Instruction
The magic of the left heel
Let’s begin with a question: What is the definition of a pivot? In this article I’m using this word to describe the action of the hips throughout the entire swing. I’m also using the phrase “death of the pivot,” because in contrast to the past, today’s players restrict the turning of their left hip.
Why do they do this? Because they have been told that first, the left heel should remain on the ground for two reasons. First, the instructors opinion that the maneuver is too complicated for the average player to execute. And second, that keeping the left heel down will create a higher degree of torsion between the upper and lower body potentially allowing the player to drive the ball further.
On the second point, the presumed increase in distance being based on the differential between the upper body and lower body coil. And the greater the difference between those two numbers, in theory, the more powerful the swing.
Further, the last point does not address the potential for injury or whether accuracy is considered as part of the equation.
In earlier years, most of the great players had a liberal left hip turn allowing their left heel to leave the ground, including Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, and several other great players from that era.
In today’s world, the list of those players who allow their left heel to leave the ground is considerably shorter then in earlier days. Those that immediately come to mind are Jack Nicklaus, John Daly, Bubba Watson, Tom Watson, and the late Payne Stewart. In the case of these players the elevation of the left heel was not a separate movement but an integrated part of their coil.
Jack Grout
Jack Nicklaus allowed his left heel to leave the ground by several inches as he coiled his hips in the backswing. This was something that he was taught to him by his teacher, Jack Grout.
In his earlier years, Grout had tried his hand at playing the game while traveling with Ben Hogan but In the end he decided that he would rather teach the game than play it.
His first position as an instructor was at a Glen Garden G.C., where his brother, Dick Grout, was the Head Professional. This was coincidently the same course where both Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson grew-up caddying.
Grout was later offered the teaching position at Scioto Country Club in Ohio which was Jack Nicklaus’ home course. And that is where he first began working with the young boy.
Alex Morrison
As he was learning the game himself, Grout worked with Alex Morrison who was a highly-respected teacher in his day. Morrison believed that there were two basic motions that drove the swing. The first was a focus on the position of the chin at address and throughout the swing. The second was good footwork which he concluded was achieved by rolling the feet and the ankles inward during both the backswing and the downswing.
Jack Nicklaus
This was directly counter to the way Nicklaus used his feet. In his backswing, his left heel went out towards the target at the very begining of his backswing, rather than inward as advocated by Morrison.
Nicklaus had discovered, perhaps inadvertently, that the outward motion of his left heel was the secret to engaging his left hip coil at the beginning of the backswing.
The question then is why was Nicklaus’ footwork different than what Morrison had taught Grout? That is question that will go unanswered but the possible explanation is that Nicklaus naturally developed the footwork on his own and Grout choose to not try and change it.
A second possibility is that Grout rejected Morrison’s technique and developed his own which he then taught to his young protégé. Whatever the case Nicklaus’ footwork allowed him to develop one of the best pivots in the history of the game.
Golf Digest
The left heel also plays a secondary role in the downswing. Golf Digest ran a cover story several years ago featuring the action of Nicklaus’ left heel on the downswing. They touted this as a new discovery and one of the many secrets of his swing.
What they had noticed when studying his footwork was that his left heel came down CLOSER TO THE TARGET than it was at the beginning. This was a move once again that Nicklaus was likely not aware of until it was pointed out to him, but the movement served to set up a STRONG POST of the left foot, ankle and knee at impact.
What is the message? That the way you move your left heel in the swing is critical to developing a sound pivot.
Experience the feel
You can experience these movement yourself by following these step-by-step directions
- Step 1: First, stand in front of a mirror with your feet shoulder width apart and your weight even on both feet and your shoulders level.
- Step 2: Second, assume your set-up WITHOUT using a club. And then while making a mock swing allow your left foot to leave the ground but not more than three inches. You can check this in the mirror. Note: The ideal motion is one in which your left heel moves slightly outward initiating the movement of your hip coil.
- Step 3: As you your left heel is rising, turn your left heel slightly OUTWARD. You will notice as you look in the mirror that this very slight movement at the beginning of the backswing causes your left hip to move OUTWARD. This is the beginning of a proper
- Step 4: On the downswing plant your left heel SLIGHTLY CLOSER TO THE TARGET than it was at address in the same manner as Nicklaus. As you watch in the mirror you will notice that this movement will cause your left hip to MOVE OUTWARD FIRST before turning back to the left.
In summary then, the left heel controls the initial movement of the hips in both the backswing and the downswing. Do you want to improve your ball-striking? You can start that process right now by mastering the magic of the left heel.
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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you know
Feb 11, 2019 at 2:32 pm
Weight shift.. Ground directional forces? Just hit the damn ball..
Rick Wilmoth
Feb 11, 2019 at 1:50 pm
I am sorry to say that most coaches, teachers, and instructors do not know the basic fundamentals of their sport based on the laws of physics, and bio-mechanics. That is a fact. Track and Field has taken the lead in this area and done most of the homework in applying how science should be applied to sport’s instruction. Track and Field events cover most of the athletic motions, or movements of jumping, throwing, and running that cross over to just about every sport. Extensive research is available on these subjects if one wants to study them.
How many times do you watch so called expert golf instruction where the instructor resorts to describing, or having the pro explain HOW they perform a specific shot, or technique, but rarely if ever explain the WHY? Using,” this is how I do it,” is not advanced instruction and means little.
MG
Feb 11, 2019 at 1:17 pm
Mickelson just won at Pebble lifting his “right” heal. I assume this is more for your longer clubs? At what iron do you not lift your heal?
freowho
Feb 11, 2019 at 2:44 am
The author talks about the left heel creating a post for impact but he then spins on his left heel so the post is turning allowing him to turn his hips towards the target. If it was a post he wouldn’t be able to follow through without scooping. Unfortunately coaches for years have taught pupils to bump their lift hip against an old golf shaft in the ground and created scoopers for decades.
earlanthony
Feb 9, 2019 at 2:56 pm
Roll the ankles and release the arms to hit it long and straight.
Mark
Jul 20, 2019 at 10:25 pm
correct
geohogan
Feb 8, 2019 at 8:04 pm
Muscles control movement of bones, contract and relax, they do not coil. There are no springs in the human body to coil and uncoil.
The only way the pelvic basin, including hips move is by the lower body. ie feet, ankles, knees. There is no other means for the hips to move, so if the lower body doesnt move
the hips dont move = restricted hip turn.
We pivot on our rear hip on BS and early part of the DS; then pivot on our lead hip for follow through. The lead foot has to invert in order to release tension in pelvic basin and lower back. No golfers inverted their lead ankles as well as Jack N and Johnny Miller.
Posting on lead foot flat on the ground from impact and beyond, will damage the lower spine
and or lead knee and hip.Even Adam Scott, releases the big toe of his lead foot after impact
Dan
Feb 11, 2019 at 4:46 pm
There absolutely are “springs” so to speak that coil. Look at Nicklaus’ right leg at the top of the swing. The knee flex is maintained and creates tension up the outside of the thigh as it twists slightly above a stable lower leg. That’s the spring. Plus the muscles in the left back at the top are stretched, that tension plus the thigh are what wants to return to where they were. That creates the beginning of the speed on through impact with a throwing the ball action post impact to bring it all together ( watch a pitcher at the top of the knee/leg raise) all that twisting is the spring. If you relax the leg, it will straighten and interrupt the loading and cause the hips to turn too much back. Most amateurs do this and the arms out race the body and blow their arm speed fore impact. Just read the X factor. All good players do this for a reason, it works. Plus lifting your left heal is a road to vertical balance problems. Most amateurs aren’t coordinated enough to time it anyway.
geohogan
Feb 22, 2019 at 8:19 am
@dan; absolutely ;muscles do not spring, and do not stretch, they contract and relax
one or the other.
The muscles you refer to in the left bak at the top.. LOL
Do a little research. The scapula is what protracts in the BS in a proper golf swing.
its how Ben Hogan wore a hole in his golf shirts with his chin rubbing against his shoulder. Yes his shoulder….without stretching a muscle.LOL
“A person’s shoulder joint is composed of the clavicle (collar bone), the scapula (shoulder blades), and the humerus (upper arm bone), along with two joints – the acromioclavicular, or AC joint; and the glenohumeral joint. AC joints exist between the clavicle and the scapula, whereas the glenohumeral joint is the classic ball-and-socket joint responsible for basic arm rotations and hinging. All these bones and joints are in turn supported by the surrounding musculature.”
geohogan
Feb 22, 2019 at 9:02 am
@ dan; Im betting that your a very good natural athlete.
Keep it up, enjoy….dont try to think too much.
cheers
Sup
Feb 8, 2019 at 5:30 pm
Not everybody have to do this.
It’s whther you are flexible or not.
Look at Adam Scott. He is so supple his whole left calf ankle can rotate around with his calf while his whole foot remains planted to the ground
DB
Feb 8, 2019 at 3:17 pm
I just think this footwork seems more natural and athletic. I hope it makes a come back.
geohogan
Feb 9, 2019 at 12:14 pm
@DB, natural and athletic footwork has always existed. Its our genetic makeup.
Its the misguided golf instruction eg X factor that has messed with golfers
to cause much physical pain, permanent damage and loss of interest in the game of golf.
Greg V
Feb 8, 2019 at 1:04 pm
Good article.
Bobby Jones was another player whose left heel came down closer to the target, like Jack.
Anytime I see a player’s left heel come down closer to his right heel, I can generally find an over the top move.
geohogan
Feb 10, 2019 at 9:30 pm
Bobby Jones and Jack Nicklaus had a great lateral move, when they planted the lead foot
it was oriented according to their new torso position with spine lined up behind their left heels. Check pics and video from behind. At top of BS their butt hole points behind the left heel. As if they are farting behind the left heel*.
* The Hogan Manual of Human Performance: GOLF, 1992.