Welcome to the "new" blog, direct from The Back Yard! This new location will give me the opportunity to make full swings as I discuss the topic of the day and hopefully, many of you will find that helpful.
Today, I want to answer a question from Chuck Claffey who has asked for clarification on a point I made in a recent blog (Loading The Back Leg).
"Loading the right [leg] I can understand, but the concept of going down while going back and then up while coming through has me confused as I don't believe the head should be going down on the way back and then up on the way through. Could you maybe put it another way or explain how to "keep your nose on the ball" while not dipping and raising through the swing?"
Well, Chuck, this is a question of timing and of degree. Most of the "down" movement occurs in our setup, before the swing begins. We want to be "pre-loaded, heavy right" so that we can effectively push off the ground during the FUS. As you will see in today's video, we aren't talking about a lot of movement here, maybe 1/4" as we settle our weight onto our back leg, which in your case is your right one. This slight movement should not cause your head to move in any material way until impact, when we want to come up like a Pop Tart out of a toaster.
Interestingly, a very concise answer to your question was posted by frequent contributor Robert Fleck, and as usual, he was right on the money! I have posted his comment below for all to read. Hopefully between what Robert and I have written here and what I cover in my swings from The Back Yard in today's video this concept of "down-up" will become clear to you.
"The head should be as still as you can keep it in the swing right up until impact. When Surge says to let the weight settle onto the back leg, he's talking about using the knee like the springs in a car to keep the body steady and level. The right knee has to accept the weight. Many people (myself included) coming from a rotational swing have to overcome the habit of the right knee straightening as you turn back and take the club away. Straightening the right leg in effect pushes the weight onto the left, causing a reverse tilt and ending badly (chunks, thins, pulls, everything inconsistent). You can't bump properly with a straight right leg and so on. Surge is not saying to lower your body several inches when you swing back." Robert Fleck
Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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