Downswing question?

[G1z1]

I practice maybe twice a week, I don’t get drills so much from the pro it’s more focus on straightening my right leg on the backswing and kicking my left knee out on the downswing we have been working on recently. He did fix my grip at the start and gave me a few check points on setup that have helped me.

 

[Foxholer]

The best players in the world play the vast majority of their shots with one shot shape.
...

That doesn't mean they can't hit the other shot shape. Nicklaus could certainly hit a Draw if he wanted to. Certainly not Monty's favoured shot though.
But hitting both ways is certainly not something someone at the OP's stage of development should be trying to do - yet!

 

[Foxholer]

I practice maybe twice a week...

Not often enough for weekly lessons then - fortnightly perhaps. Though the key is whether you are actually improving/the practice sessions are imbedding the subject of the lessons.

 

[stefanovic]

Left knee should shuttle forward in the downswing according to many top players.
Doesn't mean it's a voluntary movement.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

That doesn't mean they can't hit the other shot shape. Nicklaus could certainly hit a Draw if he wanted to. Certainly not Monty's favoured shot though.
But hitting both ways is certainly not something someone at the OP's stage of development should be trying to do - yet!

I didn’t say the couldn’t. Most pros can, but they understand that they don’t have to shoot low scores, and that in fact the opposite is true.

 

[bobmac]

I practice maybe twice a week, I don’t get drills so much from the pro it’s more focus on straightening my right leg on the backswing and kicking my left knee out on the downswing we have been working on recently. He did fix my grip at the start and gave me a few check points on setup that have helped me.

I'm going off your pro.
Did he tell you why you should straighten you right leg on your backswing?

 

[G1z1]

I'm going off your pro.
Did he tell you why you should straighten you right leg on your backswing?

He said when I first went to him I was almost dipping down on the backswing so he said to counter it I should be almost trying to straighten my right leg on the backswing.

 

[SteveW86]

All this talk of weekly lessons is a bit of BS to me, just because you’re having a lesson every week doesn’t mean you have to alter how you are attacking a swing change. I guess it depends if you view your sessions as a lesson or coached practise.

If money was not a factor I’m sure you all (and I for definite) would prefer to have a coach (pro) with me at each range session to make sure you are doing drills correctly and what you are feeling is what you are actually doing.

Regular checking in with a pro/coach is crucial if you want to speed up improvements.

 

[Jensen]

Firstly, I think it’s concerning that your Pro is giving you weekly lessons. He should realise this is no good, except for his pocket !! As others have said, how on earth are you expected to be able to work on things.
Secondly, FWIW I start my downswing by tucking my pelvis under. It was a drill I picked up from Scott Cranfield in this magazine.
Take your address position and put a tour stick in either side of your belt loops, facing down towards the ground. Now from the top to initiate the downswing tilt your pelvis under so that the tour sticks point more towards your feet.

 

[G1z1]

A few people have mentioned about weekly lessons being bad and to be fair the pro did recommend a lesson every 2/3 weeks but I did insist on weekly lessons just because I feel as if my driver can turn bad in just a few days. So I had the idea if I have a pro I can drop into once a week we can stop any faults creeping in. It’s just turned out the pro hasn’t really looked at my longer clubs. In the 12 or so lessons I’ve had we have only hit a 7 iron except on two occasions when I’ve said look I need to sort this driver and both time he maybe did 10/15 mins on driver. 12 clubs in my bag my pro has never seen me hit.

 

[SteveW86]

A few people have mentioned about weekly lessons being bad and to be fair the pro did recommend a lesson every 2/3 weeks but I did insist on weekly lessons just because I feel as if my driver can turn bad in just a few days. So I had the idea if I have a pro I can drop into once a week we can stop any faults creeping in. It’s just turned out the pro hasn’t really looked at my longer clubs. In the 12 or so lessons I’ve had we have only hit a 7 iron except on two occasions when I’ve said look I need to sort this driver and both time he maybe did 10/15 mins on driver. 12 clubs in my bag my pro has never seen me hit.

assuming no short game or putting lessons in there then?

I don’t think a lesson a week is a bad thing, but I wouldn’t look at making a change every lesson, unless it’s a progression of something and you are ready for it.

 

[G1z1]

assuming no short game or putting lessons in there then?

I don’t think a lesson a week is a bad thing, but I wouldn’t look at making a change every lesson, unless it’s a progression of something and you are ready for it.

No short game or putting or low irons, hybrid or woods. Just the good old 7 iron lol. My short game is pretty strong and probably the best part of my game but the pro wouldn’t know that because he’s never took a look.

 

[Foxholer]

A few people have mentioned about weekly lessons being bad and to be fair the pro did recommend a lesson every 2/3 weeks but I did insist on weekly lessons just because I feel as if my driver can turn bad in just a few days. So I had the idea if I have a pro I can drop into once a week we can stop any faults creeping in. It’s just turned out the pro hasn’t really looked at my longer clubs. In the 12 or so lessons I’ve had we have only hit a 7 iron except on two occasions when I’ve said look I need to sort this driver and both time he maybe did 10/15 mins on driver. 12 clubs in my bag my pro has never seen me hit.

7 iron is the 'standard' club used for lessons - not so short that it hides many aspects of the swing; not so long that it's 'too difficult' to swng consistently. Once the basic swing is basically sorted, the Driver swing, particularly, can be addressed with less 'noise' from its inherent extra difficulty due to the extra length.

 

[Maninblack4612]

As many people will know, I'm an advocate of Jim Hardy's approach to teaching. He defines two very different swings, One Plane, as in Matt Kuchar where arms & shoulders are on the same plane at the top of the backswing and Two Plane, like Bubba Watson, where the arms work on a steeper plan than the shoulders. One plane players swing the club behind themselves, Two Plane players swing it more in front of them. The move your Pro is advocating is, I think, a two plane move. For a One Plane swinger, this would be destructive. The downswing for a One Planer certainly doesn't start with the left knee.

I would recommend Jim's book "The Plane Truth" https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plane-Truth-Golfers-One-plane-Two-Plane/dp/0071432450

The website is https://www.planetruthgolf.com/

Jim's approach is unique, very interesting & explains why a lot of advice given seems to conflict if you don't know which swing type you have.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Not seen your swing, or your pro teach your lesson. Not qualified in myself, but if you're questioning the left knee moving out, have a look at George Gankas. He has a fairly good reputation as a coach and gets decent reviews. One such video here, I'm guessing, that this is what your coach is trying to do.

I tried having lessons every two weeks, playing and practicing in between. Most of the time seemed about right, until I reached paralysis through analysis (https://forums.golfmonthly.com/threads/paralysis-by-analysis.111492/). The best advice in that thread is here https://forums.golfmonthly.com/threads/paralysis-by-analysis.111492/post-2481675. I watched all three videos, and my game has, come along leaps and bounds in the last couple of weeks/ More importantly, I am enjoying playing more than ever.

 

[jmcp]

I think I’m starting to lose confidence in my pro. So started with this pro maybe 12 weeks ago and go weekly. First time I go I explain my faults are I come over the top and struggle with driver 3 wood.
To be fair the pro has improved my grip and backswing resulting in more consistent irons shots no doubt about it but 12 weeks on I still have the same two problems as I had 12 weeks ago.
The pro also does everything by eye so he doesn’t use any equipment to track my shots, so I’m wondering just how good you can be just with the eye and now recently he’s saying my downswing must start with the legs as in i need to thrust my left knee out first but the problem I have with that is I feel it’s also throwing my right shoulder out and making my over the top even worse. I said this to him and he adamant that no it must start with the left knee.
Must the downswing start with throwing the left knee out ?

Have you ever watched the program School of Golf on the sky golf channel ? It was on this afternoon and they had Martin Hall explaining the takeaway and they had a guest coach on, Jim McLean and he was describing the downswing, you should have a look for it, it might help you understand the sequence of the downswing better.

Cheers, John

 

[Deleted member 1147]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1514710086702272519

Is this of any use?

 

[bobmac]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1514710086702272519

Is this of any use?

That can be good but it's best to be monitored.
What often happens is the golfer starts the downswing with the lower half but the shoulders follow, then by the time they remember to pull down, it's too late, the club is already outside the line.

 

[G1z1]

I don’t want to say I’ve fixed the driver but I was hitting it so much better today all nice high ball flights but did have the odd slice but way better that they low bobble ones. I took @bobmac advice and used a higher tee the orange ones and moved the ball more forward in my stance so basically the opposite of what my pro has told me. So thanks @bobmac for the tips

 

[bobmac]

I don’t want to say I’ve fixed the driver but I was hitting it so much better today all nice high ball flights but did have the odd slice but way better that they low bobble ones. I took @bobmac advice and used a higher tee the orange ones and moved the ball more forward in my stance so basically the opposite of what my pro has told me. So thanks @bobmac for the tips

Glad to help.
It just goes to show, sometimes a tweak is all that's needed to improve things.