Gravity Golf Weight Shift - By Danny Lee Golf Pro in Greenville SC.

The weight shift is one of the most critical elements of the Gravity Golf Swing. It starts with the weight predominately on the left (front) leg and ends up on that same leg as it is rotating through the ball. So let’s break down the posture and weight shift to see how it all comes together.

The posture is tall and upright as we address the ball. The weight is predominately on the back of the legs (hamstrings and calf muscles). The weight is then shifted to the front leg in the set up. The posture is not in the “ready quarterback” position (with the hips flexed), it is taller... so that you can easily shift your weight forward or backward. In this case we are going to shift our weight backward.

The weight shift starts with the “heave”. That short burst of energy that comes from the lower core muscles. The heave brings the weight of the body onto the right (back) leg. It is important to note that the weight ends up on the inside of the heel of the back leg. We do not want to get the weight too far out side the back leg that we create a “Sway”.

If the posture of the back leg is right (no hip flexion) then the weight will be shifted to the heel and the beginning of the tipping point takes place. We start to fall backwards and toward the left heel. At this point there is an imaginary line from the right leg heel all the way up to the right shoulder as the body is turning and falling backwards towards the left leg. That line is the axis that the weight is shifting around. That axis is leaning towards the target and ends up falling toward the back part of the left leg.

It is important to note that this is a dynamic flow of the weight from the left leg as it goes onto the right leg and back to the left leg. At this point of the swing the weight is falling backwards and going towards the heel of that front foot.

This motion has begun and is flowing from the front leg ....to the back leg....and back to the front leg....cannot be stopped and held. That being said ...Now I want to freeze this position and make a couple of comments about it.

1. The movement of the energy of the heave travels up the back leg and becomes one unit with the torso. The torso is not leaning differently from the leg....the posture is upright...the hips are not extended, they are slightly flexed. That is accomplished by having the right hip remain high and not extended. The hip feels like it raises as the weight is transferred onto it briefly.
2. This position is a tipping point that cannot be held because the weight is on the right heel and not on the rest of the right foot. Technically you are off balance here.
3. This rotation is effortless and creates the 1st counter fall.
4. The weight does not linger here. It goes right back onto the left heel to start the 2nd counter fall.
5. Your back is now facing the target to some degree depending on your flexibility.

Now lets continue on with the move as it falls from the back leg onto the front leg.

Let’s talk about the position of the front leg. The front leg has had the heel lifted up just slightly as the weight went to the back leg and the energy going up the back leg. As the weight shifts back to the front leg it is very important to note that the weight is planted on that front heel and is going to fall backwards and not forwards. That means that there is only a little bend in the front leg knee. The weight needs to go back and not forward so the knee is not going forward. It only bends slightly and turns a little inward. (If you notice that the knee is bending forward towards the ground....you are seeing the problem of having the weight too far forward) Now that the weight is planted on the front leg, the bottom part of that leg is close to straight up and down. The top part of that leg is slightly leaning backward because the left leg is bent ever so slightly.

So going back to the weight as it is shifting from the back axis created around the back leg to the front axis that is created on the front leg.

As the weight falls onto the front leg (and the front leg is in the proper position) the front leg and left side of the body become the axis that the club is slung around. Once the front leg heel is planted back on the ground and the weight is transferred onto that front leg, that is the new axis that will rotate and power the swing. The 1st counter fall started with the backswing on the back leg. That turned into a weight shift that brought the weight onto the front leg axis. Now the 2nd counter fall is coming into action again as it takes the front axis off balance to easily create rotation on the front leg axis. If this counter fall is done correctly then you should be able to spin on your left heel like a human top. If you are not able to spin easily on your left heel, you are probably too far forward (towards to ball) as you shifted your weight from the back leg to the front leg.

Once your weight has shifted:

1) onto the front leg and

2) your body has counter fallen for the 2nd time

3) your body is effortlessly rotating around the front leg

Side note about the ARMS: .....Your rotation will pick up the momentum of the falling arms (and golf club) and sling them through the ball. The arms must be tension free to allow the power to be created from the rotating core and to keep the arms from pulling you out of the 2nd counter fall. If the arms have tension in them, they will take you out of your natural swing plane created by the rotating core and falling arms.

In this particular golf swing, there are 2 weight shifts and 2 counter falls. Each counter fall is preceded by a weight shift. The 1st weight shift is created by the heave and creates the momentum to initiate the first counter fall. The 2nd weight shift is created by gravity and momentum from the body falling out of the first counter fall towards the front leg. The 2nd weight shift takes you from the first counter-fall on the back leg to the front leg into the 2nd counter fall which creates the effortless rotation that powers the club as it is slung through the ball.

THE FORMULA

Here is a simple way to look at the 6 basic moves that flow together to make the Gravity Golf Swing:

1. “the first weight shift” ......You have the first weight shift that transfers the weight from the front leg to the back leg (heel). This move is created by the heave.
2. “the first counter fall” ....Then you have the first counter-fall that is at 90 degrees (behind you). This counter fall brings the weight of the body onto the back heel and allows effortless rotation on the back swing. This rotation off the 1st counter fall is much less, than the rotation off of the 2nd counter fall. This is a very brief move and much less pronounced as the 2nd counter fall. It puts the body into position to fall onto the left leg...(the 2nd weight shift). This move is created off the momentum of the first weight shift.
3. “the second weight shift”.....The 2nd weight shift comes from the weight being transferred from the back leg to the front leg. It is just a continuance of the 1st counter fall. It puts the weight squarely on the front leg. The heel that had raised just slightly on the rotation of the back leg, gets planted back on the ground to create the axis of the front leg rotation. This move is created by the momentum of the first counter fall.
4. “the second counter fall”The momentum of the 2nd weight shift as it hits the front leg takes the weight into the 2nd counter-fall. This 2nd counter fall will encourage the body to rotate to counter balance the weight of the arms and club as they are falling from the top of the swing. This move is created by the momentum of the second weight shift and the planting of the left leg.
5. “the effortless rotation”.......The next move is the rotation of the body around the left leg created by the counter fall. The rotation of the core on the left leg, creates the front leg axis that will power the ball. This move is created by the second counter fall.
6. “the rotary sling”If the arms are tension free the... rotation is effortless and becomes a very powerful force that slings the club through the ball. This rotary sling is the final result of all these prior moves. Effortless rotation of the body around the left leg that slings the arms and club as they are falling from the top of the back swing. Even though this move is effortless it creates a tremendous amount of power to the club head. This move is created by the effortless rotation that comes from all the other moves done in their proper sequence.