[aslan]

One leg shorter then the other, anyone else consider this an an issue? I always knew my right left was a half inch shorter. But, when I put a cushioned sole ( 1.99 drug store kid ) in my right golf shoe I am hitting the ball much more solid. Is this in my head or a valid find?

[dfw1500]

This may well be a very good find, this will be especially true with your irons as the "wedge" in your right shoe will allow your lower half to be more OVER the left pivot point which will then allow you to truly compress the ball......if you have got your weight back due to the right side being low, you will hit your driver, fairway woods well due to the sweeping action that is required by these clubs..........the irons will be a different matter due to you not being able to compress the ball correctly

I have a heel wedge in my left foot, this is due to my right hip being higher than my left due to the way my pelvis grew from a young age.......as a by product of this my left leg is shorter than my right and to get my hips at the desired angle (for the 3 sections of the spine to be "inline") I have to get the right knee/hip more "kicked in" which then gets the hip at the desired angle ........with the left heel wedge which levels my hips "off" (when stood upright), this means that I do not need to get the right hip as low and the hips kicked in for the desired angles at address.......... this has meant for me that with the heel wedge in, I drive the ball well due to not needing added adjustments in the setup to strike the ball correctly;)

Cheers Dan

[lebanontngolfer]

I believe this is an absolute possibility. I had the opposite problem when I decided to wear a pair of orthodics in my golf shoes... my whole swing changed.

I am usually a high ball hitter, but with the inserts, I was hitting low ball screamers and making very poor contact. My buddy was laughing at me as he could see I was completely frustrated. I played the first nine holes this way and then took the orthotics out at the turn. After that, my normal ball striking returned.

[aslan]

ncgolfer 2, on Oct 19 2008, 09:05 AM, said:

One leg shorter then the other, anyone else consider this an an issue? I always knew my right left was a half inch shorter. But, when I put a cushioned sole ( 1.99 drug store kid ) in my right golf shoe I am hitting the ball much more solid. Is this in my head or a valid find?

dfw1500, on Oct 19 2008, 05:03 PM, said:

This may well be a very good find, this will be especially true with your irons as the "wedge" in your right shoe will allow your lower half to be more OVER the left pivot point which will then allow you to truly compress the ball......if you have got your weight back due to the right side being low, you will hit your driver, fairway woods well due to the sweeping action that is required by these clubs..........the irons will be a different matter due to you not being able to compress the ball correctly

I have a heel wedge in my left foot, this is due to my right hip being higher than my left due to the way my pelvis grew from a young age.......as a by product of this my left leg is shorter than my right and to get my hips at the desired angle (for the 3 sections of the spine to be "inline") I have to get the right knee/hip more "kicked in" which then gets the hip at the desired angle ........with the left heel wedge which levels my hips "off" (when stood upright), this means that I do not need to get the right hip as low and the hips kicked in for the desired angles at address.......... this has meant for me that with the heel wedge in, I drive the ball well due to not needing added adjustments in the setup to strike the ball correctly;)

Cheers Dan

Thanks, for the encouragement Dan. You are right, I am much better at sweeping the ball with the woods and irons and short game are the bigger issue.

NCG2

[aslan]

dfw1500, on Oct 19 2008, 05:03 PM, said:

This may well be a very good find, this will be especially true with your irons as the "wedge" in your right shoe will allow your lower half to be more OVER the left pivot point which will then allow you to truly compress the ball......if you have got your weight back due to the right side being low, you will hit your driver, fairway woods well due to the sweeping action that is required by these clubs..........the irons will be a different matter due to you not being able to compress the ball correctly

I have a heel wedge in my left foot, this is due to my right hip being higher than my left due to the way my pelvis grew from a young age.......as a by product of this my left leg is shorter than my right and to get my hips at the desired angle (for the 3 sections of the spine to be "inline") I have to get the right knee/hip more "kicked in" which then gets the hip at the desired angle ........with the left heel wedge which levels my hips "off" (when stood upright), this means that I do not need to get the right hip as low and the hips kicked in for the desired angles at address.......... this has meant for me that with the heel wedge in, I drive the ball well due to not needing added adjustments in the setup to strike the ball correctly;)

Cheers Dan

Dan,

I played yesterday with a cushion in my rt shoe. Same result. But, then I was thinking after 30 years of playing, I am sure the sweeping motion with my irons are engrained in me. You mentioned for irons, I should be using a left leg pivot. Do you suggest just doing that or is there another way to get there through set up or a swing thought. Thanks, NCG2

PS - I do well with hybrids, I thinking hanging back works ok with that too, just like the woods.

[Great Scott]

You guys may be on to something here. (My left leg is about 3/4" shorter than my right.)

Up until today, when I'd try the 9 - 3 drill, if I had ANY hip rotation my shot would peel off to the right.. a push is my usual iron shot pattern. Only way I could hit it straight was pure shoulder rotation.

Stuck a heel pad into the left shoe and viola... lob wedge 9 - 3 shots going dead straight WITH hip rotation included.

Suffice it to say I am.. encouraged. Looking forward to seeing the effect on my irons, since this area is my weakest.

[aslan]

Great Scott, on Oct 21 2008, 06:58 PM, said:

You guys may be on to something here. (My left leg is about 3/4" shorter than my right.)

Up until today, when I'd try the 9 - 3 drill, if I had ANY hip rotation my shot would peel off to the right.. a push is my usual iron shot pattern. Only way I could hit it straight was pure shoulder rotation.

Stuck a heel pad into the left shoe and viola... lob wedge 9 - 3 shots going dead straight WITH hip rotation included.

Suffice it to say I am.. encouraged. Looking forward to seeing the effect on my irons, since this area is my weakest.

GS - How did it go with irons? That is my problem, too. 3/4 inch that is a factor. I bet you have a bad back, too.

[Great Scott]

After a small bucket, I'm still VERY encouraged.

9i mostly straight, with a few pulls; 7i had a few pushed and a few straight and long. Most, if not all of the less-than-optimal shots I could identify were due to other causes, (like sucking, for example). Last few sessions were close to 100% pushed without the lift and no hip involvement, regardless of club choice. (Note to self: try to hit the range when you're not hitting your shots into the setting sun)

I don't have any lower back pain, but I exercise that area and it's supporting structures quite a bit.

Cheers!

[dfw1500]

ncgolfer 2, on Oct 21 2008, 06:46 AM, said:

dfw1500, on Oct 19 2008, 05:03 PM, said:

This may well be a very good find, this will be especially true with your irons as the "wedge" in your right shoe will allow your lower half to be more OVER the left pivot point which will then allow you to truly compress the ball......if you have got your weight back due to the right side being low, you will hit your driver, fairway woods well due to the sweeping action that is required by these clubs..........the irons will be a different matter due to you not being able to compress the ball correctly

I have a heel wedge in my left foot, this is due to my right hip being higher than my left due to the way my pelvis grew from a young age.......as a by product of this my left leg is shorter than my right and to get my hips at the desired angle (for the 3 sections of the spine to be "inline") I have to get the right knee/hip more "kicked in" which then gets the hip at the desired angle ........with the left heel wedge which levels my hips "off" (when stood upright), this means that I do not need to get the right hip as low and the hips kicked in for the desired angles at address.......... this has meant for me that with the heel wedge in, I drive the ball well due to not needing added adjustments in the setup to strike the ball correctly;)

Cheers Dan

Dan,

I played yesterday with a cushion in my rt shoe. Same result. But, then I was thinking after 30 years of playing, I am sure the sweeping motion with my irons are engrained in me. You mentioned for irons, I should be using a left leg pivot. Do you suggest just doing that or is there another way to get there through set up or a swing thought. Thanks, NCG2

PS - I do well with hybrids, I thinking hanging back works ok with that too, just like the woods.

The pivot point for the swing with all of the clubs is the left ankle this is "where" you need to get to before you can truly unwind around to the left.......with the irons you should have the left hip OVER the outside of the left ankle especially if you want to truly compress the ball, this means that you can wind up in your backswing and without a whole bunch of pushing/bumping/driving you are at the left pivot point and you CAN go left......It will take you a short while to get used to the new setup with the heel wedge after that it will be very simple

Cheers Dan

[Samsquanch]

How do you accurately measure how long each of your legs are?

[dpark]

My left leg is 1/2" shorter than my right. I found out around 10 years ago when I started to have serious lower back pain. My primary doc sent me to an orthopod and he figured it out right away. He set me up with some professional grade orthotics (orthodics?) that not only raised my left heel but also fixed my arches (I have very flat feet). Took about 6 months for me to get used to them and I actually had knee and hip pain for a while because the 1/2" lift. Did not noticeably change the quality of my game but it made a big diff on my lower back pain. I also had to throw out a whole bunch of shoes because I couldn't fit my orthotics into them. Now all the shoes I buy (dress and casual) have to have removable insoles.

[aslan]

Samsquanch, on Oct 22 2008, 07:31 PM, said:

How do you accurately measure how long each of your legs are?

wife measured from the hip to the ankle. But, just lie on your side with your legs extended, you can tell, especially if it's off my a half inch.

[Bluefan75]

Samsquanch, on Oct 22 2008, 07:31 PM, said:

How do you accurately measure how long each of your legs are?

Best way is a bone scan. Like the other poster, I was diagnosed with a 1/2" leg length discrepancy. A chiropractor had noticed a few years before, but it wasn't util I started to pull my calf running that I got it looked at. The bone scan measured it right out and they knew exactly what they were workign with. Now, of course, this is Canada, so the health coverage covered that.

I'm completely with the other guy though. All shoes must have removable insoles, which really limits the amount of shoes that are actually available to me. Oddly enough though, I haven't put my orthotics in my golf shoes. I wanted to start from scratch next season with them. I've been afraid they will have enough of an effect on my swing. For the length of the round my back doens't hurt too badly, and I get them back on as soon as I am done.