Open that lead hip

[leftylucas]

Man, I need help. I have always had very quick hips but it is very frustrating because now on my down swing I open my hips so quickly that I am hitting the ball dead straight to the right of my target (I am a lefty). It is not as noticeable with my driver but with my irons on a full swing, whamo, dead right. It is only abouyt 10-13 yds off target but frustrating because the ball flight is nice and straight.

Does any one know of a drill to help keep me on my lead leg a little longer to avoid turning so much that I keep pulling this way?

Thanks

[mberube]

Setup to the ball and then take a step back with you back foot. In your case, the left foot. Hit the ball with your left foot back. This drill will make you hit from the inside and prevent the over turning of the hips.

Mike

[Ruskie]

I've had this problem in the past, and it still comes back intermittently. When that happens, I do a practice swing stopping half-way through the downswing, at the point where the shaft is almost parallel to the ground, and check the leg drive. I look for three things:
1. weight 90% on the front leg
2. hips still parallel to the target line.
3. the club is comming in either straight down the line, or, better, slightly from the inside.

Not sure if that's the "theoretically" right position to be in, but it usually helps me from pulling. If I can reach that position in real swing, I don't have to worry about too much hip rotation.

[dbleber]

I also have this swing fault. Now it is good to start the swing with the hips to clear them, but it is not good to turn the body causing the pull. I have been working on a release drill that seems to help when I get this fault. Take the club back until your arms are parallel and your wrist are ed with the club straight up in the air, swing thru turning the hands over until you reach the same postion in the front. Do not move the lower body, feel the arms/hands/club falling down the target line and releasing down the target kine. Do this forever, until you feel your club falling with out the body rotation. Now go to full swings, slowly, Keep the lower body very still and compact, when you follow thru to the ball you will not have to worry about clearing your hips since you over did it before. Your hips will clear but it will feel to you as if your are not, due to the old habits. Do all of this as much as you can, start very slowly and move into your correct tempo.
I tell you all of this not as someone who knows everything about the golf swing, but as someone who suffers from the exact same thing and I have to use this drill all the time to stop my over rotation.
Denny

[leftylucas]

Great advice guys, those should definitley help. I will get right on that. I had stopped last year but hey, its spring and old habits die hard.

Thanks again

[mberube]

I also had this problem in the past and I cured it with this drill from my teaching pro that I mentioned in my first post.

I did a quick search on the web for my drill:

http://golf.about.com/library/tips/aa111704a.htm
http://findalesson.com/QUESTIONS/qacomingup.htm

[leftylucas]

Thanks for the link, with all this help I should be on the tour by next week, if my wife let's me of course!

[leftylucas]

I read in one article that to prevent to fast hip turn, one should keep the back foot on the ground and have it follow with the back hip and armto impact.

Any thoughts?

[leftylucas]

Dbleber, thanks, I tried your practice technique and I definitely felt the difference. I also reminded myself of a swing key to ensure the hips were not clearing too quickly, the old belt buckle. I make sure that on the downswing that my belt buckle is still in front of me. Kinda prevent me from clearing the hips too quickly. I guess it can be a good problem to have!