The drill is structured as follows:
- Starting Position: Begin in the address position with your feet slightly wider than normal joint alignment (NJA).
- Right Hip Shift: Shift your right hip to the right while grounding your right ankle. This activates your right glute muscle, setting the stage for a powerful swing.
- Left Hip Shift: Shift back to the left, using only the muscles in the left hip area. Your right foot remains passive during this movement.
- Left Hip Turn: Extend your left hip three inches to the left, grounding your left ankle, and add a 45-degree hip rotation to the left. This rotation is achieved by pulling your left hip away from the target, not by pushing your right hip towards it.
- Hold and Return: Hold the position for a moment to internalize the feeling, then return to the address position.
Key Points:
- Engage your core muscles and glutes throughout the drill.
- Maintain flexed knees and a still upper body.
- Focus on full hip rotation, not just upper body movement.
Benefits:
- The drill improves hip turn and weight shift, contributing to a more fluid and powerful swing.
- It enhances accuracy and distance by helping you feel the correct sequence of movements in your swing.
- The drill minimizes the risk of injury by promoting biomechanically sound movements. Specifically, it naturally positions the left hip over the left ankle, preventing hyper-extension injuries.
- It helps you understand the kinetic chain, teaching you how to decelerate the hips during the downswing for efficient energy transfer.
Progression: Once you've mastered the drill without a club, you can incorporate the club into your swing. Start with short shots and gradually build up to longer shots as you become more comfortable with the movement. This drill can be practiced regularly to continually improve your hip turn, weight shift, and overall swing mechanics.
In summary, this drill encapsulates the entire active lower torso movement in a golf swing and serves as a foundational exercise for students to understand and implement these crucial mechanics. It's a multifaceted approach that addresses not just the 'how' but also the 'why,' making it an invaluable tool for anyone serious about improving their golf game.
