how to use knees in golf swing

Folding your right knee (for a right-handed player) as you address the ball, then maintaining your knee in a flexed position for most of your swing, is a key element in sound golf swing technique, according to PGA

professional Carl Rabito.

Full Answer

How to bend your knees in the golf swing?

You should stand with your feet hip-width apart and parallel to each other. As for your knees, they should both be slightly flexed. Make sure that you don’t enter a sitting chair position, though. The idea is simply to prevent your knees from locking during the backswing, so a slight bend in the knees should do the trick.

What golf swing is easier for knee and back problems?

• It doesn’t matter if you’re too short, too tall or too out of shape…
• It doesn’t matter if you’ve got arthritis, a bad back or a bum knee…
• It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner, or have been struggling at golf for decades…
• And… it doesn’t matter if you don’t think enjoying golf can be this easy…

How much knee bend is needed in golf?

The basics of the golf set up position require approximately a 45 degree tilt forward from the hips, known as the spine angle. The knees should be flexed slightly and the arms hang directly down tension free below the shoulders and above the toes. Finally, the weight should be positioned on the balls of your feet.

How sitting can screw up your golf swing?

13 Rules of Golf Etiquette

1. Show Up Early. This is one of the easiest things to do yet so many people still make this mistake every single day.
2. Obey The Cart Path Rules. If you’re new to the game, you probably think golf carts are the best thing ever. ...
3. Warm Up with Three Balls. ...
4. Don’t Talk While Others Are Hitting. ...
5. Talk to Competitors Shots. ...

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How should the knees work in the golf swing?

In golf the knees are imperative for a solid golf swing. During the takeaway the arms and left shoulder initiate the takeaway while the lower body remains still....LESSONS.Allow a small front knee flex to aid full turnVideoArticleHold Onto The Right Knee Position To Stop Golf Backswing SwayVideoArticle9 more rows

Do you use your knees in golf?

3:104:17THE GOLF SWING KNEE ACTION - HOW TO USE YOUR ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd that's what's going to give you the ability for your feet to talk to the ground and give you aMoreAnd that's what's going to give you the ability for your feet to talk to the ground and give you a rotational lever to be able to twist and rotate your pelvis.

Should you bend your knees in golf swing?

The basics of the golf set up position require approximately a 45 degree tilt forward from the hips, known as the spine angle. The knees should be flexed slightly and the arms hang directly down tension free below the shoulders and above the toes.

How do you keep your knees bend in golf?

0:112:04Golf Swing Tips : How to Keep Knees Flexed in the Golf Swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf i get my weight back on my heels my tendency is real high to straighten my leg on the backswing.MoreIf i get my weight back on my heels my tendency is real high to straighten my leg on the backswing. And that's where most people do they start out pretty flexed.

How do I incorporate my legs in my golf swing?

2:467:46How to Use Your Legs in The Golf Swing | Try This Simple ExerciseYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPosition where i can really leverage the ground. Create lots of force lots of power. And send thatMorePosition where i can really leverage the ground. Create lots of force lots of power. And send that ball as far as you can if you look at any of the longest.

How do you activate your legs in the golf swing?

Drills to Engrain Proper Footwork and Leg Action in the Golf SwingOne of the best is to grab a golf club with both hands.Put one hand on the grip and one down by the head.Then rest the club across your waist.Take imaginary “swings” while just focusing on the twist of the waist in the backswing.More items...

Should right knee stay flexed during backswing?

The key to making a proper shift into your right leg as you swing back is to maintain some flex in your right knee. It will help prevent you from overshifting. Keeping the knee flexed also will put you in a tighter body coil at the top, so you can fire into the ball with more speed.

Do you bend knees when putting?

While you crouch over the golf ball to putt, you need to be in the correct position. You should have a slight knee flex in your putting stance. If your knees are locked, you're straining your back too much.

How important is knee flex in golf?

Playing From the Ground Up Good golf is played from the ground up, meaning that your feet, legs, and hips initiate the downswing. If your knees are flexed properly, you can activate the lower body well before your shoulders, arms, and hands get involved. The correct sequence of motion is critical.

What does the right knee do in the golf downswing?

1:058:18GOLF: How The Right Leg Works In The Downswing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe right leg would extend. Then as we come down it flexes. And then it would extend again and thenMoreThe right leg would extend. Then as we come down it flexes. And then it would extend again and then start turning the knee. And the um. The femur bone would start turning through the ball.

What does it mean to flex your knee?

1 : a bending movement around a joint in a limb (as the knee or elbow) that decreases the angle between the bones of the limb at the joint — compare extension sense 2. 2 : a forward raising of the arm or leg by a movement at the shoulder or hip joint. More from Merriam-Webster on flexion.

Should trail legs straighten in backswing?

2:344:49How the Trail Leg Straightens and Loses Flex Properly in the BackswingYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd then you can make the down swing from there that's more gradual. We do not want the trail legMoreAnd then you can make the down swing from there that's more gradual. We do not want the trail leg straightening and losing flex. Just literally for the sake of straightening and losing. Flex.

Is golfing hard on the knees?

While the knees are built to withstand all kinds of stresses, one wrong move can cause serious damage. Knee injuries aren't common in golf, but they do occur, and engaging in the sport may aggravate existing knee problems.

How do you keep your legs quiet in golf?

0:352:03How to Keep Your Lower Body Quiet in the Golf Swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou flip it over you squeeze it between your feet. And you start hitting shots with. It. It's thatMoreYou flip it over you squeeze it between your feet. And you start hitting shots with. It. It's that simple.

How can seniors improve their golf swing?

4:467:493 Golf Setup Tips for Senior Golfers (Vertical Line Swing) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMore you can get more up and down or what we call vertical. Or you can move side to side okay thinkMoreMore you can get more up and down or what we call vertical. Or you can move side to side okay think of other things when i go to throw a ball i start on my lead foot i go to my trail foot.

Does golf cause osteoarthritis?

Yes, It's Possible! Arthritis can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints that can interfere with daily activities and make physical activity difficult. You may be tempted to give up physical activity altogether to avoid pain.

How to fold your knee in golf?

How to Fold the Knee in the Golf Swing. Rory McIlroy flexes his knees at the top of his swing. Folding your right knee (for a right-handed player) as you address the ball, then maintaining your knee in a flexed position for most of your swing, is a key element in sound golf swing technique, according to PGA professional Carl Rabito.

Why do golfers need flexible knees?

Flexible knees help golfers perform a proper body turn during the swing.

How to get more power on a golf shot?

Gain more power on your shots, particularly off the tee, by folding your knee during the downswing, says golf instructor Jim McLean. McLean advocates flexing your right knee “slightly” at address, then increasing the flex as you begin the downswing. The right knee “should be pointing at the target line in front of the ball” just before ...

How to get wider arc in downswing?

Keeping the right knee flexed until at least the midpoint in the downswing helps keep your right heel on the ground for a longer time, which in turn gives you a wider downswing arc. This wider arc is particularly important when you’re swinging with a sweeping motion -- as opposed to hitting down on the ball -- such as when you’re teeing off ...

Turning the hips correctly in the golf swing

One of the most common mistakes amateur or mid handicap golfers make is sliding, rather than turning.

Knee Flex: How much is enough?

Much like rotation of the hips, a lack of knee flex can be a symptom of poor flexibility, pain or general tightness in the hips and joints.

Weight shift: Making the right move

When making a swing in golf, weight should shift into the back foot and right side of the body during the back swing. In order to avoid swaying, the weight should be focused more towards the inside of the right foot.

How do pros use their legs in the golf swing?

While all of the information above is important for a good all-round golf swing for anyone at any level, the pros often add more explosive elements to their shots through increased leg action.

Final message

The legs are pivotal to the golf swing, with three key elements necessary to strike it with the power an accuracy of a single-figure handicapper. They are:

How to get good leg movement in golf?

Your knees need to follow your hips during the swing, and it is critical to keep your feet in place at all times. Place a golf club on the ground, and then line your feet up with the club, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart. For a few moments just stand with your feet apart flexing your knees up and down. This helps to loosen your knees up, and it gets you thinking about where your legs are in your stance.

Where is the power of a golf swing?

The power of a golf swing is in the hips, but the direction and accuracy is in the legs. If you are not properly using your legs in your swing, you have no control over where the ball will go.

How to get your legs to loosen up?

Place a golf club on the ground, and then line your feet up with the club, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart . For a few moments just stand with your feet apart flexing your knees up and down. This helps to loosen your knees up, and it gets you thinking about where your legs are in your stance.

How to get your golf club back to the ground?

Step 2. After a few minutes of stretching, take your other club in your hands and extend your arms fully. Keep your back straight, and flex at the knees to get the club head to the ground as though you were addressing the ball. Now practice bringing your club back and making sure your knees follow your hips.

What happens if your back foot comes up on a swing?

If your back foot starts to come up on your back swing, start over and keep working on it until you can keep your foot down. If you allow your foot to come up then it will slip on your follow-through and you will lose much of your power and accuracy.

What leg should be up on the toes when you follow through?

On your follow-through, your front leg will act as the anchor. It will turn with your hips, but not nearly as much as your back leg will. When you are done with your follow-through, the knee of your back leg should be pointing the direction your ball went and your back foot should be up on its toes with the heel pointing directly away from the flight of the ball.

Why is it important to use a position in golf?

The benefit of using such a position is that it is quite stable, enabling you to remain in perfect balance as you perform your golf swing. It is also easy to replicate over and over again, a crucial component in your quest for swing consistency.

Why do golfers stand tall?

Finally, golfers who stand tall at address often do so in order to protect themselves from fat shots. Adopting such a position puts them as far from the ball as their knee position alone will allow. On the flip side, these golfers are at a heightened risk of thinning shots.

Can knee flex cause standing up at impact?

So a golfer with a lot of knee flex can suffer from the standing up at impact swing error.

Do golfers stand up in front of the ball?

Rather than adopting more of an athletic position that a golf swing requires these golfers will seem to almost be standing up in front of the ball. One of the issues that arise with this setup is that it tends to move the weight towards the toes, instead of towards the middle of the feet.

Where should your hands be hanging loose down your arms?

Your hands will be hanging loose down your arms which will be perpendicular to the ground, all the while providing plenty of room between your knees and your hands.

Do golfers bend their knees?

At one end of the spectrum you will find golfers who bend their knees too much. Rather than allowing a small but definitive knee bend, these golfers will drop much lower to the ground than they need to. In doing so, they will bring their knees close to their hands, which they will need to extend out in order for the two to avoid being on ...