Some golfers struggle with weight transfer and the transition, often times hitting off their back foot. The real problem can be not knowing what causes this to happen.
Ross Bradfield recently attended a PPGS golf school in Australia and had a lot of questions for me. He must have remembered another question after the school ended because he sent it into me electronically. It had to do with how to avoid hitting off the back foot. There's actually a few different things that can cause this, so I'll go over each one in today's video.
Don,
This 79-year-old much enjoyed Sunday’s session with you. I know that faults can be caused by many factors. I meant to ask (along with my hundred other questions) how PPGS helps avoid “hitting off the back foot.” Is it the bump? Is it, in my case, with not-enough lift, downswing tempo out of whack due to too short a backswing? Put another way, how do you best get on to the front foot without swaying forward? I know you are busy, but I look forward to staying in touch.
Thanks & regards,
Ross Bradfield
Aiming to the right (of left for left handers) is usually the most common problem. Another reason could be that you lack a proper master setup position. If your right side is high instead of in the MSP, it can inhibit your transition.
Your stance might be too wide, which can make it difficult to bump and get to the T-finish. Keeping your head down too long can also have the same effect. Remember to pop up to the T-finish like a pop tart out of a toaster. Get to your finish as fast as possible (AFAP).
If I had to pick one, I'd say that alignment is the biggest culprit for hitting off your back foot. If you can avoid bad alignment and the other things I've listed above, you should have no problem with your weight transfer and swinging up to the T-finish.
Good luck and keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Comments
weight transfer
Surge,
Just got home from a practice putting session. Amazing weather here in Las Vegas this week. Switched to the Flatso 1.7 Super Stroke grip and rolling the rock nicely. On the subject of weight transfer there is another one I would add (I know there's many), and that is not pre-loading heavy right in the set up. When I do PLHR I normally have only one way to go in the forward swing and that's forward to my front foot and side. I often do the lift the back foot off the toe test at swings end to see if I really am finishing on the front foot. Okay, another is having the weight too far back on my heels when set up. Tough to transfer our weight forward and in balance if we start on our heels.
An exception for me on the PLHR is hitting my 55 and 60* wedges. These are shots normally under 85 yards. As per Kenny Knox (and other instructors) I have found that setting up with my weight on the front foot (with my shirt buttons and sternum set ahead of the ball placement) I am hitting my wedges much better. Good, clean ball first contact. Of course if we are hitting our driver or irons into a strong wind we may also set up neutral or with the weight forward. In that case I stay fairly centered and don't move onto my back foot at all during the swing.
BTW, been wondering why our friends down under have been mostly silent for a few weeks. You guys are full on into your summer golf season and should be sharing your golf adventures with us. Most of those in the States and and Europe are too cold and snowy so we'd love to hear from those golfing elsewhere. Don't worry about making us jealous, we don't during our golf season and your cold wet months LOL!!!
Here's a place north easterners can play now if desperate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGzfm-Zn9DY
Weight Transfer
Hi to All Surgites everywhere,
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year when it arrives : - )
I take the bait Robert Meade ; - ) The weather here has been extremely changeable and at times extreme!!! Today as I peck this out-it is hot and breezy. A couple of weeks between visits to the hallowed turf. My anus over ulna slips on the sodden slopes, obviously did more damage than we thought. Thankfully that has come right [eventually] and I am trying to get back to where I was ; - ] The added complication to everything else, is my wife joining me on the hallowed turf as an equal!!!!! : - ] She has joined my, now our Golf Club as a member.
This morning we were up with the lark and teed off at about 6-45am and had completed 18holes by 10-15am. Not bad considering she had never swung a club in her life! My golf was woeful for the first 9holes, to be expected after not playing for weeks : - ( Started to come right towards the finish playing the last quite demanding holes in 1over par on 18.6 h'cap. Finishing with a birdie on the last hole. So onwards and upwards. The couple of times we played together since my Heather joined the club we have played out of the one bag and trundler [trolley in NZ]. On coming home today, all that changed : - ) So instead of a mixed set to accommodate us both, she has been bequeathed my good quality spare bag and a set of Mizuno golf clubs. On the morrow we are heading to purchase a trundler for her. I can then go back to ;playing MY clubs again hahaha! Every thing will then be hunky dory ; - ]
Christmas Eve here tomorrow and the weather is turning it's nose up to us again : - ( boohoo! Soon as we got back today, it was out with the mower to cut the grass, so we can put our feet up over the next few days and prepare for our next outing.
I am not allowed to pass comments on the course aboiut her setup and swing and am granted 5minutes only to critique her round ; - ] We are still smiling and talking to one another hahaha! Sheer bliss.
Have kept up with the videos during my period of inaction but my hip pain didn't allow me to sit at the computer for long. I am still catching up on family and frieds emails.
I'll try not to be a stranger in the future.
Todays video was a welcome one indeed and your comments Robert, were the usual perceptive responses I and other Surgites have come to appreciate. As are those by R2, Kevin McGarrahan, Steve Smith and many others.
Keep on hitting them longer and straighter consistently where ever you are. Regards from godzone New Zealand. DH
DH of NZ
Dh, your Heather has caught the golf bug ah ha! Great stuff and nice to read your always entertaining and witty words. Cindy and I enjoy using our golf carts. I am often a bit rebellious as far as where I roll to. Long ago I read that uin Australia it is normal to roll straight across the green. Here that is considered unruly. I have come to appreciate it does no damage to the greens and often offers the shortest route. Same in NZ? There are very few courses that allow us to walk with or without pull/push carts any more here. The muni where we play most is one and now Los Prados allows us the walk with "trolleys"too. Normally only residents of that golf community are allowed (all others must rent motorized or electric carts). However, the old gal who runs the club house has befriended us and our frequent play there and now allows us to walk and often gives us the nine hole rate. Treating people well still is reciprocated sometimes.
Sorry to hear about your bum hip (bum). Hope the healing continues. I have been dealing with a bit of sciatica as of late. Isn't getting older grand?
Thanks for visiting us here DH. Your thoughts as are those of any and all who share in our discussions are always welcomed and missed when missing. If that made sense:) Golf on and with the wife:)
A Merry Christmas to All
Golf in Vegas
RM: How is the weather there in Vegas - is it decent for playing a few rounds of golf? I don't know how much longer I can wait - haven't hit a ball in a month now and need to find a course that will let me walk with a push-cart so I can get some exercise. My son-in-law's parents live there and said I can stay with them anytime soooo. Anyway, take care and I hope you and Cindy and family have a very nice Christmas. R2
Golf in LV
R2,
Decent for playing golf right now. 50-60* F during the day. We had a cold spell and will again between now and March but I play golf year round. If you come down here we would love to take you out for some small ball. Here is the muni we walk frequently.
http://www.lasvegasgc.com/sites/courses/layout9.asp?id=1131&page=67727
Golf in LV
R2,
Decent for playing golf right now. 50-60* F during the day. We had a cold spell and will again between now and March but I play golf year round. If you come down here we would love to take you out for some small ball. Here is the muni we walk frequently. They rent push carts but we have an extra cart and an extra set of clubs if you travel light.
http://www.lasvegasgc.com/sites/courses/layout9.asp?id=1131&page=67727
Have a Merry Christmas Roy to your Family too:)
Golf in LV
Thanks so much RM. I'll let you know if I can get away. And thanks for sending me the info on the local muni. Looks like a fun course to play. Once again, have a Great Christmas and take care. R2
DH of NZ
Hi Rusty and ALL SURGITES where ever you are.
The Following is [for me] an 'Ode To Surge'
[Or more correctly Life before the PPGS swing]
In my hand I hold a ball
White and dimpled....rather small
Oh,how bland it does appear
This harmless looking little sphere
But its size I could not guess
The awesome power it does possess
But since I fell beneath its spell
I've wandered through the fires of HELL.
My life has not been quite the same
Since I chose to play this stupid game
It rules my mind for hours on end
A fortune it has made me spend
It has made me curse and made me cry
And hate myself and want to die
It promises me a thing called Par
If I hit it straight and far
To master such a tiny ball
Should not be very hard at all
But my desires the ball refuses
And does exactly as it chooses
It hooks and slices, dribbles and dies
And disappears before my eyes
Often it will have a whim
To hit a tree or take a swim
With miles of sand on which to land
It finds a tiny patch of sand
Then having me offering up my soul
If only it would find the hole
It's made me whimper like a pup
And swear that I will give it up
And take to drink to ease my sorrow
But the ball knows....I'll be BACK TOMORROW!!!
All the above is a reminder to me of life before Surge and the Surge Nation changed my life forever : - ]
Words can never convey the sheer joy the PPGS swing continues to give me every day, in one way or another.
To RusstyKiwi, Robert Meade,Roy Reed, and so many other Surgites May Christmas bring you peace, happiness and fullfilment in every way.
From a stormy Christmas Day here in New Zealand.
Thankyou Surge, Dave Seeman, Doc Griffin and not forgetting the behind the scenes support team of the Surge nation.God Bless you All
DH and DL
Ode to Surge
DH, I'm stealing that one. Too good not to share. ;0)
Merry Christmas and have a blessed New Year.
DH of NZ
DH: Great to hear from you! We've missed your input so I'm glad you are back on board again. Wish I could find my grass to cut - we are buried here in Utah - today we broke the old 1967 record for the most snow received in December. Anyway, I hope your hip and other assorted body parts keep healing so you can continue your quest for the perfect golf game! Don't you just love this great game?!!! Take care and have a Very Merry Christmas! R2
DH of NZ
R2, Thanks for your kind words. Here Christmas Eve we had a real douzie of a storm and today Christmas Day by mid to late morning the sun was beating down. Now early afternoon it is hot and sunny ??? Here it seems the weather forecast is a bit like 'global warming' hahaha! Tossing a coin is just as good.
Hope that the snow does a runner from Utah sooner than expected
You take care and have A brilliant Christmas.
DH and DL
Merry Xmas
Merry Xmas & a happy new year to you DH, & the Surge nation. Bit of a bugger about the hip, but good to see your back into it now, & having the better half join you, is the icing on the cake. Things are a bit dry up here at the moment, so I don't mind the rain at this time of year, as it's money in the bank for the farmers, heading into the dry period. I've been playing a couple of times a week, with 9 hole twilight on Thursday, & I like to get an early start for 18 on Sunday. I bought a new 3 wood/ driver a couple of weeks ago [x hot 3 deep] & getting another 25 to 30 meters out of it, once I worked out how to hit it. Managed to birdie our longest hole [516 mtrs] on Sunday, using the new 3 wood, then 5 wood, to get about 20 mtrs from the green. So I'm fairly excited about my new club & couldn't believe the extra distance.
As for today's tip from Surge, & my back foot antics . If I had a dollar for every time I have hit off the back foot, I would be a wealthy man. If I find myself doing it I will narrow my stance a bit to stop over doing things, & think about those Chinese mates of yours ,Tem po & Ti ming.
Good luck with the golf DH, & all the best for the festive season.Cheers Russty
Merry Christmas
Russty,
Have a great Christmas and a BETTER New Year in all respects. The Ode I sent above [which a fellow Kiwi sent me a short while ago] was brought to mind when reading your comment. I wrote the ode out again yesterday Christmas Eve, then after pecking it all out I deleted the darned thing [I titled it differently and when I clicked on it-it wouldn't send after I had prevued it : - ( boohoo~! Hence sending it after pecking it out again this Christmas morning]
A srormy night here Christmas Eve, but you wouldn't believe it if you saw the sunshine at the moment~!!! The rain was needed for gardens and you good folk in the north. Keep on keeping on mate.
Good luck with your golf and have a better holiday weather wise
DH and DL
Achieving solid contact with irons
I'm a 6 handicap but about 1/2 my iron swings are hit with slightly thin contact. Strangely, I have noticed that when I hit punch irons into the wind they are always very solid. Any thoughts on this?
Derrel Baker
Slightly thin
Derrel, Interesting you say your punch shots into the wind are solid. I too actually can play better in the wind. I am sure this is for several reasons. For example I know for me when I am hitting to the wind my swing is more likely to be only 3/4's. Needing to be precise my focus is sharper. I tend to set up with my weight more neutral and have a very balanced stance. Wanting to keep the ball straight and not ballooning, just really precise. As a result sometimes those are the best shots I hit too. Maybe if we could harness that same kind of precision on normal shots from the middle of the fairways on nice windless days, both thin and fat shots would be more rare.
Possibly, shots that require precision like in the wind, under a tree branch, around or over a tree- the need to shape a shot helps us have less to think about such as score, the last hole, the next hole, our job or whatever else can distract us when the shot is not demanding. Maybe none of this applies to the answer you need. So here is a daily that covered it.
https://www.swingsurgeon.com/daily-video-tips/reasons-hitting-thin-shots
Simply beautiful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckT9nwQLpLg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuVXN623G2w
Keeping head down too long/ another rotational swing holdover
Keeping the head down too long, started to be a problem for me after spending a lot of time in the last few months, learning to drop the club in the slot. It took me a while to realize, that once the club was in the slot, I could be a lot more aggressive with the right side without coming over the top. Using Surge's feeling of getting the upper right upper arm brushing against the chest, after dropping it in the slot gave me a simple way to get the right side more involved. This gave me a freewheeling instead of overcontrolled FUS, with more club head speed. It also encourages a good weight transfer and eliminated my old tendency to keep the head down too long and not fully T-finish.
Happy Holidays
To Don , Brady, and all of the support group and especially to all the Surgites I want to wish a very Merry Christmas to you all.
Hal
And a Happy Holidays to you
And a Happy Holidays to you as well! I'm cooking up something for everyone for Xmas :) Watch your inbox!
More arm speed
The following drill may be compatible with the Surge swing, in that it stresses more arm speed, with a quiet lower body playing a supporting role. The comments after the short video answered some of my questions about dropping the club in the slot and generating more arm speed.
http://www.shawnhumphries.com/training/tip-arm-speed-vs-body-speed/?utm_source=p-
Arms
Dave,
Interesting links as usual. Yes this seems to be in harmony with Surge. I noticed in the comments the reminder to keep the right shoulder back. Faster while still in balance is one key for me.
More arm speed
dneveritt
This drill will might work. Humphries teaches a flatter swing plane than The Master Surge teaches I would watch using to many of his tips with the PPGS.
A valid warning
Mike,
I do find a lot of good short game tips on his site. I probably do have too much time on my hands and spend more time than I should surfing the net. As you say, one has to be very selective and only use ideas from other sites that are compatible with the Surge swing. There is no way that I'm going to mess too much with something that is working so well. That being said, even after 3 years with Surge, I'm enough of a tinkerer, to still be looking for and occasionally finding ways, to help me do it better. My first source of information, however, is always the Surge website and archives.
Dave