Back to Richter Body Bounce golf 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, May 22, 2025, I believe it was the trebuchet or sling effect - not a golf technique - that made it happen. It was actually the total complete continuous golf swing, swung with abandon with the hips turning sending the clubhead like a trebuchet projectile, 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!
Parts of the Golf Swing
It should be understood that the following are details of the mechanics of the swing that explains segments of the swing that are not intended to be remembered and utilized during actual play. In the course, everything should be muscle memory. Mental notes should be focused on three things, BOUNCE, PULL, LOOK.
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.
The Palm Position at Setup - the intent is to document how the clubface starts at square to target at setup but upon hitting time, the palm is allowed to face up with the clubface strikingly left open. The purpose is to easily lift the club along the plain with the body turning. 2026-09-27: I will go with the Hogan described swing. On the upswing, the focus is cocking as much as possible with the waiter right palm. On the downswing, the left hand holds on to the grip while the lower body weight shifts and powers everything (I think this is the catapult effect). TRY A RESISTING FORCE ON THE GRIP ON THE WAY UP TO MAKE THE TRANSITION TO THE LEFT HAND DOMINANT PULL. DOES NOT WORK BUT THE REVERSE DOES. AND IT COMPLETES THE CATAPULT EFFECT BECAUSE IT ADDS A SPRINGY BOUNCE TO HIT. HOGAN'S SECRET: YOU PRIME THE CATAPULT WITH THE LEFT HAND AND THE PRIMARY MOVER OF THE SWING IS THE LEFT HAND. THE RIGHT ARM AND THE RIGHT WRIST ACT AS THE SPRINGS OF THE CATAPULT. 2026-10-01: I DISCOVERED THE CATAPULT TODAY. IT IS A DUKOT BACKSWING AND THE RIGHT ELBOW FORWARD SWING - BUT THE MAIN POINT IS FEELING THE SWING THAN THINKING OF IT PASSING THE PLANE. WIGHT SHIFT IS A PRODUCT OF IT, SAME WITH THE PICTURE PERFECT FINISH. THE CATAPULT SPILLS IT OUT LIKE A NECESSARY PRODUCT THAN SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO CONCIOUSLY DO. I WILL HAVE TO RE-WRITE THIS ARTICLE NOW. BUT I WILL KEEP THIS TO KEEP ME INFORMED ON HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED. I WILL CHANGE THE TITLE TO DESCRIBE IT. ALSO, VERY IMPORTANT, THE PLANE NOW IS NOT VISUAL BUT FEELING THE DIRECTION OF THE CLUB. And the purpose of the backswing, even though the emphasis is the DUKOT, is to load up the catapult with centrifugal weight so the the right elbow RRE can smash the ball. 2026-10-04: The catapult is the DUKOT when both utilized for the backswing as well as the downswing and finish. And do not associate directly the plane any longer. It is there by default but not consciously. 2026-10-06: Now that we know the catapult, why don't we try to SLINGSHOT the ball to the target like we do now when chipping? YES, THE TREBUCHET, hit with the RIGHT ELBOW! But the ACTIVE THREE LEFT FINGERS IS A NECESSITY ON THE FORWARD SWING.
DUKOT and LEFT THREE FINGERS are INSEPARABLE and that corrected Hogan's tendency to hook the ball. So now, the mental picture is the dukot along the trebuchet and just feeling the RRE on the belly as well as the firm grip.
2026-10-14: The above works. The grip is frozen, the swing weight shift like Nicklaus and the trebuchet shoulders. This is a different way of describing the above. This is how I shot a 39 at the back nine. The front nine, i was not doing it the Nicklaus way an i was topping the ball. I started shifting the weight using the left hipbone - pretty much turning more the body - corrected the fault. The focusing on the trebuchet straightened the direction and resulted in getting 39 total back nine.
10-16-2026: I now know the trebuchet and the direct connection to the point of "snap" of the golf swing. The snap is when you, while on the downswing, "throw" clubhead to snap at the ball. The snap happens when the grip changes direction by force of inertia.
10-18-2026: Push the club grip towards the ball. Feel the clubhead release by itself then help it by turning. At first you have to feel the grip being twisted from you by centrifugal force but once you get the feeling, you will know how to time it so you really can send that ball, miles! THE CATAPULT IN ACTION! Employ wide solid almost split grip to get reminded constantly about this. (Why does a split grip imparts a solid impact on the clubface?)
10-20-2026: the weight shift to start the downswing actually pulls the shoulders to start the turn. But you have to stick it towards the ground in order to have that required lag. My God, during actual play, I forgot my birthday gift - THE GRIP BEING TWISTED BY THE INERTIA OF THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE! READ IT AGAIN, THE 10-18-2026 ENTRY.
The Machine: dukot backswing, Rory's grip thrust by the right elbow (reverse dukot) towards the ball, and explode right wrist (sling/skip-rock) through the ball. THIS IS THE HARDEST YOU CAN HIT THE GOLF BALL. BELIEVE ME. 2026-09-17 EARLY AFTER MIDNIGHT.
Grip Forward Position at Setup with Dukot Backswing
The Demolition Ball but try the double dukot forward swing.
HIT THE BALL WITH THE RIGHT ELBOW. FORCES THE WEIGHT SHIFT AUTOMATICALLY, CATAPULTING EFFECT, AND EASIER FOLLOW-THROUGH TO A PICTURE-PERFECT FINISH. TRY STARTING WITH THE HIP PULL. From today's (09/23/2026) golf game, the hip is not necessary when your mental image is hitting with a double dukot (right elbow hit) because it makes the weight shift automatic. And today September 23, 2026, I found out that the mental thought during a golf swing must primarily be the double dukot hit, even when you are applying a one-piece all upper body swing (like today again).
Implement the left knee by Rory. Hard to do for now.
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. The right arm is stiff and the right wrist serves as the fulcrum for left grip and club. The left grip controls the club and forms the V (cock) by using the right palm as part of the fulcrum and brings the clubhead up along the shoulders’ plane (ala McIlroy). These are the body parts that are frozen one-piece and pushed around upwards at the 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 and Downswing
THE ONLY OBJECTIVE OF THE BACKSWING IS TO CREATE A BOUNCE EFFECT AT THE TOP, WHERE THE TOP IS ANY POSITION THE FULLNESS FEELING IS DEVELOPED.
Set up the clubhead two inches before the ball to facilitate a clawing hit and create a divot.
RRE with right (or both) hand grip almost cocked at address (exaggerate to the leftmost the position of the grip at address to form a V when brought up on the upswing), like a cat ready to strike and both forearms rigid like Hogan suggested.
With the left hand (or combined with the right) in control, using the right wrist as a fulcrum, bring up the club shaft along the plane then TWIST THE SHOULDERS to a one-piece takeaway (visualizing an elongated plane makes it easier to open the hips towards the target) - vigorously thrusting backward (hurl) the club like a spear along the plane to form a V. (Keep the elbow glued to the belly as long as possible). FEEL the BOUNCE.
THE ONLY OBJECTIVE OF THE DOWNSWING IS TO EXPLODE THE V TO THE LOWEST PART OF THE ARC (DIVOT) ENOUGH TO FACILITATE THE TURN OF THE HIPS. The hip turn is the force that hirs the ball.
On the bounce, with the left hand in control, pull the clubhead towards the ball, the weight shift and timely hip turn, pulling the clubhead to return to the ball and “through” - until the picture-perfect finish. This is the PULL mental part..
The left and/or right wrist/s fire/s - at the right time - before the finish of the weight shift. The LOOK part is the picture-perfect pose at the top of the swing when you are looking at the ball going to the target.
By the way, don't dream about getting more distance. Impossible at this point. Just getting a solid hit should be the desired outcome.
Note also that the hip turn prevents the chicken wing fault. It also facilitates the automatic supination mentioned by Hogan that powers the swing.
All the above are right except in actual play. It is hard to remember and execute them all during actual play. Since it is hard, especially for a senior, to remember the golf steps during the actual play, one should PLAY GOLF BY FEEL. Feel bounce. Pull the club. Look at the target.
FURTHER CORRELATION TO HOGAN'S TEACHINGS
On the downswing, the left hand is in control, but the right follow hand may flip over the left hand and become the lead hand at times. This is Hogan's ball underhand throw image in his book.
This imparts the speed that powers the club towards the ball.
It also prevents the chicken wing.
It creates the divot.
The RRE or in Hogan's part of the swing - the tied up feeling (roped arms) - is frozen and firm in order to pull the tip of the V through the ball. It also ensures the grip stays ahead of the club on the downswing.
Billiard Putting
Put it like you are playing pool or billiards. PPP wide backstroke like Lenny but the grip must be low and close to the waist in order to ensure the putter stays square to the target.
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
2024-09-30: New Grip, Old Putter
The new jumbo grip made a huge difference in the feel.
The right forearm kept parallel to target line.
Left arm prevents chicken wing by cradling grip; forearm almost perpendicular to the target line.
Ball position above left toe. Putter head rests an inch away from the ball to encourage a rolling ball.
Putting move preferably done by rocking the shoulders.
The ball rolls (therefore, straighter) significantly noticeable when the setup is like a “forward press”. The grip resting by the left hip with frozen RRE, the putter bottom resting nicely flat on the ground, forward press, then rock the shoulders to execute the putting motion. Remember the billiard elbow.
Chipping
Use the same technique as putting. RRE and Putang-ina for all, even Pitching.
PITCHES
The waist is open and the stance is as narrow as position in order to prevent duffs.
Extreme frozen RRE. The elbow never leaves it's attachment to the belly at all times. The body does the swinging.
The club is cocked - the distance commensurate to the needed distance.
Putang-ina Pull.
CHIPS
The same as pitching except the club is not cocked.
Distance also depends on the length of the backswing.
Putang-ina Pull
PUTTING
Aiming (optional) - go behind the ball and aim the right foot to the desired target, the line intersecting the ball. Place the putter in between and aim it using the foot and ball for aiming.
Billiard position
Frozen RRE and…
Make a slight forward press, LEFT HAND BRINGS PUTTER BACK, and hit the ball with the shoulders OR RIGHT HAND making sure the elbow ends up in the billiard position. Distance is by feel.
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