I have said that of all the sports you can think of, that golf is the only one that has regressed in modern times.

All other disciplines are using science, bio analysis and everything else you can dream up, to improve performance, reduce injury risk and perfect technique.

Golf? 

Not even close, my friends, and let me show you what I’ve begun to see more of from Modern Golf.

Presenting…

The Heel Spin!

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Yes – the old “I can’t figure out to make a proper turn into my leading hip so I’ll just spin on my leading heel” move that has been perfected the world over.

One of the best players in the world, mind you, does this, even on a swing with a 9 iron:

Bryson DeChambeau Hitting 9 Iron

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I don’t know about any of you, but this finish position:

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… is un-athletic as to make me weep – it looks like the finish of a 15 handicap having gone after a hard swing.  But that’s Bryson with a 9 iron.

That whole reverse-pivot move, I don’t understand – he’s lifting his leading heel, so there is no reason to shift his weight over the leading foot, but that’s another subject for another day.

Back to the spinning heel move – it’s been around forever.  I can show you many of the great players of the past who did it from time to time, such as Sam Snead:

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… or Greg Norman

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And even Scottie Scheffler, the new PGA Championship victor:

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Painful to watch.  Because, I’ll tell you all, I remember deliberately performing this move back in the winter of ’06-’07, when I knew nothing about golf swing mechanics and was barely a year into my swing research.

I also remember looking into again during the summer of ’08 when J.B. Holmes was making a lot of money and had won a Tour event that year, but that again was only 3 years into my swing research, and I thought that there was something off if one had to perform this move.

Here’s the thing – I am not a world class golf professional, not even an instructor, but I could generate up to 130 mph of club impact speed with a standard length driver in my 40’s (my highest ball speed recording ever was 194 mph which with a perfect SMASH of 1.5 would have been 129.33 club head impact speed), and I never have to spin on my heel like this.

This swing was in the mid-120’s mph in club club impact speed with over 180 mph ball speed, and yet look at my leading foot through impact to the finish:

DJ In His 40s

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Even with a long drive swing, I’m getting after it and swinging nearly out of my shoes, but look at the leading foot through impact to the finish:

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How does one swing as hard as I am above, and yet still have that leading foot nailed in place through impact to the finish?

A couple of things:

• I have the leading foot flared properly and many Modern players have very squared leading feet because they aren’t pivoting properly (keeping the leading heel down) and so have to square that leading foot to get more hip turn and
• I am set up in an address position that will allow me to shift my weight into my leading foot on the down swing and turn properly into my leading hip.

If you can pivot into your trailing hip to make a back swing pivot without spinning your trailing foot around, then you should possess the same ability to turn into the leading hip post-impact into the finish without the heel spin.

It’s really as simple as that.

Now, as these fellows have shown, you can have very bad swing mechanics and still play lights-out golf, but I am talking about reducing injury risk and maximizing performance, which is why seeing this drives me crazy.

Imagine your foot catches on something while you’re performing this move, and fails to turn on time or properly while you’re thrashing one at the horizon?

Knee injury, hip injury, ankle injury, back injury, anyone?

In addition, if you’re turning that ankle over like Scottie or Jordan Spieth:

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… as you heel-spin, how many repetitions before your ankle goes from the stress, or perhaps a wonky swing and the ankle turn becomes an ankle sprain or break?

Not to mention, the reason these guys can be so inconsistent week in and week out is because this is a move that requires deliberate thought and timing, so even when playing great, a part of your concentration is focused on this move, rather than on the pure swinging action itself.

I’ve told you all that I hate compensations because of this, and this is a compensation.

Any swing with a compensation can fall apart at the worst time, just ask Masters Disaster Bryson DeChambeau.

On an aesthetic level, it is ugly to watch, and if this were the only way I myself could swing, I would pack my gear, my cameras and my computer up and never post another swing clip again, nor offer anyone any advice on how to swing.

But in the Modern Golf Swing era, people are highlighting, praising and advocating this move rather than, you know, learning how to turn properly through impact and to the finish.

Depressing.