Weight Shift

[808nation]

How important is proper weight shift for distance? Any tips on proper weight shift during downswing.

[Canucklehead]

A tip I would give is feel like your left knee (if you're a righty) moves towards the target first. My knee also turns out a bit not just slide.

 

A drill I do to help is taking your normal stance then bring your left foot (righty) beside your right foot. At the top of your downswing you bring your foot to where it normally would be. Martin Hall says to "lightly stomp" when doing this drill

 

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[mrsmith123]

808 here's what you have to think about:

 

What type of setup and swing pattern do you have? With that answer comes a few different pieces of advice, let me elaborate if you will humor a guy who has way too much golf knowledge in his head.

 

1. The Manuel de la Torre method is great for people who don't worry at all about what technique means, but more what the actual "swing" is. Bobby Jones was the epitome of this. The arms and hands just freely swing like a grandfather clock and weight shift just happens naturally. The best way to learn this sensation is to close your eyes (no ball) and start with slow pendulum motions like putting. Then gradually increase the motion.

2. See Tiger Woods 1997 Masters swing. Lots of weight shift to the back foot on takeaway and then shift weight thru to left side on the through-swing. This action requires really good timing or you will spray it and have huge distance disparities in your irons, also you could over spin it.

3. See Tiger Woods Hank Haney swing. The best video for this is:https://youtu.be/Ctl-aI-R_pM. You will see a really wide take away with minimal hip rotation and head starts behind the ball slightly but doesn't really shift back at all. You are essentially loading very centrally between your legs and driving through with your chest and arms.

4. See Tiger Woods Sean Foley swing. This is a really good video: https://youtu.be/SUA_Bt6X5KA. You will see this is the best example of a rotary axis swing. The idea is that your weight starts neutral and gently shifts to your front leg on the backswing. Then you will slightly shift forward just as downswing starts and deliver a negative angle of attack to everything in the bag. This allows for two thing primary, flatter shots and long term back problems.

5. See Tiger Woods Butch Hamron Swing. This in my opinion is the benchmark for technically correct. https://youtu.be/iKYIkUBeYrU. I watch this video a lot. This swing encourage a gentle weight shift to the back foot as the head moved back with the shoulder turn. It provides such a consistent action, and as long as you keep your head behind the ball where it is supposed to be then you'll be fine.

 

Now, find what works for you champ👍 anything else I can be of help with just send me a PM or something 👌

 

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[Shankster]

That symphony music... I'm going to put that on repeat during range sessions.

 

 

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[mrsmith123]

That symphony music... I'm going to put that on repeat during range sessions.

 

 

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Dude I know, even though it wasn't technically as pretty has the Harmon swing, Haney's swing was much nicer to watch in my opinion and yes that commercial is simply gorgeous.

 

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[jayjay0808]

808 here's what you have to think about:

 

What type of setup and swing pattern do you have? With that answer comes a few different pieces of advice, let me elaborate if you will humor a guy who has way too much golf knowledge in his head.

 

1. The Manuel de la Torre method is great for people who don't worry at all about what technique means, but more what the actual "swing" is. Bobby Jones was the epitome of this. The arms and hands just freely swing like a grandfather clock and weight shift just happens naturally. The best way to learn this sensation is to close your eyes (no ball) and start with slow pendulum motions like putting. Then gradually increase the motion.

2. See Tiger Woods 1997 Masters swing. Lots of weight shift to the back foot on takeaway and then shift weight thru to left side on the through-swing. This action requires really good timing or you will spray it and have huge distance disparities in your irons, also you could over spin it.

3. See Tiger Woods Hank Haney swing. The best video for this is:https://youtu.be/Ctl-aI-R_pM. You will see a really wide take away with minimal hip rotation and head starts behind the ball slightly but doesn't really shift back at all. You are essentially loading very centrally between your legs and driving through with your chest and arms.

4. See Tiger Woods Sean Foley swing. This is a really good video: https://youtu.be/SUA_Bt6X5KA. You will see this is the best example of a rotary axis swing. The idea is that your weight starts neutral and gently shifts to your front leg on the backswing. Then you will slightly shift forward just as downswing starts and deliver a negative angle of attack to everything in the bag. This allows for two thing primary, flatter shots and long term back problems.

5. See Tiger Woods Butch Hamron Swing. This in my opinion is the benchmark for technically correct. https://youtu.be/iKYIkUBeYrU. I watch this video a lot. This swing encourage a gentle weight shift to the back foot as the head moved back with the shoulder turn. It provides such a consistent action, and as long as you keep your head behind the ball where it is supposed to be then you'll be fine.

 

Now, find what works for you champ anything else I can be of help with just send me a PM or something

 

Sent from my Sprint LG G5 mobile device

 

One of my all time favorite commercials Nike ever did... So simplistic it was artistic

[Shankster]

Man, I almost tear up thinking about how frigging dominant Tiger was, and now it's almost sad to watch him. He's the reason why I started golfing.

 

 

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[PlaidJacket]

808... you might like this. I have one and have trained with it. It is well built and will help most people I think. Even if you don't swing like TW used to. Most people don't and never will.

Sorry I can't paste a link. Search for Pivot Pro.

[fozcycle]

You gotta get that hip thang goin' on, in order to get the power to the ball for the distance.

 

 

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[ole gray]

You gotta get that hip thang goin' on, in order to get the power to the ball for the distance.

 

 

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What ya talking about old man? You're hips aren't hip anymore....  

[PMookie]

Man, this is tough because it's taught differently among coaches. Some say a "bump" of the hips laterally forward to start the downswing, some say don't do that. My current coach talks about a shift but it's not a big bump, it almost feels like the weight stays pretty centered and definitely between the feet, never moving outside of them. This isn't how two other coaches I've had taught it.

 

 

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[Canucklehead]

Man, this is tough because it's taught differently among coaches. Some say a "bump" of the hips laterally forward to start the downswing, some say don't do that. My current coach talks about a shift but it's not a big bump, it almost feels like the weight stays pretty centered and definitely between the feet, never moving outside of them. This isn't how two other coaches I've had taught it.

 

 

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It can be difficult especially if you go from one coach to another. Everyone has their own idea of what a swing should consist of

 

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[Canucklehead]

808 here's what you have to think about:

 

What type of setup and swing pattern do you have? With that answer comes a few different pieces of advice, let me elaborate if you will humor a guy who has way too much golf knowledge in his head.

 

1. The Manuel de la Torre method is great for people who don't worry at all about what technique means, but more what the actual "swing" is. Bobby Jones was the epitome of this. The arms and hands just freely swing like a grandfather clock and weight shift just happens naturally. The best way to learn this sensation is to close your eyes (no ball) and start with slow pendulum motions like putting. Then gradually increase the motion.

2. See Tiger Woods 1997 Masters swing. Lots of weight shift to the back foot on takeaway and then shift weight thru to left side on the through-swing. This action requires really good timing or you will spray it and have huge distance disparities in your irons, also you could over spin it.

3. See Tiger Woods Hank Haney swing. The best video for this is:https://youtu.be/Ctl-aI-R_pM. You will see a really wide take away with minimal hip rotation and head starts behind the ball slightly but doesn't really shift back at all. You are essentially loading very centrally between your legs and driving through with your chest and arms.

4. See Tiger Woods Sean Foley swing. This is a really good video: https://youtu.be/SUA_Bt6X5KA. You will see this is the best example of a rotary axis swing. The idea is that your weight starts neutral and gently shifts to your front leg on the backswing. Then you will slightly shift forward just as downswing starts and deliver a negative angle of attack to everything in the bag. This allows for two thing primary, flatter shots and long term back problems.

5. See Tiger Woods Butch Hamron Swing. This in my opinion is the benchmark for technically correct. https://youtu.be/iKYIkUBeYrU. I watch this video a lot. This swing encourage a gentle weight shift to the back foot as the head moved back with the shoulder turn. It provides such a consistent action, and as long as you keep your head behind the ball where it is supposed to be then you'll be fine.

 

Now, find what works for you champ👍 anything else I can be of help with just send me a PM or something 👌

 

Sent from my Sprint LG G5 mobile device

This post coming right after my 8 line response looks kinda impotent now lol

 

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[mrsmith123]

Lol, man I got more info to lose in my head then most will learn in their life

 

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[Crashtestdummy]

There are two schools of thought on this one. The old school method was to shift the hips more drastically and new school method is to stay more centered. I grew up with the old school method but to me the new school method of staying centered is more efficient  with speed and dispersion.  

 

In the new school method there is weight shift but it is really, really subtle. Only like a couple of inches. Being more centered then allows you to release the club past the body. 

 

If you look at the a lot of front view video of new school pros swings, you see very little shift of the hips. Only a couple of inches and more centered. However, if you look at the video of pros like Nicklaus, Miller, Trevino, etc you see them have more lateral hip movement. Obviously, they were able to groove the lateral weight shift and make it work excellent but I still prefer the new school method of being more centered. 

[dadivots]

Man, this is tough because it's taught differently among coaches. Some say a "bump" of the hips laterally forward to start the downswing, some say don't do that. My current coach talks about a shift but it's not a big bump, it almost feels like the weight stays pretty centered and definitely between the feet, never moving outside of them. This isn't how two other coaches I've had taught it.

 

 

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This I like.

The recent trend of throwing the hips ala 'like tiger di, rory or dj does' has turned many golf swings into a timing nightmare imo. And some of the recent winners on tour have shown the inconsistency from this while those mentioned above say they dont even think about it.

This vid with freddy is priceless. And while freddy is the master of dropping the club in front of him how he does it and the swing thought he uses is my go to when I get all out of whack or hippy. After all he is the original Boom Boom and I was lucky enough to sit and watch him for many hours.

.

[newballcoach]

808 I've been struggling with this lately a bit as well. Leaving a lot of weight on my trail leg. Mine is mostly related to a left knee injury which has left me, inconsistent, on my weight shifting. I have been using the "step" drill, to help me get the idea of getting my weight over.

 

I've seen it on a few youtube videos, golf channel etc. Basically after you hit the ball you take a step towards the target with your right foot. You are only able to do it if you get all of your weight on your left like you want. The best part about it, is I can do it with a practice swing on the tee, so it's a drill you can bring to the course. As far as hips and rotation and stuff, I'll figure that out eventually...

[Fireinthehole]

I've been over doing this recently and getting too much weight going forward: upper body and head, took a brief chat with our head pro and some video. Kept hitting pop ups with driver. The verdict being that I wasn't staying behind the ball.

 

 

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[Shankster]

Man, I really wish mrsmith123 aka (Burkmi) would rejoin us.

[RickyBobby_PR]

I try to think of it as more of a transfer than a shift. Weight is 50/50 (front/back leg) or 60/40 at setup then gradually increases to 20/80 or even 10/90 in the backswing and then moves to a 80/20 or 90/10. I think about feeling the pressure in the back heel on the takeaway and build up tension into the back leg and glute then feel pressure into my front heel as I start with a small squat and bump into rotation