Thats a severe case of medical students syndrome Im displaying. Thats what Im working on right now ...... and for me right now the Flail seems like both the cause and cure for everything I look at.
I get arched block my #2 loading , cant Left Wrist Throw and the wheels fall off. I can go to Hitting but I had a super seductive encounter with the Swingers Flail last fall . Homers golf flail is like the other Homers sirens maybe? Gonna go searching for it even if it means crashing my boat up against the rocks. Darn easy power.....its beguiling and a tease at present. I will have it though, even if I must be strapped to the mast of Swinging.
On second thought if it dont work Ill just wack the heck out of it with my right arm throw.
I tried for a while to swing with just my left arm attached to train the flail but Im thinking the stork drill is the way to go now. With just the left arm attached it got very un string like..... anything but passive. It started doing a lot of lifting on the backswing too, heavy lifting it being on the other side of the body from the backswing lift. Bad habits all. I even tried taking a running start at the swing from follow through back to address to give the club some momentum so the left arm didnt have to lift but Im just doing the stork now. Its amazing how easy is to hit a pretty good shot, you're already nicely left etc.
Its doesnt go as far as normal but almost, interestingly. Makes me wonder just how much Pivot movement/effort I really need to add to get to full distance and how much of my pivot might be non productive. Or counter productive even? Not saying you dont need to pivot of course , its a basic, basic.
Wasnt it Yoda who said something like "the pivot motion is not as big as most people think" ? Got to double check on that one. This is another thing on my mind these days, simplification. The stripping away of excess motion. Multi tasking components. I still like a move into my right side though, not over it , just into it, if you know what I mean. But at impact you gotta be on the left side...for sure.
I tried for a while to swing with just my left arm attached to train the flail but Im thinking the stork drill is the way to go now. With just the left arm attached it got very un string like..... anything but passive. It started doing a lot of lifting on the backswing too, heavy lifting it being on the other side of the body from the backswing lift. Bad habits all. I even tried taking a running start at the swing from follow through back to address to give the club some momentum so the left arm didnt have to lift but Im just doing the stork now. Its amazing how easy is to hit a pretty good shot, you're already nicely left etc.
Its doesnt go as far as normal but almost, interestingly. Makes me wonder just how much Pivot movement/effort I really need to add to get to full distance and how much of my pivot might be non productive. Or counter productive even? Not saying you dont need to pivot of course , its a basic, basic.
Wasnt it Yoda who said something like "the pivot motion is not as big as most people think" ? Got to double check on that one. This is another thing on my mind these days, simplification. The stripping away of excess motion. Multi tasking components. I still like a move into my right side though, not over it , just into it, if you know what I mean. But at impact you gotta be on the left side...for sure.
The thing I remember most about my day with YODA, is how educated hands take care of all the pivot you want. Take your hands to the proper alignments, and your body will help them get there without any help from your computer. Watch the swing of Lynn's I posted, you can see it if you know what to look for. Swinging or hitting, its all educated hands, and some right forearm magic. No wasted motion. You can also see that Lynn moves into his right foot on the backstroke, just as he teaches with the MacDonald drills, but there is always some pressure on the left as well. Great footwork. What a wonderful model.
Simplicity at its finest!
Kevin
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I could be wrong. I have been before, and will be again.
Yup just like grabbing a beer out of the fridge.........hands go straight to it, pivot , feet whatever anticipate , do whatever is needed. ,......Its all natural. In the natural order of things. Just meant to be. Man negotiating his environment. Hands to beer.
Yup just like grabbing a beer out of the fridge.........hands go straight to it, pivot , feet whatever anticipate , do whatever is needed. ,......Its all natural. In the natural order of things. Just meant to be. Man negotiating his environment. Hands to beer.
Moments before your awesome posts OB, I happened upon the Mike austin stuff. More on that later. I can't type right now as I am standing on my left leg!
ICT
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HP, grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Progress and not perfection is the goal every day!
If I may offer a thought on this. You need to allow the Left Arm to Blast Off.
The above Preparation is done when you are at TOP. It is the visualization of the geometrically correct Sequenced Release of the Swinger. The Golfer's Flail swished down plane and pointed at the Straight Line Base Line. The Left Arm must blast off, accelerate away from the Pivot.
As an aside think of this Preparation as the goal or intention of the Downswing making it and the Downswing Waggle , the associated drill, the cure for "Downswing Blackout". While tremendous emphasis is placed upon the Roll of the #3 Accumulator in 12-3 and see also the connection between Horizontal Hinging and compression in the drawings of 2-C, I find it hard to feel this Roll unless I have first Uncocked #2. #2 is "velocity power" while Homer labelled #3 "transfer power". From my own experience Id recommend you practice your Downswing Waggles as per usual but try a Release Trigger a Left Wrist Throw and see if it brings the flail to life. You'll know you've awakened your flail when you feel its seductive easy power. It'll seem very "non steering like".
-From Top , having already slid your Hips target wards a few inches to get your weight on your left side . But with a Delayed Turn so your Hips are still in there turned condition.
-Having established a TSP angle at Top.
-Take your intact , fully loaded Power Package down the Inclined Plane with your Right Shoulder , with your PIvot from the Ground Up. Your Right Shoulder diving towards the plane line as actuated by the Hips which are motivated by the feet ......"Right , Left, Right , Left "
- So Right Shoulder goes down plane in Startdown, then as you approach Release add a little Left Wrist Throw. An on plane left wrist hammering or uncocking to initiate the Release of the #2 Angle On Plane (with the Right Palm still flat to the underside of the Plane).
I personally didnt feel much Rolling till I got the Uncocking happening in my Golfers Flail and you have to Roll to see Homers Flail do its magic. Like a three stage rocket , if you can't find/feel stage 3 , take a look at stage 1 and 2 first.
Another drill to enhance the feel of the left arm Flail (which I also learned from a Yoda demonstration) was to zero out the Pivot by adopting what other teachers have referred to as the "stork drill". Where you stand on your left leg primarily with your right leg just acting as a brace , way back behind the line which makes one swing with just the arms. You cant make contact very easily without letting your left arm blast off somewhat and you cant compress it very well without Rolling a nice little Horizontal Hinge. As you do this drill from Top think Delivery Line Uncocking Prep, Delivery Line Roll Prep, Sequenced Release. Add the Left Wrist Throw for the uncocking and you will see your Golfer Flail appear. A left arm Blast off, with an on plane uncocking and an on line rolling, Sequenced Release. More inside out for balls played back of low point.
The Swingers cure for Downswing Blackout and a method of heightening or isolating the Feels associated with the Startdown , Downswing and Release mechanics. Its all about the isolation of the components and learning to replicate them individually by feel during training, drills, learning. In the end you'll feel a whole but freewheeling golfers flail that operates on auto pilot. Homer said you could almost fall asleep mid swing and it would still keep flailing. Got to find it before you can set it free.
P.S. This throw was a Mike Austin favourite. Think he called it his "power throw" or something maybe. Anyways Homer thought that upon mastery of this Non Auto Left Wrist Throw you could graduate to an Automatic Throw and in combination with the Aiming Point Procedure achieve Automatic Snap Release.... Im still waiting for that day to arrive. Might need a lesson on that one to make it happen. Always been a Random Sweeper.
I read about this drill OB from Shawn Clement several years ago, who I think of as a pretty interesting guy. I don't know if he is a TGM guy but I would suspect he has gone to sleep with the book several nights in a row.
That one-legged drill helped me win a scramble one year as the "D" or weakest player. I just stood on one leg and smacked the ball down the middle. I was popular with my group for several weeks. I didn't know how it worked of course, but treated it like taking the correct pill and discovering the Matrix.
Do you actually try throwing your wrist ("It's a real throw!!!" Lynn says that to Jeff on the Address tapes)?
Thanks for explaining the why of it. Thanks, too, Dodger, Kevin and Jerry for the exclamations. Thanks HP, MOm and Dad, the Academy and Daryl.....
It's hard typing on my left leg!
ICT
__________________
HP, grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Progress and not perfection is the goal every day!
Last edited by innercityteacher : 03-28-2011 at 02:43 PM.
I read about this drill OB from Shawn Clement several years ago, who I think of as a pretty interesting guy. I don't know if he is a TGM guy but I would suspect he has gone to sleep with the book several nights in a row.
That one-legged drill helped me win a scramble one year as the "D" or weakest player. I just stood on one leg and smacked the ball down the middle. I was popular with my group for several weeks. I didn't know how it worked of course, but treated it like taking the correct pill and discovering the Matrix.
Do you actually try throwing your wrist ("It's a real throw!!!" Lynn says that to Jeff on the Address tapes)?
Thanks for explaining the why of it. Thanks, too, Dodger, Kevin and Jerry for the exclamations. Thanks HP, MOm and Dad, the Academy and Daryl.....
Rich and I planned this session literally months in advance, and I know both of us really pointed toward this great day. He had a 3:15 a.m. wake-up call to catch his red-eye from New York, and he showed up in Atlanta ready-to-rumble in his "Yoda-Green" Masters hat. After exchanging the Hitter's Handshake -- Right Forearms stump-to-stump and pistoning -- we started with Yoda's traditional Cracker Barrel breakfast: Eggs, bacon and hash browns, pancakes and the Geometry of the Circle!
We began our on-site instruction with a technical demo of the infamous Hinge Action Concept. Quoting Rocky Balboa (to Clubber Lang): "Not so bad!" And then...The Power Package! Flying Wedge alignments, Extensor Action (stretch against #1!) and The Golfer's Flail. Still not a ball struck. To horse!
Rich had worked hard on his Pivot Motion. Too hard! His quickly spinning Backstroke Right Hip and Shoulder Turn pulled his Hands abruptly to the inside (and Under Plane). From there, his only recourse was an Over-The-Top Right Shoulder Spin-Out, a 'high' Right Forearm into Impact and the dreaded Chicken-Wing Follow-Through. The predictable results? Fore Left...or Right!
The Good News was that Rich had learned his Forum Lessons well. His Balance was excellent and he had great control of his Left Wrist. He drove his Right Arm hard and was able to really stress the Clubshaft. Our challenge was to direct that Motion correctly Down Plane -- with the Right Forearm driving Downward, Outward and Forward toward the Plane Line -- instead of the Flat Downstroke Right Shoulder Turn (10-13-B) coming 'Out and Over' and the Forearm covering the Line in the Downstroke.
Our Cure was to quieten his Lower Body's overzealous activity in the Backstroke and to train his Hip Slide to pull the Right Shoulder (and the Power Package) down On Plane in the Downstroke. Rich got this job done by learning the Start Down Waggle (3-F-5) and making it an integral part of his Pre-Shot Routine. As he ingrained this Motion, his Flat Downstroke Shoulder Turn began to disappear.
Still, something was missing, and that 'something' was the Finish Swivel (2-G, 12-3-12-#41 and 12-5-3-#3). This proved to be the missing link that allowed his Stroke to flow uninterrupted from his Top (Station Two) to his Finish (Station Three). When Rich integrated this move, it was 'Good-bye' Chicken Wing and 'Hello' Compression!
Sadly, all good things come to an end, and this day was no exception. With darkness falling and his 8:11 p.m. flight beckoning, we bid one another a fond farewell. This really is the toughest part for me...watching my students fly into the night...knowing that many weeks will likely pass before we meet again.
That's why I love this place...
See you in The Clubhouse Lounge, Rich!
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Ok, there's a start to the beginning of the flail.
ICT
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HP, grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Progress and not perfection is the goal every day!
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Posts: 1,626
Rotation Point and the Karate Chop - the startup swivel
many of you are familiar with the 'EdZ Drills'
They are very powerful in demonstrating the concepts of TGM.
As a variation on the theme of 'rotation point' (swinger) and 'mirror point' (hitter) I thought it would be helpful to share a drill that should help many 'get' the swinger's startup swivel and the 'karate chop' of the left hand. It is also helpful in feeling the right forearm, and max delay (accumulator overlap)
Stand in golf posture without a club and hold your hands together, palms facing each other (clap/prayer position).
The 'rotation point' in this position is the tip of the two middle fingers. ALLOW rotation around that point as you let your hands swing gently back and through.
Now do the same, but grab the middle three fingers of your left (lead) hand with your right (trail) hand. The pinky/thumb of your left hand will be on either side of the grip you have on those three fingers.
As you swing this back and through, you will notice both the 'rotation point' feel of a swinger and the 'palm down to plane' feel that goes with it, especially the right palm to plane (supporting the 'underside' of the plane)
You will also notice the 'karate chop' of the left hand pinky and the SWINGER'S feel of 'getting behind the ball' with the lead shoulder. Of hitting the ball with the back of the lead shoulder.
Very helpful for learning FULL ROLL as well as the swinger's flywheel 'throw out'
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"Support the On Plane Swinging Force in Balance"
"we have no friends, we have no enemies, we have only teachers"
Simplicity buffs, see 5-0, 1-L, 2-0 A and B 10-2-B, 4-D, 6B-1D, 6-B-3-0-1, 6-C-1, 6-E-2
Lots to do, here.
ICT
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HP, grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Progress and not perfection is the goal every day!
Impact Fix
Sustain the Line of Compression
Balance
Many people setup such that they can not make a proper swing, and hit a good shot. They begin from an out of position, unbalanced 'pose' - with incorrect alignments.
A little drill to help you learn hands leading, downward compression on a chip shot:
stand with your feet 'together' (feet touching at heels and ball of the feet)
grip a club in your left hand, setting the blade at 90 degrees to your target line, and aligned with the outside edge of your trail foot
while holding that alignment, ensure your left arm and club for a straight line and your left hand visually looks at the 'center' of your feet as you look down
this may appear 'hooded' to some (but not in your grip, let your hands hang), ensure those alignments as you let your right hand 'meet' your left, no disruption of those alignments of the left arm, I use interlock.
imagine the right (trail) forearm is on line with the shaft from wrist to elbow and the angle of your right wrist is 'set'
'see' the circle your hands, PP#1, travels on and extend your lead arm gently with your trail hand to meet that circle
'swing' the club, your hands, back and through above the ground, smooth and heavy and slow
change 'center' until the club hits the ground before the full extension, send your hands to a point well ahead of the ball, on the ground
put a ball just before that point on the ground where you take a divot
drive that ball into the ground
stay balanced, close your eyes
feel your hands and feet
This is acquired motion. Do it until you 'hear' the stone and turf sing to you like a shot being fired.
If you were to stand with your right foot along a line on the floor perpendicular to your targetline, the leading edge of the clubface would be 'on' and matching that line.
To clarify, by outside edge of the right foot, think the 'ball' of the right foot (if you had the entire outside edge of your foot on that line your foot would be turned too 'closed').
Basically a drill to ensure that setup has 'built in' forward lean of the shaft when taking your grip.
__________________
"Support the On Plane Swinging Force in Balance"
"we have no friends, we have no enemies, we have only teachers"
Simplicity buffs, see 5-0, 1-L, 2-0 A and B 10-2-B, 4-D, 6B-1D, 6-B-3-0-1, 6-C-1, 6-E-2
I have a lot to un-practice!
ICT
__________________
HP, grant me the serenity to accept what I cannot change, the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Progress and not perfection is the goal every day!
Linear Mode
