I like exercises 10 and 11 personally. I see your objections, but think the exercises to be primarily body drills, Zone 1 and really more for the backswing than the downswing. The downswing for full shots normally having some Hip Slide , Axis Tilt as well as some lag to the Arms trailing the Body.
Per 7-12 the Pivot is a massive rotor that sets up the gyroscopic nature of the golf swing. In an actual golf swing, the Hands at about the position illustrated in exercise 11 appear to have Turned but they are still vertical to the Horizontal plane , the ground assuming, Horizontal Hinging. Most guys actually turn the forearms independently and often with a stalled Pivot, no clearing of the Right Hip and hence Mr Macdonalds drill number 10 and 11. The Forearms are Turned per say, but not independently! The Pivot can do much of it. Arm travel and forearm turn on the backswing are not as big as you would assume when isolated!
The first few inches of my swing feel exactly like exercise 10. Is this Pivot to Hands? Yes, briefly I guess, for me anyways. I feel like my turning right hip starts the club back on its journey. It goes really well with a Lagging Takeaway. As soon as I start to Right Forearm Pickup and Trace (1-L-6) the Hands are going Up as well as Back and In. And thereby on plane. Three dimensional Start Up. Lynn says the Hands can start Up right off the start though if you wish. You have to get into the Divergent Vectors of the Pivot and Arms to get this fully.
In short if you add a Right Forearm Pickup and 1-L-6 to Macdonald drill number 10 you've got Hands to Pivot and whatever plane angle you want. TSP or otherwise. Like you I prefer the TSP.
Doing just as illustrated in drills 10 and 11 would be Pivot to Hands and non planar for sure. But the body as rotor , Zone 1 is still critical to the golf swing. Hence the drill. Its a pure turn on an axis with no head Bob or Sway. Its sort of like how the 1-L machine without a second hinge pin would describe a cone shaped, non planar, Single Horizontal motion. Hence the second hinge pin, hence Dual Horizontal. The second Hinge Pin is not in the PIvot! The Pivot does not dictate the Plane Angle unless you are Pivot to Hands! Which would require a precise amount of waist bend to achieve a usable Plane Angle without a compensation of some sort.
I dunno. I've got a few videos of Lynn covering off these drills number 10 and 11 and a few other PIvot drills. Ill ask him if he would mind me putting them up on Youtube for all to see.
Recently, I have been frustrated with my pivot sequence, just couldn't get it right. I read Watson's recent book, The Timeless Swing, and tried using his recommended drills for keeping the spine angle. It just was not working for me. I returned to the MacDonald drills, particularly numbers 10 and 11. They have been the key for me. Using those drills gives me a feel for what "turning in a barrel" is supposed to be. Combining the entire set of drills has worked wonders with my pivot sequence. My thought is that the entire set of drills is useful for ingraining the basic golf swing. Thanks again to Yoda for introducing them to me at least three years ago!
Recently, I have been frustrated with my pivot sequence, just couldn't get it right. I read Watson's recent book, The Timeless Swing, and tried using his recommended drills for keeping the spine angle. It just was not working for me. I returned to the MacDonald drills, particularly numbers 10 and 11. They have been the key for me. Using those drills gives me a feel for what "turning in a barrel" is supposed to be. Combining the entire set of drills has worked wonders with my pivot sequence. My thought is that the entire set of drills is useful for ingraining the basic golf swing. Thanks again to Yoda for introducing them to me at least three years ago!
I finally started using the MacDonald drills in my teaching this year. They have changed the way I teach and play golf.
Kevin
__________________
I could be wrong. I have been before, and will be again.
I recall JWN stating that he would start every golf season swinging with his feet together, so he could get the proper weight shift and ankle roll.
"Ankle roll" is fine, as long as its Weight Shift doesn't roll the foot over and lift the outer edge.
On the backstroke, the left heel may lift, but the outer edge of the sole remains on the ground (as the weight shifts to the inside ball of the foot). Through Impact, the right foot similarly rolls (and its heel lifts). Then, the foot is dragged through by the Finish turn of the right hip (witness the sliding foot action of Hogan, Knudsen, Nelson, and so many more of the great champions).
I know that Jack Nicklaus rolled the edge of his left foot off the ground on the backstroke, then lifted his heel. But he succeeded in spite of that Balance disruption, not because of it.
Why did he do it?
Because that's what his teacher, Jack Grout, taught him to do (in the '50s).
And why did Mr. Grout teach him that move?
Because that's what his teacher, Henry Picard, taught him to do (in the '40s).
And why did Mr. Picard teach him to do that?
Because that's what Alex Morrison, the book guru and extremist theorist taught him (in the '30s).
That doesn't make it right, of course. But, that's the way it went down.
Position Golf is not Alignment Golf. Those who would play their best recognize the difference.
"Ankle roll" is fine, as long as its Weight Shift doesn't roll the foot over and lift the outer edge.
On the backstroke, the left heel may lift, but the outer edge of the sole remains on the ground (as the weight shifts to the inside ball of the foot).
That was the "Final Missing Piece" of the MacDonald Exercises for me, it put it all together in my mind... No more need to feel "pressure" on the left foot on the backstroke, just the proper alignment of the left foot. Seems like such a little thing, but it is HUGE.
Thanks YODA!
Kevin
__________________
I could be wrong. I have been before, and will be again.
Sliding and tilting instead of turning in the back swing is a common problem. There are many chair drills I guess, but this one works very well for reducing sliding, enforcing proper rotation and a proper weight shift during transition. It looks like this:
<------------------- (target line & direction)
|OO/ (back of left chair, your butt, back of right chair)
In the back swing turn your right hip so that it traces the back of the right chair. This will promote a stationary pelvis and eliminate a back swing hip slide that can cause tonnes of problems.
During transition & early down swing bump the left chair so that it tilts and falls over. This will promote proper weight shift, move the pivot center to where it needs to be and produce the required secondary axis tilt.
I learned the drill somewhere else but it seem to be very compatible with Aligment golf and Yoda's preference towards eliminating lateral motion.
Stance width and measurement to the ball impact this mre than one would think. If you get too narrow and close with the long clubs, it makes it tough to turn and keep that left foot from rolling. When I widen my stance, these elements of foot movement are a lot easier.
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