Moving Your Hips From Square To Open In The Golf Swing (Video) - by Pete Styles
Moving Your Hips From Square To Open In The Golf Swing (Video) - by Pete Styles

The more we start to understand the role of the hips, the more we can start to understand what that meant to be doing from the setup into the back swing and now into the down swing and ultimately impact. So, in the address position we understand the hips are going to be square. During the back swing, they are going to rotate slightly to facilitate that full big turn in the back swing. But clearly they are not going to be in this position when we hit the ball. We’ve already talked about how at impact they should be very open.

And it’s the opening of the hips and the driving of the hips that really generates the maximum power to hit the golf ball long way. But the timing of that hip rotation is incredibly important also. If we use the hips at the wrong time, we’re simply not going to get the effect that we need to have on the ball. So, from a good address position, square hips here, turning back nicely, creating power in the hips here, but now it’s about starting the down swing. If we were to go hands and arms first, we are not going to generate the power from the hips. So, actually one of the best ways to start your down swing is to drive your hips towards the target at the start of the down swing to make sure this is going to be the kicker, the kicker motion really, that kicks across. That brings everything in. So, this kick-starts the down swing. So, from a good address position to the top, watch the hips, they are going to move across and they are going to rotate quickly. And if it’s not rotation across this way, that opens the hips up for impact. I think one of the easiest swing thoughts that we can use to crystallize that whole thought is to get your belt buckle to the target. So, this position at address, if I can imagine the camera is my target, I turn to the top. My belt buckle moves slightly away, but now I’m going to try and point my belt buckle back to the target, so to the top, belt buckle to target, belt buckle to target, that helps me drive the club down generating lots of power through to a big full finish. So, start your down swing utilizing your big hip turn and that’s how you get your hips to go from square to open for impact. 2016-10-04

The more we start to understand the role of the hips, the more we can start to understand what that meant to be doing from the setup into the back swing and now into the down swing and ultimately impact. So, in the address position we understand the hips are going to be square. During the back swing, they are going to rotate slightly to facilitate that full big turn in the back swing. But clearly they are not going to be in this position when we hit the ball. We’ve already talked about how at impact they should be very open.

And it’s the opening of the hips and the driving of the hips that really generates the maximum power to hit the golf ball long way. But the timing of that hip rotation is incredibly important also. If we use the hips at the wrong time, we’re simply not going to get the effect that we need to have on the ball. So, from a good address position, square hips here, turning back nicely, creating power in the hips here, but now it’s about starting the down swing.

If we were to go hands and arms first, we are not going to generate the power from the hips. So, actually one of the best ways to start your down swing is to drive your hips towards the target at the start of the down swing to make sure this is going to be the kicker, the kicker motion really, that kicks across. That brings everything in. So, this kick-starts the down swing. So, from a good address position to the top, watch the hips, they are going to move across and they are going to rotate quickly. And if it’s not rotation across this way, that opens the hips up for impact.

I think one of the easiest swing thoughts that we can use to crystallize that whole thought is to get your belt buckle to the target. So, this position at address, if I can imagine the camera is my target, I turn to the top. My belt buckle moves slightly away, but now I’m going to try and point my belt buckle back to the target, so to the top, belt buckle to target, belt buckle to target, that helps me drive the club down generating lots of power through to a big full finish. So, start your down swing utilizing your big hip turn and that’s how you get your hips to go from square to open for impact.