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. It is Hogan's Secret Move. I finally found the basic golf swing. The Golf Quest is over. NO NEED TO SEARCH FURTHER (2024-06-01).
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 did 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, hopefully, I will not forget. Always end the golf swing with the hips facing the target.
Technically Speaking
The golf swing is like playing a top. You wind up the string around the top and throw it to let it spin. In golf, you turn the upper body until it is tight. Then the hips hurl it (the whole upper body). Two independent movements. The only conscious efforts are the upper body thrusting the club up and the weight shift of the hips to pull, turn and throw the upper body (like the top) that imparts the pull of the butt of the club to the ball which also automatically snaps the upper body to a forceful picture-perfect finish.
The engine (the energy or force) of the swing is the hips. BUT THE SNAPPING MOTION, AS WELL AS THE UPPER BODY PULLING THE CLUB, IS NOT A CONSCIOUS MOVE BUT ONLY A REACTION AS A RESULT OF THE HIPS HURLING THE UPPER BODY WHICH IN TURN PULLS THE CLUB BUTT TOWARDS THE BALL.
Parts of the Golf Swing
Setup
ALWAYS start with the mental picture of the PLANE. Then a frozen one-piece upper body with the arms bound like Hogan (RRE). The mental video is the one-piece takeaway turning along the plane with the left wrist cocking the club like a spear.
Right Ribs and Elbow (RRE)
At all times whenever physically practical, the right ribs and right elbow must be fused together. This position and feel are the essences of the golf swing. These are the body parts that are frozen one-piece and pushed around upwards at takeaway. Make sure the right shoulder is lower, the right elbow is firmly resting the inside most on the abdomen, and the crease (right elbow most important) pointing skyward. They are essential in all swings, e.g., chips, and pitches.
Upswing
Objective - full coil. In order to end up automatically on the picture-perfect pose, the COIL must be employed so that the uncoiling is automatic and, therefore, repeatable. The upswing is the function of the Shoulders.
Grip: left hand as taught by Hogan with shaft and arm aligned straight to the left shoulder.
Visualize the Teaneck plane.
Execute a one-piece takeaway. With the hips, go low and slow, brush the grass while turning back. Vigorously thrust backward (hurl) the club like a spear along the plane.
When the left arm touches the plane, cock (optional) the left wrist (pronated automatically at this point, the back hand touching the plane) to coil the club spear at its max.
Grip: left hand as taught by Hogan with shaft and arm aligned straight to the left shoulder.
Visualize the Teaneck plane.
Execute a one-piece takeaway. With the hips, go low and slow, brush the grass while turning back. Vigorously thrust backward (hurl) the club like a spear along the plane.
When the left arm touches the plane, cock (optional) the left wrist (pronated automatically at this point, the back hand touching the plane) to coil the club spear at its max.
Downswing
Objective: Shift the weight and pull the butt of the club in order to snap the right hip to pull and unwind the winded (tightened) upper body. The upper body, on the downswing, is an independent part of the body and UNWINDS automatically. The downswing is the function of the Hips.
First move. Using the bounce, shift the weight left and thrust the butt of the club to the ball to automatically snap the right hip to uncoil the upper body along the TEANECK plane. Uncoiling should be automatic and you should see the clubhead coming back through the desired path and depth.
Continue the downswing to a picture-perfect finish with the HIPS FACING THE TARGET!
Imagining the TEANECK PLANE is necessary
for accuracy,
for the clubhead to come to the same depth and place at address,
to be able to transition to a picture-perfect finish.
First move. Using the bounce, shift the weight left and thrust the butt of the club to the ball to automatically snap the right hip to uncoil the upper body along the TEANECK plane. Uncoiling should be automatic and you should see the clubhead coming back through the desired path and depth.
Continue the downswing to a picture-perfect finish with the HIPS FACING THE TARGET!
Imagining the TEANECK PLANE is necessary
for accuracy,
for the clubhead to come to the same depth and place at address,
to be able to transition to a picture-perfect finish.
Billiard Putting
Put it like you are playing pool or billiards. Right arm dominates everything.
There is something beautiful in a stance like this:
Feet close to one another to facilitate automatic turning.
Open the body approximately 45° to the target line and the right forearm is kept parallel to the target line like a billiard stroke.
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.
It feels so good but looks kind of weird seeing both arms triangulate at the grip.
Feet close to one another to facilitate automatic turning.
Open the body approximately 45° to the target line and the right forearm is kept parallel to the target line like a billiard stroke.
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.
It feels so good but looks kind of weird seeing both arms triangulate at the grip.
Chipping
Always remember, the technique is to always use a pulling action. Use the same technique as putting.
History
2024-05-14 East Mountain GC Forgot the pull sling effect, mentally was not able to release the club.
24-05-21: 92 at Grassy Hill. Found a new automatic swing at the driving range. I was feeling helpless because my swing has deteriorated back to where I cannot clear the hips. I read my notes again and noticed Rorie's thing about a practice routine that he always does and still does. That is the split grip practice swing. This basically reminded me of the delayed hit. I tried this and, lo and behold, it actually forces me to hit a delayed right hand hit - which also clears the hips automatically. Use the RRE setup but accentuate the hands to be very forward to the ball position. As required in the RRE, the right elbow must be on the stomach and the right arm extended to the grip of the club. This arm extension forces the grip to be quite ahead of the ball position and fosters the one-piece takeaway. (It also forces you to reach down more and puts your right shoulder down creating a nice golfer setup position.) This is to prepare for the late hit (Rorie's practice swing). Just turn around (one-piece takeaway) like Rorie and immediately hit - a quick 1, 2 swing. The right hand fires automatically. Also, the right hand grip is dominantly felt all the time, ready to work at a moment's notice. Employ what I learned here on all aspects of the golf swing, putting, chipping, pitching, and full swing. Finally, just like Hogan, the arms and grip is one solid unit.
2024-05-24: At Crestbrook with Rudy. I can't clear my hips again. I think the solution is to let the grip go past the ball before engaging any attempt to turn around. I think when the grip is stuck downwards and passes the ball, clearing the hips becomes automatic. LET THE HIPS THROW THE UPPER BODY (CLUBHEAD), THEN CLEARING THE HIPS IS NO ISSUE! And how about a no-think swing? Possible. Just use the extreme right elbow to sit on your stomach to start a one-piece takeaway. Well, try to go further, make the right elbow really sticky so that it forces the left shoulder to twist more (there might be something to this, this is a novel idea).
2024-05-31: At Crestbrook with Rudy again. On YouTube, watch Hogan's swing again and confirm that he hits the ball when his body is already facing forward. Meaning, he hit his ball like a Side-Swing. I tried this and incorporated all the things in this History section so far and it worked! SO I WILL REWRITE ALL THIS AND REVISE THIS POSTING AND TITLE IT SIDE-SWING GOLF.
2024-07-01: Clock Spring hit for a repeating golf swing? Yes. Works, but think of it as spinning the top.
2024-06-03: Crestbrook with Ernie. Found out that the Teaneck plane is necessary for my new spin the Top shots. Try a Side-Swing delayed hit with it next time. Use the RIGHT hip!
2024-06-04: Crestbrook with Winston and Rudy. The Side-Swing and Right Hip idea work. It has to be modified this way:
IT IS REQUIRED TO KEEP THE GRIP WAY FORWARD so that the upswing is almost backward. BELIEVE ME, MAKE A ROUNDHOUSE BACKSWING and THRUST THE CLUB BUTT TO THE BALL. This creates a delayed snapping hit THAT MAKES YOUR SHOULDERS TURN MORE on the finish.
The upswing must be a full one-piece takeaway along the plane until coiled. DO NOT UNCOIL.
Keeping the body coiled, start the downswing when the RIGHT HIP feels its connection to the club's centrifugal force.
SHIFT the weight to the left and THRUST THE BUTT OF THE CLUB TO THE BALL to make the RIGHT HIP automatically SNAP CLOSE, thereby, pulling, guiding along the plane, and hurling the CLUB HEAD to a side-swing hit of the ball.
Watch the clubhead pass the ball.
Continue to a picture-perfect pose.
2023-06-11: Crestbrook with Winston and Rudy. Found out that sticking the butt of the club works but there is still something missing. The fault is really concentrating too much on the pull of the butt of the club but the reality is the club cannot move if you don’t consciously move the whole upper body with it. SO YOU HAVE TO HURL THE WHOLE UPPER BODY, then the thrust of the butt happens!
2024-05-14 East Mountain GC Forgot the pull sling effect, mentally was not able to release the club.
24-05-21: 92 at Grassy Hill. Found a new automatic swing at the driving range. I was feeling helpless because my swing has deteriorated back to where I cannot clear the hips. I read my notes again and noticed Rorie's thing about a practice routine that he always does and still does. That is the split grip practice swing. This basically reminded me of the delayed hit. I tried this and, lo and behold, it actually forces me to hit a delayed right hand hit - which also clears the hips automatically. Use the RRE setup but accentuate the hands to be very forward to the ball position. As required in the RRE, the right elbow must be on the stomach and the right arm extended to the grip of the club. This arm extension forces the grip to be quite ahead of the ball position and fosters the one-piece takeaway. (It also forces you to reach down more and puts your right shoulder down creating a nice golfer setup position.) This is to prepare for the late hit (Rorie's practice swing). Just turn around (one-piece takeaway) like Rorie and immediately hit - a quick 1, 2 swing. The right hand fires automatically. Also, the right hand grip is dominantly felt all the time, ready to work at a moment's notice. Employ what I learned here on all aspects of the golf swing, putting, chipping, pitching, and full swing. Finally, just like Hogan, the arms and grip is one solid unit.
2024-05-24: At Crestbrook with Rudy. I can't clear my hips again. I think the solution is to let the grip go past the ball before engaging any attempt to turn around. I think when the grip is stuck downwards and passes the ball, clearing the hips becomes automatic. LET THE HIPS THROW THE UPPER BODY (CLUBHEAD), THEN CLEARING THE HIPS IS NO ISSUE! And how about a no-think swing? Possible. Just use the extreme right elbow to sit on your stomach to start a one-piece takeaway. Well, try to go further, make the right elbow really sticky so that it forces the left shoulder to twist more (there might be something to this, this is a novel idea).
2024-05-31: At Crestbrook with Rudy again. On YouTube, watch Hogan's swing again and confirm that he hits the ball when his body is already facing forward. Meaning, he hit his ball like a Side-Swing. I tried this and incorporated all the things in this History section so far and it worked! SO I WILL REWRITE ALL THIS AND REVISE THIS POSTING AND TITLE IT SIDE-SWING GOLF.
2024-07-01: Clock Spring hit for a repeating golf swing? Yes. Works, but think of it as spinning the top.
2024-06-03: Crestbrook with Ernie. Found out that the Teaneck plane is necessary for my new spin the Top shots. Try a Side-Swing delayed hit with it next time. Use the RIGHT hip!
2024-06-04: Crestbrook with Winston and Rudy. The Side-Swing and Right Hip idea work. It has to be modified this way:
IT IS REQUIRED TO KEEP THE GRIP WAY FORWARD so that the upswing is almost backward. BELIEVE ME, MAKE A ROUNDHOUSE BACKSWING and THRUST THE CLUB BUTT TO THE BALL. This creates a delayed snapping hit THAT MAKES YOUR SHOULDERS TURN MORE on the finish.
The upswing must be a full one-piece takeaway along the plane until coiled. DO NOT UNCOIL.
Keeping the body coiled, start the downswing when the RIGHT HIP feels its connection to the club's centrifugal force.
SHIFT the weight to the left and THRUST THE BUTT OF THE CLUB TO THE BALL to make the RIGHT HIP automatically SNAP CLOSE, thereby, pulling, guiding along the plane, and hurling the CLUB HEAD to a side-swing hit of the ball.
Watch the clubhead pass the ball.
Continue to a picture-perfect pose.
2023-06-11: Crestbrook with Winston and Rudy. Found out that sticking the butt of the club works but there is still something missing. The fault is really concentrating too much on the pull of the butt of the club but the reality is the club cannot move if you don’t consciously move the whole upper body with it. SO YOU HAVE TO HURL THE WHOLE UPPER BODY, then the thrust of the butt happens!
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