Sliding Hips?

[sawtooth]

Went to the range today for some much needed practice having played 1 round in 5 weeks.

It was great to be hitting some balls of grass again. I hit some PW, 7I , 5I and 5W. I must of hit about 40 balls with the 5W to finish with.

I noticed the pro teaching next to me and when he finished came over for a chat. He told me that I was getting in to a good position at the top and had a good transition in the downswing.

Now the bad part. He said that as I was attacking the ball the hips were sliding towards the target. He said to rotate/turn them through instead. He said that was responsible for some of the toe shots and pushes to the right.

This isnt normally me so its a problem thats crept in whilst not playing much recently.

Anyone had this or have any drills to get rid?

 

[SocketRocket]

It's something that I get into at times and have to stop myself doing it. I get this image of the head back and hips out infront but then overcook it and instead of keeping the upperbody stable it creates a bit of a reverse pivot. I like to check that my left hip is rotating back instead of pushing forward too much.

 

[Foxholer]

I've tended to have that hip slide - not being particularly flexible in the lower back.

I make sure I have my front (left) foot open about 20-25 degrees. That encourages the hips to turn, or at least you know when you haven't. Another thing to try might be triggering the downswing by opening the left hip. Of course, if it happens too much/quickly you can end up with the arms behind behind and a cricket style push can happen! Don't you just love the feckin' game?

 

[sawtooth]

I tried turning the hips more instead of leaning them forward towards the target. I only had a few balls left at that point, but with the few swings it felt like I was spiinning out probably over did it.
Trouble is I now have zero chance of hitting any balls before I tee off in the medal Sunday am. Thats not a nice thought and will have to wing it.

 

[SocketRocket]

I tried turning the hips more instead of leaning them forward towards the target. I only had a few balls left at that point, but with the few swings it felt like I was spiinning out probably over did it.
Trouble is I now have zero chance of hitting any balls before I tee off in the medal Sunday am. Thats not a nice thought and will have to wing it.

You have to rotate the hips in the right sequence. Take a look at this Vid by Shawn Clements, I think it will clarify it for you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNwSfz0_KDM

 

[sawtooth]

Cheers will take a look at that.

 

[JustOne]

You have to slide your hips on the downswing BUT you also have to rotate them. You can't just do one or the other.

I really like this video.. it's for early extension but kind of explains the hip move.. which if you get wrong then you're likely early extending anyway....

[video=youtube;jUQmjdywsio]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUQmjdywsio[/video]

 

[Foxholer]

I tried turning the hips more instead of leaning them forward towards the target. I only had a few balls left at that point, but with the few swings it felt like I was spiinning out probably over did it.
Trouble is I now have zero chance of hitting any balls before I tee off in the medal Sunday am. Thats not a nice thought and will have to wing it.

Never a good idea to have this kind of pressure going into a medal. Bad enough having a not-quite-grooved change. So stick with your normal swing and commit to your shots. If you find you are pushing, just aim a little left as a Medal is definiely the wrong place to be making changes that you don't know are even the right ones!

 

[sawtooth]

You have to slide your hips on the downswing BUT you also have to rotate them. You can't just do one or the other.

I really like this video.. it's for early extension but kind of explains the hip move.. which if you get wrong then you're likely early extending anyway....

[video=youtube;jUQmjdywsio]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUQmjdywsio[/video]

Thanks, I was certainly going too much south as he put it with the hips. I'm not making excuses but for some reason I've had really achy joints these past 2 weeks. Lower back and particularly the hips - but also elbows and knees!! And I've not even played that much golf, could that be why? My body is failing because it hasnt had enough of the drug called golf lately - lol.

My hips are particularly achy to an extent that I feel a twinge getting in and out of the car if I'm in a certain position. Trapped nerve or pulled muscle probably. Anyway maybe I've subconsciously protected myself by leaning with the hips rather than to turn because its easier?

Interesting video and it helped googling the term teeter-totter so now I know what the hell that means.

At one point in this video he described what I was doing yesterday to a tee. Weak pushes a plenty, although the odd one still pretty powerful. Still not what you want though.

Cheers.

 

[sawtooth]

Never a good idea to have this kind of pressure going into a medal. Bad enough having a not-quite-grooved change. So stick with your normal swing and commit to your shots. If you find you are pushing, just aim a little left as a Medal is definiely the wrong place to be making changes that you don't know are even the right ones!

Cheers you're right. I wished in a way I never went to the range yesterday but I knew that the next shot I would be making (since last Sunday) was the first tomorrow morning - so I thought I better do something.

I wont make changes tomorrow other than making sure that I'm not swinging overly flat, the video did say that this can often be the catalyst for the hip sliding fault.

 

[JustOne]

I did my back big time last week from hanging back and then having my hips go South 'firing the hips' so to speak.. doesn't work, old skool,.... no wonder there's +6,000,000 golfers with bad backs!

 

[sawtooth]

Yeah its not good for the old back but I think you were deliberately firing your hips, right?

Hows your back now James? Back to playing yet?

Cheers.

 

[JustOne]

Yeh, I was hanging back and 'spinning the hips' to hit a slice round a dogleg, it felt like I'd snapped my spine and seperated my body from my legs

Yeh I'm playing, somewhat tentatively... it's hard to trust it right now and the pain is anything from 5-15% if you know what I mean. It's ruined my plans but I'm trying to deal with it and find something that works, it's as much psycological now (kinda gutted) as it is physical