I am still a work in process. I find that my main weakness in adopting your swing comes from a baseball background. I still tend to slide forward instead of pivoting on the left leg. It’s like taking a stride to hit a pitch. As I see the ball going high and to the right, I know (thanks to one of your tips) what has caused it. The only thing that can fix it is practice, practice, practice. I’ll be in the back yard again tonight.
If you are a ex-baseball player just throw a few balls overhand out in front of you with a narrower stance. When you do you will see the back leg come around and touch the forward (locked) leg. After you do this keep doing it over and over again until you get used to it. Once you do, apply it to practice golf swings. You just have to turn not slide. By doing the throwing motion you should be able to latch on to it. I get the feeling your stance is too wide.
Good reminder ,Paul ,to those who were taught initially (Like me ) to keep the head from moving ,going in the backswing .
Now ,when performing the throughswing ,do you let the head “look ” forward in front of the ball,targetwise ,like DAVE DUVAL and ANNIKA SORENSTAM ,or should you keep your eyes on the ball ?
Also ,when doing the backswing,going to the top ,do you let your left Heel come off the ground to get more turn ,or keep it on the groun for more stabilty ?
Mike BAUMANN ,of whom you recommend the ULTIMATE SWING TRAINER (I bought it !) says you should lift slightly the left Heel (His Video shows h
Don’t listen to your buddies. Jim McLean did an article in 2001 called the Y factor where he measured the head position at address then at the top of the backswing. Tour average head movement was 3.6 inches. Amateur average was .6 of an inch. So keep moving your head.
Hi Paul another great tip. My question is when you move your head 3 to 5 inches would that not reduce the amount of resistance you are suppose to have between the upper and lower body?
No this will not lose torque. You will only lose torque when you over-rotate the lower body and/or stand up and/or move sideways. When you are moving your head you are creating an axis between your head, body and back leg. Keep moving your head. This is important.
Hey Paul, can you talk a little about the need (as I recall you saying) to keep you right knee flexed and your weight on the right instep at the top of the back swing. I believe you note this is critical to prevent swaying to the right. Am I on target?
This is huge to stop swaying and put you in a great position to start the other way (firing legs). How can you fire the legs from the outside of your back foot?
Hi Paul, I Watch all your videos and find them very interesting. I notice in your démonstrations, that when you do your back swing,your left arm is not straight (it is bent a bit like a baseball player). Is it allright or should’n we do that. Thank you.
I fully agree with the supreme importance of moving the head and coiling the weight into the right side but I find that the real end of the backswing is when I firmly re-plant my weight on my left leg as I set my wrists at the top which provides a very solid base to fire the hips. Just semantics?
You should be feeling the top of your backswing once you are fully coiled. If you are thinking about the foot you’re not thinking about the coil. So I would think coil first to make sure you have torque then think of the foot if you want.
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22 Responses to “1 Leg in the Backswing”
May 21, 2013
LenKoblenzPaul,
I am still a work in process. I find that my main weakness in adopting your swing comes from a baseball background. I still tend to slide forward instead of pivoting on the left leg. It’s like taking a stride to hit a pitch. As I see the ball going high and to the right, I know (thanks to one of your tips) what has caused it. The only thing that can fix it is practice, practice, practice. I’ll be in the back yard again tonight.
Thanks,
Len
May 22, 2013
Paul WilsonLen,
If you are a ex-baseball player just throw a few balls overhand out in front of you with a narrower stance. When you do you will see the back leg come around and touch the forward (locked) leg. After you do this keep doing it over and over again until you get used to it. Once you do, apply it to practice golf swings. You just have to turn not slide. By doing the throwing motion you should be able to latch on to it. I get the feeling your stance is too wide.
May 22, 2013
RaymondCHASTELGood reminder ,Paul ,to those who were taught initially (Like me ) to keep the head from moving ,going in the backswing .
Now ,when performing the throughswing ,do you let the head “look ” forward in front of the ball,targetwise ,like DAVE DUVAL and ANNIKA SORENSTAM ,or should you keep your eyes on the ball ?
Also ,when doing the backswing,going to the top ,do you let your left Heel come off the ground to get more turn ,or keep it on the groun for more stabilty ?
Mike BAUMANN ,of whom you recommend the ULTIMATE SWING TRAINER (I bought it !) says you should lift slightly the left Heel (His Video shows h
May 22, 2013
Paul WilsonRaymond,
No, I don’t want your head moving forward to watch the ball. When 99% of the golfers do it one way you should probably do what they are doing.
I like the heel on the ground but if you absolutely have to lift it then do so.
Watch:
Lift Heel or Not: https://ignitiongolf.com/lift-heel-backswing
I want to you keep it on the ground for the creation of torque.
May 23, 2013
Raoul BintnerRaymond, sans vouloir vous offenser, vous
June 30, 2013
RaymondCHASTELEn Fran
May 22, 2013
Earl GGissingHi Paul,
ALL Your Lessons are sensational, but this one verifies what I always believed, your head moves in the Golf Swing,
So many of my golf Buddies have said keep your head still, I knew they were not giving me the right advice,
Thankx again for your CLEAR and Precise instructions.
You still remain the best teacher of Golf in the World.
Earl Gissing
May 22, 2013
Paul WilsonEarl,
Glad you like the tips. Thanks.
Don’t listen to your buddies. Jim McLean did an article in 2001 called the Y factor where he measured the head position at address then at the top of the backswing. Tour average head movement was 3.6 inches. Amateur average was .6 of an inch. So keep moving your head.
May 29, 2013
GregoryHallHi Paul another great tip. My question is when you move your head 3 to 5 inches would that not reduce the amount of resistance you are suppose to have between the upper and lower body?
Greg
May 29, 2013
Paul WilsonGreg,
No this will not lose torque. You will only lose torque when you over-rotate the lower body and/or stand up and/or move sideways. When you are moving your head you are creating an axis between your head, body and back leg. Keep moving your head. This is important.
June 3, 2013
JimMacMillanHey Paul, can you talk a little about the need (as I recall you saying) to keep you right knee flexed and your weight on the right instep at the top of the back swing. I believe you note this is critical to prevent swaying to the right. Am I on target?
June 3, 2013
Paul WilsonJim,
This is huge to stop swaying and put you in a great position to start the other way (firing legs). How can you fire the legs from the outside of your back foot?
Here are the tips I have:
Flex Back Knee: https://ignitiongolf.com/backswing-back-knee
Flexed Back Knee Holding Knee: https://ignitiongolf.com/lower-body-stability/
Power: Keep the Flex In The Back Knee: https://ignitiongolf.com/power-back-knee/
Power: How I Got Power In My Swing: https://ignitiongolf.com/power-dig-foot-in/
How To Feel Stability In The Lower Body (back knee flex) https://ignitiongolf.com/lower-body-stability/
DRILL: Drill: Bounce On Back Knee: https://ignitiongolf.com/drill-bounce-knee/
July 2, 2013
RaymondCHASTELBEN HOGAN ,THE best golfer ever ,moved his head in THE backswing .
Slow Motion camera shows this move perfectly .
July 2, 2013
Paul WilsonRaymond,
You are correct. Here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL_6M_xZvq0
November 13, 2013
TIMADAMSpaul does the right knee stayed flexed or straight in the full coil for the backswing
November 14, 2013
Paul WilsonTim,
This leg should be flexed as I was at address:
Flex Right Knee: https://ignitiongolf.com/backswing-back-knee
Flexed Right Knee Holding Knee: https://ignitiongolf.com/lower-body-stability/
November 22, 2014
michelleducHi Paul, I Watch all your videos and find them very interesting. I notice in your démonstrations, that when you do your back swing,your left arm is not straight (it is bent a bit like a baseball player). Is it allright or should’n we do that. Thank you.
Michel Leduc
November 23, 2014
Paul WilsonMichell,
Glad you like the tips. Thanks for the feedback.
I can’t keep my left arm straight. Jack Nicklaus as well as many other pros bend their arm.
Watch:
Left Arm at Top: https://ignitiongolf.com/left-arm-backswing
Extended But Not Locked: https://ignitiongolf.com/extended-but-not-locked/
November 25, 2014
michelleducThank you for your reply. You look so smouth on your swing I am working hard trying to emulate that. Michel
November 26, 2014
Paul WilsonMichel,
Stick to smooth. This keeps your arms out of your swing. A fast looking swing is a swing using arms.
January 16, 2016
ThomasLoftusPaul
I fully agree with the supreme importance of moving the head and coiling the weight into the right side but I find that the real end of the backswing is when I firmly re-plant my weight on my left leg as I set my wrists at the top which provides a very solid base to fire the hips. Just semantics?
Tim
January 17, 2016
Paul WilsonTim,
You should be feeling the top of your backswing once you are fully coiled. If you are thinking about the foot you’re not thinking about the coil. So I would think coil first to make sure you have torque then think of the foot if you want.