Keeping the Back Foot on the Ground

By: Bob Boldt


Here is a simple suggestion, citing the techniques of some highly successful players, on improving your golf swing and ability to hit the ball properly.

Moe Norman

Moe's swing is very difficult to copy; some have tried but with little success. One of Moe's swing thoughts was to keep his back foot on the ground at impact.

Some legends who keep/kept their back foot on the ground at impact:

Greg Norman - Finished the year at the top of the Official World Golf Rankings seven times;
Billy Casper - U.S. Open, Masters, 40 tournament wins;
Charles Coody - Masters champion;
Ernie Els - Needs no introduction.

Why keep the back foot on the ground at impact?

The right shoulder, hip, legs are in same position at impact as at address on all woods, irons and chipping and sand wedges.

Norman - dragged his back foot along the ground after impact;
Casper - same as Norman;
Coody - would leave back foot down long after impact and only during the follow-through would raise his foot;
Ernie Els - best balance, most fluid swing on the PGA Tour.

Tip for Tiger Woods

Woods should keep back foot on the ground at impact. He has terrible balance at impact and a slashing motion that, in my opinion, has no chance of being repeated. Woods' past successes have been due more to his short-game skills and scrambling ability. Remember his Nike logo chip-in on the par-3 16th at the 2005 Masters?

Today's swings have no lower body movement but huge shoulder turns because of the increased flexibility and athleticism of the players. Yet many, if not most, of the top golfers still have their right foot on ground at impact.

Bob Boldt turned 77 in September 2014. Married for 31 years to Patricia, the father of two - including two sons, Rob and Jason, who are golf professionals and excellent players - played on the PGA and Champions tours for dozens of years, earning multiple victories in his amateur and professional careers.

Boldt, who attended Cal and became the Bears' men's golf coach, is a long-time native of Northern California and currently the director of golf at Vintners Golf Club in Yountville, where he is one of state's most recognized golf instructors. He received the Northern California PGA Section Junior Golf Leader Award in 1999.