Daily Video Blog

Forward Foot Movement
Forward Foot Movement
Authored by: Brady
Posted on: 7 March 2026

One of the most misunderstood aspects of the golf swing is the movement of the forward knee and foot during transition. This lesson from the late Don Trahan reveals
why so many golfers struggle with consistency and power.

The Common Mistake

If you've been taught the modern rotational swing, you're likely keeping your forward foot flat and your forward knee straight during the downswing. Try walking
with your feet flat and knees locked—within a few steps, you'll feel lower back stress. Your knees and ankles are flex joints designed for dynamic motion, not to be
locked rigid.

The Peak Performance Solution

In the Peak Performance Golf Swing, we use "the bump" or lateral left shift to start the forward upswing. Your belt buckle moves laterally about an inch while your
knees stay level. As you shift, your forward knee maintains its flex, creating a bow in your body that keeps your head still and gives you room to straighten your
arms... Read More

Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 8 February 2011
Last week, DJ was talking about slowing down his backswing a little. What he was referring to was his tempo. Tempo is a personal thing. It'€™s not timing. Timing is getting all the body parts... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 7 February 2011
Comments: 3
I got a really good question on the blog about a method of swinging taught in the 1970s. It was called "€œsquare to square."€ The writer wanted me to juxtapose or compare the biomechanics of the... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 6 February 2011
While I'm on my way back from The Phoenix Open, Head Instructor, Greg MacDonell, is lending a hand again with his tips on ball position. Greg excels at illustrating the Surge Swing fundamentals. In... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 5 February 2011
Due to the cold weather (this IS Phoenix, Arizona, right?) we had a late start, so DJ and I sat down and talked about the effect of delays on players. DJ talked about what he has to do to keep his... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 4 February 2011
While we'€™re out here at the chilly Phoenix Open, our head instructor, Greg MacDonnell filled in with a great video on posture. As Greg says, we need to get into an athletically ready position in... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 3 February 2011
Yesterday I talked about helping the older of two brothers with his power blocks and slices. Today, we'll discover the main problem with Brother #2. It really all came down to where he was looking... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 31 January 2011
Comments: 1
I just got back from the Golf Show in Orlando last week and we met some old friends while we were there. They had two sons, young men, who were golfers, and I was asked to help them out. The oldest... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 30 January 2011
Lynn Griffin, our Director of Club Fitting, found a question on the blog about irons that interested him and asked if he could answer it in a video. Of course, I said yes. The question boiled down to... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 29 January 2011
Comments: 1
We got a question on the blog recently from '€œNeal of Oz.'€ He said he had a two problems trying to go vertical: he was lifting his head, therefore moving his spine angle, and his club was going... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 28 January 2011
Comments: 2
If you saw DJ talking about his swing at the Bob Hope Classic, you noticed he went right back to fundamentals. He went back to his setup. And that'€™s where he found his problem. That'€™s exactly... Read More