Shoulder turn.... advice?

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By Speedy

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  • 10 Replies
  1. Speedy

    Speedy
    East Coast, NH

    So I recorded my swing while i was away on vacation.  I shared my video with a few close friends of mine..  One of them mentioned I needed more shoulder turn on my back swing....   I always thought I was turning enough but I guess i'm not.  

    Anyone else having this issue?  Any good exercise or drills? 

    I did some researching online but curious to hear if anyone on here has any good tips or advice.

    Cheers!

  2. Edward K

    Edward K
    Wesley Chapel, FL

    Military
    While I'm not sure of your handicap level, a combination of shoulder turn and weight shift to your right instep will create more coil. You can do something as simple as standing in your address position, arms crossed on your chest, and simply turn your back to the target. Feel the slight weight shift onto your right leg, and then transition to the finish position with your chest facing the target. I'll work it until I can completely pick my right foot up of the ground at the finish.
  3. Spudstarch

    Spudstarch
    Walnut Creek, CA

    More shoulder turn is pretty general advise, like "your car needs more horse power to be faster". You can have all the HP in the wold, but if you cant transfer that to the ground, then you still wont be getting anywhere.

    Be careful in trying to follow your friend's advise. In an attempt try and turn your shoulders more, you might start compensating and raising your hands more instead of your shoulders. This will cause a disconnect between your arms and core, setting you up for a big slice or push.

    From personal experience, I've witnessed a couple players (some young, some old) on course who never seemed to get their hands higher than their stomach, and the club head no higher than their own hat. They had a very fast transition to generate lag and could hit their 3 woods about 250yrds. For them it wasn't just shoulder tun, but probably the huge "X-factor" from their hip rotation on the down swing.

  4. Blake B

    Blake B
    Harbor Springs, MI

    Spud kid of said it best above, it all really depends on what is actually going on. It would be very difficult to tell you without seeing the video. If you are in general looking for some words as to how to exercise and help you create more turn, a good drill would be holding a medicine ball straight out and turning it from side to side with the golf rotation. 

    If you want to get really technical, more shoulder turn could create more of a "Power V," which can also help maximize the coil and strength going into the shot itself. 

  5. Edward K

    Edward K
    Wesley Chapel, FL

    Military
    Spud, You are correct on that one. I played hockey for 15 years and all my buddies, including some NHL players, can crush it with a half swing. And some with literally minimum shoulder turn. The tradeoff is they are either on or off, with no middle ground...LOL
  6. Bomber3

    Bomber3
    Lake St Louis, MO

    Military

    Chris,

    Like the others, I don't know if your shoulder turn is big enough or not.  I do want to pass on a tip I learned years ago while watching an LPGA event on TV.  Judy Rankin was talking about shoulder turn and her tip was to stand with your hands on your hips and turn (right or left as appropriate) like you are trying to talk with someone behind you without moving your feet.  I find this to be a great little exercise early in the year to remind myself how to turn.  It's also great during rounds if/when your back starts to get a little tight.

    Barry

  7. Jacob C

    Jacob C
    Ipswich, QLD

    If you want to gain more strength and more body coil work on shoulder flexibility, more core strength in your abs, obliques and you lower back. Then work on your quads for a firmer more stable base. But flexibility will help you gain the power and speed in your body coil to hit it further and faster. Look at tiger and adam Scott for 2 examples of flexibility. Flexibility is the key.

  8. Speedy

    Speedy
    East Coast, NH

    Everywhere i read, flexibility is the key so i'm trying to do some workouts to get me a little bit more flexible and go from there...

    Thank you all though for taking the time and providing me some tips..  I'm definitely not going to get too hung up on this where it could ruin my game but I'll give it a shot and go from there...   I"m just an average golfer looking to have fun and hopefully improve my game along the way...

    If the snow could melt a little bit faster, i could work on this... 

  9. Spudstarch

    Spudstarch
    Walnut Creek, CA

    While you are waiting for snow to melt there is a drill you can do indoors to help visualize your rotation. You will want to slide an alignment stick  through the front belt loops of your pants, parallel to you hips. You want it to stick out more on the lead side, as that is the part you will watch. Then take a second rod and hold it to parallel to your shoulders with your arms crossed over each other.

    Now you can take a golf stance and rotate to the end of your back swing. The rods should help you visualize how much you are able to rotate your upper body before you start to engage your hips. Then at the top you can slowly start rotating your hips forward for the downswing. The rods should be able to show you if you are moving the hips first in the downswing before the shoulders for the proper form and by how many degrees.

    You can take a note of this x-factor and x-factor stretch to see if you are making progress with your flexibility training.

    Check out the many videos from mytpi for possible workouts and stretches.

    http://www.mytpi.com/articles/biomechanics/the_difference_between_x-factor_and_x-factor_stretch

  10. andy r

    andy r
    Cheshire, CT

    Chris doesn't matter how much shoulder turn you have if your not on plane  and getting the club face square you wont be accurate and you'll lack distance.

    As many have suggested weight transfer will help as much as a longer shoulder turn. Watch a lot of tour players they are hitting their irons with a 3/4 swing most of the time.

    Good luck with your game buddy !

  11. Jacob C

    Jacob C
    Ipswich, QLD

    Chris what I mean by better shoulder flexibility is yes flexibility in the shoulder is paramount reason being is when you develop flexibility you also develop better strength and and control threw your upper body. There fore giving you much better control and stability to either have a full swing or a 3/4 swing and better control over your swing plane. Cheers hope this makes better sense.

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