Should Left Heal Lift on Backswing, Golf (Video) - by Pete Styles
Should Left Heal Lift on Backswing, Golf (Video) - by Pete Styles

So you've watched golfers on the TV for years and you've noticed some differences in their swings. And one of the biggest differences that you'll see in people's golf swing is what's happening down here with the left foot during the backswing. Some guys quite clearly keep it on the ground, it's quite light but it's on the ground. Other golfers, quite famously Nicklaus, was lifting his left heel quite a lot allowing for much bigger hip and shoulder rotation. So, which is right and which is wrong?

Well, let's say that it's better for you to do the one that suits your swing best rather than trying to copy your favorite golfer from the TV. So, depending then with your age, your flexibility and how long you're going to try and swing the golf club, the left heel will let you know what it can and can't do, depending on your flexibility. So as I make a good backswing now, I want to try and get my shoulders round to that classic 90 degree position. I would allow my hips to do half of my shoulder motion, so maybe 45 degree hip rotation, and I find it quite easy there to keep my left heel on the ground; quite flexible through the hamstring, through the hip. I don't really feel like I need to let my heel lift in too much.

But don't worry, if you feel like you got a bit tighter down there without actually lifting the left heel which is what you'd like to do, I don't have a problem with that as long as you feel it's still grounded enough that it's not moving your head away and particularly not moving your chest away from your golf ball or your sort of turned position. So we turn into this right side, left heel can lift fine but we don't want to sway and stand up away from the golf ball. So there's no right or wrong answer about what we do with that left heel. It can come off the ground if you feel like it needs to allow you to make a full turn. And if it does, remember we can stamp back on that left heel to start the downswing, turning through and finishing on the left side and, of course, allowing the right heel to lift for every golfer is a good thing. Try that next time you're at the practice ground as well.

 2012-04-11

So you've watched golfers on the TV for years and you've noticed some differences in their swings. And one of the biggest differences that you'll see in people's golf swing is what's happening down here with the left foot during the backswing. Some guys quite clearly keep it on the ground, it's quite light but it's on the ground. Other golfers, quite famously Nicklaus, was lifting his left heel quite a lot allowing for much bigger hip and shoulder rotation. So, which is right and which is wrong?

Well, let's say that it's better for you to do the one that suits your swing best rather than trying to copy your favorite golfer from the TV. So, depending then with your age, your flexibility and how long you're going to try and swing the golf club, the left heel will let you know what it can and can't do, depending on your flexibility. So as I make a good backswing now, I want to try and get my shoulders round to that classic 90 degree position. I would allow my hips to do half of my shoulder motion, so maybe 45 degree hip rotation, and I find it quite easy there to keep my left heel on the ground; quite flexible through the hamstring, through the hip. I don't really feel like I need to let my heel lift in too much.

But don't worry, if you feel like you got a bit tighter down there without actually lifting the left heel which is what you'd like to do, I don't have a problem with that as long as you feel it's still grounded enough that it's not moving your head away and particularly not moving your chest away from your golf ball or your sort of turned position. So we turn into this right side, left heel can lift fine but we don't want to sway and stand up away from the golf ball. So there's no right or wrong answer about what we do with that left heel. It can come off the ground if you feel like it needs to allow you to make a full turn. And if it does, remember we can stamp back on that left heel to start the downswing, turning through and finishing on the left side and, of course, allowing the right heel to lift for every golfer is a good thing. Try that next time you're at the practice ground as well.