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Hitting "Into the Lead Side"?

Yesterday a guy shot a video of my swing from face on. The first thing I noticed was my lead shoulder was drifting left, or towards the target at the start of my downswing. Holy crap. The drifting serves to move my low point to the left, then worse, promotes loss of wrist angles and some flipping because I'm simply too far left as the club is coming down. This is a VERY subtle movement that the eyes, at least mine, cannot see during my swing.

Then on the next shot I thought about "hitting into my lead side". What that means is I turn, rotate on the downswing, but I feel like my left side is bracing me to stay over the ball. The result of those swings was higher ball flight and more distance.

Is there such a term as turning into the lead side, or is that an arbitrary thought that works for me?

5 comments

5 Comments

Patrick Anlauf

Aug 13, 2022

@GolfLivesMatter the “Still Photo” gives an excellent example as to what to do with leg positions. I stand in front of my bedroom mirror and copy the S&T swings. On the course, it comes out of Pattern but it is a learning journey. By the way, Golf Lives do matter….something to share with my church friends, LOL.

Patrick Anlauf

Aug 12, 2022

@GolfLivesmatter - I assume it is natural on the down swing that one is accelerating so fast that the Lead Side is pushing impact “in” and out away from the body while the right leg is straight, also at impact.

GolfLivesMatter

Aug 13, 2022

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Replying to

Maybe, not quite sure what you mean 100%. What I'm focused on is the lead knee should be out farther than the lead shoulder at impact from a front view. If the shoulders drift towards the target, then they will get over (or ahead) of the lead knee.

Every 0 or + hcp guy I've talked to said the lead knee must move towards the target on the downswing. My lead knee can get stuck underneath me on the downswing...if that makes sense?

David

Aug 13, 2022

Replying to

@GolfLivesMatter I think I can feel my lead Knee getting stuck underneath in my downswing at times. It feels like I’m leaning backwards a bit after the swing. Usually ends up topping the ball.

GolfLivesMatter

Aug 13, 2022

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Replying to

That makes sense. I see many players move the lead knee towards the trail knee too much on the backswing. From that position, as soon as the backswing starts, the lead knee will want to push up and push your body backwards, or away from the ball.

Check out Tom's lead knee position, and lead knee vs. lead shoulder below. His lead knee works down towards his lead foot. This keeps his lead knee ahead of his shoulder (see pic). Plus, he gets more extension post impact from that position. I call that (maybe others do too) hitting into the lead side. Plus note that his trail knee has straightened, but is not straight. This is a power accumulator. His trail knee position is consistent even with supposed "non SnT" instructors who pour over pro tour trail knee positions at the top. Plus, Tom is not shy about bending his lead knee down on the backswing because the push off from there adds a lot of power.