What should we be working on?

[Larryrsf]

I see and hear from PGA pros that most amateurs fail to make a full backswing turn--and that failure is the root cause of our swing faults. Our primary swing fault is the failure to make the "transition weight shift" or 'post" onto our front foot before we swing. Consequently our back hip remains in the way of our hands and arms--and the clubhead is forced outside the target line before impact-- it swipes across from the outside and we slice--unless we compensate by closing the clubface with hand action.

But the root failure was our failure to complete a pivot backswing turn. We start around with arms and shoulders. But usually our shoulders stop turning, our arms continue in what teaching pros called "hoisting." We reach a false top position.

It is false because that position does not trigger an automatic athletic downswing, lower body, then shoulders, then arms, etc. We helplessly swing before we post on our front leg-- and thus we fail to clear our hips. Our first move is shoulders-- which is Over the Top, OTT. That is the typical amateur swing--and the reason they shoot 90+, missing most fairways and all greens in regulation.

So on the range each time, ALL of us should be working to make a full "connected" turn, holding the "Y" of arms and club until we have turned our shoulders 90 degrees, arms and club in front of our chest until the club is aligned with the target line--the handle pointing toward the target. We should carefully avoid allowing the arms to "run away" and move ahead of our chest. That is a false top position-- and it would not trigger a correct downswing sequence.

I think the best way to feel the correct turn and swing is while standing upright--like baseball. Just extend your arms and hold the club extended with the handle pointing at your core. Then turn everything together, shoulders and arms. When the club is aligned with the target (90 degree turn) nothing has changed, the "Y" of arms and clubshaft is still there. That is the turn. When you are turned (coiled) like that, you should feel the urge to make a powerful athletic "baseball" swing. You will automatically start that swing by stepping toward the target. You will post on your front leg and then swing, the transition weight shift. Your first move will be lower body--perfect.

Now lets bring that perfect backswing to our golf swing. Take your golf stance, bend from the waist, and make that same turn. It places the club in perfect backswing position, handle pointing just outside your toe line. Ideally you bring that same "baseball" athletic feeling-- and ideally your first downswing move will be the "plant" of the front foot as you post there. Then you swing around your front hip--and of course momentum carries you to a classic finish.

So this is the ideal range or course pre-hit practice scenario. Stand upright and feel the backswing and swing like baseball, then bend and bring that same sequence to your golf swing.

Hit balls after that full turn and you will be dazzled at the effortless power.

Good luck.

Larry

[Not a hacker]

Hi 'Larry' (I will keep up the facade, nudge wink), welcome to GR.

I know you've been getting some bad PR over the years, and none of your players have done shite since that tosser pommy in the 90's, but to start hawking your services on golf forums is getting a little desperate don't you think.

P.S. Trying to explain a whole new way to swing the club form the ground up in one post, and selling it as simple to accomplish, was a bit of a giveaway.

[SoonerBS]

Hi 'Larry' (I will keep up the facade, nudge wink), welcome to GR.

I know you've been getting some bad PR over the years, and none of your players have done shite since that tosser pommy in the 90's, but to start hawking your services on golf forums is getting a little desperate don't you think.

P.S. Trying to explain a whole new way to swing the club form the ground up in one post, and selling it as simple to accomplish, was a bit of a giveaway.

That a way to sniff 'em out, NAH . . . . .

[collegegolfer]

I always thought the best way for mid to high cappers to lower scores was to buy new equipment??? Although this Larry guy is right. That's how I've taught since I began. Setup, keep the same triangle in arms/chest area until you can't rotate shoulders any more, THEN let the club bend. You'll be tightly coiled and MIGHT be able to get within 50 yards of me.

[Larryrsf]

Hey, just trying to help. You may have me confused with someone else. I am 67, started golfing from tennis at age 60. I am an engineer. I approached the project of learning the golf swing in a methodical way, lessons, books, lessons, lots of range time, back to lesson, and back to the books.

Finally I think I know how late beginners would most efficiently learn to swing. I wish I had had someone like me when I was learning. I would be 4 years ahead of today!

Obviously (to me but not to all) we should attack the root problem first. Not all pros understand that concept--because most started as kids, immediately made a full relaxed turn, and never looked back. Some teaching pros don't even realize what is really at fault in their students. So they talk about trivia-- the details of grip, setup, stance, etc. that make any student tense up trying to get them right. But tension IS the problem for most students because nobody can turn while tense-- and of course if you can't turn, you can't play golf. So the focus on trivial details is eminently counter-productive.

Ernest Jones had it right-- famously giving lessons to beginners and having them focus on the swinging clubhead-- while ignoring a host of "mistakes" such as grip, hips, sway, head movement, weight shift, etc. Ernest Jones became world famous. That because his thousands of students immediately succeeded in the days of tiny forged blades and wooden clubheads. His students suceeded because Ernest focused on first things first-- the full turn and free relaxed centrifugal swing. He made them swing with eyes shut to get the right feeling-- of ZERO hand action while "swinging the clubhead."

That works, BTW, and women especially immediately identified. When left alone, they just forget about form and SWING! And they hit the ball and the ball goes straight, they have fun and they will go back out. Many quit after modern teaching and frustration.

My earlier post is my method to teach myself a connected synchronized turn-- and it works extremely well. I am ingraining my swing now. Last range session I hit 100 6i-- after first rehearsing the full connected turn before each ball. I hit them all good, some great, none badly. I did what Harvey Penick made his college golf teams do.

Larry