Knee Position

Golf game bringing you to your knees?
Maybe your knee is the cause.

By: Bruce Munch

Back when the golf swing for right-handed golfers included a lifting and replacing of the left foot, as some champions tour players still do, incorrect movements of the left foot led to problems in the golf swing. With the advent of a simpler swing that allowed the left foot to remain on the ground, we would think “The heel was a problem, now no heel lift, hence no problem”. Not so fast! All we did is trade improper movement of the left heel for improper movement of the left knee. The swing trigger, or starting move in the swing, has now, in most right-handed players, moved to the left knee and the problem is now improper movement of the left knee not the left heel.

Is this an improvement? Of course it is. The lifting and replacing of the left heel led to all kinds of problems as people would lift the foot too much or put it down in the wrong place, etc. The knee, being a more restrictive joint has eliminated some of the myriad of problems associated with bad foot movement but it still must be moved properly.

In order for the left knee to work properly it is critical that we first place the left foot in its proper position. Proper positioning for the left foot has the toe pointed 35 to 45 degrees toward the target. If you have both feet square to the target line and the left knee moves toward the right, as it should, you would end up knock kneed, an uncomfortable position indeed.

With the left foot open an appropriate amount, when the hips turn in the back swing the left knee moves toward the ball and forward of the right knee when viewed down the line. As the left knee moves, it is important that we not let the right knee run away causing a rolling to the outside of the right foot, a condition that usually leads to getting stuck on the back swing and hitting well behind the ball.

The rolling of the left foot on the back swing should be second nature for all you skiers out there because the movement is similar to the move a skier would make in carving a turn. The roll of the foot puts weight on the inside edge and allows the ski to carve a turn to the right.

Now, instead of starting the swing with your arms as many people do, start the swing by rolling the left foot from the inside edge to the outside edge. In doing so the left hip will swing out of the way and allow the hands to follow through impact and down the line.

If you watch the touring pros you will see that at the finish the weight has transferred to the outside of the left foot to the point where you can usually see at least a part of the sole of the shoe.

Try it at home and see if it isn’t an improvement over your current swing. So use the knees properly and you may be able to spend less time on your knees, praying for a better swing.