“What does the right hand in golf swing have to do with the pivot in golf?”
The following golf training video from, my mentor, Peter Croker PGA Australia, may have been the finale for me in terms of epic golf epiphanies as it connected so many “dots” and greatly strengthened dots that I had already connected.
Right hand action in the golf swing causes proper hip rotation in the golf swing
How’s that for an epiphany?! [There are a total of 4 epiphanies unveiled in this post.]
While most golf instruction stresses pulling the hips open early, we are pushing the hips open!
It’s mind-boggling – and, like me, you’ll have to watch this video MANY times!
And you may need to revisit the visualization of the actual desired interaction between club face and the golf ball as once there is absolute clarity around impact then what you are about to see will make perfect sense.
Right hand pushing body open is most reliable way to cure over the top in the golf swing
Having the type of body control it takes to start the downswing by twisting the hips open WITHOUT pulling your shoulders open at the same time is HIGHLY DIFFICULT!
But that is the mantra of mainstream golf instruction AND they are sticking to it!
Whether golf instruction for beginners or golf instruction for seniors – you will be asked to perform this very difficult and inherently undependable move to open the hips while keeping the shoulders closed.
Don’t get me wrong; an absolute key fundamental for me and Pete is to have hips opening while shoulders are rocking and staying closed into and through impact – its just that we have an opposite way that is much more dependable to perform.
Click to watch the whole short video:
The Croker method, therefore, doesn’t just cure over the top golf swing but prevents it in the first place.
In my video below [click on screen shot] I demonstrate how the arms push together to create connectedness and coordination with the body. Watch from 12:00 to 24:00 mark.
Further, by throwing the club head at the ball from an inside to out swing path in golf the body will be pushed open.
Yes, you read that correctly – the club head releases the hands – the hands don’t release the club head!
It takes some context to develop this mind-blowing concept where we aren’t going to release your hands in the golf swing, but instead I show you how to square the clubface at impact:
- first how the momentum of the thrown club flattens the left wrist, and
- then how the momentum of the club head [where the toe “wants” to catch up with the heel] supinates and then flexes the left wrist to automatically square the club face at impact.
So, please watch the 12-minute segment of the above video [12:00 – 24:00] where I demonstrate and explain exactly how that works.
This will serve as yet another epiphany for you I’m sure – and will free you from trying to time your golf swing hand action for being square at impact.
You see there is a lot written about golf swing timing- but as you can see with my approach:
- there is no timing required for having a square clubface at impact, and
- there is no timing required related to the body pivot.
The epiphanies just keep coming eh!
I think you are starting to see how I became so absolutely enamored with Pete’s technique!
This technique is so classic that it seems to be new fangled – but it isn’t new at all!
The funny thing is, this technique isn’t anything new fangled, and it is only rogue relative to mainstream golf instruction because mainstream golf instruction left behind the classic golf swing in favor of shiny new objects!
In fact, I would argue that this golf swing technique goes back to the 1500s when people were inherently much more instinctive versus today’s man in terms of how to use crude tools, like clubs, and how work their hands and bodies.
That is, today we have much more sophisticated tools like nail guns and chainsaws – and most of us don’t even use our hands and body to do much more than drive a car and use a computer!
Golf swing release drills – another of many free golf training videos herein
This 1-minute clip to the right I summarize the:
-
left hand’s role.
-
right hand’s role.
- how the hands work together
START 33:45
END 35:15
GIANT ASTERISK! *
Throwing the club head at the ball from inside-to-out simply won’t work unless the club head is being slung back properly.
- If the club is taken back by contracting the muscles in the arms then you won’t be able to throw the club head any more than you’d be able to throw a ball with tight arm muscles.
- Fully imbibe my post “Golf Practice Routines – Create & React to Club Head Momentum“.
At least watch my “Instinctive golf swing…” video from 7-minute mark through 16-minute mark covering:
- take-back, back-SLING and transition AGAIN 7:00 to 16:00 mark.
In Conclusion
If you made it this far without your mind being blown, you should have several new and exciting epiphanies that will give you new hope and new direction in your golf journey.
Let’s review those epiphanies:
- the right arm action [by throwing club head from inside to out] pushes the body open.
- the club head releases the hands – the hands don’t release the club head.
- there is no timing required for squaring the club face to ball, and
- there is no timing required related to the body pivot.
As always, I’d love to hear from you about any and all things golf.
Warm Regards,
Ted Williams, Golf Ball Flight Instructor
www.MyInstinctiveGolf.com
(810) 214-0075 Voicemail/Text
FB: “Golf Lessons With Ted”
Ted@MyInstinctiveGolf.com
