Reader's Question: I have been told numerous times that I would get better results if I did not pickup my left foot. How can I stop from keeping my left from coming up during my swing?
Thanks,
Ray
Hi Ray,
Many players who are less flexible may left their left heel on the backswing – you can even see it on the pro tours, Arnold Palmer and Davis Love III both lift up their front heel during their swing.
One thing to remember is that lifting your front heel is not necessarily a bad thing if it helps you turn, however, you must be consistent enough to maintain your spine angle while you do it. The common fault you see when someone lifts their front heel is lifting. This motion needs to be offset by downward motion; otherwise your consistency will suffer.
So with that said, I’d do a test – If your flexibility is poor, consider continuing to lift your heel, but be more careful about maintaining your spine angle. If your flexibility is okay, try the drill described below for a bucket or two on the range and see the if you see some success.
I posted a drill a while back called the Reverse C Drill. We’re going to use this drill for another purpose here. As the image shows, set up with a ball underneath your lead heel. At address it will irritate you, and feel quite awkward. Swing using a PW or a short iron and keep your heel on that ball throughout your swing. If the ball isn’t bugging you throughout your swing, you lifted your heel. In this case, the annoying ball is a good thing. With some practice, keeping your foot flat on the ground during your swing should become more natural.
Give that a try, and let me know how it goes.
Thanks for reading, and talk to you soon,
The Golf Drill Guru