Richter Swing

 Preface

My golf quest was precipitated by an incident on August 29, 1998, at Richter Park Golf Course where I unbelievably scored a 78 while playing with my late friend, Dan O'Reilly, and another walk-in couple, Denise and Bill. How I played that day was a total abandonment of my instincts. Now I believe it was the trebuchet effect - not a golf technique - that made it happen. It was actually the total complete continuous golf swing, swung with abandon like a trebuchet, that made my perfect golf game that very memorable day.

I remember that day at Richter Park, the 2nd par 5 hole, my third shot, I am looking at the ball and inside me I was telling myself, just let go (like I had been doing from the first hole), just let go, don't think how to hit the ball, just hit it and let go. I did and the ball just disappeared and went, but I don't know what happened and how I did it! Now I know. I pulled the club grip towards the ball and unleashed my upper body to turn around to a picture-perfect finish.

Reminiscing

On Feb. 15, 2015, the caddie at Villamor CC, I only know him as Jun 13, found something missing in my swing.  He noticed that I do not finish my swing. He demonstrated to turn the right hip at the end of my swing and face the target. This was the precursor to my "Picture-Perfect" finish. I will now make a rule for myself which, which hopefully, I will not forget. ALWAYS END THE GOLF SWING WITH THE HIPS FACING THE TARGET!

Parts of the Golf Swing

Every golf swing is a 1,2 punch - even a putt. No. 2 is the picture perfect pose.

Setup

Start with the mental picture of the plane. Then a frozen one-piece upper body with the arms bound like Hogan. The mental video is the shoulders (like AJ) turning along the plane with the left wrist cocking the club like a spear. 

Extreme L-Setup

Essential to the Frozen Technique above is the incorporation of the Extreme L-setup. The L formed by the arms and club is so extreme that the clubhead looks up rather than lie flat on the ground. This setup ensures that the club returns to the ball on the same spot at setup. Remember, the club is taken back like a spear while the shoulders travel along the plane.

Shoulders 

The engine, and ONLY engine, of the swing is the shoulders. Everything else should be frozen. Applies to all, putting, chipping, pitching, full shots.

Upswing

Objective - full coil with a slight Dukot. In order to end up automatically on the picture-perfect pose, the COIL must be employed so that the uncoiling is automatic. 

1. Grip: left hand as taught by Hogan with shaft pointed straight to the left shoulder. RIGHT hand almost facing skyward to facilitate a Dukot backswing. 
2. Visualize the Teaneck plane.
3. With the turn of the shoulders, vigorously thrust backward (hurl) the spear along the plane.
4. Coil the shoulders along the plane (mental picture like Teaneck days). No active pronating is a must.
5. When the left arm touches the plane, cock the left wrist (pronated automatically at this point, the back hand touching the plane) to coil the club spear at its max.

Downswing

Objective: Facilitated by a dukot backswing, pull the club hard enough to let the clubhead fling by itself to compress the ball, plus create the divot. 

1. First move. Uncoil the butt of the club and the left arm along the TEANECK plane back towards the ball. Uncoiling should be automatic and you should see the clubhead coming back through the desired path and depth.
2. Second move. Make the divot using the centrifugal force created by the pull and subsequent follow-through facilitated by the weight shift to the left.
3. Continue the downswing to a picture-perfect finish with the HIPS FACING THE TARGET! 
4. If the backswing and forward swing is rhythmically done, there will be a feeling that club swung and hurled itself.
5. IMAGINING THE TEANECK PLANE is necessary, 1) to be able to maintain balance, 2) for the clubhead to come to the same deph and place at address.

Putting

Every putt is a 1,2 punch. No. 2 is the roll of the ball with the right hand. By the way, do not forget to use the billiard arms in putting. It is essential in ensuring the actual ball path.

There is something beautiful in a stance like this:

1. Feet close to one another to facilitate automatic turning.
2. Open the body approximately 45° to the target line and the right forearm is kept parallel to the target line like a billiard stroke.
3. Amazingly, the putter shaft droops perpendicular to the T-line and so is my left arm (almost)! Since this line is perpendicular to the target line, use it to align the putter to the target.
4. It feels so good but looks kind of weird seeing both arms triangulate at the grip.
5. Remember, the visualization now is entirely different. The putt (chip) now is like a train passing along the train tracks, yes, train tracks.
6. Remember to always apply the smooth stroke with the smooth transition. Execute the billiard stroke - aiming to where the putter is pointed.
7. Guide with the left hand only. COIL and UNCOIL with the shoulders turning back and pulling the left arm with it. ROLL the ball with the right hand. Of course, sometimes, the hit is almost un-discernable, but it is always there. 

Chipping

1. Use the same technique as putting. Guide with the left hand only. COIL and UNCOIL with the shoulders turning back and pulling the left arm with it. HIT the ball with the right hand.
2. USE the LEFT shoulder to chip while the right elbow is glued to the stomach ala Hogan's tie-up arms!
3. For chipping (pitching), just tuck the elbow all the time. This forces the body to control the shot and it ensures a measured-perfect no sculling return to the ball. The breaking LEFT WRIST is the PRIME mover of the chip (and pitch).
4. Remember SLICING BUTTER WITH THE RIGHT WRIST. This is the secret to the quick stopping chips. 
5. Every golf move is a 1,2 punch - even a putt/chip/pitch. No. 2 is the picture perfect pose or in putts, chips and pitches, the right hand hit.