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The Focal Role Of The Hip Rotation In A Golf Swing

By: Keith R Lunt


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What is all of the talk about a hip turn? How much is right, how much is too much? When do you know if you are getting it right?

The hip rotation in a golf swing permits the rest of the body to move. It might be the trigger for part of the swing and the downfall of a bad swing. Concentrate on getting it right, whilst not thinking around it too much! Golfing really is a game of absolute opposites and it is straightforward to understand why there is stacks of confusion in the sport.

The first pointer when talking round the hip turn is that it is just that. It is a tiny movement of the hips, combined with the legs and upper torso. But, it is not the full body travelling. The aim is that the legs, hips, upper body and shoulders rotate to give the swing a wide arc, whilst the head stays entirely level. Picture that your head and feet are clamped whilst the rest of the body rotates and you are getting there.

Stage one of the hip turn is the back swing of the stroke. Feel your upper body and arms leading the rotation and only let your hips go with the flow. At the summit of the back swing, verify that the club is pointing where you want the ball to go and then peep at how your hips have turned. They should be halfway between the initial point of pointing to the ball and the facing away from the ball. A 45 degree turn, or an eighth of a full body rotation.

If you have turned over this the your legs have yielded too much, less than this and you are too stiff and not storing the energy needed to send the ball towards the flag.

Now the fun bit! I pause every so quickly at the top of the back swing. Only long enough for me to think 'hips'. At this position my reaction is to start the hip movement to commence the down swing action. This is a slight left shift of the hips, which drops the shoulders practically vertically, bringing the arms down. There is also a small movement of the arms to bring your right elbow towards your right hip.

The last part of the hip swing is to open them towards the target to some extent. This is the end part of the left shift and will permit the club and arms to pass cleanly in front of the body.

But bear in mind - the head stays still! You are rotating the body, not stirring the head.

If you have ever skimmed stones across water then you will know the final hip position feeling from that, though you don't yet realise that. Pretend to skim a stone and look at where your hips finish off. That is the position you are trying achieve!

To recap, starting square to the ball the hips should rotation 45 degrees away from the ball, virtually being dragged by the upper half of the body, then start the downswing with a slight left shift of the hips and a turn towards the target, finishing as even though you are skimming a stone.

Oh, and did I mention - keep your head still! It is a rotation, not moving the whole body!

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Written by Keith Lunt. If you want to read more around golfing training, call into the site. Or pop in excess of to read more round golfing equipment

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