When you watch a professional golfer start from the top of his swing, you see him firing his hips as he releases all the potential energy created during the backswing. This uncoiling is what creates power and allows them to generate so much of it.
The move looks quite simple if performed correctly. People like Fred Couples and Ernie Els do it so well it’s like they’re not even trying to swing hard. But in reality, the power they create is the result of moving each part of the swing in exactly the right order.
This command, known as sequencing, must be performed to perfection if you want to swing with maximum efficiency. And one of the most important ways you can perfect this sequence is by focusing on firing your hips during the downswing.
GOLF Top 100 teacher Mike Malizia explains how in the video below.
The key to a good hip turn
A phrase you may have heard in golf lessons is “firing your hips.” And while it’s true that you should shoot (or rotate) your hips hard from the top of the swing, you should do so with the proper sequence in mind.
When golfers hear the term “fire at the hips,” they often turn away from the top of the swing as quickly as possible. Fast hips can be good for generating power, but you shouldn’t let them get too far in front of your upper body.
“What you’ll see from a Tour player as he reaches the top and starts down is that by the time the main arm gets parallel to the ground, his hips are square to slightly closed,” says Malizia. “It is at this point that they rotate.”
Recreational players get into trouble when they shoot their hips too quickly and extend their arms toward the ball. When this happens, the clubhead is thrown far outside the proper swing plane and a steep path is created.
To counteract this, try to feel like you are keeping your hips closed a little longer during the downswing. Lower your arms toward the ball and then, keeping your main arm approximately parallel to the ground, you can fully roll out and rotate hard through the impact.
“Sequencing will help you be more consistent and maximize your play,” says Malizia.
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