Baseball, Hockey & Golf-an observation.

[Lefty Larry]

I have heard it said multiple times that it can be difficult for baseball players to convert to a proper golf swing.  On the other hand, hockey players make some of the better golfers. It seems there is something about the slap shot that helps with the golf swing.  Initially, is this a valid observation and if so why. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

 

The slap shot has many similar characteristics the pressures in golf swing with the trail leg pushing back. Because of the skates the trail foot slides but there really is a lot of pressure in the trail leg pushing while the lead leg is extending. Look at guys like Jack, great Norman, Bradley Hughes and many older golfers. Then todays era Tiger, rory and scheffler watch their trail foot

Baesball is played on a different plane and the swing mechanics are slightly different between then two sports. Pitchers make better golfers than hitters

[Miguelduck18]

I think another key factor is that baseball players don't have to work on a backswing. They get to start from the point of forward motion so they never learn how to maintain balance and planes on the backswing and even the transition is more easily cued up.

[hohjoe]

22 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

 

... Pitchers make better golfers than hitters

I agree with that. My son-in-law pitched on a college scholarship and he is an excellent golfer.

[RickyBobby_PR]

Just now, hohjoe said:

I agree with that. My son-in-law pitched on a college scholarship and he is an excellent golfer.

The flow of the golf swing is similar to a throwing motion. Pressure on trail leg shifting tothe front as the arm, upper body is going back then thru after pressure is applied to the front leg.

Most baseball players have hit mentality and try to muscle the ball. Thought is if I can hit a ball that’s moving it can’t be that hard to hit one that’s not moving and that I can hit it far.

 

[GolfSpy TCB]

11 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Most baseball players have hit mentality and try to muscle the ball. Thought is if I can hit a ball that’s moving it can’t be that hard to hit one that’s not moving and that I can hit it far.

I resemble this remark.  It has been 35 years since I played competitive baseball... and I still struggle with this concept.  I was a dead pull hitter, so the bat was always thrown around my body.... so when attacking the golf ball... yes... I cast, I struggle with lag, I release early... and I hit.  Not to mention, you don't take a "back swing" in baseball.  

[RickyBobby_PR]

15 minutes ago, Golfspy_TCB said:

I resemble this remark.  It has been 35 years since I played competitive baseball... and I still struggle with this concept.  I was a dead pull hitter, so the bat was always thrown around my body.... so when attacking the golf ball... yes... I cast, I struggle with lag, I release early... and I hit.  Not to mention, you don't take a "back swing" in baseball.  

Makes two of us. But we are part of a crowd. Every player I know has dealt with this to some extent and deals with it til this day. Those with more time to practice deal with it less.

I worked with two guys that were in the minor leagues til injuries ended their pro life. Both were able to get away from that thinking and play good golf but they also spent years practicing the game and getting lessons.

Some others I know stopped playing any kind of ball when they got serious about golf because it messed with their golf swing.

 

[AndySP]

I played hockey growing up. I think it helped a little in the way that it’s not a big transition in posture too. You get used to using the lead side and keeping your chest down to create power.  I’m small, which is why I stopped playing, but I swing the club alright for my size as a result. 
 

It’s a pretty good workout too. 

[Keeper905]

Played hockey all my life (still playing 2 - 3 times a week in winter).  I can agree that it makes the transition easier, but I wonder (just my own thoughts) if the slapshot also contributes to the "over the top" style golf swing.  I've noticed it in my swing and when I watch my 14 year old play golf, I can also see how he hits the ball like a slap shot and in turn creates a slice.

My other 12 year old who doesn't play hockey though hits a nice straight through shot and almost dead straight.

No data to go off of though, just my observations.

Plus, lots of hockey players have nothing do during the spring and summer months (especially if you play for the Leafs!!)

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 minute ago, Keeper905 said:

Played hockey all my life (still playing 2 - 3 times a week in winter).  I can agree that it makes the transition easier, but I wonder (just my own thoughts) if the slapshot also contributes to the "over the top" style golf swing.  I've noticed it in my swing and when I watch my 14 year old play golf, I can also see how he hits the ball like a slap shot and in turn creates a slice.

My other 12 year old who doesn't play hockey though hits a nice straight through shot and almost dead straight.

No data to go off of though, just my observations.

Plus, lots of hockey players have nothing do during the spring and summer months (especially if you play for the Leafs!!)

Probably a little because of trying to swing with the shoulders/upper body leading the swing instead of the lower body.

Could be more so the backswing and lack of hip/hand depth that does it. My brother slides and doesn’t turn and has a slice too

[fixyurdivot]

On 9/6/2022 at 7:45 AM, Golfspy_TCB said:

I resemble this remark.  It has been 35 years since I played competitive baseball... and I still struggle with this concept.  I was a dead pull hitter, so the bat was always thrown around my body.... so when attacking the golf ball... yes... I cast, I struggle with lag, I release early... and I hit.  Not to mention, you don't take a "back swing" in baseball.  

With all due respect Tim, I'm not feeling the empathy here . I have heard that hockey players tend to more naturally align with golf swing mechanics. 

[GolfSpy TCB]

17 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

With all due respect Tim, I'm not feeling the empathy here . I have heard that hockey players tend to more naturally align with golf swing mechanics. 

Touche Bill.  

[gman8966]

On 9/14/2022 at 10:17 AM, Keeper905 said:

Played hockey all my life (still playing 2 - 3 times a week in winter).  I can agree that it makes the transition easier, but I wonder (just my own thoughts) if the slapshot also contributes to the "over the top" style golf swing.  I've noticed it in my swing and when I watch my 14 year old play golf, I can also see how he hits the ball like a slap shot and in turn creates a slice.

My other 12 year old who doesn't play hockey though hits a nice straight through shot and almost dead straight.

No data to go off of though, just my observations.

Plus, lots of hockey players have nothing do during the spring and summer months (especially if you play for the Leafs!!)

100% agree the slapshot contributes to an over the top swing. I've played hockey for almost my entire life and still do. I would shoot pucks for hours when I was younger. I used to have a terrible slice and it's taken me years to overcome it, so I'm in total agreement!

[MacTourney]

Staying in the pocket and not running away in the middle of a fight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2022 by MacTourney

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

On 10/31/2022 at 7:29 AM, MacTourney said:

Staying in the pocket and not running away in the middle of a fight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I really like this side by side.

 I am the @RickyBobby_PRand @Golfspy_TCB camp. Its why I transitioned early away from lefty golf to righty. It forced me (glad my Dad recommended it early) to at least instill some form of a golf swing. But there are still habits there for sure.

[GolfSpy_APH]

I am a lefty in all swinging sports. Golf, lacrosse, hockey, baseball, tennis except field hockey (they only make rh sticks). For me it isn't so much about the swing or pathing it is more about the eye dominance. Going from golf and to baseball to hockey all felt very natural and not all that different, however I can say I never played baseball and golf in the same years so that may have a part to play in it. 

[Shapotomous]

I played a lot of baseball before (and after) picking up golf as a youngster.  Rather than being a pull hitter, I would hit the ball where it was pitched which I believe made it easier to translate to a golf swing.  I was trying to drive the bat through the back of the ball toward any field depending on the side of the plate it was pitched.  We had drills where we would release the bat toward the field we wanted to hit to.  So my swing thought when learning golf was to come straight into the back of the ball and release my hands and my club (but in thought only) down the target line.  There is a lot of muscle memory at work after hitting hundreds of thousands of balls but it has worked for me over the years.

[MacTourney]

This old picture of Hogan usually runs with some consensus that he was just joking around for the crowd with his slightly turned cap,  and that's probably true no doubt, but I contend he may not have pulled that clowning around shtick out of thin air at that time, especially with all the discovery and drills he must have pursued on his own trying to tame the lefties.

Here is Hogan clowning around, and a pic of Grant Lavigne from the Rockies during batting practice keeping the barrel behind the hands forever to hit it straight up the middle, more body less hands, forever.