We all have times where we "loose" our swing and stop making the proper movements to execute the Peak Performance Golf Swing. I found that I was not executing the PPGS myself - me the master! One day as I was helping DJ with his swing I had him watch me swing because, after me, DJ is the second most knowledgeable person in the world on the PPGS. What did we find? I was not executing the bump in my swing!
In past dailies we have talked about the bump and how critical it is to the swing. Here I was not doing it myself. I am here to tell you today; it is essential! A bad execution of the bump, or in my case no bump at all, will lead to a bad swing and a potential loss of distance.
Remember the bump is a small movement in the hips - do not over exaggerate the movement. The bump is a lateral shift toward the target and your weight rolls toward your forward foot in a fluid motion.
Comments
The bump
Surge, as always your dailies seem to come at the perfect time. I was having similar issues and was wondering what was happening. I discovered another issue that was keeping me from getting a good bump and lateral shift forward. I at times flare my front foot a little too much, which makes it difficult to shift my weight to the outside of my foot. This impacts my finish and keeps me from being able to swing up into a "T" finish and results in some of the mishits you mentioned. Little things do matter and it is easy to get a little careless. Hope this might help other surgites who may encounter this little flaw.
Thanks for all your help, Paul Primel
Left foot roll as a downswing trigger.
I understand that Lee Trevino used this left ankle roll as downswing trigger. I've been using this move to start a controlled bump for the last month. Thinking about moving the belt buckle an inch, never did the job for me, because it was too easy for it to become a large and violent move when trying to hit the ball with a full swing. I just think about the outside knuckle of the left ankle, getting slightly closer to the ground as my " GO" move to trigger the downswing. This triggers a nice little controlled lateral move without putting excess stress on my lead ankle. Having a history of ankle problems I would never try to get the amount of lead ankle roll that the pros get but this subtle little move works just fine without any pain.
The Bump.
Hi Surge, I have been with you for many years and I met you in Brisbane Australia, a couple of years ago for a lesson. I have been having trouble with the "Bump" for some time. In an endeavour to bring my swing back to normal, I have been making certain that my arms at the top of the swing are in the correct position and also that they are in the correct position at the top of the forward swing. I make certain my head is still and that the swing is vertical. The correct position of course is based on the hands and elbows in a triangle. When doing this, I have found, happily, that the "Bump" works beautifully and automatically without having to think about it and that the swing feels so natural and smooth and the ball is quite well hit.
Essential!!!
Been with PPGS since 2013 and out of all the aspects of PPGS, I think the bump is the most important. The reason being is that the backswing is like building the battery charge or fueling up.
At the top, the bump is the lighter that EXPLODES the power built up from the backswing, FLUSH to the ball and all the way to the T finish. I remember rolling to the left foot was so good, smoking my UDI 2 iron with a baby fade and just pure power. Good memories, and I never hit a 2 iron so sweet when I had the rotary swing going.
Thanks Surge, hope you feel better & play better.
The Bump.
Comment on SwingBlues comment. I am 83 and very restricted in my physical movements. SwingBlues action works for him obviously but I find my method works for me. Baz Short.
The Bumb
I am now anarmchair golfer, but my mndseye picture of my golf swing is chrystal clear, thanks to your very enjoyable coaching.
Your lesson on "The Bump" and rolling onto the outside of the left foot is a really good one. ,but the moving picture of your full swing that accompanies each email you send to us shows yor left foot flat to the ground at the finish 0f the sing. Is it an old picture or has age got something to do with it?
Best regards
Gordon Grment
Royal Lytham and.st Annes Golf Club
Ankle roll in the videos - Don stands on a soft mat
The ankle roll can be noticed if you look at his forward foot. You will see the inner side of the toe of his left shoe lifts. Depending on the shoe and the firmness of the ground you can roll your ankle without an exaggerated movement of the shoe itself. The mat Don uses happens to be very spongy (I have stood on it before), in this very video he does roll his ankle but the only indication you can see is the slight left on the inside of the shoe. Due to the softness of his mat, the left side of his left foot compresses the mat so you do not see that much lift. If he were on a hard surface, it would be a lot different.
La Bumpa
Hi Surge--Great lesson and point regarding the left foot rollover. I think this will really help as my left foot, in Navy carrier terms, stayed on the deck. I'm certain this correction will help gain back distance lost and occassional "Yankee Doodle Dandies" (ie leftward ho). Throughout the years (since you were a guest on the Golf Channel) the bump has been the most elusive of moves and todays video should prove to be a big help. Many thanks.
Ray Gawlak
La Bumpa
Obviously the way to utilise the "Bump" can be very individual. Anyone can express his own way of doing it.
The Bump and the Left foot
Thanks for answering my question.The Surge does hit his shots from a mat and the anckle roll is clear,but in the introduction picture , so far as I can see,
The Surge is hitting from, and standing on, turf, as he does so.
In this picture his lef foot seems to be planted firmly on the ground, with no movement at all.
I thoroughly enjoy his lessons and comments .If he could get me back playing a game I first started in 1938 when I was six he would be doing both me, and my long suffering wife,Daphne, a great service?
Golf is a wonderful game and The surge is one of its most dedicated contributors.I salute him.
Gordon Garment
Royal Lytham and St.Annes Golf Club
The Bump and the left foot.
In regard to the left foot having pressure to the left at the conclusion of the swing, I noted that if one makes certain that the arms are in the correct position at the top of the backswing and at the conclusion of the swing, as I have mentioned previously, one can feel that there is pressure on the left side of the foot at the swing's conclusion.
Lag drill
Is The bump is the first move associated with the lag and the drop of the club into the slot for the perfect connection every time ?
Losing the PPGS Swing Daily Video
Surge - Awhile ago I wrote about something similar - what is a person to do when you lose the swing? As you mentioned in the video, it is very difficult to self analyze and since I am in Texas, I have no access too any PPGS certified pros. When things go wrong I try to go back to the basics of the swing but it is difficult to figure out when it could be something quite subtle. Any suggestions appreciated.
By the way, since participating in a workshop that you put on in Houston, my handicap has dropped 6 points for which I am glad. Just need to keep working at it.
Thanks.
David E MANN - Surgite follower 63 years old.
The Bump
If I think about the bump to start the downswing, what usually happens is that I "Bump" too much, which mucks up the swing. By making certain that the "Triangle" is correct at the top of the backswing and at the conclusion of the swing, the "Bump" occurs naturally and also the left foot finishes with the weight transferred from the right foot, also without having to think about it.