What You Can Learn from Sam Sneads Knee Separation on the Downswing (Video) - by Pete Styles
What You Can Learn from Sam Sneads Knee Separation on the Downswing (Video) - by Pete Styles

So in this next little mini series, we’re going to look at stability and stability in the golf swing particularly caused by the legs. And initially we’re going to look at Sam Snead’s golf swing, Slammin’ Sam, probably one of the most iconic golfers and certainly one of the most iconic golf swings over the – I couldn’t say the modern era but really of a generation past as well. And the things that Sam did in his golf swing are still being taught today, particularly when you look at golfers like McIlroy and to lesser extent slightly Tiger Woods in terms of the way they drive their leg action to generate power in their golf swing.

And Sam Snead’s leg action is slightly different to the classic kind of golf swing, the traditional golf swing teaching. Sam’s position was from the top of the golf swing, got into a decent position at the top but then a traditional golfer’s golf swing would have the right knee kicking in towards the left knee, the left knee straightening back out and would be in this position for impact. Sam Snead however incorporated a slightly different action where from the top of the golf swing the knees would actually stay quite separated. We wouldn’t have the right knee coming into the left but the knees would actually stay quite separated and squat down slightly. And the right side wouldn’t be pushing into the left side very quickly. You would actually just have that momentary squat and then from the squat, the left knee moves slightly forwards and then both knees jump up at the same time. We hear a lot in sort of modern golf teaching, particularly analysis of Rory’s swing or of Tiger’s swing of leg, of dipping and dropping. And really it’s bit of a misnomer because these guys aren’t dipping and dropping in the classic sense of the body. They’re actually making that small dip and drop from their knees but then they rise up out of the ball, and because they’re turning very quickly to the left side we get this spine angle lean which again creates that the idea that the head is dropped because we’re not stood fully upright. That impact is little bit of a drop. It’s a slight dip created in these golfers’ swings and it isn’t all created by the knees and then the chest coming down, it’s, the knees are little and then a little bit of shaft – sorry, little bit of side bend as they hit through the ball. So, Sam Snead’s golf swing. Nice from the top, doesn’t drive his right knee initially, makes that little squat motion and then drives up and out of the ball together, not really creates a huge amount of power, hence the nickname Slammin’ Sam. If we can work on having good leg stability in your game and understanding how the knees work to create power, that should help you hit the ball longer straighter and more consistently. [playerProfile url="https://golf-info-guide.com/pga-players/sam-snead/"][/playerProfile] 2015-08-11

So in this next little mini series, we’re going to look at stability and stability in the golf swing particularly caused by the legs. And initially we’re going to look at Sam Snead’s golf swing, Slammin’ Sam, probably one of the most iconic golfers and certainly one of the most iconic golf swings over the – I couldn’t say the modern era but really of a generation past as well. And the things that Sam did in his golf swing are still being taught today, particularly when you look at golfers like McIlroy and to lesser extent slightly Tiger Woods in terms of the way they drive their leg action to generate power in their golf swing.

And Sam Snead’s leg action is slightly different to the classic kind of golf swing, the traditional golf swing teaching. Sam’s position was from the top of the golf swing, got into a decent position at the top but then a traditional golfer’s golf swing would have the right knee kicking in towards the left knee, the left knee straightening back out and would be in this position for impact. Sam Snead however incorporated a slightly different action where from the top of the golf swing the knees would actually stay quite separated.

We wouldn’t have the right knee coming into the left but the knees would actually stay quite separated and squat down slightly. And the right side wouldn’t be pushing into the left side very quickly. You would actually just have that momentary squat and then from the squat, the left knee moves slightly forwards and then both knees jump up at the same time. We hear a lot in sort of modern golf teaching, particularly analysis of Rory’s swing or of Tiger’s swing of leg, of dipping and dropping.

And really it’s bit of a misnomer because these guys aren’t dipping and dropping in the classic sense of the body. They’re actually making that small dip and drop from their knees but then they rise up out of the ball, and because they’re turning very quickly to the left side we get this spine angle lean which again creates that the idea that the head is dropped because we’re not stood fully upright. That impact is little bit of a drop. It’s a slight dip created in these golfers’ swings and it isn’t all created by the knees and then the chest coming down, it’s, the knees are little and then a little bit of shaft – sorry, little bit of side bend as they hit through the ball. So, Sam Snead’s golf swing.

Nice from the top, doesn’t drive his right knee initially, makes that little squat motion and then drives up and out of the ball together, not really creates a huge amount of power, hence the nickname Slammin’ Sam. If we can work on having good leg stability in your game and understanding how the knees work to create power, that should help you hit the ball longer straighter and more consistently.

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