I love the shoulder turn and tilt drill with the extra long alignment sticks. On the course, here is my problem and it's related to the drill: my address starts great, properly stacked...but when I tilt and turn my shoulder I tend to bend forward at waist, (towards my belly) while I am tilting and turning.... this leads to my club head not returning to its starting point because I have bent over I'm lower and the club hits behind the ball... weight is properly forward, it's just I have shrunk myself a couple inches.... Im sure the head on the wall while you swing drill will probably fix it but what if any thoughts would be helpful on the course where I can't do these things?
tim
@timmos1 @kipheeg - Might not help you guys but I heard this tip a long time ago... Instead of thinking "left shoulder down"... try thinking "pull my right shoulder behind my head". This is also a great swing thought for someone who doesn't turn fully.
Great feedback! Thanks Tom. I will put it to work.
Perhaps not the answer y'all are looking for, but ya just gotta figure it out, folks! You're either missing or deficient in the Extension component. This is what keeps our head and torso from dipping while we tilt and turn, and as such it preserves the swing center and low point. Lose control of that low point and consistently crispy impact becomes a fleeting endeavor.
Extension is exactly what it sounds like - your spine goes from a flexed position at address to an extended position - as if you were standing up straight - at the top of the backswing. However, I do understand that extension can be a tricky concept to grasp, especially since it is not typically found in "shift & lift" swing conversation. And if we're thinking about "staying in posture", well then how can we possibly feel like we're standing up straight, right?...
For starters I'm guessing you've already been through Chapter 2 of the Golf Swing Simplified program, more specifically lessons 2.1 through 2.6 that deal with the tilt, turn, and extend body motions? If not then that's where I would suggest starting.
Otherwise, here's what you need to know. If you were to only tilt and turn, your head would move down and towards the target, as you are likely experiencing per your comments. Extending the spine as you tilt and turn keeps your head - and thus your swing center - in place. Based on this, oftentimes it's easier to explain extension by reverse-engineering. In other words, as @timmos1 referenced, we take care of the effect by putting our head against a wall or other stable object and keeping it in place while tilting and turning - as shown in lesson video 2.3c. In doing so you should notice the sensation of your spine straightening - or extending - in order to enable your head to remain steady. FEEL THIS STRAIGHTENING SENSATION! Then try to recreate the movements without the assistance of an external support, using a mirror or video to confirm that your head is not moving "outside the box" established at address.
Another way to try this is the get into your setup posture. From there if you were to just tilt and turn, again your head will move down and toward the target. So instead try this and compare/contrast the feel:
1) Get into your setup posture
2) Stand up straight (extend)
3) While standing erect tilt your upper body towards the target while keeping your hips in place.
4) Now that you are extended and tilted, turn your upper body as you would in your backswing, keeping your weight forward while allowing your hips to turn 45 degrees and your trail leg to straighten.
There you have your backswing - tilted, turned, and extended!! (I've included some pics of Andy Plummer executing these moves in the Stack & Tilt book. Of course in the actual swing we coordinate these motions so as not to look like the Leaning Tower of Pisa!)
So, that's my best way to explain the extension component. Going back to my original comment, it's now up to y'all to figure out the "feels" that enable you to execute it.
My suggested prescriptions:
1) Go to the 90% Weight Forward/Arms Straight Drill. I know it's in the anti-slice section of Ball Flight Fixes, but this drill is excellent at resolving a host of issues, and you won't be able to execute it properly without extension. Learn it. Practice it. Master it. (You will know that you've mastered it when you are achieving repeatable solid impact with divots after the ball and a consistent ball flight.) Use it on the course - it provides plenty of power and you can play quite well with it!
2) With the weight-forward, arms-straight, crispy impact feels from the 90% drill ingrained, review Chapter 2 of Golf Swing Simplified, and then park yourselves on Drill 2.8. Learn it. Practice it. Master it. Use it on the course - it provides even more power as it is nearly a full swing! Once you've got that down, you will be well prepared to move forward in the curriculum and well on your way towards taking ownership of YOUR swing!
Having the same issue. Seems like Iām crowding the ball a bit and as a result I tend to hit shots thin or fat. Tom...save us! š