Bobby Clampett / Master the Impact Zone / Golf Digest
 

Bobby Clampett authored a feature article, Master the Impact Zone, in the current issue of Golf Digest, November 2007, pp. 167-174. The article could have been sub-titled, The Golfing Machine In Lay Language.

Bobby's anecdotes and personal observations are interesting and fun to read. Along the way, he quotes Ben Doyle and credits Homer Kelley and his book.

I enjoyed the article and think you will, too. Read it -- if you haven't already -- and let's discuss it here!

Clampett
 

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Some useful information for many people. He explains a little about LAG. He wants people to hold the left wrist cock, and make no attempt to release it. This would be a way of teaching Non-Automatic Snap Release. He also has the ROUGH DRILL... for FORWARD LEAN of the Shaft. And.... he explains a little about Aiming Point, and #3 Pressure Point.

I believe the Grip he is using on page 169(looks like a Strong Double Action) is his playing grip. Most of the others look like posed pictures.

I think that a lot of the tips in some cases are imcomplete which leads to bad information. Aiming point is an example IMO.

I know that many confused Aiming point with 4" in front of the ball for low point.

But I do like his book.

Agreed, Marty.

This is a wonderful article and will help many people. At the same time, Bobby's Aiming Point -- "4 inches in front of the ball with every club" -- is not the Aiming Point of The Golfing Machine.

Could you please scan in and post Photo 9-3-6? There is an important detail here that few have noticed, yet is as clear as a bell once seen. When it's up, I'll comment.

Thanks!

We dont get the golf digest articles in the UK magazines until a couple of months later so I havent seen the article. I do have the book though and I also really like it as a laymans intro to TGM.

I agree that his aiming point seems to be directed to aiming the clubhead to low point as opposed to aiming the hands. Although I think Ben Doyles bunker drill is one of the best.

I also find his idea of teaching basic motion and FLW first with a putter but then talking about a shoulder only stroke strange as its taking away from the hands and concentrating more on the shoulder motion.

Then he extends basic motion to a chip shot but in the pictures he plays the ball of his back foot with a very open stance?.

The main source of confusion I found and many students who I have recommended the book to have pointed this out as well is the pictures of his grip. Why does he pose for pictures using a club that has the grip logo on the side of the shaft? I even had one guy ask if this is where the logo should be when he places his grip on the club which meant a very open clubface. Ive explained to them that many pros have their grips fitted either upside down or offset.

Only other point on the book is the pictures why are they so small? Would have also been nice to have some colour. Im sure Taylor Made would have paid as there are so many pics of their clubs in there.

All in all though a great book thats way ahead of the rest and he credits Homer Kelley which means more people will be interested in TGM. FLW, Low point , Straight Plane Line...

It seems to be the most recent fad in golf publications, at least books to have B/W pics. I would say that 90% of the pics in the books I have gotten in the last 3 years are B/W.

Clampett
 

I rushed out to buy this book . Advance order on Amazon.
I was disappointed. Clampett needs a lot more pictures and a lot fewer words.
Aiming the hands at a nebulous point in space seems a lot harder than simply hitting through the ball. At least the ball is on the target line.

The Aiming Point
 

Thanks to Martee for this image.

Note the shadowed 'arrow' beginning at the end of the Delivery Path and pointing directly at the ball. This arrow is the true representation of the Aiming Point (that point on the Delivery Line at which the Hands direct the thrust of the Stroke per 6-E-2). Interestingly, very few students of TGM have ever actually noticed this arrow, even though it is in each of the photos illustrating Zone 3 (the Hands Lane) and also, each of the Power Package Component Variations (#19 through #24).

As illustrated in the photo, this Aiming Point is normally the Ball -- specifically, its 'inside-aft' quadrant (7-11). This 'at the Ball' Aiming Point assumes that the Ball is correctly located in the Stance to compensate for the different lengths of clubs. From the Top, the player directs the Hands at and through this Aiming Point (10-23-A/B). This assures that the Hands will arrive in their 'forward of the Ball' Impact Fix Hand Location (7-8; 9-3-2) and that the Clubhead will descend properly to its Low Point (opposite the Left Shoulder / 2-N-0).

The diagrams I posted yesterday in the Endless Belt thread also illustrate the Aiming Point (red arrow) and the resultant Impact Hand Location.

Wow! I have always "felt" the radial part of the endless belt further forward than described in the pictures. Feelings vs. Reality?

Very Poor Photos
 

I agree the very very poor photographs ruined an excellent book. I'm looking forward to the golf digest article but like you us Irish golfers will have to wait a little before the Nov Golf Digest in published