - but remember Jack always played the ball from the same position in his stance whatever the club (for most full shots). Anyone trying this technique with a variable ball position may find it rather difficult. My 2 cents.

Now me personally it makes me sway some in the backswing and throws my timing off bad. It may work for some but not me. Another word of caution us older guys need to watch the Archellis tendon on that you can pull it. I know an older fellow that did just that

[ole gray]

Now me personally it makes me sway some in the backswing and throws my timing off bad. It may work for some but not me. Another word of caution us older guys need to watch the Archellis tendon on that you can pull it. I know an older fellow that did just that

Yea I prefer to keep my weight over the balls of my feet. I have poor balance due to multiple surgeries on my right knee. Too much weight transfer and my timing disappears 🏌️

 

 

 

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[Kenny B]

Do you lift your left heel when making your swing? (right heel for lefties) I recently read some info on another forum that got me to thinking about it. You'll hardly ever see anyone doing this anymore. Perhaps the Champions Tour guys do some. It's old school for sure. Well I decided to give it a try... again. You see, I grew up being taught this method/style but over the past century I've transition away from it. Probably because I was younger back then. I've been out practicing a couple of times recently and gave it a try. I like it. Here's the deal.... I'm 62 and not as flexible as I once was. I do some stretching but not near enough. I'm noticing now that I'm lengthening my backswing a few inches more and perhaps gaining some distance too. It's a little premature for me say I'm hooked but I'm going to give it a go for awhile and see if my muscle memory will take over. It's and easy thing to do with little thought. Just lift and turn.

 

How bout you guys. Anyone else swinging like this or trying it again? It has promise I think; especially for guys that are older or less flexible. As a bonus you'll look like young Jack Nicklaus!

 

I know what you are doing!  You are scared to play me in April, so you are doing everything you can to get an edge.

Lifting your heel

More stretches with Roger Fredericks

Harrison Shotmaker

Checking your clubs with your fitter

 

You should be worried!!  When the snow melts next month, I'm going to find 27 yards.  That's 1.5 yards per hole.      That should be enough.

 

No, I don't lift my heel.

[PlaidJacket]

You forgot one other thing Kenny.... I'm playing the Ksig too. LOL

[Liberty Ball Markers]

Flat feet here - if the heel starts coming up, that's my reminder that I'm trying too hard.

 

Well, that and the ball going all over the place...

 

 

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[Kenny B]

You forgot one other thing Kenny.... I'm playing the Ksig too. LOL

I have 2 dozen so we are even on that one.

[bullldog]

Edit: after looking at video, left foot does stay down but I over flex my knee.

https://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/58796fa4c15c2/Studio_20170113_182224.jpg?

[BigtazzGolf]

New school here. Less movement in my front foot the better. Like Stu said, when it moves I sway and out comes the big power fade.

I do this when the hole warrants but most of the time I'm planted like an oak.

 

Tazz

[hckymeyer]

Feel planted.  I've worked hard over the past few seasons to make my backswing shorter.  I don't want anything making it longer.

[808nation]

Flat feet.

 

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[cnosil]

I keep the foot planted.  

[PMookie]

Feet planted, but flared.

 

 

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[PlaidJacket]

Meyer.... I have a short swing and like it. Honestly I think by lifting my heel slightly I'm able to get my shoulder around a little more. Like you I don't really want a "longer" swing although it seems to feel that way. It's more shoulder rotation I think.

[BIG STU]

New school here. Less movement in my front foot the better. Like Stu said, when it moves I sway and out comes the big power fade.

I do this when the hole warrants but most of the time I'm planted like an oak.

 

Tazz

Us bigger guys have to sorta stay planted. I have always had what they call "happy feet" my feet are all over the place sorta like Patrick Reed. If you go on the practice tee on turf you can tell where I have hit 100 balls or so where my feet were looks like there was one big chicken fight. My feet don't come up they just shuffel around

[ole gray]

Us bigger guys have to sorta stay planted. I have always had what they call "happy feet" my feet are all over the place sorta like Patrick Reed. If you go on the practice tee on turf you can tell where I have hit 100 balls or so where my feet were looks like there was one big chicken fight. My feet don't come up they just shuffel around

LOL! Big chicken fight huh?

 

Yea my feet will sometimes flop around like I'm doing a red neck version of the jitter bug

 

 

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[BigtazzGolf]

[Big Canoer]

New school here. Less movement in my front foot the better. Like Stu said, when it moves I sway and out comes the big power fade.

I do this when the hole warrants but most of the time I'm planted like an oak.

 

Tazz

Tazz - I am in your court here. Less movement of the left foot on the backswing is better for the majority of us old duffers. Now having said that if you have impeccable timing and can get the left foot down and stable before impact then go for it but from what I have seen with my playing partners those that lift the left heel tend to be all over the place attempting to get extra power on the backswing.

Like you state stay planted like an oak tree.

[PlaidJacket]

Yesterday I decided to not swing/play with my left heel being lifted. So as I actually started to play it became apparent quickly that Old School wasn't working. Oh well, I thought a few days back this might be beneficial but it felt awkward when I put it in play. Perhaps I'm not willing to give it some time. I drove the ball well yesterday and hit my irons ok. One guy that was new to our group at one point committed how I hit it long (for me anyway) and in the fairway all day with such a short swing. Well, that's how I play is all I told him. It ain't pretty but it works. Not to mention that I'm 62 and not all that flexible anymore. Oh well... I say dance with the one that brung ya.

[Gogolf]

+1 for heel up. It helps you leverage the ground to build clubhead speed. A young guy who does this extremely well is Jamie Sadlowski.

For a more classic example, Tom Watson gets it out there too with this move.