[mrodock]

Good explanation. I see your point there. Why do you think he does that?
And how could he fix it and still hit the medium trajectory draw he likes to hit?

I think the reason he does it that way is it is the way he feels comfortable hitting the trajectory that he likes to see. I, personally, do not think it is the single most consistent way to hit it right to left because with the arms swinging away from the body coming into impact it becomes more difficult to properly synchronize the arm swing/pivot, also the clubface closes more rapidly. Some of the guys that swing out to right field snap the clubface shut right after impact. Baddeley certainly doesn't do that because of the mechanics of the stack and tilt swing, but I am hypothesizing that his clubface closes quicker than would be ideal, than would suit optimum mechanics, I would need more pictures, video, etc. to confirm. When Baddeley was winning the US Open last year his swing looked a little more neutral:

, as in he is not swinging out to right field nearly as much as in the sequence HG posted. The question that should be immediately raised is Baddeley trying to hit a bigger draw in the sequence HG posted than in the youtube video or have his mechanics truly changed. I certainly don't know the answer to that, but other than a specialty shot, having to hit a huge draw I don't like to see the club exit above the left shoulder.


I want to say that I do not think I would do a better job teaching Baddeley than Bennett and Plummer have. My ideas are nothing more than how I believe Hogan would change his swing if he swung like Baddeley and wanted to hit medium draws.

How can Baddeley "fix" his swing and still hit medium draws?

-left hand grip slightly more turned

-stand about 2 inches closer to the ball

-turn the left foot out 45 degrees

-put the ball 1/2 to 1 inch further back in the stance

-keep the arm pressure points throughout the swing, the upper arms should be firmly attached to the torso from the time the clubshaft is parallel to the ground in the downswing and parallel to the ground in the throughswing.

-get the lower body moved laterally during the backswing as V.J. Trolio describes in The Final Missing Piece of Ben Hogan's Secret Puzzle.
With this move in place Baddeley could rotate hard in the downswing, swing with reckless abandonment.

-lead less with the handle, do not bow the wrist into impact

-if he needs a higher trajectory yet he could speed the club ascent

The technique I am suggesting would likely hit shots that start about where the player is aiming, perhaps slightly left and then draw slightly. Baddeley starts the ball right of where he is aiming and then it draws back to where he was aiming. Personally I like the mechanics of a SLIGHT pull draw more than a push-draw but perhaps that is nothing more than personal preference.