The Ultimate Full Body Swing II

This is an update of the posting with the same title. The purpose is to document the swing that was found and then lost – see the recent postings. By the way, if one will read through all the other postings (like I did before writing this), there seems to be similarities on golf techniques found, except they are described differently. For example, the right hand early cocking, the double plane, etc. are things that somehow is in line with what I am writing now.

Any way, I went to the driving range and found the technique that was lost (in the previous postings).

Here are some points to remember. These are all important and are part of the whole swing. It is not because of a particular technique but the totality of all the techniques that make this “ULTIMATE” swing.

First, during the stance, I must imaging I am like Tiger Woods, looking proud and erect.

Second, the arms must feel like the tied-up feeling of Hogan.

Third, the two hands forming the grip must be joined tightly together.

Fourth, before the start of the swing, the right hand muscle at the base of the thumb and forefinger must be “felt” because that is the direction where the club will be brought up. 09Oct2007: Note that this might not really be true since the club is not brought up by the right hand. Actually the right hand flicks the club along the "small" plane to the right (see scooping below).

Fifth, to start the swing, the club head is brought up (09Oct2007: not up but sideways - remember the baseball bat?) by the right hand sharply (early cocking) - - - and along the club shaft plane. This is very important. It does not matter if this is done slowly or in a jerky motion. What matters is the right hand starts the movement. This is the reverse scoop, opening like a door and moving through the club shaft plane - that will give you a feeling on the hit like you are reverse scooping the ball.

20Sep2007: The reverse scoop motion is mandatory. It is also advisable to make this move a "sideways" flick of the right hand and the harder the better. The shaft plane is really a flick from the point of the grasped hands to the tip of the shaft (before the club head). It does not mean that the plane is imagined as parallel to the ground. On the contrary, the flick is best angled a little on the up side so the club head descends on the ball on the way back - which results on a flushed hit (remember the solid thump sound heard at the driving range today?). 09Oct2007: To get the scooping motion correctly, move the V of the right hand grip closer to 12 o'clock.

Sixth, after the right hand starts the swing, the left shoulder takes over to complete the turn to the top. This transition can be a fluid motion or not – the fluidity is not important. What is important is that the left shoulder must perform to the top – not an incomplete turn.

Seventh and very important, the body hit must be executed. It is not the shoulders, it is the body. The body hit can be automatic like Padrig’s Harrington (see other posting) or it can be guiding although too much guiding might be a negative thing.

Eight and last, the feeling after the swing is like finishing like Tiger Woods. Maybe, setting up on the balls of the feet may help the balance like what he recently said when he won the Fedex cup.

Let me see if I can update the posting before:

1. Make sure the grip is firm with both hands acting as one. The tied up feeling from the previous chapter or posting must be utilized. The intent is to take out the hands in the equation.
2. Make sure to start the club with the right hand (two o'clock, remember? ) (15Sept2007 - extreme "EARLY" cocking of the right hand going to the 2 o'clock position.)- bringing the club head back along the same path I want it to follow when it hits the ball. Remember it is the reverse ice cream scoop! However, to make this a mechanical move - the club head should be brought back along the club shaft - as the plane (see paragraph below).
3. Then the shoulders take over twist as far as necessary for the swing at hand - full for a longer carry.
4. The body then springs back and makes the hit - all automatically and by muscle memory. However, the body hit must be felt like a hit by the heavy firm upper body - in particular, the main point is the sternum. It is not a plain lazy turn around; it is a deliberate hit by the firm upper body. If it like the hit of the forearms (tied up feeling of Hogan) but more felt by the chest.

The result of this simplified routine is an extremely accurate straight shot. When you really analyze what is happening and break down the movements, it is really simple to explain. First, the right hand moves back the club head - along the desired path / angle. Second, the shoulders take over and further twist the body (with the right hand still continuing to do its work). Third, while all this is happening and when the body is fully twisted, the body yanks everything back to where it started (the club head coming back to the ball) and plus more.

And going further, let me update the rest of the previous posting:

By the way, BRINGING THE CLUB BACK ALONG THE PATH, can this be really the little baseball bat as exemplified by AJ Bonar? If it is, then we can really make this swing powerful, repetitive, and mechanical. Let us pursue and study this matter for later reporting.

RESULT: Yes, this is it! (18Sep07: but not like the apron technique – it is merely a normal upswing started by the right hand) The club head must be brought back in the same plane as the shaft - in contract to the regular Hogan plane. Bringing the club like this makes the twisting effect on the body to be so natural - as proven on the golf course today. The driver is the biggest benefactor of this change. TONY, PLEASE REMEMBER THIS! It is important to remember the feeling. The full weight of the centrifugal force is felt at the top. The downswing is just a reaction to the weight of the club - an automatic uncoiling action. No other action is needed, just the body uncoiling the arms and club, then club head towards the ball - and up, up as far as it will go around the body.

13Sept2007: No, it is not the early cocking of the hands. It is the baseball bat effect of AJ. All the other techniques mentioned above, I have already tried before (and failed). Only the baseball bat technique is new enough to create that automatic body winded feeling which unwinds to a straight shot. On the driving range today, I tried just forgetting everything and seize on muscle memory - that did not work. Second, I tried the early cocking - that did not work. I went to the baseball bat technique - the hands opening the club head like an open door along the shaft plane lift an early cock - and then the shoulders taking over (as close as possible to two movements). The opening door can be visualize like an apron where the club head starts from 12 o'clock and tries to finish at 3 o'clock before the shoulders takes over. This is the move that re-created that feeling (and ball flight effect) that I had when I last played. (18Sep07: NOT REALLY - not like the apron technique – it is merely a normal upswing started by the right hand, executed along the club shaft.)

14Sep2007: This AJ move and Hogan's cupped hand is the same technique however it is just so difficult to find a common way to implement it. It might have been easier for Hogan to cup his left hand while I find it easier to do the "apron" way. The purpose of all these techniques, I believe, is delaying the hit that makes the hook impossible. Hogan said that when he can hit the ball as much as possible but cannot over do it. This also happened to me while I was playing - the one that started this topic.

17Sep2007: At the driving range I found that the apron technique is lacking. What really worked well is the extreme and early cocking (not up but backward cocking) of the right hand at the start of the back swing going to the 2 o'clock position - just like the wedge chipping technique of Tiger Woods! This was mentioned above - 11Sep2007 - but I said no. That is odd why I said that... (18Sep07: YES but it is merely a normal upswing started by the right hand and along the club shaft plane.)

22Sep2007: THE FINAL TEST IS THE HEAVY TRAINER CLUB. If the trainer club can be pulled by the body with an inside-outside effect of the club face, then it is correct. The real key is ending the coiled upswing at the top with the feeling of the clasped hands in the relative same position at setup. Only with this position will the trainer club be able to come back to the hitting zone with an inside to outside effect. By the way, even the right hand use is not necessary to get this effect. At address, if you would just imagine the plane as the same as the shaft and if you flick the club head around like an apron going backwards (with the right hand, with the left hand, or with both clasped hands) along that plane, then the shoulders will instinctively turn to bring it up - ending into a fluid motion at the top. It "should" end at the CORRECT position where the body can pull it down - the club coming back with and inside to outside path. But remember, the trainer club has to agree.