A couple of weeks ago I published a daily about setting up with the proper pre-loaded, heavy right position. What I didn't discuss that day is how to determine whether or not you're pre-loading too much and how you can fix it if you are. This is a really crucial part of the Peak Performance Golf Swing even though it's just a small movement in the setup before you start your swing. However, it's importance cannot be understated.
Cy Wong sent in a question regarding PLHR (pre-loaded heavy right) because he was having some issues hitting the ball right of his target. He felt that being PLHR was the problem and thought he could make better swings standing more upright. But, instead of fixing what the issue was, Cy chose to compensate for it. So, today I want Cy and anyone else having trouble with getting PLHR to pay close attention.
I have a question with the pre-loaded right part of the PPGS. Especially with the driver, if I preload right, knees slightly outwards, right shoulder down, spine tilted to the right I would hit the ball right, followed by a slice, sometimes really bad. If I set up straight, this does not happen. What am I doing wrong? Can you do a daily video on this topic and explain why the ball flight would change when pre-loaded right?
This is a very common question and issue that I see with students. As with most swing problems, when you get to the driver it can be much more exaggerated. So, let's first explain what pre-loaded heavy right is.
What I mostly see when people are having troubles is that they are setting up with an improper PLHR position. Most golfers will tend to over tilt or dip down. When the upper shoulder goes down right, the lower body goes left, so you become collapsed. This can lead you to bottom out behind the ball or pull up out of the shot to avoid chunking it. Instead of just tilting your upper body, PLHR means taking your whole body and moving it about 1 inch back to the right. It's like sitting onto your right side, but just about an inch! I can't stress that enough.
The first issue is where the right foot has to be. If you take a club and put it under your armpit and hang it straight down it should be over your knee. It should touch your knee looking down at where your big toe is. So, PLHR is like taking your belt with your hands and moving yourself over one inch. Look at the video. You'll see that I move my whole body, not just the upper part. Being PLHR doesn't call for a tilt, rather an entire shift of the body slightly to the right.
A lot of students will have their heads and shoulders behind the ball, but the rest of their bodies are forward. Picture yourself standing on a one inch incline or step like the mat in the video. You're trying to keep your spine level to that hill. That's what PLHR should feel like. You can't let the knee get outside of the foot and the foot cannot be rolling over.
The great thing about being PLHR is if you're in dynamic balance and you start turning too much, you'll lose your balance. It almost guarantees that you have to make the limited turn, vertical swing to stay in balance when you're PLHR.
The other important thing about PLHR is that when you get into sidehill lies, especially downhill lies, and you still setup up PLHR you're going to bottom out everytime. So, if you've got a true downhill lie you've got to get your shoulders more level and equal to the lie and almost feel a little pre-loaded left so you won't bottom out. Even I forget that now and then. You've got to make sure you understand your lie and what changes are required in the setup.
PLHR is a simple thing to do when you do it correctly. I'm going to guess that Cy is either too wide with the knees or with the back foot. Remember, the only foot that gets wider or narrower is the front foot. Either that is the problem or he's got too much tilt and he's collapsing.
Just move about one inch when you get pre-loaded, heavy right and you should start hitting the ball a lot more consistently.
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Comments
12/14/12 pre loaded right
Hi Surge,
Good video explaing how to get pre loaded. However, my question is: Do we push off from the back foot during transfer or just swing the arms up to the tee finish ????
Yes but......
dicgrel, Yes there is a transfer from the back foot to the front, but it is discribed as "a small and tight weight transfer" during the lateral shift or bump. Our stance is narrower and because we pre load right we do move on to that front foot as we swing through and up but it is controled and tight, only a few inches.
This should help
http://swingsurgeon.com/daily-video-tips/lateral-shift-how-much-right
and this
http://swingsurgeon.com/daily-video-tips/why-narrow-stance-matters-so-much
changed email address.
Please send daily videos to my new address......
Thank you.
BTW I've improved my accuracy a bunch this year with Surges verticle swing.
Current handicap at the end of this year is down to 7.something.
New address
This is not the right place to change your details, as customer service doesn't use the blog for that purpose. You can check out SUPPORT at the top right of this page, or go to MY ACCOUNT next to it, and edit your details there. Failing that ,phone 888 847 9464
Email support at: support
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PLHR
Surge, Hanging my head in embarrassment : - ( Overdoing it is the problem. It seems I have been guilty of this heinous crime sometimes. I like the belt buckle tip. That imprints itself on my memory much easier. Off out onto the deck post breakfast[sorry Dick, it is just that time mate ; - ] and have a swing session. Keep on PHLR'ring and hitting them straight and longer Surgites. DH
Connecticut Shooting
Just seen the news on the school shooting in Connecticut. Our hearts and prayers go out to all involved. At this time of the year it is especially sad. What a disturbed world we live in. I see President Obama is centre stage in tears in the photographs I just saw in the UK Press!
God Bless all the families who are grieving at the loss or injury to their loved ones, whoever they are.
DH in NZ
Tragedy
I can't even imagine the horror for the families. Who would ever think as they dropped their kid off at elementary school that something like that would happen.
Society has some big problems and we seem to be producing madmen at an alarming rate.
Pray for the families.
My heart breaks for those families
When we think we are going through rough times, all we have to do is look around and we find people who are worse off than we are. While I can certainly share their pain of losing a child, I really can't quite get my head around what they must be going through.
As a nation, we need prayer, and much soul searching.
On my knees in Oklahoma,
Dick
Evil
Can't get my head around it either Dick. I keep seeing a child sitting at their desk and wondering what kind of monster could shoot that child.
We've always had nuts around but something is terribly wrong lately and there are more of them with no conscience at all. Even most murderers always had a line somewhere that they didn't want to cross but it just feels like something has changed and there is no line anymore for some of them.
Initiating FUS
to dicgre1@msn.com
Surge has lots describing the transition to FUS and the key word is 'BUMP'; if you search this there will be plenty of explanation. Its more than simply swinging the arms. I find it only needs a tiny push off with the right foot and is mostly a slight forward move of the hips, and as the arms start down, a smooth transfer of weight off the rear leg and through to the forward side. That sounds so easy does'nt it! Keep ém down the middle!
Ed S