The Golfen Rule

Thou shalt keep the head motionless.  Remember the upswing is moved solely by the upper body while the downswing is pulled by the lower body.

While the above rule may be the culmination of a long search and seems simple enough, it does need some amplification.

When we say the head should be motionless, it is particular important on the upswing since even a slight movement of the head will divert the ball to the right of target.  This actually results in all the body and parts of the swing to be unsynchronized resulting into different contortions of the body with unpredictable differing results.

When we say the upper body is responsible for the upswing, we are really being generally generous to the different body types of the golfing population.  In my case, it is mostly the hands and the shoulders that takes the club up.  At the top of the swing, all conscious thoughts should be diverted to the lower body to initiate the downswing.

As far as I execute it now... At address, while the club is set on the ground, I lift up the club using my right middle finger.  Somewhere along the route to the top, while the shoulders are turning, my left hand will take over and cocks the club firmly at the top - the force felt at the top. Then my attention goes to the lower body.

Even the club is still moving up, I usually turn my attention to my hips.  I feel the entire weight of the club with my waist but I consciously think the right hips into making the turn and bringing down the club towards the ball.  My intent is to finish solidly and firmly on the ground with my picture perfect finish although it is still a work in progress.

The main point to remember here is the upswing is the upper body and the downswing is the lower body.  This is very important because this rule applies to all shots, even the putter.  If you can do this with the putter then the rest should be easy, e.g., chips and full shots.

Why is this better?  I guess it simplifies the swing to the barest of essentials where once the club is pulled up, there needs to be no more other things to do but just bounce the club back to the same starting position.  The works best when putting!

6May2015:  Important clarification.  One essential clarification for this topic is the centrifugal force.  The main objective of the upswing is to create a tautness at the top and the objective of the downswing is to pull that force or tautness towards the ball and around.  Without that feeling of the weight of the club at the top, the swing cannot be properly executed.  By the way, the pull is not exactly just done by the right hip or the lower body.  It seems that the whole body is involved in pulling that club down towards the ball and around to the picture perfect finish.  The right hip just seems to just tag along for the ride.

THIS IS REALLY FUCKING IMPORTANT (April 20, 2015)

IMPORTANT (April 9, 2015)

What was discovered here is the essence of the golf swing.  On chip and putts, the axis is the hands is while in a regular swing, the axis is the shoulder.  The pulling force is dependent on the individual.  The main point to remember is the golf swing is the fluid motion of bringing the club up pivoting along the axis with the body feeling the weight of the club.  When the desired moment is reached when the club has stopped its acceleration, the pull of the body is started and the club thrown towards the ball, letting the pulling force be as violent as desired towards the target and then the body closing up to the picture perfect finish.

We must remember that this is the whole objective in the Imperfect Golf Swing - to create this fluid motion of bringing the club up and feeling the weight of the club and pulling and throwing the club head along the ball towards the target and turning the body to the perfect finish at the top.  All the rest, the grip, the stance, etc. are dependent on the capability of the individual to execute this move.

This topic is copied in different postings to remind us of this fact.

YEAH RIGHT BUT HOW DO YOU BRING UP THE CLUB?

OK, we know how the shot is made - either by the hands or shoulder pulling.  It is easy to start the swing when it is the hands that is doing it but how about the shoulders.  The helicopter move does not really make it easy, so how?

Easy, throw the left shoulder with the left hip and then turn the shoulder as much as possible - and then pull with the left shoulder! Easy, right? Yes.  The left hip starting the move is crucial since it brings the left shoulder in the correct position so it can easily turn around.  Feel the left shoulder hurling the club and at the top most (like the chipping feeling), then pull the club violently towards the target.  Big hit!

April 20, 2015:  It is very important to note that what is to be pulled is not the weight of the club but the tightened left shoulder at the top.  Let us start again on the ideal swing:

1. The club is raised (figure out the best way to start the lifting, e.g., right middle finger lift the club) and when it reaches the plane, the left hand takes over and lifts up the club along the plane.
2. The club is lifted up to the point the left shoulder should go for that shot.  At the top, the LEFT SHOULDER is then hurled by the hips towards the target and in the process rotates to a picture perfect finish.
3. Remember it is the left shoulder that is hurled and not the weight of the club.  The reason is the shot might need that extra twist sometimes and it might throw the rhythm off is other parts are concentrated on.  With the shoulders as the main thought of being hurled, it does not matter how small or big the shot is going to be. 
4. April 22, 2015: Include the cocking... When the club is raised along the plane by the left arm, the left wrist MUST ALSO cock the club fully until the whole weight of the left arm and club is felt wrapped around the shoulders.  Feel the left shoulder and then execute the turn-around where the hips bring all towards the target - and a picture perfect finish. What will be felt is like the way Hogan described it in his book - the club will just be hurling itself towards the target.
5. April 24, 2015: New interpretation of the pull.  It is not really a pull but it is just a return of the club to the ball.  Easier to explain when describing the putt - the left hand does the takeaway but the forward motion is really not forward but a reflex motion created by the right hip.  For a full shot, take a full swing with full cocking, then just return the club using the right hip towards the ball.  This promotes accuracy especially on chips and putts.  Try it.  Oh, the right hip is used because of no. 4 above - easier execution than explaining the turnaround.

Flicking of the Right Wrist is Not That Simple

The start of the back swing which is flicking of the wrist backward is not that simple or straightforward as it may seem. In order for it to be standard as part of all the golf motion, especially for putts, it must follow a certain path or way. This move is particular very essential for short back swings as in putting and chipping.  The good way to describe this is it is like the Hogan cupped right hand usually shown on the forward swing but it is really the way the back swing should be started.

Here is another way to describe it.  Start by flicking the wrist facing to the sky and at the same time starting the upswing.  On small back swing as in putting, the cupping of the right wrist might completely pan away because of the short stroke but that is OK.  As a matter of fact, the motion is like the forward motion of Mickelson - the forward press - except it does not need to go forward or be the start of the back swing.

THIS MOTION MUST START ALL THE GOLF SWING! HOWEVER, DO NOT FORGET THE VISUALIZATION OF THE PLANE ON THE BACK SWING! ALSO THE LEFT HAND MUST BE IN CONTROL ON THE FORWARD SWING.

This is really posted after the original date.

It is important to note that the flick of the wrist is started by the visualization of the plane. The club head is flicked and panned along the plane first before the shoulders starts their rotation.

Important Right Hand Path 

When the right hand flicks the club, there is only one way it can go up. THE V FORMED BY THE THUMB AND FOREFINGER MUST BE THRUST UPWARDS ALONG THE PLANE - NO OTHER WAY. The grip has to sit on the club in such a manner that this "thrust" to the top is accomplished.  With this action, the grip can become a solid grip and the whole turning around and hitting the ball become so solid that one can feel the repeating swing.  The repeating swing promotes confidence also.

And Yet Another Way to Visualize How the Club is Brought Up

Usually the problem lies only on the upswing for the driver (woods). 

1.  Let me state first that the first objective of the back swing is to launch the club head (not shaft) as strong as possible to the top most and pull the left side body muscle before the down swing is started.
2. What has to be done is visualize the woods or any club like a short iron - where the face is used in contrast to the woods where only the plane and, therefore, a line or the plane line is visualized.  
3. The face of every club must be visualized because the main objective of the perfect swing is to fan the club face along the plane like a waiter carrying his tray. 
4. However, since the club face can easily be "squared" to the target (by weight shifting), the club face must be kept square to the target line as much as possible before it is fanned out along the plane (waiter pan).

Helicopter Takeaway

After playing today, my takeaway is a mess.  Too many ways to do it.  I think the easiest way is still visualizing the helicopter rotors along the plane.  I think this is the one that can withstand the pressure of actual play.

IMPORTANT (April 9, 2015)

What was discovered here is the essence of the golf swing.  On chip and putts, the axis is the hands is while in a regular swing, the axis is the shoulder.  The pulling force is dependent on the individual.  The main point to remember is the golf swing is the fluid motion of bringing the club up pivoting along the axis with the body feeling the weight of the club.  When the desired moment is reached when the club has stopped its acceleration, the pull of the body is started and the club thrown towards the ball, letting the pulling force be as violent as desired towards the target and then the body closing up to the picture perfect finish.

We must remember that this is the whole objective in the Imperfect Golf Swing - to create this fluid motion of bringing the club up and feeling the weight of the club and pulling and throwing the club head along the ball towards the target and turning the body to the perfect finish at the top.  All the rest, the grip, the stance, etc. are dependent on the capability of the individual to execute this move.

This topic is copied in different postings to remind us of this fact.

Rhythmatic Powerful Swing

The basic pattern for my golf swing is the chip with a spin.  It is chip where the club is pulled and flailed to create maximum spin.  The whole execution is the template of my basic swing.  It is that action that unifies the backswing and downswing and follow through and picture perfect finish into one cohesive rhythmatic powerful swing.

The posting is a memory jogger post.

1. When things are getting awry and I feel as though I am lost again, I should go back to this posting to try to go back to my golf 101 template.
2. When I am trying to learn something new and if I want to check if I am proceeding the correct path, then I have to read this posting again.
3. When it is the beginning of the golf season, I should go back and read this posting again to remind to start with the basics.
4. When my game is lost and different shots are performed with differing techniques, I should go back and read this posting to unify all again.
5. When I am trying to make my shots powerful and long, I should go back to this posting and ensure that I have done it already - and here is the correct way.
6. When my putting is having a problem, I should read this again and re-pattern the stroke to the chip stroke - in a very minimal way.

LONG DRIVE (the GOLF SWING in general)

Like spin chipping, the club must be brought up (see other postings related to this) and pulled down and around by the feet (ala Nicklaus) - in the process mimicking the rhythm of the spin chip.  The rhythm sounds like this - sssssssssSSSWWWSHHss. The club is pulled along the plane and the power is provided by uncoiling the hips and the LEFT hand holding the club all the way to the top.

IMPORTANT (April 9, 2015)

What was discovered here is the essence of the golf swing.  On chip and putts, the axis is the hands is while in a regular swing, the axis is the shoulder.  The pulling force is dependent on the individual.  The main point to remember is the golf swing is the fluid motion of bringing the club up pivoting along the axis with the body feeling the weight of the club.  When the desired moment is reached when the club has stopped its acceleration, the pull of the body is started and the club thrown towards the ball, letting the pulling force be as violent as desired towards the target and then the body closing up to the picture perfect finish.

We must remember that this is the whole objective in the Imperfect Golf Swing - to create this fluid motion of bringing the club up and feeling the weight of the club and pulling and throwing the club head along the ball towards the target and turning the body to the perfect finish at the top.  All the rest, the grip, the stance, etc. are dependent on the capability of the individual to execute this move.

This topic is copied in different postings to remind us of this fact.