Artificial front hip and front leg shortness but otherwise, I'm good!

Hi Ms. Lake.

I thought I'd give you a try given your expertise and my situation.

Since March of this year, I've made a lot of TGM inspired changes to my golf swing and I have lost about 25 lbs. after a talk and challenge from my family physician. My left hip is artificial, put in about five Years ago, and though my left leg was extended with a metal rod at that time, about 1.75 inches, my left leg still feels as if it is shorter than my right.

My recent change to my swing motion was based on the realization that my back hip (right hip) had to be moved out of the way to allow my back shoulder to come straight down.

Three days ago, having grasped this idea, I went to the range and hit about 500 balls over three hours. I stood mostly on my front leg, with my right leg about 3-6 inches behind my left foot. I practiced staying on the front leg and driving my right shoulder down, alot!

I have played the last two days using that set-up and was scoring very well (8 over for 12 holes with spotty putting). Yesterday, my right calf-muscle got very sore and is sore today. Also, my upper back started to spasm during the last 5 holes of golf and my right shoulder feels to be the location of the spasm.

My question is based on biomechanics. It seems like my right hip moves back very easily with RFT and that my weight flows to my left foot easily even when my back foot is even with my front. When I plant to begin my downswing on my front foot, it seems like my pelvis moves laterally and my right shoulder drops straight down. (I was originally thinking that my artificial hip would not allow that and didn't understand how essential that was to stay on plane. I was also thinking that that motion would cause a lot of soreness in my back.)

Now, it occurs to me, given the logic of TGM, that the simple, more correct move of planting on my front foot having a lateral shift before turning, might be much better physically in terms of wear and tear than anything else I could do. Given normal anatomies, what do you think?

Patrick

sometimes the simplest answer is the correct one.

Thats a lot of balls and a lot of golf, rather than immediately assuming it is a biomechanical issue, have you wondered whether your body is responding to over use?

City,
I'm with GP. Last year I did the overuse thing and frayed the labrum in the left hip.
Less can be more by doing drills without balls. I also find chipping and pitching with balls, instead of full swings on the range, help greatly in securing the alignments and feels I happen to be working on. When I think I am on to something, I may head to the range and go through 20-30 balls with several clubs to see if I am on to something. I really believe the wedge and putter are our best two practice tools.
When you get here, we'll camp out on Kev's front step and work on this stuff. I can hardly wait.