Master of the Pull - THE GOLF QUEST IS OVER!

What would be an excellent memory jogger for this golf technique?  I think illustrating how the chip is accomplished is the best way to start this posting.

Assuming you have taken the stance, which on mine is the waist is nearly 45 degrees of the target line, cock the right wrist to the desired length (extreme is better).  NOW HERE IS THE MASTER OF THE PULL TECHNIQUE, the club stays motionless after the cock while THE BODY (left shoulder) PULLS THE CLUB BACK TO THE BALL and (left arm/hand) throws it to the target.

This pulling force is the essence of all the shots from putting, chipping, pitching, iron and wood shots.  There may be variations but the common denominator is the pulling action.

NOW IF YOU INCORPORATE THIS WITH THE PROPER FORM and the hinged upper body/lower body, then you will be really playing golf!  How do we do this then?  Let us start with the driver...

(no longer entirely true - see 16OCT2014 below): Take the stance, imagine that the upper torso is detached from the lower one (personal memory key: my BALL BEARING key chain), push the upper torso with the left hip .  At the top, fully cock the club with the left hand.  Immediately after cocking, pull the upper torso towards the ball (automatically shifting the weight to the left) AND TURN AROUND (left shoulder pull) TO A PICTURE PERFECT FINISH!  That is it for the driver AND ALL THE OTHER CLUBS!

The only difference from chipping (and putting also) is that the right hand cocks first while the driver, the left hip (no longer true - see 16OCT2014 below) starts the swing and left hand cocks.

In putting, the right hand brings the putter back (while the shoulders "feel" for tautness). The shoulders (can be the right hand) then pull the putter towards the ball while reversing the "feeling" for the right velocity.

I THINK THIS POSTING SUMMARIZES ESSENTIALLY THE PERFECT END TO THE SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT SWING!

HOWEVER, IN ORDER TO CORRECTLY EXECUTE THE ABOVE, AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE GEOMETRY OF GOLF IS NECESSARY.

The golf swing geometry is a two axis movement.  The neck is the first axis and the grip is the second axis.  The body pulls the second axis by turning the shoulders, along the first axis.  When the fully cocked grip reaches the bottom, the club is allowed to uncock around the second axis (the grip).  The late unwinding at the right time creates the divot and is usually referred to as the desired "late" hit.

THE HARD PART NOW IS TRYING TO PUT ALL THESE IN ONE COHESIVE REPEATING GOLF SWING.  ONE WAY IS PERHAPS  THINK ONLY OF COCKING THE RIGHT HAND AND BOLDLY UN-COCKING/HITTING THE BALL AFTER THE GRIP (AXIS) REACHES THE LOWEST POINT.  IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE GRIP IS BROUGHT DOWN TO THE LOWEST POINT BY THE LEFT HIP (the left shoulders now).

11Oct2014:

The solution to putting all the above together is the Hogan's cupping his left hand. The purpose of this cupping is really to delay the hit! Although, I think Hogan's main objective is to prevent himself hooking his shots which he tended to do at the beginning.

I found out about this cupping as a result of experimenting with the wedge shot.  I was trying to make the way I hold the club feel like an extreme offset and in so doing, when I was cocking the club with my left hand, the cupping of the back left hand is actually the one happening!  In reality, what I was doing is the chipping technique described above, except now I realized that it is the Hogan technique that I was implementing.

Now let us put this all together.  Because of the geometry of golf as I mentioned above, the second axis is not allowed to hit the ball early or not at all.  Hogan invented the cupping technique to cure his hooks but actually what he did was to ensure the late hit is assured.  Also, we found out about the extreme right hand cocking because of the chipping technique mentioned above.  With this new method I will explain, the hips will no longer be the main driver in the back swing.  It will be the right hand cocking the club first.  This move will pull the body around and the left hip too so it will be the same effect as the left hip pushing the club.  The downswing will have as its main purpose to paint the ball with the cupped left backhand. In order to accomplish this, the body (actually the left shoulder) will really be turning around and pushing the entire weight sliding towards the target until the point where the picture perfect finish is achieved.  This move makes the swing more natural for me to implement. Oh what a joy to finally find my own swing! Another good outcome of this owning my own swing and knowing the technical details of it will make be able to make necessary corrections easy, even when I am in the course playing.

16OCT2014: V for Victory in Golf

Why does my new chipping technique (extreme cock of the wrist and pull) works?  It is because of the V created by the right arm and club with the clasped hands as the apex.  Imagine the clasped hands as the apex or tip of a spear.  When the hands are brought down towards the ball like a spear, it consolidates all the energy into one point - towards the ball - and, in addition, energy is multiplied when the club unwinds by itself, smacking the ball.

Now extend this principle to a full shot ala Rory McIlroy and one will figure out the how to correctly execute a golf shot.  Imagine the shoulders as one side of the V and the left arm and club as the other. Think of the left shoulder as the apex.  Now with the right hand (pronation is mandatory) as chipping, abruptly but smoothly bring the club upward by breaking the right wrist and try to create the V closing the angle as much as physically possible while pulling the left side around. WITH THE LEFT SHOULDER, PULL THE APEX DOWN TOWARDS THE BALL, creatirng the same move as Rory, to a SMOOTH and full picture perfect finish.

Remember that the hands apex is also involved here.  In reality, this is a two apex swing.  The chipping apex (early cock) starts the swing and pulls the next apex (left shoulder) to the top.  There is a conscious feeling that the left arm joins the two apexes.  The joint feeling must be made very apparent on the downswing so that the oneness of the swing transition from the left shoulder to the club head is felt.  Everything from the upswing to the downswing must feel smooth like honey.  The left arm actually prevents a shank since it makes sure that the club head is squared before impact - which happens when the lateral move is early and leaves the club face still open at impact.

26OCT2014:  The down swing move by Rory is really the whole body just firing at the ball.  At the course today, I just:

1. Let the club align with my left arm.
2. My right hand grip is ready for the extreme cock (right shoulder down).
3. The left hip starts the club movement with a full cock done by the left hand. This is a key development.  The hip pushing the club head along the target line, not only steepens the plane (for divots) but also create a perfect takeaway! 03Nov2014.
4. The hit is the body going to the perfect finish position - no thinking needed. Reminder: This is what I do when I imagine the roped arms feeling and just hit with all the muscles firm.  Watch this:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvEzEYl0Re0
5. Try to create an upright plane for non-driver shots.

Drop and Drag Golf Evolves to Hip Golf

Like I said in a recent posting, the golf swing is a pulling action and not a hammering action.  This is very apparent when putting.  The best move in putting is when the putter is dropped back (back swing) and then dragged forward by a pulling action.  You can call this technique a "
Drop and Drag Golf".

However this posting is not about drag and drop but its evolution to the Hip Golf.  If the setup is done with the intent of drag and drop golf, then it is possible to just use the hips to create the backswing and the forward swing.  When employed, the whole upper body from the hips upward functions like the mechanical golf equipment where the mechanical part just rotates around the center.

It should be noted that employing the hips as the firing mechanism of the swing makes a profound change to the common golf swing method.  Firing the hips makes the golf swing a very mechanical and very accurate swing.  Hogan anyone?  Well, Rory McIlroy comes to mind when you think about a more recent golfer employing the hip swing.

The main thing to remember is how the upper body functions in connection with the hips.  The upper body becomes independent of the hips (remember the keychain?).  The hips throws weight of the whole upper body around backwards and forwards but it only does that - throws the weight. The upper body just rotates back and hits the ball by centrifugal force (but supposedly by muscle memory).  

TO EMPLOY, AT ADDRESS, RELAX THE TUMMY MUSCLES SO THAT IT FEELS NOT DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE HIPS. THEN USE THE HIPS.

16Sep2014: USE THE HIPS FOR THE BACKSWING WITH FULL COCKING OF LEFT WRIST AND LEFT SHOULDER REACHING CHIN.  AFTERWARDS, WITH THE LEFT HAND, PULL THE CLUB TOWARDS THE BALL WITH THE MAIN INTENT OF CREATING A DIVOT.  THE LEFT HIP WILL AUTOMATICALLY OPEN BECAUSE THE LEFT ARM PULLING THE CLUB HEAD TOWARDS THE BALL IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO WITHOUT CLEARING THE LEFT HIPS.  19Sep2014: To facilitate this said move, it is imperative that the grip of the left hand must be ultra close or sitting on top of the rubber grip - positioned in such a way that when the hips start the upswing, the left grip rides along the plane as if inverted, ready for the inverted cocking.  The result is a forced winding of the shoulders ending with the left shoulder ramming on the chin and eventually an automatic unwinding or hit towards the ball.  Hit with the LEFT arm and hand and EXPECT A LONGER FLYING SHOT!

To Hell and Back (with Hogan) or Explaining Hogan's "Secret"

In March of 2011, I discovered Hogan's secret.  Well I must have lost it again because now I am back and just recently discovered (again!) Hogan's secret.  It is not really a secret but why he is known for being so goddam accurate.  Making the golf swing simple is really Hogan's forte.  How do we do it, let me explain.

First, I have to say that the grip is important.  If not done right, the swing does not produce the desired result.  Let me enumerate the step.

1. Start the setup by feeling the left hand grip employing the fulcrum method to balance the club.
2. When done, wrap the right hand like a glove around the left hand, making sure that the middle finger, the forefinger and the thumb is gently but solidly wrapped around the shaft of the club. There is no looseness here.  The grip must feeling like a solid ball wrapped around the club.
3. Then drop the left shoulder around backwards until it touches the chin.
4. Fire away immediately after.

The simplicity and compactness of this golf swing makes it easily repeatable.  A repeating swing is Hogan's swing and it is Hogan's secret. 

The Cocking Is Not Part of the Swing

Why is the 8 iron the worst club in my bag?  Because it is the club that I at times I hit the ball with the toe.

And what would eliminate this weakness?  Weakness it is but it should be my special club from now on.  It is because of this club and the ensuing tendency to toe the ball that I spent time to study the cause.  Well the cause may be a little bit too hard to explain but the cure is easier.  What is needed is a full cock, closer to extreme cock of the left wrist.  As a matter of fact, this explains why I cannot hit long any more.  I can no longer hit a solid shot.  This full cocking delays the hit and imparts spin.

It should be noted that the cocking should be done by the left shoulder.  Don't ask why, just do it! However, more important is how to bring the club to the top. Forget the plane.  The club is is brought up by the right hand. The right hand bends at the wrist backwards in the same path as the fold created by the thumb and forefinger. The bending creates the extreme cocking... automatically!

19JUL2014:  Further experimentation of the right hand cock made me to conclude that:

1. Cocking is done by bending the right hand squarely backwards at the wrist.  It is not an upward motion but straight backwards from the wrist.
2. The backward move of the right hand is really not part of the basic swing.  It's main function is to shape the shot.  It can face more upwards to the sky to create a divot.  It can go low to create the low hugging shots or it can be a full cock to create more spin.
3. One thing sure is the swing or hitting the ball is fully done by the shoulders after the cocking has been executed.  Once the cock is set, the left shoulder takes over, bring the club up and bring the club down to hit the ball.  The cock just comes for the ride.

The secret of the tight roped forearms

Hogan mentioned that the forearms must be so tight and solid that nobody can pry them apart.  He however forgot to mention why this is necessary for the golf swing.  However from my experience, what is necessary is the left arm is suppose to be stiff and the left wrist and hand must be balancing the club with the left pad and left forefinger.  The purpose of this is to "measure" how far the ball is from the body... meaning it is the part of the swing that ensures that we do not dub the club to the ground.  It is the part of the swing that ensures that the distance between the shoulders and the ball are kept the same throughout the swing.  This is particularly necessary when chipping because we tend to bend out left arm when addressing the ball resulting in a dubbed chip.

Golf 101: Every Golf Move is Started by a Pull

Going straight to the point, the common fact that makes the golf swing a golf swing is the pulling motion applied to hitting the golf ball and most important and not so apparent and almost borders to secrecy is it's application to the take-away.

This pulling motion is employed in all shots from putting, chipping, pitches and full shots.  It is very apparent and most will only equate it to the forward motion employed to hit the golf ball.  However, it is also employed in the take-away motion of the club.  The club head does not start the motion in the back swing.  It is the pull of the hands that pulls the club head backwards and flips it over and around to the top of the back swing... setting the body so that the shoulders (or hands only when applicable) can continue the back swing to the top.

It is also very important to say that this pulling motion - as a topic - is a novel teaching that contradicts the previous postings.  From this point on, the reader must clean the slate.

The Plane (12May2014)

When the arms are locked like the way Hogan described and when the grip is solidly united, it is possible to pull the club with the hands and arms inward and letting the club head go along the plane.  As a matter of fact, my swing should ingrain this take away to the plane.  The reason is it makes it easier to pull the club head downwards to make a divot or brushing motion without the divot.

The Helicopter Swing ala Michelle Wie (17May2014)

The recommended swing technique is the employment of the "helicopter blades" ala Michelle Wie where the shoulders are turned around backwards forcefully and reversed automatically by the bounce created by the body muscles hitting its maximum stretch.  Same forceful "helicopter blades" are employed for the forward swing.

It should be noted that this technique requires the one-piece set-up composed of the Hogan locked arms and the solid grip outlined in the previous paragraph titled Plane.  The shoulders are turned while the arms, grip and club are consciously forgotten. 

Other Set-up Routines

The other fundamentals of the swing are optional and it all depends on the whims of the golfer.   Whatever works is fine.

Putting, Chipping, Pitching, Full Swing

Yes, the initiating pulling action action is integral to every golf swing.  Even in putting where is it not readily discernible, it must be employed.  Including the pulling start in all golf moves makes it easier to create a standard golf swing that will be easy to fix... even while playing.  If a shot went wrong, having this common denominator in all golf moves, one can easily  feel what went wrong in the swing and should be able to correct it on the fly.