One of the major tenets of the PPG setup and swing involve the concept of the wide knees at address and the outward pressure that must be applied. The wide knees, being unique and noticeable, have become the 'Trademark' of the PPGS setup. Mr. Woods, in his question below, asked for a clarification about the outward pressure applied to the wide knee setup. Since it is so important, let's take a look and answer it.
Mr. Woods says:
Surge ' rule #4 in this article must have slid by me somewhere. I thought we were keeping outward pressure on our knees throughout the swing. At what point do the knees start towards the target?
The Surge says:
The concept of the wide knees over the feet and in line with hips and shoulders (the building effect, as I call it) first and foremost is unique in the golf world of knees in the setup/address position. Most conventional instruction for the setup has the feet much wider. The ankles to knees to hips lines look more like a triangle. Add to that the back foot straight turned inward, as well as the back knee turned and pressed inward, to stop swaying, makes the legs now look like the Eiffel Tower.
Because the wide knees setup is so different and noticeable, PPGS golfers, so to speak, really 'stand out' on the range and on the course. I can't tell you how many times students in lessons have told me or called me to relate the same story. They were on the range hitting balls and someone came up to them and stated, 'You must take lessons from The Surge.' My students would ask how they knew that and the answer is always the same. 'You have the wide knees setup.'
The flared feet, wide knees and applying the outward pressure is critical to making the limited turn backswing. The key to the outward pressure is applying only enough to keep the knees and legs solid, firm and stable. This is exactly the same position of the legs in the ready position baseball players are in out in the field. The pressure should keep the feet flat on the ground. Too much outward force will cause the feet to roll toward their outward edges, the legs will bow outward and loose their firmness, and you'll be out of balance. Click here for the entire series of the photo to the right.
The outward pressure, along with resisting the forward knee moving inward no more than an inch or two, is what stabilizes the body in the backswing. The quiet knees keep the entire body level in the backswing.
The resisting forward knee is what creates the stretching of the leg muscles as well as the muscle groups on up into the hips, back, shoulders and arms. The muscles stretch upward as the torso turns and the arms lift up to the top of the backswing. The key is the outward pressure and the resisting front knee and leg. That's what creates the level and limited turn to the top of the backswing.
Another important point that must be stressed here is that both knee caps turn or rotate in the same direction as the torso turn in unison and to the same degree. They are moving together as a team, all moving/turning in the same direction, both in the backswing and the forward swing. This is what keeps the stretching muscles in balance and keeps the knees level and creates a good load over and onto the back flexed leg in the backswing. This load on the back flexed leg keeps the leg muscles stretched and ready to spring forward when the back leg pushes off in the transition to the finish on the forward leg.
Conventional instruction, where the golfer lifts the front foot and the front knee turns inward toward the rear knee and turns against the back leg to create tension on the inner thigh of the back leg, is really a stress builder in the legs and lower back. The knees also cannot stay level with all the front knee movement inward. The biggest problem is that turning against the rear leg causes the leg to straighten and increases stress in the lower back. This also pushes the upper torso forward into a reverse tilt onto the front leg for most golfers, especially those lacking suppleness and flexibility. The point here is that both knees are moving opposite each other. The forward knee is moving back and back knee is pushing forward. The knees, moving in opposite directions, are what creates the forward tilt of the spine and the tension and stress.
The point that needs clarification in Mr. Wood's statement is, 'I thought we were keeping outward pressure on our knees THROUGHOUT the swing.' The incorrect word is throughout. We maintain the outward pressure and resistance in the forward knee moving inward only an inch or two in the BACKSWING ONLY. The concept of maintaining anything 'throughout the swing' is keeping your palms perpendicular to the ground. Palms perpendicular is swinging the club vertical and keeping it light.
The big question asked is, 'What time do the knees start towards the target?' The knees start towards the target or forward when the transition starts. The knees both rotate in unison and stay flexed as the lateral left shift or hip slide, 'the bump,' starts the change of direction of the transition from the backswing to the forward upswing.
To summarize, maintaining the wide knees with outward pressure is in the backswing only. The outward pressure and limited knee movement of the front knee is the stabilizer of levelness and set the limits for the limited shoulder turn backswing of the PPGS.
The Surge!