The Importance of Hip Rotation in the Golf Swing

By on August 16, 2010, 8:10 am

There are almost as many theories about the golf swing as there are instructors. And one of the least understood aspects of the swing is the rotation of the hips to “open” position just before impact.

Most contemporary golf teachers see a need to “clean the hips, just before the point of impact” to get your hips to the road out of hand. According to this theory, if you do not “clearly the hands of his hips and arms will be hindered and will not be able to attack the ball with power.

This is sometimes used as an explanation of why an overly “vertical” position is not a good thing. According to this line of thought, when you get too close to the ball in his hands not be able to make a pass in front of his own body, because the hips off starts.

But while hip rotation is very important to the effectiveness of the golf swing, not the hips are on the way to something. In fact, I see that this idea of “clearing the hips” a lot of sense. The hips are not in the way of your hands. In fact, rotating your hips toward the goal of shooting the other hand back and hips is more in the way if you do not rotate.

Most of us – whether we rotate a lot or not – not in the habit of hitting the hips with your hands when you swing our golf clubs. The reason is simple: the hips do not find in the way of our swing, and propose an explanation of the importance of hip rotation is simply untrue.

In my own research on the course and in my basement “lab”, I found that the rotation of the hip in effect put the club into a more powerful engine, the most direct route to the ball entering the point of impact. But I can say, this has very little to do with your hips the way to the hands.

What happens when you rotate your hips is that you can get the shoulders and arms in the optimal position of power. This happens because the upper and lower body move in synchrony. In the golf swing, as in most other movements that affects the human body, upper body, including the shoulders and arms, move in harmony and in response to movement of the lower body – hips and legs.

Think of a hitter in baseball. These classic photographs of Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson or Barry Bonds in contact with the bullet always tells the same story. His arms are fully extended, hips are rotated to an open position, the head is back, and are in perfect balance with most of their weight now centered on the front leg and hip. In fact, using its front legs and hips as the pivot around which their upper body shot. Take that pivot – swing with just the shoulders and arms – and you find much less fluid, less coordinated and less powerful swing.

In the golf swing that regard, upper and lower body is less obvious because the golf swing is a combination of vertical and horizontal. But the principle is the same. The rotation of the hips draws his torso and earn their place in the position of right shoulder (left shoulder in the case of a right-handed) at the point of impact. Ben Hogan described this movement of the hip as a matter of pulling the lead hip and back against the wall – one of the most useful images in all golf courses.

Try it in slow motion. Place the club head swing path about 18 “-24″ behind the ball (inside / arc). Make sure your team leader and the arm is straightened as they should be in the position of impact. Now, turn your hips to move the clubhead to the ball (with hands and arms locked in the position above.)

Note that when the clubhead reaches the ball, your hips are “allowed”, and shoulder shot lead as well. The main arm is in a position to “correct” with the arm and club shaft forming a line more or less directly to the ball.

Now, choose your club and swing horizontally, like a baseball bat. If you have had baseball training at all, your hips will naturally lead the swing and shoulders, arms and “bat” will follow.

In fact, try to make an “all arms” swing without hip rotation awkward and uncoordinated. Her arms will not be able to maintain the momentum that will carry them to a natural finish. That’s why golfers who are not “finish” their swing by turning your body is often commit the club to the starting position.

The basic principle is one taught by golf teachers since teachers have begun analyzing the swing: upper body follows lower body. Getting a better appreciation of this principle may have a positive impact on your golf swing.

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