The other day, Elaine wrote her question (see below) saying that her husband, a good player, says that she always comes off her feet hitting the ball. She asked why it happens and can I help her. Ken wrote in yesterday about his wife coming off her feet every time she hits a ball.
I had already decided to answer Elaine as this is a problem I have seen in women golfers from LPGA Professionals to amateurs. In fact, I have seen the lady pros affected by this more than the amateurs because of equipment issues. This is also seen in a lot of junior golfers, both girls and boys, and for the same reasons I will cover. There are setup issues, club issues and swing issues that affect and cause the “Jump Shot” or if the feet don’t come completely off the ground, “Tip Toe” hitting. Let’s start first by reading what Ken and Elaine both said.
Ken Gundersen says:
My wife comes off both feet every time she hits the ball, How come her practice swings are perfect?
Elaine says:
I am a leftie on a higher handicap and my husband keeps telling me I take one of my feet off the ground unbeknown to me when I swing. He wonders if I am standing wrong or is it just that I try to put so much effort into my swing and it just happens. It is definitely hampering my golf so hope you can help me.
The Surge says:
Let’s start with looking at setup issues that can cause air golf swings. First, I will answer Ken’s question as to why his wife does not go airborne in practice swings. It is simply because it is a “practice swing” which lacks the speed, muscle power and intensity of actually hitting the ball.
The setup issue is usually one of two problems. Standing too close to the ball can cause raising or standing up to make room getting the knees and legs out of the way. Aiming right (for right hander) can cause this when the player pulls her torso up and left to get the body out of the way so the arms can swing down the aiming line.
The equipment issue is one, two or all of three issues. The clubs can be too long, too stiff and or too heavy. There is a prevailing thought or belief in the golf business that when a female golfer, from a young girl to a grown woman, exhibits a somewhat power swing (as compared to women golfers in general) and is becoming a quality player, “They need to be playing with men’s clubs.” That’s WRONG…almost completely WRONG, including the LPGA Players. Why?
Because men’s clubs are longer, stiffer and heavier than women’s clubs and thus too difficult for most women to swing with power, control and balance. They have to revert to using the extra leveraging of their entire body to swing the club. Why? Because ladies have, on average, 30 percent less upper body strength than a man their comparable size.
The solution for this is simple. If a lady is in fact a power player, and/or is tall and needs longer clubs and/or thicker grips, get these clubs made with ladies components of grips, shafts and club heads. Grips can be built up thicker. If the shafts need to be longer and stronger than a ladies shaft, then the woman can use men’s ultra lite or graphite shafts. The point here is that longer and stronger ladies clubs built with ladies components are lighter and thus easier to swing with speed and control than a comparable men’s club. Easier means the ladies can stay grounded when they swing.
The swing is the cause of a lady getting airborne when the player is making a big hip and shoulder turn and usually with the turn over swinging to and definitely past parallel. Because ladies have less strength in their arms and shoulders to pull the club up and around to the aiming line from an over swing, they have to engage their entire body to add leverage, which causes them to sort of jump up. They first have to pull the club up from the over swing past parallel and then once up, pull it down to impact. So, the cure here is to use the PPGS with the limited turn and ¾ backswing.
The limited turn with the forward arm over the toe line and the club at ¾ backswing length has the club in harmony with gravity. It is ready, with the first muscle tweak of movement in the transition, to start falling down and then swung more easily on path to the ball. The key here is the extra leverage of using the entire body to first pull up is not needed. The player stays grounded and has better timing, balance, control, and power to swing into impact and through to the T – Finish.
The Surge!
Get Flash to see this player.
Tell me what you're thinking... and what part of the golf swing, or this great game... you'd like to know more about. If you want your pic to show with your comment, go get a 
Hi Don,
I am a smaller man 5′5″ tall and 137 lbs. being smaller I have small hands and short fingers.
Mens standard size grips will not allow me to grip the club properly. I have been told if I put ladies grips on my clubs it will enhance the problem with the size of the butt of the clubs. If this is correct then what solution do I have for smaller grips to be able to grip the club in the correct way.
I have a tendency to skull my fairway woods at times and am not sure why.Any suggestions?
Thanks Bob
Hi Don,
I have back issues (spinal fusion) and was really excited about trying your system. The problems that I am having are as follows: While my tee shots are fairly straight, the ball goes higher, the sound of the club striking the ball is not solid, and I am losing distance. Second problem is the swing up as fast as you can concept . I hit a lot of thin, topped shots, especially with fairway woods. I am a senior, with an 18 handicap.
I would appreciate your help.
Thanks, Jerry Miller
I remember Johnny Miller playing back in the early 70’s, he would come up on his toes in the hitting area and then do some dancing to keep his balance and not break his left ankle. It is said his club speed was faster past the ball than at impact. I know he really fired his hips hard. I have seen Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis both go up on their toes at impact. It seems to me to be more of an aggressive approach to generating club speed that causes this effect. I can’t believe that LPGA tour players as well as Johnny Miller would be playing with improper equipment.
I do agree with Surge as far as amateurs and equipment especially ladies and juniors. The transition at the top of the swing and the incorrect use of the bottom triangle would definitely cause this tip toe effect. If you are a very talented athlete you can probably get away with this move, however it would be very hard to be consistent and consistency is really what good golf is all about. http://www.aboutjuniorgolf.com
hi Bob
i have acheing back pain every time i play and no matter what i do it just wont go away
sometimes i cant walk… do you have any suggestoins for
thanks
james
I think that my biggest problem is consistent contact. When I lose concentration, I tend to dig the club into the ground. Concentrating on keeping my chin up thru my down swing usually helps. Do you have any pointers?
Hey Serge,
I’m a pretty high handicapper but have the potential to post a good score from time to time. I was really struggling with my game a few months ago. I stared playing again with a buddy I use to play with years ago before I herniated my L4 and L5 discs. I use to beat him on a regular basis but now he smokes me in distance and GIR. I signed up for your program and only after a few pointers from your advice on alignment and stance I now clobber the ball once again. I’ve been working on a 3/4 swing for years and your tips have straightened me out tremendously! I only wish I had more time to put into the game. Anyway, we played Temecula Creek two weeks ago for the first time. I shot a pair of 42’s from the back tees and beat my buddy by 4 strokes. Thanks Don!
I’m just throwing this out here after reading the specific information on the swing. Can this also be a fitness issue, specific to control and stability through the pelvis? Improved stability would make the loading and unloading of the swing more efficient and help with timing issues.
Thanks
With regards to both feet leaving the ground during a full blooded swing have a look at some of Greg Norman’s feet in the peak of his career,more often than not he was airborne especially with his driver, regards Alan
I am a keen golfer.My handicap is 29.Initially I played golf very good.My driver shots were in resonable distance like 130 yards.But when I start to learn about golf and try to make my distance more,then my driver and iron shots become reduce. Now my driver shots distance is only 100yards.But now I can’t get my previous swing.Now how can I make my distance more.
Hi Don,
I am 81 years young, used to play off 3 until destroyed by putting and chipping yips, and now play at around 17-18, with several 3-putts per round. Long game excellent, but irons from 6-SW have been a problem for years, with fat/skulled/smothered shots and low flight at best ! Since learning your PPGS system, I am for the first time in many years hitting all these irons really high, straight, and even more amazing, 10 yards further in the air !!! My pitching and chipping have also had a new life as the technique filters to the shorter game too. Thank you. I am spreading the word, even to my wife who has taken up golf at 78 years of age !
Never to old to learn !
Jim.
Hey Don
What are your thoughts on driver loft? I ask this after reading about hitting up on tee shots. I currently am hitting a 11.5 degree driver.
last time I played, twice when making a fairway shot using a 2 hybred….I hit great shots, that felt very awkward…. the guy watching me said it looked like I hit both those shots ‘off the wrong foot’
does that make any sense to you?
As Joe states above hitting off the back foot.
I have this problem also and have asked before if there is a practice to eliminate it?
I have found one thing that works for straight shots around 120 yards or less that does zero me into the flag though.
I use hardly no hips if any at all and I do not turn the toe of the club up! I swing straight back with the toe as much as possible in the same direction as at address.
Have had many holes in one that way.
Thanks again
Rod
Hi Mr Strahan,
I notice that sometimes my right foot comes off the ground when im swinging.
Meaning that during the down swing, instead of coming out of my swing on my right toe my whole right foot moves with me. The result is usually a pull to the left or pull hook.
Im 6′2′ tall and i have a large build. Do my clubs have anything to do with this?
Thanks for your help.
Ray
All of your tips are just great! Thank You so much!
I especially like this one about women and their golf shots and explaining about the use of ladies clubs as opposed to ladies using men’s clubs and the fact that we have less strength in our upper bodies then men who are approximately the same size.
I had almost lost interest in golfing until I started to look at your PPGS program and even though I was late getting started golfing this year, and the season here in the Northeast has ended for most of us, I will be reviewing all I have purchased for downloading onto DVD’s this winter along with all your tips and hope to be ready to start right out in the Spring again.
I also hope to rejoin you here on the intnet again then also.
Thanks again,
Jean
.
Don, sometimes when swing, I kinda let loose of my grip. I got new grips put on my clubs this past spring. It seems like they stay in my hands better when they are a little wet. Is there anything I can do to stop this?
As I said before, this is my thrid year of playing, but I still don’t keep score!! Most of the time I par the hole, BUT, then there are times I don’t. I have learned allot from your video’s.
I feel it is never to late to learn and I never give up!
Thanks,
marilyn
I can golf left and right handed. Can I carry R&L clubs in my bag?
HEY DON, STILL NOTHING FROM YOU AND NO VIDEOS. 13 DAYS