Most Found Issues with S&T

Interesting point about lower back issues, and this is one of the most common complaints I hear. I also believe some of those folks had lower back issues because their core is weak and a stronger core is required to support a good golf swing, whether S&T or conventional That said, from what I've seen with newer S&T folks is the following, that can lead to back issues (but can do so with the conventional swing also):

• Right foot not flared enough, prevents or retards ability to rotate back.

• Lead foot is not flared enough, and stance in general is too narrow.

• Weight distribution is closer to 75/25 lead/trail foot at address. 55/45 is sufficient for most everyone, and ball position gets harder to gauge with too much starting weight on the left side, at least for me.

• From the excess lead side weight distribution address position, they STILL shift or drift onto their unflared trail foot, or on top of their trail foot, or so much that there's a slight rolling off their trail foot.

• The unflared trail foot creates pressure on the trail knee during the takeaway, and then pressure on their lower back at the mid point of their backswing because their shoulders can't turn enough, thus the only remedy is to arm the club to the top and maybe move the left knee inward (or Disco knee...LOL) to "help" complete the backswing.

• From the top they launch off their trail side on the downswing, their left knee that moved to the right is now stuck and can only push up, then a reverse pivot. This crunches the lower back on the downswing. This is the dreaded "reverse C" that can place exorbitant stress on the back.

• Their less-flared lead foot position acts as an early brake system that creates sudden pressure on the lower back as the club reaches the ball.

I may not have all this 100% accurate, but I've seen the above over and over again. Plus, all of the above comes from experience! LOL. I have found my back hurts more after a round where I know I made some bad swings from my right side, and my feet weren't flared enough.

@tarheeldave - The body-friendly aspect of S&T is supported by my personal experience as a player with prior lower back pain and furthered by the fact that the majority of my students are in their 60's, 70's, and 80's – i.e.: a smorgasbord of chronic ailments, physical limitations, back/shoulder/knee/hip pain, and joint replacements – and they are overwhelmingly elated to experience the dramatic pain-free game improvement, seemingly effortless power, and resulting enjoyment that this swing affords them.

Having said that - and to @GolfLivesMatter's point - in my early S&T days I did still fight occasional stiffness in my lower back, and I subsequently learned that it was being caused by an incorrect setup and some resulting issues with the swing motion. Most folks who complain of discomfort have overlooked key elements of the foundation, and in many cases their setup resembles some kind of a hybrid of S&T and S&L (Sift & Lift). This will not be supportive of a proper and body friendly motion. That's how critical a correct setup is, and it's the reason why I say there is nothing superfluous about it; everything for a reason and a reason for everything.

Now, even with a correct setup, I also occasionally had the old S&L tendency to try to take it back too far, and that leads to other issues and again opens us up to the possibility of physical discomfort. As I tell folks, reaching back for more is like conducting a séance for those old swing demons, and they sure come back to haunt us when we do. The depth we create by getting our hands behind the trail shoulder at the top gives us all the power we need, even if it "looks" like less than a full swing compared to our old S&L days. We've created width and plenty of distance for that club to travel by taking it deep; there's no need to try to get to "parallel" - that false deity of swings past. The keys are to get in a good setup position, properly execute the motions, understand and ingrain the body's natural stopping point - that's where the tilting, turning, and extending motions are complete and the lead arm has crossed the chest 45 degrees - and then the most difficult part: train ourselves to stop there! If we try to go further any or all of the following will occur:

1) the lead arm will bend and/or lift

2) the wrists will break down

3) the lead knee will kick inward towards the trail side

4) the lead shoulder will level out and lose its orientation towards the ball

5) weight will shift into the trail side and bring the low point back with it, resulting in inconsistent contact and unpredictable ball flight.

6) you'll "chicken wing" and/or flip through impact

7) pain, discomfort, and/or possible injury

These are some of the reasons I encourage online school members to arrange for a V1 Swing Video Analysis on at least a quarterly basis. We all have a tendency to tweak and deviate. The V1 goes a long way towards combatting this and keeping us on the straight & narrow.

LOL