Article #52
Teacher: Jitterbug, Mr. Vaughn, Lord Berry
To meet this week's teacher, or to purchase a copy of MUNIE ~ The Jitterbug Collection, go to www.oneputtpress.com
Dear Jitterbug:
Can you explain the concept of a "firm left side?"
Allison Rybicki
Jitterbug Gang Fan
Jitterbug:
A firm left side refers to the role the left leg and foot play in the early stages of the downswing all the way to the completion of the swing. To have a firm left side is to have a stable left leg around which the body can rotate.
To not have a firm left side is to allow the left foot to rotate around counter-clockwise as the club is swung down and through the ball. This makes for at least two problems.
Number one, it suggests an insufficient amount of weight has been shifted to the left leg. After all, how much weight can be on a foot that is slip-sliding around?
Second, it makes for an inconsistent path back to the ball. Ideally, the path the club travels into the ball will be slightly from the inside to out. This is made difficult, however, if the left foot is rotating open. The more severely the foot rotates, the more the club is likely to travel into the ball on an outside to in path. What's worse, the degree of outside to in will be inconsistent, each time depending on how much the foot rotates.
Mr. Vaughn:
It is no wonder so many people crumble their left side through impact. For many, it's just a flexibility issue. Some people can't continue to turn through impact without surrendering that left leg.
If you think this is you, then I got a little drill that might help your flexibility as well as teach you how to build and maintain a firm left side.
Pick up a club and take some small swings for me. Each time you start your downswing, I want you to dig the outer edge of your left shoe into ground and keep it there through the balance of your swing. That's right, try to really wedge it into the ground. Grow with it and make some bigger swings. Do this for a few days, and you'll likely notice a bit more freedom in your motion. As you improve, try the same thing, except instead of the outer edge digging in, think of the inner edge of the left foot wedging into the ground as you make your way through impact. If you can do this and still make a complete finish, then you got it all worked out.
Lord Berry:
Sadly, the crumbling left side is not nearly as injurious to short game shots. I say sadly because habits developed from short shots often carry over to the full swing.
Thusly, and without delay, I suggest that you commit to firming up your left side on chips, pitches and bunker shots. After all, short shots one day grow up to be big shots.