Ups And Downs in The Backswing
By T.J. TOMASI
Universal Press Syndicate
A few years ago, articles appeared in two major golf magazines: one advocating that it's good to lift the front heel during the backswing, and one advising the reader to keep the left heel on the ground. The golfing public (at least the ones I talked to) was confused because both articles bore the signature of experts and thus were very convincing.
It doesn't do much good to use tour pros as examples of what to do. For each one who lifts the heel using the driver, there is one who stays planted. During his great years not so long ago, Jack Nicklaus raised his front heel a lot hitting a driver. So do Phil Mickelson and Davis Love III. But a number of other players, such as Kenny Perry and Sergio Garcia, keep it planted.
How can this conundrum be resolved? Quite easily it turns out. The deciding factor should be flexibility. If you can make a full coil when keeping your front heel on the ground, do so. If you need the lift to help you swing to the top, do it.
Even if flexibility is an issue, I'd experiment with keeping the front heel on the ground. It may shorten your swing, but your swing will be more consistent. Lifting the heel may be OK for the pros, but it can lead to a primary power leak for the average player. Keeping the heel down is not a non-negotiable, but it is recommended.
Remember, it's torque that creates this first level of coil, where you set the lower leg against the hips, and if you miss the first coil, you can never make it up.
To get the feel of the first level of coil, assume your golf stance with all your weight on your front leg; use your back toe as a rudder for balance. Now, keeping your weight planted where it is, rotate your body until you feel the sensation that your front heel is trying to move in the direction of the target. This resistance in your lower leg is the feeling you should have all the way through your backswing.
As I've said, if you have low flexibility, you may have to lift the front heel during your backswing, but when you do, make sure you stack your joints as Paul Goydos does in the photos below.