Having used a dozen different pros since 1974, I have heard it both ways on the front foot/heel. A raising left heel can help some with weight shift if you snap the heel down on your followthrough. A still left heel is a good thing if you have trouble overswinging (that's why I keep mine still).
How can I improve my foot positions in my golf swing?
Many of these amateur golfers can eliminate poor swings just by making an adjustment in the positioning of their feet. Positioning your feet correctly will promote the proper balance and hip turn throughout the swing. Both proper balance and hip turn are necessary for making a consistently good swing.
What is the best way to finish a golf swing?
Finish with your left foot flat and your right heel directly over the toes of your right foot. Your weight should be almost entirely on the left foot at the finish of the golf swing. Lee Elder broke down racial barriers throughout his career and paved the way for others.
What foot do you hit the ball with on the backswing?
As your hips turn on the backswing the majority of your weight will shift to your right foot. Transfer your weight back to your left foot as you swing down and through the ball to your finish. Finish with your left foot flat and your right heel directly over the toes of your right foot.
How should I position my feet when I hit the target?
Align your feet parallel to your target line. Turn your left foot out toward the target about 20 degrees, relative to the target line. This will allow your hips to turn toward the target at impact and during the follow-through. This will also promote a proper weight shift to your left foot on the follow-through.
How to activate lower body during golf swing?
Your feet might be the least of your worries now, but by focusing on a few small tweaks in your heels and toes , you can help activate your lower body throughout your swing. “Foot action determines so many things within the golf swing that it’s almost indescribable,” Jack Nicklaus says.
How does Jack Nicklaus explain the golf swing?
Jack Nicklaus explains how your feet are holding back your swing. Jack Nicklaus breaks down how to fix up your feet throughout your golf swing. One of the most common misconceptions about the golf swing is the importance of the lower body. Sure, your upper body is doing the hard work — striking the ball and pulling the club through ...
joepro23
What does your front foot (left foot for righties) do during the swing? Also, does front foot movement or non-movement have any impact on distance or accuracy? When I was younger I actually used to pick up my left foot off the ground significantly during the swing. I heard from someone that doing that was making me lose distance.
PingGKEN
Keeping my left foot down was one of the main things that my instructor had me working on. Lifting my foot was allowing my hips to turn way too much on the backswing and causing all kinds of unnecessary movement. But, hey, I know a lot of golfers who are pretty good and they lift their leading foot....so to each his own.
The Recreational Golfer
When I swing barefoot in the house, my left foot spins in place on the toes to end up pointing more toward the target. Can't do that with shoes on, but I since that foot wants to turn, I wonder if it would be beneficial if it were allowed to turn when I play? Might deal some hurt to the bottom of my foot in finding out, though.
Wekims
Yes it does but I'm working on not lifting it. When my foot lifts on the backswing, I sway and my balance is off. Plus, I don't get as much torque. I get much better contact, better balance, and more consitensy if I can just keep my stupid left foot steady!
WUTiger
Having used a dozen different pros since 1974, I have heard it both ways on the front foot/heel. A raising left heel can help some with weight shift if you snap the heel down on your followthrough. A still left heel is a good thing if you have trouble overswinging (that's why I keep mine still).
The Recreational Golfer
I heard Peter Kostis talk on a tournament broadcast this summer about the point of view that the left foot was not supposed to move during the backswing, and he said, "I must have missed that memo." He said there is nothing wrong with it staying on the ground or lifting off it, and for golfers who lack flexibility it should come off the ground.
jerry g
my left heel comes off the ground during the backswing and i turn my foot toward the target during the downswing, or at the top of my backswing. i had a left ankle injury at one time and keeping that foot anchored just would not work for me. only one person has ever commented about that to me.
How to get weight shift on left foot?
Turn your left foot out toward the target about 20 degrees, relative to the target line. This will allow your hips to turn toward the target at impact and during the follow-through. This will also promote a proper weight shift to your left foot on the follow-through.
How to get backswing balance?
Keep your right foot square, or perpendicular to the target line. This will help you rotate the proper amount with your hips on the backswing. Rotating too much with your hips on the backswing can pull you off balance.
How to put a golf club in a shotgun?
Step 1. Grip the club and step up to the ball with your feet together. Square the clubface to your target before taking your stance, then take a shoulder-width stance and position the ball properly. Position the ball 3 to 4 inches inside the left heel (for a right-handed golfer) for a standard iron shot. Position the ball off the inside of the left ...
What is shoulder width stance?
Golfer with a shoulder-width stance. The way you set up your stance can have a direct effect on your golf swing and shot. Amateur golfers too often set up in a position that makes a proper swing difficult to execute. Many of these amateur golfers can eliminate poor swings just by making an adjustment in the positioning of their feet.
How to know if you're going to lunge on the downswing?
PGA instructor Mike Malaska claims he can tell if you are likely to lunge on the downswing by how you set up to the ball. He looks for excessive tension in your arms and hands. Tension, Malaska says, interferes with your ability to hinge and unhinge your wrists properly. Because your can’t get leverage from your wrists, you start to overuse your shoulders, particularly on the downswing. Malaska recommends keeping your arms and hands relaxed during the swing. He says this makes it easier to start the downswing with the lower body. As a result, you will find it easier to keep your upper body behind the ball coming down.
Why should you feel like gravity pulls your arms down to the ball?
You should feel like gravity pulls your arms down to the ball to avoid any deliberate attacking motion with the upper torso. As a result, Brewer says you should feel the club come into the ball on a shallow, inside path.
What does lunge do to the golf ball?
The upper-body lunge usually sends the club over the top, resulting in slices and pulls. If you tend to lunge at the ball, you can improve your downswing with a few tips and drills from teaching professionals.
How to do anti lunge drills?
Brewer suggests two anti-lunge drills. The first drill is designed to teach you to feel gravity pulling your arms down. He wants you to stand up straight and extend your arms out from your sides. Then, relax your muscles and let your arms fall. That’s what the gravity fall should feel like on the downswing.
How to calm down a lunging upper body?
On the downswing, he wants you to feel like your back stays turned away from the target as your arms start down. You should feel like gravity pulls your arms down to the ball to avoid any deliberate attacking motion with the upper torso. As a result, Brewer says you should feel the club come into the ball on a shallow, inside path.
What Does it Mean to Have Your Weight Forward in Your Golf Swing?
Having your weight forward in a golf swing means that instead of having a 50-50 weight distribution at address, the golfer has at least 55% of his weight toward his front foot.
Should Your Weight Be on Your Front Foot During a Golf Swing?
Yes, to ensure maximum distance and a fluid swing, there must be a proper weight transfer during the swing at some point before impact.
Pros of the Weight Forward Golf Swing
There are lots of advantages to adopting a weight-forward golf swing. Here is a list of some of those benefits.
Cons of the Weight Forward Golf Swing
As most golfers know, there are positives and negatives to every type of golf swing. Here are some of the cons of adopting a weight-forward golf swing.
Common Golf Swing Weight Shift Problems
We already mentioned this one a few times but we’ll list it here as well. This is when the golfer shifts their weight to their back leg during the backswing but never shifts it to their front leg during the downswing.
Drills to Help You Practice Weight Transfer During Your Swing
Here’s a fun drill that doesn’t require any special items. When practicing your swing at the driving range, try to do a toe tap with your back foot while completing your follow-through. This is a great drill to do as part of your warm-up before a round of golf.