Use of hips in the swing?

[Swingalot]

Should the hips be kept 'silent' and as still as possible or alternatively should the hips rotate with the upper body as much as is physically possible?

Appreciate people's view on this, as I think I may be a little too top half all action and no connection with hips/core.

 

[CMAC]

What's your common bad shots with irons and woods?

I'm guessing if you say you are too 'top half only' you'll have inconsistent strikes, thins and fats, ball flight pretty high as well?

 

[One Planer]

I'm working on this just now.

Here's a video of Luke Doanld. Look how he starts down at about 9-10 seconds in:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08rpqW2Z9Vw

Notice how the hips rotate in the back and actually start the down swing.

If you pause it at impact, his hips have passed there address position and are almost pointing to target.

 

[Swingalot]

What's your common bad shots with irons and woods?

I'm guessing if you say you are too 'top half only' you'll have inconsistent strikes, thins and fats, ball flight pretty high as well?

Normally a decent strike, but yes a high ball flight compared to most and over recent weeks developing a fade/slice and a ever reducing distance on all clubs (probably 20-30 yards/club)

 

[sev112]

I'm working on this just now.

Here's a video of Luke Doanld. Look how he starts down at about 9-10 seconds in:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08rpqW2Z9Vw

Notice how the hips rotate in the back and actually start the down swing.

If you pause it at impact, his hips have passed there address position and are almost pointing to target.

And he was very recently the best golfer in the world
So it is entirely possible that following such an i approach without equivalent skill, practice etc might not produce the same results
Most engineers and mechanics would tend to reduce the amount of moving parts in an efficient mechanism
It is theoretically and empirically sound that rotating your hips is key to extra distance; whether it is key to accuracy is highly debatable. At "our" level I would countenance that keeping hips "quiet" might be better for our scores
(They will move on their own , purely in conjunction with the rotation of the rotation of the shoulders and the lifting of the arms, but thAt's not the same as proactively rotating them)
Good when it works, but a source of many "not quite perfect" shots

 

[One Planer]

And he was very recently the best golfer in the world
So it is entirely possible that following such an i approach without equivalent skill, practice etc might not produce the same results
Most engineers and mechanics would tend to reduce the amount of moving parts in an efficient mechanism
It is theoretically and empirically sound that rotating your hips is key to extra distance; whether it is key to accuracy is highly debatable. At "our" level I would countenance that keeping hips "quiet" might be better for our scores
(They will move on their own , purely in conjunction with the rotation of the rotation of the shoulders and the lifting of the arms, but thAt's not the same as proactively rotating them)
Good when it works, but a source of many "not quite perfect" shots

While I agree, at our level, well, mine anyway, my shoulders have a tendency to follow my hips instead of resisting. You know what happens here, club gets thrown to the outside and its a pull, fade or slice depending where the face is pointing at impact.

I still maintain if you start down by rotating the hips and resisting that turn with your shoulders the club will drop automatically and will come from the inside into impact.

It's easy to say on here, in practice for me, I'm finding it a little more tricky.

 

[Wolfman]

I find now this is easier with the driver, can actually feel my hips turning first on the downswing before the shoulders

Key is 1. making sure the backswing has finished and getting the correct smooth tempo

If you forget to do this the shoulders turn too soon and result is mostly a slice

Harder to do it with irons

 

[Foxholer]

I still maintain if you start down by rotating the hips and resisting that turn with your shoulders the club will drop automatically and will come from the inside into impact.

It's easy to say on here, in practice for me, I'm finding it a little more tricky.

Gareth,

I was shown (and used) a peculiar looking training aid for this - or at least for instilling the feeling - but the (apparently very good) teacher said it was more about not moving the arms/hands too soon. He said to have thoughts of keeping the right elbow close to the right hip and feel that the hands simply drop - they don't, but that all minimise tendency to cast or swing ott. He said hips lead the downswing.

 

[One Planer]

Gareth,

I was shown (and used) a peculiar looking training aid for this - or at least for instilling the feeling - but the (apparently very good) teacher said it was more about not moving the arms/hands too soon. He said to have thoughts of keeping the right elbow close to the right hip and feel that the hands simply drop - they don't, but that all minimise tendency to cast or swing ott. He said hips lead the downswing.

My pro said something similar Fox.

As my hips turn I should feel my right shoulder lower and my right elbow stay in. Another tip was try and get the feeling of your belt buckle turning toward the target, but the club staying where it is (At the top of the backswing).

I always struggled with that feeling as I don't wear a belt

Being serious for a minute, I will get there. It's just a case of practice at the range and time on the course.

Edit: If you watch the video I highlighted earlier in the thread you will notice that as he starts the downswing, as his hips return to their address position, his hands are still roughly at shoulder height.