My Case Against Keeping the Left Heel Planted
I have a huge problem with teaching people to keep their left heel planted on the ground during the swing. For that matter with restricting the feet in any way and here is why.
When I learned to play golf I was mostly self taught with some advice along the way. Maybe the best advice I was ever given was:
“Learn to hit it as far as you can and we will figure out how to control it later.”
That is exactly what I did and very few people were longer. With those that were I would bet I could hit it longer in the fairway.
I had one thing working against me. I was not very strong in the chest, shoulders and arms. My assets were being tall with really strong legs and a very good sense of balance. I used my legs and balance to make up for my weak upper body. I did this by loading my body mass on my right side on my back swing and using my legs to move it as hard as I could to my left side on the way down. This meant I was up on my left toe as I reached transition and actually dragging my right foot at impact.
I had an older cousin that was about the same height and weight as I was but much stronger from the waist up. We were about the same length with different swings because of our different strengths.
If anyone had tried to restrict my lower body or left foot I would have lost about 30 yards. I also think good footwork is essential to good balance and balance is what allowed me to keep it in the fairway.
I have no existing videos of my swing but did see it on film in my early twenties and my legwork was obvious with my right knee even with my left knee at impact.
I am sensitive about this topic because I think a lot of young players are ruined by being told to keep their heel planted which is detrimental to what the body and brain want them to do naturally.
Conclusion
Never inhibit the natural tendency just because it bothers you. It is not about how it looks. It is all about how it works.
