Quote:
Originally Posted by Max Iron
If my pro told me after a video analysis that my hip turn in both backswing and throughswing is the most important aspect for me to work in I have atleast worked hard enough to get a decent swing?
Other than that he said my swing looked really good. I have no confidence regarding my swing these days but I guess its not that bad.
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Not real sure what you mean here, but maybe some clarification of my point is needed, which I know is controversial. I'll just put it out there for what it is worth. Keep in mind my reference point is to simplify swing thought.
First of all, the hips cannot cause the upper torso to rotate around the axis of the spine, try as you may, you can't do it. The hips do have to coil in order to allow the rotation of the torso; in both directions. Equally, if not more important, the hips must remain level throughout the swing. The question is HOW to make the hips do both.
The "level" part is easy. Hip level is controlled by the knees, not something you do to the hips to keep them level. Straighten your leverage leg just a bit and the hips tilt. (I often get silently exasperated watching a pro admonish a student to keep the hips level all the while overlooking the fact the student is swaying or straightening the legs).
Hip rotation is, again, not something you have to do to the hips to cause to happen, though I have to qualify that by saying you CAN, but it is not necessary, especially in the learning process. Hip rotation is caused by the rotation of the upper torso, and limited by leverage in the leg, weight being kept on the inside of the back foot. The hips will then uncoil just fine by allowing the body to unwind off of the leverage fulcrum, or beginning the change of direction with a kick of the leverage knee toward the target as some instructors advocate.
Here is a simple drill which helps illustrate this and help develop the associated feels:
Assume stance without a club, hands on hips, ensuring the knees are well flexed. Simply coil the shoulders as if swinging, ensuring the head gets over the inside of the leverage leg thigh. You will feel the target side knee break away from the target as you coil the shoulders, which is nothing more than accommodating the hip coil. By keeping the weight on the inside of the back foot, you will feel resistance in the hips while the upper torso continues to rotate, and if all is in order, you will feel as if you are "sitting down" on the back hip at the top.
Long story short, the hips will take care of themselves if other fundamentals are present in the swing.