Learning TGM
 

I just wanted to say how excited I am to finally start applying some TGM basics to my golf swing. I cant tell you how this has impacted my understanding of how the golf swing is supposed to work. As a 5 HC my ball striking was good but after applying some TGM techniques it has improved dramatically. Im happy to find websites like this that are dedicated to this way of teaching. I wish the teaching world would incorporate more TGM in there teachings. Then finally, the average golfers HC would go down.

best
mac.:golf: http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/forum/i...ilies/golf.gif

Welcome!
 

I started last March with a 21 hcp. and now am down to an 11.5. If I had it to do over again, I would have gone through the basic motion progressions, acquired motion and total motion with an exaggerated # 3 PP, and slowly increased the speed with which I sustained the feeling of the lag.

Every bit of information you gather here is in service to that one concept:sustain the lag. Being on this website is a little like having a bunch of uncles tell you how cool it is to "kiss a girl," (I'm using a metaphor for doing something else with a girl out of respect for the man that owns and operates this place) when you are a complete virgin (I'm not ripping Daryl here because some things are just over the top). Anyway...you don't understand love until you have experienced it, just like sustaining the lag until you have directed it through the ball and down to Australia or China.

YBGF

I had (and continue to have) a similar experience macgolf. What specifically was of use to you?

May I politely say that it is rather discouraging to hear of some 5hc player grouse about his swing? I want to hear of you 30+ handicappers (like me) who don't have a clue yet about playing good golf but have found a little (or a lot of) success applying the principles of TGM and Alignment Golf. I still can't do basic motion correctly and I have no one around who can help me. The AG dvd's don't really help much either. I need to know where or who to turn to in order to shorten the learning curve.

Meanwhile, macgolf (you 5hc) and innercityteacher (you 11.5hc), hats off to you for a job well done. Jeff P.

In solidarity with you I can give you moral support with my 21,5. I'm not sure I have had any breakthrough yet to brag about, but I'm getting more focused on the Flat Left Wrist (and the bent right wrist) and I'm trying to get lag into my swing. If I get something going I'll be sure to tell you more.

Hey Jeff!
 

You've come to the right place! What part of Indiana? Listen, pm us, KevCarter, Daryl, OB Left, JerryG, Yoda, me....we will send you secret decoder rings, tell you what kind of beer we drink and chips we need and cheeseburgers!!! WE WILL visit you!

I'm driving to Iowa this summer, I think for my 30th college reunion which means I'll go through Indiana, Bollingbrook, and then to MN on my way back home to PA.

I think I have a new goal; to golf with a TGM'r in every state in the Union. Maybe a little TGM passport action?

Read KevCarter, Daryl, OB, JerryG, Yoda.....did you get the DVD's?

I think the first grader's are getting to me. I'm losing my mind!!! :)


YBGF

Let me know if you ever pass through Columbus and can spare a few hours. The Ohio State University Scarlet course was designed by Alister MacKenzie and refurbished by Jack Nicklaus in 2005-2006. It's a beautiful and challenging course for even the best in the world (the Nationwide Tour plays there, they routinely go really deep and the winners have shot -10, -11, -5, and -6).

Also, I try to stick with 4th graders and up :eyes:

Basic motion is pretty easy if you have a decend ground-up connection. Perhaps you need to pay more attention to the lower part of your body. And perhaps you can post a video of your stroke and some of us can provide some (hopefully) guiding comments.

I'm brand new here and still trying to grasp any concepts :eyes: , so, with that in mind - When you say exaggerated #3 PP what do you mean exactly?

I'm glad to hear that you started with Basic and Acquired motions. Thats where I am starting so I now know I'm on the right track!


Thanks!

Grip
 

Hi Jesse V!

If you are right handed, here is how you get your left hand bottom 3 fingers (# 2 PP), your right hand heel over your left thumb (# 1 PP), and your right index/trigger finger all aft of the club shaft at Standard Address (do you have a yellow book?).

Please find the videos Lynn posted on my thread and elsewhere. Make sure your grip is correct and you can see 2.5 knuckles looking down at your FLW. At Mid-Body Hands, you should be able to "drink water by bending both thumbs up as if they were the rims of cups.

All 3 PP's will be ready at Standard address and # 4 PP, left arm against left side will be loaded as you Right heel back lifting up on your left toes and then reverse. You should feel the LAG going back and in reverse.

When you are clear on all this let us know. :)

ICT

I just wanted to add my encouragement to guys like jkpassage and JessieV. I found this site a year ago last January. I had gone through a pretty big health scare and decided that life was too short to spend doing something I enjoy so much so poorly. So I began to explore the web and before long I found myself here. I was a lurker for some time trying to become familiar with lingo and concepts of TGM. But with reading the forum posts and watching the videos here and ordering the Alignment Golf DVD I began to understand the message. I had fought my way down to a 15 HDCP before I got started here and by the end of last season by doing my best to apply what I had learned here am now an 8. Over the winter, and it was a tough one here in New England, I had plenty of time to practice basic motion, keeping a flat left wrist and feeling lag. I cannot believe how very different it feels when I strike the ball now as compared to only a year ago when I started this. So be persistent and ask questions, it will come together for you too I know it.

Congratulations Mr. Pas!
 

Have you contacted

drewitgolf
Lynn Blake Certified Senior Instructor

go here!

http://lynnblakegolf.com/forum/thread8083.html

That young man is sort of close to you and has been recognized by your whole region as having "mad skills!" Short of seeing Lynn, I would PM (private message) him ASAP!

ICT

Pilot's Progress
 

That's great news, paspilot, and a wonderful accomplishment. Thanks for posting!

:salut:

I'm so new here, yet in a week of practice and applying the concepts I understand and have learned here I am already making progress. I can't believe how little I actually understood about the golf swing, I suppose for some it just comes naturally. For me I like to know the why and the how, I've definitely found that here.

Whats impressive is the focus on the fundamentals. I was having trouble with my grip, so many have talked about Hogans book and his explanation of the grip, so I pulled it off the shelf, dusted it off and lo and behold, I now feel better knowing that I am improving my grip, a fundamental that was a weak area for me and one that I had been very lax in focusing on.

Also the basic motion drills, wow, in just a week I can already see my impact improving. Its not great, and I have a long way to go, but after struggling with impact and flipping the club, not knowing how to correct and improve this area of my swing I was becoming quite frustrated. I knew the what, just not the how, thanks to Yoda and his videos, I am learning the how!

Thanks again to everyone here, Thank You to Yoda and his videos and teachings, ICT for his encouragement, and everyone for their input and comments. I have learned so much from each and everyone of you.

Thanks for the help, I'm practicing hard and hope to be able to take these new found fundamentals to the course in the next few weeks. Will there be ups and downs? Sure... Golf is not a game of perfect - Bob Rotella and so many others. Still, I know I'm on the right path!

My never ending quest continues and after much frustration and anger I feel I'm on my way to becoming the golfer I want to be. I look forward to improving and joining each of you in the quest for a great golf swing!

Thanks for the encouragement paspilot - I'm working hard, I've only found this site about 8 or 9 days ago. So you know the amount of work I have ahead of me to improve. Whats cool is with the support of Yoda,and folks like you, ICT, O.B., Air and so many others I know I will improve.

Its stories like yours and ICT's that motivate me to try even harder to become better at this great game that we love. After some health issues of my own, after hearing yours and ICT's bio's I know I can become a better golfer! I might not ever play the Champions tour like I wanted too, but I will enjoy this game so much more and have so much more fun playing it!

Thanks again!

Some 8-9 months ago I feared that this was some sort of sect. But now I know that it is more like one happy family who supports eachother and feels joy and encouragement over all the success that is made. And we all know whom we have to thank for making this possible...:salut:

Yep, I'm right handed, don't have a yellow book yet, will order one pay day. LOL Durn economy!!!!!!:(

I understand a little about Power Points(?) Accumulators(?)I understand FLW, Flat Left Wrist, understand mid-body hands, understand the drink water. Learned that from yours and Cathy's vids. :)

I surmise right heel back is the start of back swing and pivot to right, so I should feel weight transfer back to right heel on start of back swing? Lifting on left toes, is a lifting of the left heel off the ground. Lifting the left heel on to my toes is Greek to me, I've never felt comfortable lifting my left heel off the ground. Is lifting left heel a must move? How much should I lift it?

I've tried it and think it would help me with weight transfer and start of down swing. Like I said I just never felt comfortable doing it, however, with bad back and lack of hip/shoulder rotation it may be something I should start doing.... What do you think?

Do I have everything correct so far?

As far as lifting the left heel, I've always thought of it in the sense that it is lifted, not that you lift it. Allowing the left heel to be taken off the ground naturally by the Pivot, instead of lifting it intentionally, will leave you better off in your Motion IMHO. Personally, my heel doesn't lift, but I attribute that to flexibility instead of an effort to keep it grounded. If the Pivot wants to lift the heel, then let it be lifted. It works for me, but what do I know? :eyes:

Forum Search and Films
 

SO LET'S BE CLEAR WITH EACH OTHER. THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO SEE LYNN AND PAY THE MAN FOR MORE GOLF INSIGHT THAN YOU CAN USE IN A LIFETIME! :)

I STUDIED WITH LYNN 2 HOURS A DAY FOR 4 DAYS WITH SOME PRACTICE IN BETWEEN. I NEEDED TO THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT ALL THAT LYNN SAID.

LYNN THROWS AWAY RICH CONCEPTS THAT A PRO COULD USE TO MAKE MILLIONS-I DID NOT WANT TO MISS THE MAIN IDEAS. I NEED TO PHYSICALLY UNDERSTAND NEW CONCEPTS.

Ok, so you need some short term help, let's try this. Go to the Search function and type in your first intellectual "wobble" or uncertainty. Start looking for all the films that use that term and match the film with the printed instructions and the book, TGM.

My films are about the fundamentals of Posture, Stance, Balance, and Grip. Look those terms up in the Search function. When you have a specific question about your concept, then ask a specific question. Start with your grip. Is it solidly under the heel pad with a Bent Left Wrist and Flat Right Wrist? :read:

You are studying G.O.L.F. for real!

ICT

IMHO, lifting the left heel is a great drill for learning the "feel" of a proper pivot. I am re-learning, and using the lift the left heel, Right-Left-Right-Left, drills all the time until I re-learn getting my weight shifted while staying centered. WONDERFUL drill that I now use for every student. Once you have it, I agree, just let it happen...

:golf:

Kevin

Damn it, I am now your student as well. :) I HAVE to get to Cuscowilla!!! :crybaby: :salut:

Kevin

Sittin', Starin', and Rockin'
 

Waitin' for ya, Kev. Come alone or with a group. I've left the porch light on!

:golfcart2:

Thanks man. I appreciate an honest reply to my question about lifting the left heel.

Great answer!

Left Heel / To Lift Or Not To Lift
 

Agreed on all points, NCHamr. A proper pivot will, in almost all cases (especially with the longer clubs and the necessity of the right shoulder to turn to the flatter planes), pull the left heel off the ground.

Problem is . . .

Few golfers have a proper pivot. And they won't have one until that left heel (and the accompanying knee bend) starts accommodating the necessary Hip Turn (and with it, the necessary Shoulder Turn).

The reality is that the average guy's lower body doesn't move very well. Soon, the various pivot Components -- especially the Hips, Knees, and Feet -- get used to that limited dynamic and simply shut down. They're no longer active; instead, they merely accommodate, to a limited extent, the required Golf Motion.

To all golfers, I say this:

Virtually every great player in history has lifted his (or her) left heel and fully-cleared their right hip, especially with the longer clubs. Off the top of my head, let's make a list over the last century:

Early on:

Anderson
Vardon
Braid
Ray
Ouimet
Barnes
Jones
Vare
Hagen
Sarazen

And almost everyone else.

Next gen:

Hogan
Snead
Nelson
Picard
Demaret
Zaharias
Guldahl
Jameson
Mangrum
Bell
Toski
Locke
Cotton
Suggs
Burke
Berg
DiVencenzo

And almost everyone else.

Next gen:

Wright
Palmer
Nicklaus
Jacklin
Whitworth
Rawls
Player
Trevino
Casper
Watson
Miller
Nelson
Norman
Kite
Crenshaw
Langer
Price
Haas (gotta put him in here; all-time PGA TOUR leader in Cuts Made!)
Watkins

And almost everyone else.

Next gen:

Stewart
Lopez
Azinger
Woosnam
King
Montgomerie
Mickelson
Harrington
Love

And a ton of new (but not yet great) players too numerous to mention. Many of whom will no doubt learn from their new age instructors to keep their heel down in the coming years (risking both their backs and their careers).

Woods? No, but then, he's not exactly the straightest driver out there, and at age 35, has already had his 4th left knee operation.

Here's my question, to all players, instructors, biomechanists, broadcasters, magazine experts, et. al:

If virtually ALL of the great champions in history -- male and female -- have had sufficient pivots to pull their left heel off the ground, why is the average golfer inhibiting his own by leaving the left heel down?

:think:

Here's an interesting tidbit:

Years ago, marine biologists put a test group of sharks in a pool and let them get used to swimming the perimeter. Then, they put a plexiglass wall across the middle of the pool. Boom. Boom. Boom! The sharks soon got used to swimming in the plexiglass defined half-pool.

Then, the biologists lifted the plexiglass wall.

What happened? The sharks, having learned their constraints, continued to swim in their limited half-pool.

And so it is with almost every left heel/right hip-bound golfer. The pivot lacking, they compensate. Usually with an under plane backswing around their frozen right hip, accompanied by an overswing of their collapsing arms, and the inevitable over-the-top move in the Start Down.

Here's the real deal: Power is not the problem. The Arm Swing is Power, not the body. And the problem is that the Arms cannot swing freely On Plane (and past the body) while the right hip is in the way. Either back or down.

So, get reckless: Lift your left heel. Clear your right hip. Let your left knee be pulled inward and point at or just behind the ball. With that action, you'll create a path for your HANDS to swing, back and down. Follow the lead of virtually every great champion in history . . .

Just do it.

:salut:

Yoda, does the lifting of the left heel have to be full blown as in Jack's Golf My Way video where he portrays active feet and seems to be picking up the heels on purpose? I've always thought that the left heel is just allowed to rise up as much or as little as it does as a reaction to the pivot action and not consciously picked up in the back swing.

Awesome and amazing!
 

History of the proper technique, proof, justification, and elegant description! No place else but here, imho! :study:

ICT

Great Yoda post.

Thanks Yoda, very informative and helpful! Just what I was looking for!

I've read so much about resisting too big of a shoulder turn by restricting the length of shoulder turn with the hips. I have been taught that this is supposed to supply torque to the swing, by using hips to limit too big of a shoulder turn it is supposed to be similar to tightening a rubber band.

I guess I have over done it or really didn't understand what was meant. Didn't learn that here.

I had been instructed in the past to keep my left heel down on back stroke, and not to let my knee flex to far towards the ball. Taught to me in my first or second lesson actually, probably why its uncomfortable for me to lift my heel now, and I was also taught to try to keep my right heel flat until just after impact. My old body won't allow the flat heel at impact, and I found out as I learned more about the swing that I needed to have some lift in the right heel at impact, that is how I knew I was at least making some type of attempt at a proper weight shift.

Per my marching orders I am trying to READ and am searching for how to make a proper pivot. :eyes: There is so much information here its mind boggling. I know a poor pivot and poor use of lower body are two areas of my swing that are really hosed!

Per Yoda's advice I will start to do it. I will lift that left heel!

Just added another reason to the million I already have to get down to the swamp to see the master!

When I met with Yoda we discussed this very issue. He told me that we would go get legal pads and make a list- him with left heel up major winners and me with not. He rhetorically asked me whose list would be longer? Even dumb ol' me knew that answer! I have kept my heel on the ground for years and still struggle with it. However, when I do it AND maintain a steady head, and turn the right hip straight back from the target line, the stroke feels so free and the ball goes much farther. In fact, Lynn and I talked about this very issue- right hip clearing- yesterday on the phone.

I have a similar issue.
I also have heard many instructors say the pivot will pull the left heel up.
For me, this will never happen.
What I am doing is allowing the left heel to rise to facilitate the right hip to turn back. The feeling from the MacDonald drills has directed me in this action.
I coud be way off base here but that's what I'm doing.

Flexibility is important
 

Hi M. My left leg is 1.75" shorter than my right. That and the artificial hip make me feel as if I am climbing a small hill when I let my left heel rise but the BALANCE is possible with a solid TRIPOD as a full turn is made. FLEXIBILITY IMPROVES WITH THIS EXERCISE AS DOES CLUB-HEAD SPEED AND POWER. THE FLAIL MUST BE TRAINED. I can now, after one week, stay very steady over a ball and let my left heel come way up!

ICT

Good to know, I was curious to know whether you need special adjustments to your machine.

Not Yoda......BUT I think if you watch Jack swing you can see that his left heel is picked up by his hip turn which influences his knees which pulls up his heel. He says in the orig. Golf My Way video that Jack Grout had him do a drill where he would do small swings (kinda like acquired motion) and he would roll on the inside of each foot going back then through. Like a Yoda "left right left right". He doesn't restrict anything but since he is making small swings he doesn't lift his heels but just rolls to the inside.

A side note: being from Columbus I grew up very aware of Jack and his record and swing. I always wondered how he hit it so far if the "x-factor"/other teachers saying restrict the lower body against the upper body was true. Is the secret in how he starts forward with his legs and hips while still going up with his hands and arms?

As far as the X-Factor goes, if a player could rotate their shoulders 90degrees while limiting their hip turn to 45degrees, wouldn't it be safe to say that if that golfer were to free up their lower body and allow the hips to turn to 60degrees, their shoulder turn would also increase by the same amount? Look at Bubba Watson for instance; his lower body turns a lot more than your typical Tour pro, as evidence by how high his left heel gets, and he's one of the longest players in his generation, as Jack was in his. So utilizing a bigger turn through unrestricted motion of the lower body creates the opportunity for more power through a strong leg drive, which really cranks up that gyroscope and sends that Flail screaming through the ball. Well that's my two-cents on the matter anyways :eyes: