Playing for Money: Derek Gillespie- Hip Depth and Pelvic Movement in Transition
By Wayne | Videos: Playing For Money
Derek has been somewhat inconsistent in his play on the Latin American Tour this year, and since he has U.S. Open Sectionals at my old club Woodmont in Maryland he stopped by Woodholme for a look. Derek’s issues usually start with a sitting trigger and a shut clubface in the takeaway which winds up having the club across the line at the top, and to help uncross the club in transition he tends to push his lower body out from underneath him. His backswing has improved quite a bit, but I still see some early addition of knee flex without adding any right hip depth. I suggest that we move the ball slightly back in his stance and try to maintain height in the takeaway instead of lowering immediately, while moving the upper right leg back so that the leg movement is more balanced and not moving out into the left hip as he gets to the top. He accomplishes this nicely with the iron, but with the 3-wood he still wants to drive both knees toward the ball in transition. When we see that we talk about trying to increase pelvic tilt in transition by twisting the right hip more inward and driving the upper leg what feels to be behind the left leg. He has a good chance to do this now that his right leg is deeper, and the club is not crossed at the top, and when he manages to keep his pelvis deeper while staying out over the ball he achieves more space for his right arm and more right lateral side bend on his approach, which affects his path and makes it less of a swipe across the ball. We go back to check the iron, which looks and feels good, then end with a few more 3-woods which also look and feel better.
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