Left heel

somewhat related to this is whether S and T “rules” allow for lifting the right toe thus putting more pressure on the right heel on the backswing to get more hip turn and thus potential power in the downswing. I’ve been playing around with this recently.

Toms tip to place the weight on front foot as you turn back allows the front knee pushes forward not inward towards your back leg in the back swing. This has helped me because it keeps your weight to stay forward in the back swing and it will not let you raise your front foot. This too helps you straighten your back leg in the back swing and make the transition back to the ball so much easier. Since your weight is already on the front foot this engages your arms to swing freely.

I also think what you said above may be key for me. My left knee bend seems to have been going inward towards center with weight on inside of left foot rather than straight outward in direction of flared foot more centered over left foot. I will work on fixing that first. Thanks.

(The "lead knee bend" thread below is also relevant to me. I just read over that and see that others have a similar issue. I think lifting the left heel is likely a complicated patchwork solution for this fundamental flaw of the front knee wanting to bow inward on backswing.)

Sure, thanks. Yes. I will keep trying. The reason I bring it up is that I have noticed that I have been inadvertently swaying out on the course (less so on the range or in the mirror). And all those that I currently play with lift their heel and do pretty well. Some seem to actually sway less with the heel lift than without it (after discussing with them)...seems counterintuitive to me too. I don't know. But it is just something I've been considering. I'm 52 and still have a long history of a poor swing to unlearn also. My knowledge of swing is very good now, but execution and muscle memory is a different thing.. I never lifted my heel before but I have swayed and lifted my head too much with a flat shoulder turn in the past. I am committed to the stack and tilt philosophy and love your channel. Thanks again.

@neil.billeaud - I suppose it is possible, though it would seem somewhat difficult to accomplish while keeping the weight forward to the extent necessary (generally around 70/30 at the top of the backswing, 80/20 halfway down, 90/10 at impact), and I would be concerned that weight transfer into the trail side may occur at some point during the motion in which case the swing center and low point will shift. Of course you can give it a try and see how it works for you, but let's also consider a couple of things:

1) By keeping the weight forward and allowing the lead leg to flex in place (i.e.: the knee bends straight down in the slight outwardly flared direction established at address and does not kick inward towards the trail side) while the trail leg straightens during the backswing, you should get an effortless 45 degrees of hip turn. This means you only need an addition 45 degrees of shoulder turn for the full 90.

2) Getting to "parallel" at the top of the backswing is not necessary. Many golfers who subscribe to this fallacy and try to force it experience a breakdown in their swing - the lead knee kicks in, the low point shifts back with the weight, the shoulders level out, the lead arm (our radius) bends, and/or the hands lift - putting them in a precarious position from which to salvage their downswing. We create depth with this swing by turning the shoulder down and putting the hands and club on concentric inward paths. The hands should be behind the trail shoulder at the top, creating plenty of room for a downswing. So even if it might look and feel like an abbreviated swing in comparison to "parallel", your depth has the club in a great position to harnesses the tremendous power source known as "angular momentum".

So let's try this before you get up on your toe: Chapter 2 of the Golf Swing Simplified course reinforces the body motions and the weight-forward component, and it culminates with what I call "The Best Golf Swing Practice Drill of All Time". Work yourself sequentially and gradually through the chapter, and then park yourself on that drill in Lesson 2.8. Learn it. Practice it. Master it. You can even use the somewhat abbreviated swing it provides on the course and play quite well with it! Once you've got that down you should be well prepared to move forward in the curriculum and finish out that full, deep backswing! At that point we can revisit the your left heel if necessary.

Deal?

Tom