Getting too far forward when thrusting up

[Warren]

I am a 4-handicap player who has suffered from early extension and too much lateral movement for as long as I’ve been playing the game (20+ years). The numerous movement routines have helped me enormously, and I feel I’ve got everything looking good to the surf-to-level or baseball throw stage, including staying pressurised throughout the entire swing.

However when I thrust up (through impact and beyond) I have a tendency to get my upper body too far forward and both arms don’t properly extend through the shot. I’m still feeling weak through the shot. Equally. my right foot doesn’t get naturally dragged forward and away from the ball as the videos suggest it should. In order for me to hit the correct “positions”, I have to feel like I am extremely bent over and under through impact, and I must hold those angles for as long as possible. Equally, I have to manipulate the feeling through my feet by twisting them into the ground. Am I on the right track with these feelings?

I’m guessing I have conceptual misunderstanding issue. Does anyone have similar issues or has there been a video Q&A to help someone with this problem?

[Stephen]

Hi Warren, it’s a while since you posted so you may have moved on. You don’t say where you are in the programme but it sounds like you’ll be into week 4 by now at least. I’m a 60 day grad so I have access to lots of extra material that will help you when you get there. One of the bonus clips is from Alex where he helps with this issue by starting at the top of the follow thru and working backwards to surf to level.

Put yourself at the finish with the club on the eyeline. Now try to get the same clenched and squeezed feelings in your buttocks and abdomen that you have to achieve in order to get to the superman pose in the warm up exercises. Really squeeze everything as tight as you can. Now relax and rewind to snap to level or the finish of the baseball throw. Having got yourself to that position in the swing the legs become passive and the move up to the finish is driven by a combination of the left side of the rib cage turning left, lifting and pulling and the glutes squeezing together which then drags the back leg away from the ball and in towards the front leg when they squeeze together at the finish.

This sounds a complicated description. I’ll try to copy the clip and post it to this thread. I’ve seen others do it but I’m not sure my IT skills are up to it. Perhaps some other grad or a member of Tathata staff can help out. I’m disappointed you’ve not got an earlier reply than this but I hope it helps.

Steve. Manchester UK

[Stephen]

Student Q & A: Hip Turn-How Does the Pelvis Work in the Golf Swing?

Amazing, I did it! This should help you Warren. It will also demonstrate the inadequacy of my previous explanation!

Steve

[Les]

Here is another video making the rounds on YouTube that also helps address weight shift. Key comments are around how the weight stays centered with pressure being exerted downward by the right foot at the finish and how the head stays back via the superman pose.

Good Footwork? Who has it? Where is it?