Sand shots, pitches, chips and putts

While the long game needs the shoulders as the swing engine, the short game, however, needs the rock solid hands instead. And like the long game where the swing stops at the top and the mid-point feeling is felt (like a fly fisherman flicking his rod backwards), so is the short game. With a flick of the hands, a feeling is felt of fullness of the little swing - and then the solid hands starts the hit (not downswing since sometime, the hit is done sideways).

Back to square One or Making it simple

Now that we know we will use the shoulders to make the swing, it is not really necessary to use the hands or even focus at it. We can just imagine the golf swing as pure shoulders swing and at the same time simplify it all. Like the objective of the blog when we all started - we will use the big muscles and simplify the swing.

So the main thing now is when making the golf swing, just think with the shoulders. The hands or grip is just part of the mechanical set up but the actual swing is just he shoulders going back and twisting.

Ok, guys, this is it. This is when we break 80 - consistently.

Update to Aug. 31 Swing Points...

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Swing Check Points - In the beginning...

1. The flail, the flail.
   
2. Club set-up: The club shaft points to the left shoulder and aligned with the left arm. Purpose: This simulates the clubface allignment at the moment of impact
3. Grip: The thumb and foreginger pinches the shaft "actively" with the feeling that the club is to be taken initially by the RIGHT hand toward the two o'clock position WITHOUT REGARD TO the swing plane. Purpose: EARLY COCKING TO START THE SWING.
   
4. Plane: DISREGARD.
5. The left shoulder pushes the club AS MUCH AS PRACTICAL. Purpose: BASIC REQUIREMENT HAVE A COILED SWING. Upper Body is coiled to the maximum. Purpose: To make sure that shoulders are fully coiled and the power transferred to the upper body. This is the upswing of the flail technique so "feel" the flail with the left shoulder!
   
6. Flat foot stance: Ensure that both feet are planted on the ground securely. The left sole and heel only lifts up when pulled by the upper body, else it stays down. Purpose: To ensure that the club comes back correctly and to maximize coiling of the upper body - for power.
7. Stiff right knee: The relative position of the right knee stays at right angle to the target line at all times during the backswing. Purpose: The samE as no. 5 - accuracy and power.
8. Coiled upper body - Downswing: Once the hands and arms have coiled the upper body, an entwined power is felt, and that coiled feeling is the one that hits the ball. Purpose: Delayed hit. This is the flail hitting the ball so "feel" the failing done by the left shoulder.
   
9. Reverse C: The coiled feeling is imagined as going around and through the ball - which imparts more power. The right shoulder is way in front of the left shoulder at the finish position. Purpose: P-O-W-E-R.

What is not so apparent here and hard to explain is how the early cocking of the right hand starts and culminates to the shoulders taking over in one complete motion.