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: 27 December 2011
Comments: 46
I recently had the pleasure of playing a round with one of my long-time students, Harold Lovette. Harold's been coming to me since 1996 and I can tell you he's a seriously good golfer who used to be... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 26 December 2011
Today's tip stems from an email I recently received from John Crowe, who wrote: "Surge My new vertical swing is working wonders on my driver, fairway woods and hybrids but I am having a lot of... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 23 December 2011
Today we are going to talk about hybrids--what they are, how they work and how you play them. This tip is inspired by a question I recently received from a Surgite named Barrie, who wrote: "Surge... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 18 December 2011
Today we're going to talk about how we swing when we want to hit a knockdown shot. The tip stems from a question raised by Peter Williams, a Welsh Surgite who wanted to know where to stop the club... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 15 December 2011
Comments: 1
Before I begin my regularly scheduled tip, I just want to mention that today's post is #1,000 in the series that began over three years ago. We've come a long way from written posts in the beginning... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 14 December 2011
A little while back I did a video tip titled An "Almost" New Swing Drill that generated a really good discussion on the blog. This comment from frequent contributor Steve Smith gives me an... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 13 December 2011
I recently received an email from Jerry R. who lives in the Florida Keys. He's been a student of the Peak Performance Golf Swing for about a year and he's already dropped his average score by a... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 11 December 2011
Comments: 74
Today's video tip is a bit of a cautionary tale for those of your who are trying to incorporate much or all of what I teach into your game. I recently saw a tip from a well-known rotational swing... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 10 December 2011
Comments: 117
A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from Robert R. with an interesting question of when to release your head in the Forward Upswing. "Hello, Don I want to thank you for breaking down the... Read More
Authored by: Don Trahan
Posted on: 8 December 2011
Comments: 102
Today's tip comes from a question Kevin Wolfe sent in to DJ and me back in September when we did the first webcast of The Surge Show. "I have a question about how to keep from slicing the ball. I... Read More