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Archive for February, 2010
February 14th, 2010 | 
Author: Tip from Bobby Eldridge
If your chin is in the correct position, and your spine is long, and your knees are flexed the correct amount, the golf club will not sole correctly on the ground until you tilt or bend over from the hips.
You do not want to bend at the waist. You always want to bend from the hips. The difference is if you bend at the waist your spine will bend (not good). If you bend at the hips you can maintain the spine angle and sole the club on the ground correctly. If you do not bend at the hips, you will not be able to sole the golf club.
When you bend over from the hips you have to make sure you do not straighten out or lock your knees. When you bend at the hips you have to pay close attention to making sure you do not bend at the bottom of the spine.
The hips play another role not related to their posture position. Your hips must be parallel to the line of the ball flight at address. If your hips are open at address you will have a tendency to open the hips too soon in the downswing. The club face will be open at impact and the golf ball will start right. If your hips are closed at address the golf club will swing too much from the inside in the downswing and the golf ball will either start right or you will struggle with a quick hook left.
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David Ledbetter likes this drill to help you establish feel and rhythm in your swing. I found this in his book The Fundamentals of Hogan
When you are in the practice area take a club in you hands with a light grip pressure and relaxed arms, then place the club just above the ball and ahead of it a couple of feet, slightly inside the target line.
Next simply swing the club back to the top and hit the shot in a normal manner. With this swing you create momentum when you start forward of the ball and this really gets you in a flowing start. You will feel the grip going first and the club head lagging ever so slightly without much thought.
The wrists cock naturally and easily through the weight and momentum of the club; your trunk is in motion, and the club seems to find the correct plane instinctively. It all adds up to a smooth transition into the downswing and an accelerated release of the club through impact.
Try it with a teed-up 7 iron and then work it to some longer clubs. Incorporate it into your practice session and you will find it will relieve some of the tension you feel at address.