help me with my habit!

[GoMocs]

I have a bad habit of lifting my left heel during the swing (I am right handed)....any of yall encounter this and any hints on correcting it?

[PA Jayhawk]

You are in good company. Alot of pros, Jack Nicklaus included, lifted their left heel as well. Is there another issue that is causing this, or is it creating other problems, like say overswinging? You may not want to worry about it at all.

Nicklaus even goes so far as to say that normal players should do this as it leads to other benefits, like allowing you to turn your hips level as opposed to tilting them, or making a bigger turn. Most tour pros you see that avoid this are a little more flexible.

[GoMocs]

it seems like the more I lift the left heel the more likely I am to top the ball....and now I am thinking about it, which is worse than actually doing it!

[PA Jayhawk]

it seems like the more I lift the left heel the more likely I am to top the ball....and now I am thinking about it, which is worse than actually doing it!

That's a tough call, I know when I am doing certain things, it becomes a distraction simply because I think about them too much. Not sure if correcting the heel lift would create other issues as a result of the correction.

Here is a page where Nicklaus talks briefly about that, during the article. I knew I remembered reading it at some point, probably an old Golf Digest, or TGC show.
http://www.golfdigest.com/instructio...00404jack.html

[fore142]

the lift of the left heel is one major variation between different swings. There is certainly nothing wrong with doing so just as PA Jayhawk said.

[Boomhauer]

There was an interview on G-talk on eday that discussed this issue. Apparently golf-related injuries have increased dramatically since the practice of keeping both feet firmly bedded during the swing has become more popular (particularly back and hip injuries). I have made great attempts to limit this action in my own swing because it seemed to leave me in a reverse pivot a lot.

[Reyes463]

There was an interview on G-talk on eday that discussed this issue. Apparently golf-related injuries have increased dramatically since the practice of keeping both feet firmly bedded during the swing has become more popular (particularly back and hip injuries). I have made great attempts to limit this action in my own swing because it seemed to leave me in a reverse pivot a lot.

You could also be suceptible to knee injuries, you would be creating a lot of torque on that left knee by not allowing the heel to come up. Of course its all relative, it depends on how much or far you can rotate your upper body. (which creates all the torque)

[PA Jayhawk]

Just on thought that may or may not help if you do want to limit or rid your self of this. Check your left toes, whether they are straight or angled slightly forward from the heel, the more you angle, the less you can raise your heel and the more pressure you put on your left calf in doing so, even a slight change may help. Many recommend you do this anyways. Again, you may get into changing you swing if your do too much

[bethpage caddy]

I expected a lot worse from a thread entitled, "help me with my habit!"