Looking for a drill

[FairwayDodger]

When I undertook swing changes over the winter one of the main things the pro highlighted was that I made a big hip turn on my backswing, causing a pretty flat swing and meaning my timing had to be pretty spot on to avoid some baaad shots.

Trying out hybrids at Direct Golf today their pro commented that I had quite a pronounced hip turn. It's nothing like it was but I'm concerned it's creeping back in.

Other than practise swings and consciously not doing it, can anyone suggest a good drill to help eliminate this?


Next a bit of related advice..... I'm actually hitting the ball pretty well at the moment, I understand my bad shots and how to minimise (altho not eliminate them). Tomorrow I play my club championship semi-final; should I go with what I've got tomorrow (and final on Saturday if I win) or work on this before then? I'm tending towards forget it until Sunday and then get a tune up lesson with my pro.

Cheers for any advice!

 

[SGC001]

Turning your right foot in (as opposed to out or square) would restrict hip turn on the backswing and can be found in Leadbetters faults and fixes which is basically 90 or so pages of pictures of drills and tips, with minimal text.

edit: I'd wait the day or two.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Turning your right foot in (as opposed to out or square) would restrict hip turn on the backswing and can be found in Leadbetters faults and fixes which is basically 90 or so pages of pictures of drills and tips, with minimal text.

edit: I'd wait the day or two.

That's actually so obvious when you read it - fantastic! Thanks SGC001.

 

[SGC001]

Hopefully it'll work

I should have menioned that due to membership restrictions you can only practice the drill on Mondays and Tuesdays

 

[FairwayDodger]

Hopefully it'll work

I should have menioned that due to membership restrictions you can only practice the drill on Mondays and Tuesdays

Good one! :rofl:

 

[sawtooth]

I cant see how it would be possible to turn too much with the hips. If you rotate the shoulders 90 degrees your hips should follow the correct amount which is something like half (45 deg).

 

[FairwayDodger]

I cant see how it would be possible to turn too much with the hips. If you rotate the shoulders 90 degrees your hips should follow the correct amount which is something like half (45 deg).

I'm no expert but I have a tendency to turn from the hip rather than just allowing them to follow my shoulder turn. Trust me - this was the core problem with my "old" swing and stopping it really improved my game.

 

[sawtooth]

I'm no expert but I have a tendency to turn from the hip rather than just allowing them to follow my shoulder turn. Trust me - this was the core problem with my "old" swing and stopping it really improved my game.

I dont mean to be rude but how is it possible to start turning your hips before your shoulders? That must be hard to do.

 

[FairwayDodger]

I dont mean to be rude but how is it possible to start turning your hips before your shoulders? That must be hard to do.

Maybe not expressing it well enough.... but can't really think of a better way to put it. I'm not double-jointed or anything.

Try turning your hips and not your shoulders.... it's pretty easy actually.... only after going so far do the shoulders need to follow.

 

[sawtooth]

Maybe not expressing it well enough.... but can't really think of a better way to put it. I'm not double-jointed or anything.

Try turning your hips and not your shoulders.... it's pretty easy actually.... only after going so far do the shoulders need to follow.

I tried it and yes if you concentrate hard enough its possible to do, to me its so counter intuitive.

I would need a drill to make me start doing that - lol.

Something for you to try, address the ball normally, then simply initiate the backswing by moving just your left arm back from the ball for a distance of about a foot. Then the start turning your shoulders (they will turn naturally anyway) to allow the club to continue on the correct path.

I hope that you find that the shoulders turn, then hips. I never think about turning my hips just instead make a healthy full shoulder turn. The hips will take care of themselves.

 

[FairwayDodger]

Yeah, I think that's how it should work and that's pretty much my swing thought when I was actively working on this in the winter.

I don't actually start my swing with my hips but they get involved and overturn... hard to explain. I thought I'd sorted it but after that comment today I realised it's creeping back in. I think it's me subconsciously trying to get some extra power but all that actually happens is it increases the likelihood of me getting a poor contact.

 

[JustOne]

Don't know about a drill but pertaining to feeling: if you consider starting your swing with your left shoulder turning down towards the ball and feel your right hip 'back up out of the way' it might help eliminate your flat swing. Your shoulders will then turn on a more tilted axis instead of flat.

 

[DaveM]

Nowt wrong with a one piece take away. Both Leadbetter and I think S&T, recommend it. (look how far Rory turns his hips). But one way to reduce it. Is to try and keep some tension in your legs and turn against them. With luck it should reduce the hip turn. Plus you don't have to think about much, in the backswing. One thing to be careful of. Watch out that you don't start to sway backward instead of turning, with reducing the hip turn.

 

[JustOne]

45-60 degrees is normal for a hip turn, I think the OP is just having trouble 'leading' with the hip turn.

 

[FairwayDodger]

45-60 degrees is normal for a hip turn, I think the OP is just having trouble 'leading' with the hip turn.

Yeah, thanks guys. I guess it's hard to just describe these things. I had a very shonky swing when I came back to golf last year - big hip turn, flat swing, sway - yip all of these. I completely reworked my swing over the winter and made big strides - I'm a much better player for it - handicap down from 10 (and stuck there) to 8 (and improving).

This post was just because it seems I've lapsed a bit and need to rein it in again.

 

[Doh]

Yeah, thanks guys. I guess it's hard to just describe these things. I had a very shonky swing when I came back to golf last year - big hip turn, flat swing, sway - yip all of these. I completely reworked my swing over the winter and made big strides - I'm a much better player for it - handicap down from 10 (and stuck there) to 8 (and improving).

This post was just because it seems I've lapsed a bit and need to rein it in again.

I had more or less the same problem my pro got me to feel as though my belt buckle was pointing at the ball throughout my back swing. If you do this in front of a mirror you will see your hips do actually turn but nothing like as much.

 

[CMAC]

Faldo used to say think of squeezing the thighs towards each other, hopefully he was referring to the golf swing:smirk:

 

[Liverbirdie]

Buy a makita, the're ace.