If you've all been watching the WGC Match Play championship duel between Jason Day and Victor Dubuisson today, you've seen some incredible recovery shots. Being able to get up and down like the pros can be tough, but if you hold your knees steady and maintain proper balance, you set yourself up to accomplish any type of shot.
I received a question about knee placement at impact from Lee Krueger. He seems to be experiencing some trouble finding consistency with the start of his downswing. He thinks that he's moving his right knee too much and wondered if he should be holding both knees steady while he makes contact with the ball.
I have been following your swing and it has produced good results. There is only one problem and that is the right knee as I start the downswing. The bump is there and I've recently found myself moving the right knee forward before I hit the ball. Do I hold the knee steady until the exact time I hit the ball? It seems to work some times but I would like that question answered if possible.
We are behind the ball at impact, which goes against the norm in most golf instruction. This means that you cannot let your knees break down before impact, otherwise you'll get yourself in front of the ball.
Pay close attention to today's video as I'll demonstrate exactly how your knees should move from the start of the swing to the finish. Remember, the knees are the bees...move them too much and you'll get stung!
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Comments
Knee Position
Was reluctant to open this video, thought it may have bedroom scenes in it, LOL
Knees
That hand slap at impact drill is a great one for reinforcing when to fire the back leg and fire up to the T finish. Good reminder as it seems so easy to start moving too much back and through. The steady knees are the bees.
Last week got to play with two of my 3 children at the Mountain Angle Park golf course. We had a blast. Nothing beats time with family and getting my adult kids on the links is too much fun.Tough course. What made it most challenging was how fast the greens were. Been playing at muni where the greens are like the Martian landscape! They are slow and bumping but at least I am used to them:) Forgot how to putt on nice greens. Finally started judging the speeds better on the back nine.
Really enjoyed seeing much of the finals of the match play today. Dubuisson gave Day all he could handle. Awesome match. Wish they had that format more often. It's exciting stuff. Glad to see Ernie playing well again. His counter balanced putter is going well and seems he's all done with the belly now. Good form.
Knees
Hi, Surge:
I look forward each day to seeing your daily videos, however, for some reason I seem to be hitting the ball thin. I guess in golf it's always something, but God bless you for the PPGS. My back does not hurt any more, and at 63 and in good physical shape I thank you every day.
Best wishes,
Steve Greenwald
Thin
Steve,
Jim shared some good thoughts on why we hit thin on occasion. I know in my case it can be as simple as moving off the ball and not turning around my steady spine. Another cause is not maintaining what I call "long arms". Allowing my leading left arm to bend too much in the back swing and not having both arms relatively straight at impact and then the right long and straight going to the finish.
Here are some other thoughts from Surge:
https://www.swingsurgeon.com/daily-video-tips/reasons-hitting-thin-shots
Long Arms
Robert, like your comment about long arms which is my biggest loss of power and accuracy. Surge's drill showed two critical left arm positions that help reinforce long arms. First, at set-up, the left arm is straight and sometimes I set up and have a bend in the left arm to start. The second is that at impact the left is straight and square to start position. When I focus on maintaining that straight left arm it is a dramatic change in distance. That was a good question and answers. Thanks, Kevin McCarthy
Long arm- string/rock benefit
Kevin, you are so right about the power loss thing. It's as simple as Surges explanation about the string and rock. Any untimely break of the string-left during the back swing and if they are not both straight at impact, along with the right needing to continue relatively straight in the up swing until the arms fold over the left shoulder at the end before the recoil and relax. I think that sometimes we can have too much bending without realizing it. Video or a trusted friend will let us SEE it even if we don't otherwise know aside from chunks,thins and chicken wings (that we didn't order -lol!). One of the causes (in my case) is too much tension in the upper arms and shoulders. It can sneak up on me as the round progresses. This may be another explanation as to why many of us have the nice relaxed swing over the first few holes and then get a bit out of control later in the round. Or is that just me? Often I'll realize it and then play better the last few holes. Something to monitor, tension. Long arms and slow down is the message to self:) Breath.
Just saw your response as
Just saw your response as have been busy building new home in Scottsdale after moving here a few months back from Kansas. Always enjoy reading your insights. I have wondered about the change in game feel of the muscles during the round and your mention of tension is correct. I remember Surge had a physical therapist on staff at the beginning of my joining about 3-4 years ago and he had a suggestion that during the latter part of the round, you reverse your swing, ie, go from right hand to left in order to restore the feel of the muscles. I will try and combine that with the concept of a relaxed swing as you mention. Oh, and breathe. Ha Kevin
Thin hit?
Steve;
I too can do that in my PPGS, which I've been using since 2008! I do agree it is a healthy blessing for an aching back - and we can play the game well with it.
What I believe causes some of my thin tendencies are using the pre-loaded heavy right to an extreme. Yes, it's correct to start with more wt. on the back foot at the start, but if you combine that with an over tilt back, then add your secondary spine tilt gained from the bump, you may be swinging up before the clubhead reaches the necessary bottom of its arc into the ball and abit of grass in front of it.
You can also experiment with ball placement front to back. We are all built different, so I don't know why slight changes in this area couldn't hurt - it may be you will connect with more solid shots either more forward or back of the ideal PPGS ball position (as I do).
Good luck, Jim.
Staying behind the ball
Surge,
Great lesson today. Thanks. I'm wondering, however, if some viewers were momentarily confused today about "staying behind the ball." As you well know and always teach, the hands must always be ahead of the ball at impact.
Just a thought.
Thanks so much for your outstanding instruction. Keep up the good work.
Ed Robbins
Reidsville,NC