How many of you have marveled at the way professionals’ hips move throughout the swing, but did you know that you too might achieve this action with a few simple swing keys? The motions of the hips are indisputable as a major factor of club and body control. . .Look around, you will never see a professional with sloppy hip motions- sliding or over-rotating, only tight efficient motions. Conversely, looking at the thousands of students I have seen and taught I can count on two hands the number I have seen with great hip motions on the way back and thought the ball. It’s much more than “turning in a barrel,” so here we go!

Key #1- You must control the RATE at which your hips rotate to the top!

This is a new concept to most of you who haven’t taken lessons from me in the past, but this fundamental is the most overlooked aspect of golf swing instruction today. The hips must not be allowed to over-turn at the top, we know, but over-rotation of the hips off the start sets you up for disaster. The Tour Professional averages for hip rotation to belt high is between 18-20 degrees, and only 46 degrees to the top- this is only a micro-movement of motion of the hips, not the free turn you usually think of. Most amateurs have between 27 to 40 degrees of hip turn at belt high in their swings, and an incredible amount of 57 to 65 degrees to the top! What does this over-turning do? It yanks the whole right side of the pelvis and base of your spine backwards as your shoulders turn to the top. . .what is left to happen? Anytime the bottom of your spine moves rearward the top portion of the spine will fall forward to counterbalance your body or you will fall down- this allows the left shoulder to dip too low in the backswing setting up an unlevel turn to the top and an over the top motion. This over-turn also places most golfers into a reverse pivot to the top, where your weight loads into your left foot at the top instead of the right. As your hips spin out of control off the start of your backswing your weight does not have time to be displaced into your right foot, and this reverse weight shift or reverse pivot will cause major consistency problems. The key here is to understand that it’s important not to over turn your hips at the top of your backswing (Tour Average is 46 degrees,) BUT, to control their rotation to 9:00 as well. I’ve never seen a person get too far out of wack rotationally if the rate of their hip turn was slow and gradual. Thus, we desire an EVEN motion of hip actions to the top; Slow and Even are the keys to your consistency!

Key #2- Keep your hip rotation tight by controlling your right knee!

Your hips are controlled at the top by the actions of your right knee. If your right knee locks up you will over-turn your hips to the top; if your right knee slides laterally you will sway. Remembering that your Center of Gravity is located within your belt buckle it is important to keep that CG as centered and stable as possible. . .if your hips are rotating too fast, too much, and sliding laterally at the same time what chance do you have? Knowing that the key to a consistent and tight hip rotation is derived from proper right knee control- what does this do to your downstroke’s action?

Key #3- Maintain the highest “X-Factor” personally possible to explode on the downswing!

By now we have controlled the rate and amount of the turning hips to the top (as well as loaded the weight into our right foot,) so where do we go from here? Your X-Factor is the torque derived from turning your upper body against a relatively stable lower body- this is the spring-like wind up that all the long hitters have! This tension and torque is the catalyst for the “Bionic” hip motions that people like Fred Couples, John Daly, and Tiger Woods all have in common; and it’s no doubt that these three gentlemen possess the highest X-Factors on Tour. This would not be possible without a tight and controlled hip motion to the top. When you “torque up” you are loading the body like a gun- no one likes this tension, and the only way to release it is to move the hips laterally (slightly) to start the downswing, and this promotes clubhead lag, the proper downswing plane, etc. The Golfing Machine, 10-15-B, calls this hip action “Delayed,” whereas the hips are leading the down stroke and therefore transferring energy to the shoulders. This is the basis for Tiger, John, and Freddie’s power, tight hip motions to the top, a high X-Factor, and Bionic hip motions to start the downswing. . .allowing the pivot of the body (don’t forget to rotate the shoulders aggressively from 9:00 to 3:00) to move the club on plane and effectively throughout the hitting area.

Understand that in the golf swing there are reasons for everything we do and for the proper way in which your body should move. By placing your body into a tight and level hip rotation, you set the stage to allow your body to be in position to do the proper thing on the downswing- moving into the impact zone from the inside. The final key is. . .Keep your hips tight on the way back so that they may explode on the downswing at the proper time and provide the necessary energy to your shoulders to move the pivot components at the same rate, if so YOU WILL BE CONSISTENT!