Bobby Jones on Proper Weight Shift

I was rereading some of Sidney Matthew's collection of Bobby Jones's newspaper columns called Bobby Jones Golf Tips: Secrets of the Master and found this interesting tidbit about weight shift during the downswing. It's such a simple image that I thought I'd pass it on.

The photo at right comes from the Royal Liverpool at Hoylake's history page. It shows Bobby Jones during his Open win there in 1930, and it shows exactly what Jones said in the article I read called On the Proper Method of Shifting Weight. Note that when Jones talks about the left leg, he means your lead leg. (So you lefties can mentally insert 'right leg.')

If we but examine the styles of different golfers, even with the naked eye, it is easy enough to tell whether the weight transference has been a sway or a shift. One characteristic of the proper body action, that is to say, the shift, is that the left leg is straight at and after impact. If you want to know why this is, you have only to look at the time, which marks the left side of the body. It has been lengthened, without lifting the head, by holding the shoulder back while the left hip goes forward. The characteristic of the sway, located again in the left leg, is a decided bend of the left knee in this same area. The entire weight of the body has been thrown forward. The shoulders coming forward also prevent the straightening of the left leg, and either the knee bends more or the player fall flat upon his face. [p94]

I find this very interesting simply because Jones is writing around 1930 or so, yet he is saying the most obvious way to get a proper weight shift is to drive upward along with your lead leg at effect so your lead hip and upper body don't move too far forward. Push up to move forward in your downswing properly. Sounds rather modern, doesn't it?

To pressure upward on the downswing -- that is, straighten your lead knee --it follows that your lead knee has to bend on the backswing. What those actions do is permit your hips and lower frame to transport freely all through your swing with out your higher frame lurching around.

Now, how do you make sure you drive upward and do not lean ahead? Jones says you "keep the shoulder lower back while the left hip goes forward." He manner that your lead shoulder turns toward your lead heel, and that makes your weight shift well. You are not leaning backwards, folks -- you are just turning your upper body so your chest faces the goal. (Take a good take a look at that image!) This is a strong balanced flow into the ball.

If you cannot make this move with out lurching ahead, then you definately're trying to drive your legs too difficult all through your downswing. But once you get the dangle of this balanced swing, you will make higher contact extra frequently. Good swing mechanics in no way exchange...

We simply forget a way to keep our stability while we strive too hard. ;-)