Instruction
Measure your hip speed to determine your proper setup
The major variables influenced by hip speed are the player’s grip, ball position, foot flare and distance from ball. Unfortunately, over the years many golfers have been told that there is only one correct way to play golf well. Yet, when you watch the best players on tour, you’ll notice that most of them grip the club differently, have varying ball positions and all stand different distances from the ball at set-up.
The fastest way for golfers to implement changes in their games is to make changes based on what they can do naturally. All golfers are built differently and because of this all have various ranges of flexibility, range of motion and mobility. This obviously affects how golfers swing the golf club. Knowing that, why would we try to make every player setup or swing the golf club the same way?
The hip speed golfers have will have a huge influence on the clubface at impact, and because of this they must make changes at setup to offset what they do naturally. First, however, they must find out what type of hip speed they have. They can either have slow hips, medium-speed hips or fast hips. Once they understand their natural hip speed, they can make the appropriate changes to their grip, ball position and the distance from ball at set-up.
While this test does not quantify a golfer’s hip speed numerically, it does show the difference between the speeds of the lower body and upper body.
The Test
What’s needed: A golf bag and a headcover.
Start off by standing your golf bag in an upright position and put the headcover on your right hand. Take your 5 iron posture with your left hand holding your golf bag and your right hand on the golf bag. From this position, you will make your backswing as if you were making a normal swing. As you begin the downswing, you should begin to pick up speed until you hit the side of your golf bag with your right hand. You have now reached the impact position. Hold the position while looking towards your right foot. Is the heel still planted, slightly off the ground, or is your right toe up in the air?
If you have medium-speed hips, your lower and upper halves will be working in unison at impact. If you have fast hips, the lower body will be out in front of the upper body and your right toe (for righties) will be up in the air. If you have slow hips, on the other hand, your right foot will be firmly planted at impact. Remember, there is no correct hip speed. There is only the correct hip speed for you.
Slow Hips
If golfers have slow hips, their lower half is slightly behind the rotation of the torso right after impact. This player typically plays a draw, although this is not always true.
When the hips are a touch slower, the clubface will want to close quicker through impact. An example of a golfer with slow hips is Kenny Perry.
The first thing golfers with slow hips should be aware of is how they hold the club. Their grip should show about two knuckles in their upper hand, with the trail hand on top of the grip. As a result, the “V” made by their thumb and index finger on their trail hand will be pointing directly at their nose. While this grip is considered weak by the standards of the modern era, it can be helpful because it delays the closure of the face in the downswing.
Golfers with slow hips should also flare their front foot about 20-degrees outward while keeping their trail foot square. This will help them player sync up their upper body and lower body a bit better.
Next, golfers with slow hips should move their ball position one ball forward of “standard,” because it will help their face-to-path relationship. When a player’s hips are slower, the club will tend to shallow out a bit more, and this causes the club to swing more outward, or too much from the inside. By moving the ball slightly forward, it will help the player come closer to “zeroing” things out. This along with the grip change will help with ball flight consistency.
Kenny Perry is a golfer with “slow hips.”
Slow Hip Speed Keys
- Take a slightly weaker grip (a maximum of two knuckles visible at address on the upper hand).
- Position the “V” of the trail hand at your nose at address.
- Moved the ball position one ball forward in your stance.
- Flare your front foot 20-degrees with their back foot square.
- Stand a touch farther away at set-up.
- You’ll most often hit a draw.
Medium-Speed Hips
Golfers with medium hip speeds are the one-size-fits-all player that you read about in all of the best instruction books of all times. This style golfer will have their hips and torso working in unison at impact. Both the hips and the torso will typically be about 35-to-40 degrees open. The grip should be the classic Hogan picture, showing the “V” of the top hand pointing towards the right eye and the “V” of the trail hand pointing closer to the right ear. Foot flare should be square as long as the player doesn’t have a mobility issue.
Ball position should be standard, with the width of the feet widening as the club lengthens, and the hands at address should be about an open handful from the body. Believe it or not, I find that most golfers are either a slow-hip or fast-hip players. I see very few that I would categorize as a medium hip-speed player. An example of a golfer with medium-speed hips on tour is Adam Scott.
Adam Scott has “medium-speed” hips.
Medium Hip Speed Keys
- Use the ideal “standard grip.”
- Have a “traditional” ball position.
- You can have square feet as long as you don’t have mobility/flexibility issies.
- Stand a standard distance (open-hand distance) away from the ball at address.
- You can work the ball left-to-right or right-to-left.
Fast Hips
Golfers with fast hips have hips that outrace their torso in the downswing. This can make golf difficult if you are trying to make the “fundamentals” of golf work for you. The majority of fast hip players tend to play a fade, but that’s not always the case. When the hips are fast, the hands are moving quickly inward, or on an out-to-in path. Henrik Stenson is a good example of a golfer with fast hips.
When a player has fast hips, the face will tend to be held open for a longer period of time. This usually means that golfers with fast hips have to make a grip change. They should strengthen their grip to help them improve the face alignment at impact. A stronger grip of 3-to-3.5 knuckles on the top hand — with the “V” of the trial hand pointing towards the trail ear — would be appropriate.
Golfers with fast hips should also increase the foot flare of both the front and back foot to around 20-degrees outward. This forces the hips to cover more ground, allowing for the torso to match up just a touch better to the lower body.
Next, golfers with fast hips should stand just a touch closer to the ball than what’s prescribed to the masses. The reason for this is to help the player hit the ball on the center of the face. As the hips move faster, the hands move more inward, affecting where the ball is struck on the face. If you don’t make this change, you will find you hit the majority of balls off of the toe of the club. That’s why you will see many players on tour with faster hips actually align the ball off the hosel at set-up and then at impact they strike it centered.
Finally, golfers with fast hips need to move the ball one ball farther back of standard at address. This will help improve their face-to-path ratio, helping them improve their ball flight. When the hips move faster, the club wants to exit left. By moving the ball back in the stance, this will help the club move on an improved path.
Henrik Stenson has “fast hips.”
Fast Hip Speed Keys
- Take a stronger grip (3-to-3.5 knuckles visible on the upper hand)
- Point the “V” of the trial hand toward your right ear.
- Position the ball about one ball back of “standard.”
- Flare both feet out about 20 degrees.
- Stand a touch closer to the ball.
- Most fast hip players naturally fade the ball.
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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bgh
Aug 5, 2014 at 12:27 am
I have extremely fast hips. My fast hips currently kill my distance to where I am hitting the ball shorter than most people despite my fitted x-flex irons. I am really searching for a way to slow them down. When viewing videos of my swing from the side, it is apparent that I am making contact with the ball as my right knee is sliding on by my left leg. One funny quirk about my swing is that I generally mishit the ball a little on the heel. I’m cool with having fast hips. I’m tall and lean and that is where my power comes from, but I am at the point where I need to slow them down. Is this possible and how do I do it.
Ryan
Jul 10, 2014 at 11:41 am
Brilliant article. I have never heard this before, and even before trying I know it will help me tremendously with some of my issues. Thanks!
SwingBlues
Jul 1, 2014 at 1:23 am
Interesting article. Wow, I have a fast hip. I always thought I had a slow hip because of the hook that plagued my driver swing. It’s still show its presence but I have since switched to an SLDR with an Ahina 60S which seems to improve this bad shot remarkably.
So, heres a question: for a driver, what characteristics of a shaft is best suited for the various hip speed? ie stiff or active tip for fast? What does your research show as “best” fit?
golfing badger
Jun 2, 2014 at 1:30 pm
very good. And also remember the relationship of path to hip speed-
golfers with slow hips can have a problem swinging over the top because it is easier for their heads to lead their bodies into impact, so they should slightly bump their hips forward on the downswing to allow an easier inside clubhead delivery.
Conversely, golfer with fast hips have the opposite problem of tending to tilt backwards and drop the clubhead in too much. They need to keep their right shoulder high and have their shoulders slightly more open at impact to allow the clubhead to allow an easier down the line clubhead delivery.
Ebk
May 31, 2014 at 12:13 am
I can’t figure this out – how can a right handed player have his right toe in the air at impact?
Bill Schmedes III
May 31, 2014 at 5:49 pm
*Heel
Randy
May 29, 2014 at 10:29 pm
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Bill! Turns out I have fast hips. No one from whom I’ve taken lessons ever thought to look at that. I made the adjustments you suggested, and my ball striking improved immediately. More-centered contact with the driver (and a more-penetrating flight), with a much-reduced range of misses either left or right. Irons were solid and predictable. Distance on good hits was longer with every club (and almost all the hits were good:-). Suddenly, the game seems MUCH easier, I guess because I’m no longer playing against my own body.
Bill Schmedes III
May 31, 2014 at 5:48 pm
Great to hear Randy! Keep up the good work!
jjmule
May 18, 2014 at 10:37 am
Bill – Here’s my question:
I’m a slow hips player (apparently always have been) and have played pretty well down thru the years like this (high single digits). In an effort to improve, should I attempt to change what seems to be my natural tendencies and add in a touch more hip rotation (in an effort to hit it longer) -or- just compensate for this tendency in the manner that you describe in this excellent article. I’m thinking that these sort of natural tendencies really cannot be changed nor should someone even try to do so.
Bill Schmedes III
May 18, 2014 at 2:47 pm
Thanks for the note jjmule. The purpose of the article was to find what the player can do naturally. No golfer is the same really,each golfer will show differences in body build, flexibility, mobility, strength, you name it. Often players try to make changes in their game without really having knowledge of what their bodies are capable of and it’s detrimental.
I would maximize what you can currently do naturally in your full swing, in regards to your body, and put more time on working on your game from 100 yards and in. If I were you I would visit mytpi.com they have alot of great info on the site regarding workouts and physical screens to see where your currently at. Hope that helped. Thanks!
jjmule
May 18, 2014 at 3:09 pm
Thanks Bill, this is exactly what I was looking for.
Enrique Sierra
May 16, 2014 at 1:00 am
Great Article!
Bill Schmedes III
May 16, 2014 at 7:03 pm
Thanks Enrique
AP
May 14, 2014 at 2:35 pm
The nomenclature you’ve chosen is IMO a bit of a misnomer. Stenson, who has “fast hips” by your account, is also a player that restricts his hip wind up to say (20 degrees*). His rear foot is well off the ground because it appears he fires through with his right side, causing that rear foot heal to be well off the ground at impact. While Perry, who purportedly has “slow hips” winds his hips back more (closer to say 45-50 dergrees*). Which also appears to be more of a rotation around the centre of the hips with the left side retracting out of the way of the right side, and so maintaining a planted heal through impact. [*no measurements taken, just using numbers for the point of making a relative comparison]
Then you have someone like Bubba – he takes a full hip turn, rotates around the centre of his hips, yet has both feet in the air often. What speed hips is he?
The nomenclature you’ve chosen has an insinuation which I am suggesting you might want to consider how it influences readers understanding of the cause and effect suggestion being made. I think golf as a sport has a lot of issues in this regard based on the terminology being used resulting in poor communication of concepts which may in fact be better understood than the terminology and phrasing represents.
Bill Schmedes III
May 14, 2014 at 6:07 pm
Thanks for the input AP. Again, as mentioned in the article, the test shows what the players natural tendency is between the lower and upper halves. Much of the information given is from a study by Mike Adams, who is one of the best coaches in the world, he has tested thousands of players and calls this test a hip speed test, but he also states its really the difference between the upper and lower halves.
There are plenty of variables that happen in the transition into impact that can effect the look of impact including COM, COP, physical limitations, and we can go on and on. The article is more about taking the test to understand the players tendency and then making modifications at set-up to help that player with what they do naturally. The test obviously doesn’t measure any data, and 99% of players don’t have access to the technology to measure movements, but its something that can and has helped a large amount of golfers from professionals to amateurs.`
Unknown
May 13, 2014 at 9:00 am
That’s not Adam Scott, It’s Chris Wood from The U.K who plays on the European tour. Please correct this!!!
Bill Schmedes III
May 13, 2014 at 3:43 pm
Yes it is. Thanks for the good eye. It should have said Chris Wood. Apologizes
Winmac
May 13, 2014 at 6:41 am
I thought I am naturally unfit for golf as my friends picked it up faster than me. I read through the ‘ideals’, diligently followed them and still my swing improved only slightly. I read the comments above and I find the fast hips players are the ones always troubled. I’m glad to say that my swing has now improved and I dropped 2 strokes. Thanks and keep the articles coming, Bill.
Bill Schmedes III
May 13, 2014 at 3:45 pm
Thank you Winmac. Happy to hear its helped! It has worked for many of golfers and has been proven through tests to be accurate. Keep up the good play!
James
May 13, 2014 at 1:11 am
This article is silly…what your trail foot is doing at impact has little to do with fast or slow hips. And your example aren’t showing consistent comparisons. You have stentson hitting a wood (wide stance, fast swing) and Adam Scott hitting what appears to be a mid iron (narrow stance, controled swing) of course Scott is going to appear to have more passive bottom half by comparison. Show Scott hitting a driver and you will see his trail foot more on point at impact. By that same token Mcilroy for instance is well known to have some of the fastest hips measured yet at impact he barely has lifted the heel of his back foot.
Bill Schmedes III
May 13, 2014 at 3:41 pm
Thanks for the input James. If you read careful you would have noticed I said “While this test does not quantify a golfer’s hip speed numerically, it does show the difference between the speeds of the lower body and upper body”
So although I and Mike Adams (who has run thousands of test on golfers including tour professionals) call it hip speed its actually the difference between the upper and lower half. There are obviously many variables in the transition in regards to COM and COP that effect “the look” of the right foot at impact. It’s not a perfect visual but has helped many.
The test will show what the player can do naturally, and it’s Chris Wood not Adam Scott that appears to be a typo, I just noticed that myself. If you think the article is Silly that’s fine. Move along. Thanks!
John
May 13, 2014 at 12:05 am
Bill, I am a slow hips natural. My driver ss is only high 88. When I gave up straight shots and played a draw my HDCP dropped 5 strokes in 4 months. The issue is everything is a low bullet. How can I stay with the draw but raise ball flight?
Bill Schmedes III
May 13, 2014 at 3:43 pm
John, to be honest it could be a multitude of things, but without being able to see the swing I would just be guessing. It could be equipment also. Thanks
Amr
May 12, 2014 at 4:11 pm
Using your test, I have a fast hip speed and yes my drives are a fade but when I try to strength my grip I end up with either a pulled shot or a high flying hook.
Any Advice about how to stay from the left trouble for a ultra fast hip.
Bill Schmedes III
May 12, 2014 at 6:59 pm
A pull would be common for someone that fades the ball for a miss. When you hit a fade the face is slightly closed towards the target but open to the path. When you hit a pull the face is still closed towards target and square to the path, basically they both match so not much curvature.
The hook you talk about I would imagine is a toe strike with a similar motion. Gear effect takes over ball starts a bit left and gear effect curves it more left because of toe hit.
If you have the prescribed foot flare, I would have you feel like your hands move a bit more left through impact so you can keep seeing your fade, meaning the path is more leftward. The grip will control the face. Without seeing it, it’s a bit tough, but that’s what sounds to be the problem
Philip
May 13, 2014 at 12:27 pm
I had the same issue until I combined the above info with Mike’s article in May’s Golf Magazine “The New Secret to impact”, as well as his prior article “Find your Perfect Swing” which I downloaded from his website. Both appear to deal with similar items from different perspectives. I was doing the test incorrectly so the older article helped me realize that.
I then combined his articles with the prior information I got from the Golf WRX article “The difference between professionals and amateurs is in the ground”.
Keep in mind that I only made one adjustment at a time, hitting a bucket of balls. I find if I tried to change too many items I lost my feel.
It is so for me intuitive to adjust your set-up and grip and just let the swing happen then keep a bad set-up and grip and try to correct your swing through drills. YMMV
Philip
May 13, 2014 at 3:04 pm
Last point, for my grip I gained my understanding of it (and the feel) from Five Lessons.
The key to solving any problem is the gathering of as much information as possible and then the deliberate applying of the different ideas until something sticks.
I had tried all of the things recommended for my body type over the last two years on my own just by experimenting – but never any two at the same time – so I think I would have eventually found my grip and set-up, but it would have taken another year or two with our short golf seasons.
Philip
May 13, 2014 at 3:07 pm
And it doesn’t matter where you get the information from, either a swing coach or books and articles. I tried a swing coach, but he wanted to teach me his swing instead of helping me find my swing.
Bill Schmedes III
May 13, 2014 at 3:52 pm
Thanks for the comments Philip. Finding the right coach that will run you through a screening to see what your physically capable of doing is so important to make sure both the player and coach are on the right page. If you can find a coach like this it’s much easier to improve rather than always reading the latest tip in a magazine or online. Like this article I wrote and many others they are all general. They can help some but not all. Thanks again!
Tony
May 12, 2014 at 9:48 am
For fast hip players, feet flared means both feet slightly toward the target?
thanks,
Bill Schmedes III
May 12, 2014 at 6:52 pm
Back foot flared away from target and the front foot flared towards the target. Thanks
Tony Starks
May 12, 2014 at 9:44 am
Bill,
By flaring feet for a fast hip player, do you mean they both point toward the target or left toward target and right away from?
Thanks
Bill Schmedes III
May 12, 2014 at 6:51 pm
Tony, the back foot would be flared away from the target and the front foot would be flared towards the target. Thanks
Ryan
May 11, 2014 at 8:20 pm
Bill … Great article. Did you get my email so that you can send pics of the prescribed grips described above? Thanks!
Bill Schmedes III
May 11, 2014 at 8:47 pm
Ryan, I have no way of seeing your email because they don’t publish it. You can either message it to me here or send me an email at williamschmedes3@pga.com Thanks again!
Shane
May 11, 2014 at 1:10 pm
Bill, for a fast hip player, would it be easy to try to increase arm speed to match the hips, or is what you have described above a more reliable way to attain consistency?
Bill Schmedes III
May 11, 2014 at 1:17 pm
Thanks for the note Shane. I like the way of going about it as I listed above. As I mentioned to another gentlemen earlier, Mike Adams has researched and tested thousands of golfers in many different area’s. Hip speed being one of them, and what I wrote about in this article is fairly similar to what he has researched and found to be true. Thanks!
Sam
May 11, 2014 at 11:36 am
I dislike it when articles like this completely ignore left handed golfers. I understand that we are a minority but not even taking the time to comment out in parenthesis the mirrored analysis/tip leaves it to me to try and flip everything in my head and makes it difficult to visualize.
What left handed golfers exhibit which traits traits (what would you classify Mickelson, Weir, Flesch or Watson?)
Bill Schmedes III
May 11, 2014 at 1:10 pm
I apologize Sam. If you’d like leave me your email and I can help you with any questions you may have. Bubba-fast, Mickelson-slow, Weir and Flesch are medium. Thanks
Ryan
May 10, 2014 at 6:39 pm
So if my right heel is slightly off of the ground, I have medium-speed hips? This is implied by, but not directly conveyed in, the article.
Thanks!
Bill Schmedes III
May 11, 2014 at 12:56 pm
Yes that’s typically the case Ryan. Mike Adam’s has done extensive research on this. I would suggest researching his findings. He has multiple tests to help players find what they can do naturally.
Ryan
May 10, 2014 at 12:20 am
Can you provide pictures of the different grips you prescribe? I’m new to playing golf and unfamiliar with the verbiage. Thanks for your help!
Bill Schmedes III
May 10, 2014 at 10:07 am
Ryan, send me your email and I can send some pics of the differences. Thanks
Ryan
May 10, 2014 at 11:01 am
Bill … Included it in my response info. Is that good?
Cypress1
May 9, 2014 at 8:09 pm
Bill,
I’d always wondered why my swing worked pretty well down through the years (I’m “Slow Hips” player) – I now know why and – most importantly – I know what I need to do to get better. Your first 2 articles have been excellent. Please keep them coming!
Bill Schmedes III
May 10, 2014 at 9:05 am
Happy to help. Thank you for your kind words!
Jason Kanis
May 9, 2014 at 6:33 pm
Enjoyed this. As a fast hip swinger these adjustments should help equally on good and bad swing days. Thanks.
Bill Schmedes III
May 10, 2014 at 9:03 am
Thank you Jason!
Mitch
May 9, 2014 at 6:14 pm
Thank you much for validating what I always thought were band aid fixes.
I am a Fast Hip player and I have “self-medicated” with a stronger grip, standing closer to the ball, and playing the ball back in my stance all in an attempt to conquer the dreaded toe hits that are the bane of my game.
I always felt like I was making these changes as a compromise to a proper swing.
Thanks for affirming that there are reasons I tried the modifications that I did. I will try flaring my feet at my next range session.
Bill Schmedes III
May 10, 2014 at 9:02 am
Thanks for the comment Mitch. Hope the feet flare key helps!
Philip
May 9, 2014 at 5:55 pm
Excellent article! Perfect timing for the next stage of my swing rebuild. Knowledge is definitely power.
Bill Schmedes III
May 10, 2014 at 9:00 am
Thanks Philip!