. Want more length off the tee? Hip rotation is the key! By Steve Atherton PGA Member,GolfTEC Teaching Professional, MTT Contributing Writer If you, like most golfers, would like to hit the ball farther, you need to understand how to rotate the hips properly in the golf swing. At GolfTEC, we have measured the swings of over 100 tour professionals. Therefore, we know exactly how the hips need to rotate in order to maximize power and efficiency in the swing. The average tour player rotates the hips 48 degrees closed to the target at the top of the backswing. By the time a tour player reaches impact, he/she has rotated the hips to an average of 42 degrees open (facing the target) - a total of 90 degrees of rotation from the top of the swing to impact. Due to flexibility concerns, a typical amateur is only able to rotate the hips around 80 degrees from the top of the swing to impact, but that is not the primary reason why amateurs don't hit the ball as far as professionals do. If you are like most players, you probably rotate your hips almost 60 degrees closed at the top of the swing, while only getting to 20 degrees open at impact - again, 80 degrees total. Now, a person who is able to rotate the hips 80 degrees is capable of hitting the ball a long way. However, in order to efficiently use that 80 degrees, amateurs must reduce the amount of hip rotation at the top of the swing to around 43 degrees closed and increase rotation at impact to around 37 degrees open. There are several common swing faults that may cause the hips to rotate too far at the top of the swing. It is difficult to know which of these movements is causing problems in your swing without seeing it on video or measuring it with motion analysis, but here are three swing thoughts that may help you make more efficient and powerful use of your hips. 1. Keep the right knee flexed throughout the swing 2. Try to maintain the width between the knees that you have at address 3. Try to keep your belt buckle facing toward the ball at the top of the swing (as it is at address.) At GolfTEC, we can show you exactly why your hips are or are not rotating properly because we have digital video cameras that can record your swing from 3 different angles. We can also measure, to within 1/100th of a degree, how your hips rotate with our motion analysis computer. If you feel like you should be getting more distance than you are, stop by a GolfTEC near you to find out how to get the most out of your hips! To reach our location in the Tech Center call (303) 770-5951. For our Westminster facility dial (303) 426-6600.