"The upper left leg must be pulled out of the way IMMEDIATELY from the top of the swing so that when the upper right moves it isn't moving around the upper left. You must initiate the downswing by pulling the upper left leg out of the way and move it far enough so that the upper right isn't forced to swing out and around it. From the very top move the upper left leg behind you as far as you can. Let me also say that there is an additional movement the left leg must make. In addition to leaning the top of the leg backwards away from the target line you must also twist it so the pant seam on the outside of the left thigh points behind you and not still at the target. If you move the left leg back out of the way without twisting it you won't be able to move through the shot and will fight slap hooking."

Watching Mr. Hardy's DVD series, I was under the impression that the shoulders started the downswing by turning hard towards the target ??????

Posted By millerbh on 01-21-2010 02:53 PM
Watching Mr. Hardy's DVD series, I was under the impression that the shoulders started the downswing by turning hard towards the target ??????

I think you misunderstood the instructional video. Maybe he was just saying that the left side needs to be clearing from the beginning. I don't think their is any sort of swing theory out there that just wants your shoulders starting the downswing and nothing else. Just my too cents.

Jim Hardy was stressing that the upper torso needed to turn aggressively in the downswing as a common fault for a one planer is to mistake hooks for pulls. This golfer then shuts down the rotation of the upper body attempting to hit more from the inside when in fact continuing to turn his upper body through the shot will stabilize the clubface and get rid of the left balls. He has a clubface problem and not the club path problem he thinks he does.

Tried this today and couldn't stop hitting really big slices. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks

This particular fault is associated with the ball flights of thin and hooks. If these aren't in your arsenal of misses this is not the area you need to be focusing on.

I have studied the DVDs and secrets for two years and have stubornly tried to think of just one thought for the downswing; i.e. turning hips and torso etc. But am I wrong in saying that you must really think of two things...getting your left foot planted first so that your arms come back down and then turning? So it is a ta ta thought insted of a ta on the downswing....is there any other way to make it just one thought?

1)SET 2) TURN 3)THROW

Surely by pulling the upper left leg back, this forces the right hip and upper right leg forwards resulting in a hip thrust

No quite the contrary. If the left hip and leg isn't out of the way the only place the right hip and leg can go is out towards the ball. Yes the right hip and leg should come forward in a parallel line to the target line, and not outward in a thrusting manner.

Thanks Chris,

I think you misunderstood what I meant. Often the trouble with email and text etc.
I know the left hip and leg must pull back to allow the right to work correctly, what I meant is that the initial move must not be for the left leg and hip to turn back without setting weight to the left side. If no weight is put into the left side then surely the weight could shift to the right and create a shallow wide out to in impact.

Interesting. Since the weight is centered wouldn't the action of pulling the left leg and hip automatically get the wieght onto the left leg during the golf swing?

That was my impression too, Bob. Pre-loading the weight slightly left (...as opposed to old teaching I had been exposed to where you load to the right on the backswing, then shift at transition...) is one aspect of Jim's one-plane teaching that has paid off big time for me...

At the same time the upper left leg moves out of the way the upper right leg is driving forward putting more weight onto the lead leg.  The left hip is the turning hip and the right hip is the lateral hip.  If the upper left leg pulled away from the target line without the upper right leg driving forward then one could back up the hips whereby they would move away from the target in the downswing.  This would cause and out to in path that would most likely be steep unless the clubface was wildly open.  Again this movement is for the lower handicapped golfer who struggles with thin irons, pushes, hooks, and heel shots.  If these aren't in your repertoire then this shouldn't be a priority for you.

Chris:

I am not a low handicapper, around 16 or so, but I do struggle with hooks and I find that by moving the left leg back and of course moving the right hip parallel to the target in the downswing I do hit much straighter shots.

thanks for your help.

bob

Bob,

Good for you that this has helped.
Regardless of whether you shift to the right, stay centred or hang on the left side in the backswing, weight must be increased further to the left on the through swing. If you stay centred and simply turn the left hip back without allowing the right hip to shift laterally you will be liable to an out to in path. In my opinion the setting of the weight onto the left side is where the right hip has the appearance of shifting laterally. Studying the swings on the video gallery it is quite eveident that many of the players have a squatting appearance where the weight is increasing on the left side before the left hip turns.

I have found that the act of moving the left knee/leg back 45 degrees automatically get me on my left side. Maybe I am doing both the two move and the moving of the left leg back together or doing the two move slightly earlier never really thought about it, but nonetheless it seems to work. Also, during my set up my weight is 50-50..

Hi guys, I'm a new member, so be gentle. My misses are as Chris describes...thin irons, pushes, and hooks, so this thread interested me. I've tried doing what Chris advocates, but I feel uncoordinated when I'm doing it. I get decent results by sticking my butt out a little further as I press down with my left foot in transition. "Keeping the rear to rear" as Jacobsen advised. My question: doesn't this automatically move the upper left leg away from the target line, accomplishing the same thing?

Mbellard

Lets start with the following .

Trying to comment on someones feels is very dangerous as both the feel and the explanation are subject to different interputations.So please keep this in mind and remember we are looking for better impact not a pretty swing.

Thins,pushes,and hooks may be caused by other factors besides the movement of the left hip.

Feeling uncoordinated may not be bad.

 Now to your question. I would have you do the following drill to get the right feel.Take your stance and place the heel of the club against the toes of your right foot.Hold the grip in your left hand angled over to and against your left thigh. While holding the club against your thigh go to the top of your backswing without moving the club now turn left thigh away and replace in with your right thigh again do not move club. After learing this move hold club with right hand and you should be able to have left hip knee and thigh clear and allow right hip to move forward not out. This is the feel you are looking for. If it is the same as you explained then hold on to you rear to rear feel and keep torso turning.

Smitty