Fairways and Greens, Slide Or Sway?
2http://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports/2017/03/05/fairways-greens-swing-tip-month-slide-sway/98707324/
Written: Rob Krieger, Fairways & Greens
Photos: Rob Krieger
The articles this month will focus on providing swing tips for different parts of the game or golf swing. The first installment discusses “Sliding” or “Swaying” because there is a lot of confusion as to what they are and what motion qualifies for either one.
The Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) has done countless hours working with students medically and bio-mechanically, and for my TPI certification, the distinction between the two became very clear. Both problems involve the legs, the transfer of power, stabilization of the body and the shifting of weight which requires a lateral move of the body. For the right-handed player, a sway is away from the target and to the right while a slide is to the left of the target.
SWAYING
This movement is away from the ball and in the backswing where the hips move laterally and the back foot either rolls to its outside or the hip gets outside of the right foot at the top of the backswing.
To correct, take your backswing and shift the weight laterally to the back of your foot so that the weight goes to the inside of the back foot and creates a firm post for the body and then rotate around it. Your weight may even favor going toward the heel. You should feel this in your right glute. This is a loaded, stable and a very powerful position which means your body is ready to transfer energy from the back foot (post) to the front foot (post) to begin the downswing. You are not swaying if you shift your weight to your back foot, only if it is in excess and puts your body in a non-stabilized position.
For example, baseball players in the batter’s box, dig their back foot into the dirt on the inside, not the back outside part of the foot.
SLIDE
This movement is back towards the ball from the top of the backswing where the lateral movement is too severe. To start the downswing the body must have a small lateral shift of weight from the back foot to the front foot to create a post (stable foundation) for the lower and upper body to rotate around.
The weight eventually gets to the outside of the front foot, but the weight must be on the inside to the middle of the front foot before impact, and then roll to the outside of the foot. This is different from in the backswing where the weight should never get to the outside of the foot. To correct, start the downswing with a slight bump of the hip toward the target laterally then rotate the hips. If still struggling, try focusing more on moving your sternum at the same time as the lower body, just as long as the body moves before the arms.
I hope that provides some clarity…as always…Fairways & Greens!
Rob Krieger is the Director of Instruction at the Southgate GC Driving Range & The Red Rock Golf Center at Green Valley Spa. For more information on this article or lessons, contact Rob via email at rob@sgugolf.com or at 435-680-1851.
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Music: Dream
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