By: John C on May 11, 2020, 7:06 a.m.
Tyler,
Hope you and everyone you care about are well. Is left side bend (for a right handed player) the main reason for extension of the right hip and leg in the backswing? Also is left side bend responsible for "recentering" (from Athletic Motion Golf) the center of mass in the backswing.
Thanks,
John
By: Tyler F on May 18, 2020, 3:13 p.m.
+John C Hi John, thanks for the comment. Yes, so far, everyone I know is safe and healthy.
I think the simple answer is yes, that left side bend straightens the leg. But I think the better answer is that if you turn around the spine angle established at set up, then the pelvis and shoulders will turn on an angle. So turning on that angle will require the right hip to go up in the backswing and the left shoulder to work down. That combination creates the left side bend.
As far as the AMG idea. I'm not 100% sure. Is that a backswing, top of swing, or transition idea?
Remember, left side bend at the top is toward the ball, not the target. So it creates the shoulder plane more than it moves the body towards or away from the target.
By: Tyler F on May 19, 2020, 8:49 p.m.
+Guy K Gotcha, thanks for sharing.
That recentering has more to do with the pivot and how the legs/pelvis work against the ground and work with the spine/core. The left side bend is also a sign of using the core correctly, but it can be done with or without the recentering depending on what the legs are doing.
By: John C on May 21, 2020, 10:23 a.m.
+Tyler F
My question to side bends is from some reflection on my own swing. You have done a swing analysis of my own swing which shows a flip release and early trail arm extension. As I have worked on this my contact moved towards the heel with an occasional shank. As I worked through this issue I found if I focused on more left side bend rather than simply turning around my spine, the contact moved to center or toe on the club face. Further reflection makes me think this is really more of a balance (toe/heel) issue than a side bend vs shoulder turn issue. Feels are illusive, tend to be temporary, and different for everyone. Do you have drills that focus on identifying proper toe/heel balance in the backswing? As always, thanks and stay well!
John
By: Tyler F on May 23, 2020, 10:10 a.m.
+John C Here are a couple of drills that relate to foot/balance pressure. I'll use the alignment stick in the backswing as well as how it's demonstrated in the downswing video. PS - Moving into the toes is definitely one of the core reasons golfers battle shanks!
https://golfsmartacademy.com/golf-instruction/building-foot-to-ground-awareness/
https://golfsmartacademy.com/golf-instruction/heel-toe-awareness-alignment-stick/
