An old friend

An old friend of mine is the front-foot theory, which is a bit like one aspect of the stack and tilt method, but a less complicated and controversial concept which is much more universally accepted. It is the view that it essential to hit the ball off the front foot.

To clarify what I mean: it is essential that the weight gets at least 90 percent onto the front foot at impact. This condition or position is evident in nearly any video of the top golfers, yet how many average golfers achieve this in their swings - including me?

The problem with most average golfers is that the conscious or unconscious weight shift onto the back foot on the backswing means that they never get sufficiently back onto the front foot at impact.

The implications of this are as follows (as the S&T people will also tell us):

- it is harder to swing from the inside when the weight is back; there is a tendency to flip the club over from the outside if the weight stays back, the swing path is compromised;

- it is harder to make solid contact and compress the ball (ie. take the ball first and divot after) if the weight stays back, though this is less critical with driver, obviously, since hitting level or slightly up is the aim;

- there is a leakage of power if the weight stays back - do baseball pitchers throw off the back foot? - I don't think so.

Those are enough reasons to say that the weight must be on the front foot at impact. How the weight gets there is the question. Perhaps keeping more weight centred and slightly forward throughout the swing be the answer?

As an experiment, I intend to concentrate on two things in my next game:

1. I am going to set up with my weight 60/40 on the front foot for all shots and make sure, as far as possible, to get onto my front foot at impact.

2. I am going to set up with a good neutral grip, align properly, as best I can, and then ignore my backswing, wrist position, and all the other technical/mechanical stuff that I've been working on, while concentrating on maintaining a smooth rhythm.

I don't think I need to think about the other S&T elements (front shoulder down, straight back leg, hip upthrust, etc.), this is a level of technicality that I don't think I need, and that very few people need. Perhaps the players that adopted S&T simply got worn out trying to incorporate the multiple elements of the theory when all they needed to do was make sure they got their weight forward (without swaying and over-hitting, my other keys) during their swings?

As the rebellious golf teacher, Darrell Klassen, says: golf is an easy game. Now while I don't fully accept that, I would say that it should be an easier game than the golf teaching industry makes out. His scathing criticism of much golf teaching is, in my view, well and truly justified. Not that all teachers are bad or over technical, just some of the more prominent ones.

But this is an issue for another time. In the meantime, I'm hopeful that by simplifying my own thought processes on the course, I will hit the ball a bit better in my next few games. All I have to do then is fix my short game, which has deserted me while I've foolishly chased 'the perfect swing'.