* Do you have problems with topping
golf ball? * Do you hit ground behind ball? * Do you sometimes hit golf ball with weak and high results? * Do you feel a loss of power with some of your swings with any club? * Do you have problems hitting ball near sweet spot of clubface?All of these problems (and more) could be happening because your hips move in various directions during all parts of your swing movements. If your hips are moving about then you know that your legs are moving. Your body will also be moving or it will be twisting and hunching out of good posture.
This instructional article will show you what to do to stop "wandering hips" from ruining your golf swing. And, solution is unusual and will demand some attention in your early efforts to control your hips.
On my website I have a video clip which shows too much hip movement in my swing. This hip sway causes an unstable and weak foundation. It is difficult to generate power because this swaying places you in unnatural positions.
The golf swing demands balance. Swaying hips will cause loss of balance or a feeling that you are about to lose your balance. Your mind quickly senses loss of power and loss of balance. Instinctively, messages go to your arms and hands to do something to make up for a weakening swing. Almost always hands or arms make a wrong move or a movement which is out of time with leg and body movements.
In this clip you can also see that my forward sway causes my club to reach bottom of its swing arc past ball towards my right foot (I'm a leftie.) This would result in poor contact of golf ball or a complete miss.
THE MOVEMENT WHICH ALLOWS HIP SWAY
Years ago a friend told me that my hips wandered erratically during my golf swing. He also said that there was no pattern in hip movements from swing to swing.
We did not have a golf pro to turn to for help on this. I had to solve problem on my own.
I used to teach physical education from Grades 1 to 9. I recalled various age groups of young people trying to learn athletic movements for some of sports.
Why were my hips moving? I could stop them from doing this but I had to give too much attention to them during my swing. Even tightening my hip muscles did not solve problem.
I stood in front of a floor length mirror and did my impression of Elvis Presley (uh, late rock and roll guy who could really sway his hips.)
OK! At least I wiggled my hips around while watching what was happening in mirror.
If I moved my hips in any direction my back would arch out of its natural upright position. This is not good to have golf swing movements with your back out of position. Golf's 'bad back cemetery' is too full of former golfers who succumbed to injured backs. (By way, techniques which I teach for basic swing movements and control did bring one man out of this back injury. He was able to golf with his grandson and his former golf buddies.)
