Why Would You Lift The Left Heel During The Golf Backswing (Video) - by Peter Finch
Why Would You Lift The Left Heel During The Golf Backswing (Video) - by Peter Finch

If you're looking to try and increase power within the goal swing, or you are trying to increase the actual tempo of your swing, one way that you can do is by utilizing the left heel a little bit more effectively. Now a lot of people overlook the left heel. It is kind of an abandoned part of the swing. I mean it's not often kind of referred to in many textbooks. But if you watch many pros still even in this modern day as they go through with the backswing, that left heel begins to rise. Now some people lift it up very, very high. Pádraig Harrington when he was going through his major winning streak certainly lifted his left heel up.

And even players who you would classify as having certainly modern golf swing Justin Rose for example. He lifts his left heel very slightly at the top of his backswing as well. Now the reasons why you would want to do this, like I said first of all is to actually increase power. Now how the left heel equates to power a lot of people kind of get confused. But what lifting the left heel up during the backswing does, it allows the right hip to clear a little bit more. And as the right hip clears a little bit more, you can turn and you can rotate your upper body more and actually cause more backswing power, more backswing width. Now as you build up that width and you build up that turn and then you build up that power in the backswing obviously you then need to transfer that back into the ball. There's no point lifting up that left heel during the backswing, turning fully and then just swinging through to try and hit. As you're actually moving down through the ball, that left heel then begins to plant. So it comes down into the ground that actually hits the ground. That gets the weight transferring on to the left side, and then that allows the body to actually flow through and turn fully. So the reasons why you would be wanting to lift the left heel is to increase turn, increase power. And as that left heel plants back down during the downswing that will allow you to increase the tempo and the rhythm of your swing. You can’t just leave that left heel hanging in. So if you are looking at a little bit more power, lift the left heel and give it a go, and see what you find. 2016-06-06

If you're looking to try and increase power within the goal swing, or you are trying to increase the actual tempo of your swing, one way that you can do is by utilizing the left heel a little bit more effectively. Now a lot of people overlook the left heel. It is kind of an abandoned part of the swing. I mean it's not often kind of referred to in many textbooks. But if you watch many pros still even in this modern day as they go through with the backswing, that left heel begins to rise. Now some people lift it up very, very high. Pádraig Harrington when he was going through his major winning streak certainly lifted his left heel up.

And even players who you would classify as having certainly modern golf swing Justin Rose for example. He lifts his left heel very slightly at the top of his backswing as well. Now the reasons why you would want to do this, like I said first of all is to actually increase power. Now how the left heel equates to power a lot of people kind of get confused. But what lifting the left heel up during the backswing does, it allows the right hip to clear a little bit more. And as the right hip clears a little bit more, you can turn and you can rotate your upper body more and actually cause more backswing power, more backswing width.

Now as you build up that width and you build up that turn and then you build up that power in the backswing obviously you then need to transfer that back into the ball. There's no point lifting up that left heel during the backswing, turning fully and then just swinging through to try and hit. As you're actually moving down through the ball, that left heel then begins to plant. So it comes down into the ground that actually hits the ground. That gets the weight transferring on to the left side, and then that allows the body to actually flow through and turn fully.

So the reasons why you would be wanting to lift the left heel is to increase turn, increase power. And as that left heel plants back down during the downswing that will allow you to increase the tempo and the rhythm of your swing. You can’t just leave that left heel hanging in. So if you are looking at a little bit more power, lift the left heel and give it a go, and see what you find.