[tongzilla]

Tongzilla,

I can honestly say that I have no 'preferred' Pattern. I love to Swing, and I love to Hit. And I love to 'tinker'...to see if I can Hit a little Pitch Shot from Special Address (10-9-D / Hands in classic Address Positon and Body Open and in Impact Position). Or even from the Standard Address (10-9-A / Left Wrist Bent and Right Wrist Flat). Or if I can Swing from Impact Address (10-9-B / Hands and Body in Standard Impact Fix). Or if I can can execute Flop Shots Hitting. Or hit low-flying, burning Wedge Shots Swinging. I love to feel that dull ache in my Right Hand forefinger at the end of a good Hitting session. And I love to feel the 'Free-Wheeling' of the Clubhead through Impact in a 'Crank the Gyroscope and let'er fly' Swing.

Learning to Hit has made me a much better Swinger. I never truly experienced Lag Pressure Point Pressure until I learned to create it in the Hitting Stroke. Once I got 'access' to that Pressure, I was able to recreate it in the Swinging Stroke, despite its Passive Participation. Just this last Sunday afternoon, I found myself sensing strongly the #3 Pressure Point at the Finish of my Swinging Stroke. I had just Traced the Straight Plane Line through Impact, and the Ball had exploded off the face of my Club.

"The Right Forearm and #3 Pressure Point..." said Homer Kelley to me in 1982, "...you're gonna want to insure'm for a million bucks."

Hitting or Swinging, that statement is as true today as it was then, although the application is different for each. And it is a true joy to experience that differentiation in a given Stroke.

Bottom line:

Both Patterns are so much a part of me now that it would be very difficult for me to envision a G.O.L.F. World in which I could not do both.

Nice answer Yoda

Just so I fully comprehend what you're saying...

Lets say you were in the final round of your club champs, and you had a simple bread and butter drive you need to hit long and straight. Are you saying you might Swing or Hit that shot depending purely on how you feel that day -- as opposed to any mechanical reasons such as "I usually hit it further with Swinging" or "I usually hit it straighter with Hitting"?

Anyhow, it must be a great feeling having complete mastery and understanding of both procedures, and knowing that you are one of the few people in the world that possess these skills.