The Golf Swing and Foot Work

I received the above information in an email earlier this week and thought it was too good not to share! I think that it beautifully illustrates the way the weight and feet should work throughout the golf swing.

Let's take a look at each slide and the corresponding position of Lee Westwood.

• Address: I like the way the weight is evenly spread here. The head should be centered between the feet and if this is the case the foot pressure will be matching and thus correct.
• Takeaway: It is interesting to note that there is not a tremendous amount of shift here - notice how the right shoe only has one segment that is absorbing more pressure than the left foot.
• Top Position: While the right foot is clearly under more pressure than the left this is due to the coiling and wind up of the body vs. a huge weight shift or slide. Remember there should be no (or very little) lateral motion as you pivot to the top of the backswing. In fact, if you looked at Ben Hogan's feet when his club reached the 'top' he would clearly have more pressure on the left foot due to his very dynamic swing.
• Impact: What I love about this illustration is how impact only has two more pressure points than the follow through! The weight is clearly on the front foot - just as it should be.
• Follow Through: The weight is all the way up on the front foot, but not significantly more than where it was at address.

Tom Watson at Turnberry

Sam Snead at Wentworth

The moral of the story is that in order to shift the weight correctly, the lower body and particularly the feet, need to work.  Just like Watson and Snead - the lower body must make its contribution to the motion and energy generated in the golf swing.

Congratulations to Andy Bare and Bobby Macwhinnie, two Berkeley Hall students who have made it through the first stage of PGA Qualifying school. Well done and all the best for the upcoming stages.