I remember But I Cannot Re-produce?

Yeah, I remember the feeling. I brought the club up and at the top you get the feeling that the body was pulled and twisted and the only thing you can do was to untwist to the ball and around. The feeling at the top is a self realization that a complete coiling has been achieved and the only move to take was to uncoil.

But how was this done? It is somewhere between the "reverse scooping", to the transition to the "baseball" effect of AJ and into the "shaft" plane. I think it has something to do with the wrist position at the top. This has to be tested. I believe that the reverse scoop locked the wrist at the top in a suppose to be wrong "reverse" way but it actually helped because it game me the feeling that I cannot fire the hands but forced to use the body to make the hit.

Let us see what happens at the driving range.

What I found out in the range is the baseball effect or starting the clubhead to the right is part of it. This indeed will force the body to turn and come back by turning also - not hitting with the hands. Also important is disengaging completely the pincer fingers of the right hand - the same way Michelle Wie's right hand grip should be used.

So in summary, the backswing must be started by the club head opening like a door to the right (baseball) and making a full turn afterwards. The right thumb snugly around the club - not sitting on top. The hit should feel automatic and the body just turning the club around towards the ball and pass the ball.

One key thing that is done is the right hand brings the club head around the body along shaft plane until it reaches the top. (The movement is unusual in such a way that it is like reverse scooping the club around your body). By the end of the swing, the right elbow must be fully tucked on the side with the centrifugal weight of the club fully felt. Somewhere either before the club completely reaches the top, the shoulder also makes the turn. This movement is what has to be remembered (see previous posting) because it is the one that sets up the full body turn around hit - where the hands are not used at all.

09Sep2007: This is another way than the previous paragraph and may be the real answer the one I was looking for. What am I looking for? When I last played I had this feeling that the swing, especially the driver, it seems to be easy to bring to the top and I can feel the tightness at the top. In addition when I bring it down, their is this feeling that I cannot fire my right hands (or both for that matter) and that the only way to hit the ball is bringing by body around. The result was there was no way for me to hook or slice - my body can just guide the club head square to the ball. No matter how hard I hit, I can only hit the ball straight.

I remember that before I played then, my main technique was reverse scooping (see posting on the body swing) and I said there that maybe I can may this mechanical by just doing the baseball technique. What I found while playing was it was better to visualize of the baseball technique if the the club head is swung on the same plane as the club shaft. I did not realize that the way my right hand is gripping and bringing back the club was important. Actually, it was because it actually was the reason I cannot fire the hands. (Note: I might have stumbled into Hogan's secret.) The V of my right hand was pointing to the right shoulder (Hogan's) and I was flipping the right hand (naturally 2'oclock) back along the shaft plane. At the top, the club cocks in such a way that the only way to bring it square is bring the body around. Any way the hands are used will change the squareness of the club to the ball (in my head) so I was forced to use the body!!!!

The right hand grip needs to be explained further so that it can be understood easily much later on when one will be reading this posting again.

• First, imagine the right and left hands gripping the club. Rest the V pointing to your chin or we can call this the 12 o'clock position (in relation to the shaft). The right hand palm is perpendicular to the ground.
  
• With the right hand, fan the club head (lying on the address position) to the right and back to the left - back and forth- keeping the hands pretty much on the same position, acting like the axis. If you imaging the ground as a clock, you will notice that you can bring the club head pretty much from the 2 o'clock to the 10 o'clock very easily.
• Now grip the club with the right hand at the extreme 3 o'clock position (in relation to the shaft and right palm parallel to the ground) and try to fan the club head on the ground. You will find that you can pretty much pass the 2 o'clock position but it is hard to go past the 12 o'clock position.
• The desired position of the right hand is somewhere closer to the 3 o'clock (the V pointing to the right shoulder) where it will be in a position to force you to use the body in hitting the ball but loose enough to not feel restricted.

This right hand positioning should be studied more since it's effect from handiness to no hands bring a lot of other uses in golf. This really opens up a lot of possibilities - including the short game.

Also, do not forget, the body hit must be felt like a hit by the heavy firm upper body - in particular, the main point is the sternum. It is not a plain lazy turn around, it is a deliberate hit by the firm upper body. If it like the hit of the forearms (tied up feeling of Hogan) but more felt by the chest.

11Sep2007: Is it possible that all this is really just the early cocking of the hands?

13Sept2007: No, it is not the early cocking of the hands. It is the baseball bat effect of AJ. All the other techniques mentioned above, I have already tried before (and failed). Only the baseball bat technique is new enough to create that automatic body winded feeling which unwinds to a straight shot. On the driving range today, I tried just forgetting everything and seize on muscle memory - that did not work. Second, I tried the early cocking - that did not work. I went to the baseball bat technique - the hands opening the club head like an open door along the shaft plane lift an early cock - and then the shoulders taking over (as close as possible to two movements). The opening door can be visualize like an apron where the club head starts from 12 o'clock and tries to finish at 3 o'clock before the shoulders takes over. This is the move that re-created that feeling (and ball flight effect) that I had when I last played.

14Sep2007: This AJ move and Hogan's cupped hand is the same technique however it is just so difficult to find a common way to implement it. It might have been easier for Hogan to cup his left hand while I find it easier to do the "apron" way. The purpose of all these techniques, I believe, is delaying the hit that makes the hook impossible. Hogan said that when he can hit the ball as much as possible but cannot over do it. This also happened to me while I was playing - the one that started this topic.

17Sep2007: At the driving range I found that the apron technique is lacking. What really worked well is the extreme and early cocking (not up but backward cocking) of the right hand at the start of the back swing going to the 2 o'clock position - just like the wedge chipping technique of Tiger Woods! This was mentioned above - 11Sep2007 - but I said no. That is odd why I said that...

The Ultimate Full Body Swing

Lately, to my surprise, I can now hit the ball like Tiger.

1. Make sure the grip is firm with both hands acting as one. The tied up feeling from the previous chapter or posting can be utilized but not necessary. The intent is to take out the hands in the equation.
   
2. Make sure to start the club with the right hand (two o'clock, remember? ) (15Sept2007 - extreme "EARLY" cocking of the right hand going to the 2 o'clock position.)- bringing the club head back along the same path I want it to follow when it hits the ball. Remember it is the reverse ice cream scoop! However, to make this a mechanical move - the club head should be brought back along the club shaft - as the plane (see paragraph below).
   
3. Then the shoulders takes over twist as far as necessary for the swing at hand - full for a longer carry.
4. The body then springs back and makes the hit - all automatically and by muscle memory. However, the body hit must be felt like a hit by the heavy firm upper body - in particular, the main point is the sternum. It is not a plain lazy turn around, it is a deliberate hit by the firm upper body. If it like the hit of the forearms (tied up feeling of Hogan) but more felt by the chest.
   

The result of this simplified routine is an extremely accurate straight shot. When you really analyze what is happening and break down the movements, it is really simple to explain. First, the right hand moves back the club head - along the desired path / angle. Second, the shoulders take over and further twist the body (with the right hand still continuing to do its work). Third, while all this is happening and when the body is fully twisted, the body yanks everything back to where it started (the club head coming back to the ball) and plus more.

By the way, BRINGING THE CLUB BACK ALONG THE PATH, can this be really the little baseball bat as exemplified by AJ Bonar? If it is, then we can really make this swing powerful, repetetive, and mechanical. Let us pursue and study this matter for later reporting.

RESULT: Yes, this is it! The club head must be brought back in the same plane as the shaft - in contract to the regular Hogan plane. Bringing the club like this makes the twisting effect on the body to be so natural - as proven on the golf course today. The driver is the biggest benefactor of this change. TONY, PLEASE REMEMBER THIS! It is important to remember the feeling. The full weight of the centrifugal force is felt at the top. The downswing is just a reaction to the weight of the club - an automatic uncoiling action. No other action is needed, just the body uncoiling the arms and club, then club head towards the ball - and up, up as far as it will go around the body.

The Foreams - Hogan's Tied-up Feeling

Now I know why Hogan emphasized the tied-up feeling of the forearms. The firm forearms actually is used to "hit" the ball and ensures extreme accuracy of golf shots.

Slow and Delibarate Rhytm

Today I played golf and I noticed that I was inconsistent at the beginning and at times even forgetting how to swing the golf club. At first I noticed that I was not using the firm solid grip but the upswing most often feel odd - so are the results. Then I started slowing the upswing and setting-up ala Tiger Woods. When I started doing this, I noticed at the start of the swing, I also was pointing the club in a deliberate manner along the target line and then executing the shoulder twist. It became easier to reach the top fully coiled and the weight transfer to the left foot starts the downswing. Very controllable shots indeed.

Shoulders Plus or Making Sure of The Finish

Now is the time to move forward and get longer and better accuracy. How do we do it? Instead of purely relying on the shoulders, think target now. Use the rhythm as learned in putting - remember, backswing... and rebound or automatic forward swing? Same thing with the full swing, concentrate on the target, twist the shoulders but 'feel' the weight of the backswing and with a powerful move, full the club with the body - to the hole.

By working the swing with the full body, the shoulders will be able to complete the turn and the club will wrap around. Without this, the club tends to finish short. Remember how Padrig does it. Watch how most of the professional golfers pull their shots... to a wonderful finish.

Sand shots, pitches, chips and putts

While the long game needs the shoulders as the swing engine, the short game, however, needs the rock solid hands instead. And like the long game where the swing stops at the top and the mid-point feeling is felt (like a fly fisherman flicking his rod backwards), so is the short game. With a flick of the hands, a feeling is felt of fullness of the little swing - and then the solid hands starts the hit (not downswing since sometime, the hit is done sideways).

Back to square One or Making it simple

Now that we know we will use the shoulders to make the swing, it is not really necessary to use the hands or even focus at it. We can just imagine the golf swing as pure shoulders swing and at the same time simplify it all. Like the objective of the blog when we all started - we will use the big muscles and simplify the swing.

So the main thing now is when making the golf swing, just think with the shoulders. The hands or grip is just part of the mechanical set up but the actual swing is just he shoulders going back and twisting.

Ok, guys, this is it. This is when we break 80 - consistently.

Update to Aug. 31 Swing Points...

Thursday, August 31, 2006

Swing Check Points - In the beginning...

1. The flail, the flail.
   
2. Club set-up: The club shaft points to the left shoulder and aligned with the left arm. Purpose: This simulates the clubface allignment at the moment of impact
3. Grip: The thumb and foreginger pinches the shaft "actively" with the feeling that the club is to be taken initially by the RIGHT hand toward the two o'clock position WITHOUT REGARD TO the swing plane. Purpose: EARLY COCKING TO START THE SWING.
   
4. Plane: DISREGARD.
5. The left shoulder pushes the club AS MUCH AS PRACTICAL. Purpose: BASIC REQUIREMENT HAVE A COILED SWING. Upper Body is coiled to the maximum. Purpose: To make sure that shoulders are fully coiled and the power transferred to the upper body. This is the upswing of the flail technique so "feel" the flail with the left shoulder!
   
6. Flat foot stance: Ensure that both feet are planted on the ground securely. The left sole and heel only lifts up when pulled by the upper body, else it stays down. Purpose: To ensure that the club comes back correctly and to maximize coiling of the upper body - for power.
7. Stiff right knee: The relative position of the right knee stays at right angle to the target line at all times during the backswing. Purpose: The samE as no. 5 - accuracy and power.
8. Coiled upper body - Downswing: Once the hands and arms have coiled the upper body, an entwined power is felt, and that coiled feeling is the one that hits the ball. Purpose: Delayed hit. This is the flail hitting the ball so "feel" the failing done by the left shoulder.
   
9. Reverse C: The coiled feeling is imagined as going around and through the ball - which imparts more power. The right shoulder is way in front of the left shoulder at the finish position. Purpose: P-O-W-E-R.

What is not so apparent here and hard to explain is how the early cocking of the right hand starts and culminates to the shoulders taking over in one complete motion.

A swing within a swing

Even with the preceding chapter, the Hogan Swing 3.0, it is still hard to bring up the club, especially the driver. There must be a way to create a swing that is automatic, the same way I putt now - after aiming, it is a mechanical movement of the shoulder doing the backswing of the putter and the hands moving forward for the hit, without even thinking of the target. Today, I went to the driving range and only brought the driver. I told myself that I will just keep on hitting it until I find that mechanical swing.

After a lot of balls hit, I found that I can bring the driver back with my right hand (see the previous posting for instructions) and just like the short irons, be aware of the face when bringing it back. And without even thinking of the plane, just bring the driver to the top where the right arm will be tightly haulted by the body. The hit is, of course, the left hand but naturally done to maximize the AJ force.

The preceding turned out to be useless when employed during play. What held up is the visualization of the plane. Also, by making the early cock swing, the visualization of the plane may become easier. This EARLY COCKING routine must be further studied.

The early cocking is like the making a abbreviated pitch within the swing. The early pitch visualizes how the club face is going away from the ball. The shoulders takes over afterwards. The hit is done by the shoulders and the "little pitch" hitting the ball is automatic.

The Hogan Swing 3.0

We can call it the Hogan 3.0 Swing. It entails the required grip, the cupped left hand and the body turn.

First let us talk about the set-up. It should be the standard Hogan set-up with the hands falling straight down while holding the club - with the L formed by the arms and club very apparent. The grip is a solid grip with the left thumb snugly fitted along the right palm line. The V of the right hand prominently pointing to the right shoulder. The right palm is not exactly in the shake-hand position, more pointed to the 2 o'clock position. The left hand is much closer to the shake-hand position. The palms are not really parallel - the left palm is more or less perpendicular to the ground at 12:00 o'clock.

Why is the right hand positioned like this? Because this is the position where the right hand can naturally flick with the wrist the club along the plane - even in a slow-mo way.

At address, the plane is visualized cutting throught the equator of the ball. At that moment when the equator of the ball along the plane is visualized, the right wrist flips the club deliberately along the plane. Somewhere at hip level, when the club shaft merges with the plane, the left arm takes over and continues the upswing - the right palm merely cradling the club like a waiter with his tray on the right hand. At the top, the left shoulder gives that extra twist.

At the same time, the twisted shoulders releases back towards the ball - and the weight fully going to the left. As the arms passes the ball, the left cupped back hand "paints" the ball. Then, after passing the ball, the body jerks to face the ball - imparting that "baseball bat hit" of the club head. All throughout the downswing, the left hand is in control - the right hand merely tags along (it is needed only in the backswing).

Putting / Chipping Version 2.0

The technique no longer follows the intent - use the big muscles for consistent accuracy. That one did not work for me, mainly because of misalignment errors introduced by it - as revealed by the theory of the "Isosceles Triangle" and corrected by the "Separation of Church and State".

The putting is MECHANICAL and the procedure now should be:

• While keeping the ball in front (perpendicular to the putting path) and looking at the hole ahead, do several practice putts to get the feel for the length of the putt and to feel the RHYTHM needed. Remember to think the ball rolling there to the target spot.
• Come back to the set-up spot with both feet together. Lay down the club with the "LEFT" hand square to the target (Ronald's tip).
• Read the putt, decide on the target spot on the green or the hole. Commit to the target by aligning the shoulders to the target line and opening the two feet.
  
• Bring the putter back with the SHOULDERS - "without" thinking about the target spot - execute the same rhythm felt and ...
  
• Without missing a beat, let the ARMS come back pendulum style to and through the ball - but the SHOULDERS MUST CONSCIOUSLY STAY where it was at the finish of the takeaway.

This technique makes my putt go straight to the aimed target spot. Here is how it works. My putts before always goes to the right of the target line. Using the theory of the Isosceles Triangle, what must be causing this is my lower body opens up before my upper body gets to the ball. Remember? When the lower body is ahead than the upper body, the hands cannot reach the point where they are equal at the points of impact. In order to correct my fault, I have to make a conscious effort to keep my upper body (the arms) hit earlier than my lower body - thus creating a straight putt (or a pull when compared to my previous technique).

This is the same technique for chipping.

Wind and Unwind

How big of a back swing will I do? How do I know when enough is enough?

One thing, as far as the back swing for old farts, there is no "enough" back swing. Go as much as you can. But what should you achieve for? I would say that when the right hand brings the club up, it should try to bring the club aligned with the plane. The shoulders should then wind up as much as possible - the club along the plane and the shoulders wrapping around the spine. The down swing should just feel like unwinding the shoulders. This should be automatic with no conscious steering - one way or the other.

How do we execute this wind and unwind technique? Well, one you have set up, where the club is left flat on the ground, the arms falling down straight to the grip, almost forming an "L", the right hand in control and dot on the muscle of the right hand is felt - then it is just a matter of looking at the plane and winding the shoulders parallel to it. This motion will bring the club along the plane automatically. Wind of the shoulders continues up to the desirec tautness.

The next is up to you. By the way, this is an extreme implementation of Hogan's plane.

How important is the L angle?

If it leads to shanks, it is priceless! I have this bad habit of straightening my arms in relation to the club shaft that when I forget, the resulting shanks will put me down miserably. Even if I know the correction, the feeling of insecurity pervades for a long time. I should explain this section better and with more detail.

Time to go to the next level - no swing thoughts?

It has been written by a lot of professionals that the ultimate goal is for muscle memory to take over and that the swing mechanics should be forgotten in order to achieve the highest level of golf skill.

Well, theoretically, I feel I can do this. When practicing the swing, I can feel that my whole focus when executing the swing is the upper body - in particular - the center part of the chest. I feel that my entire power is focused on that small part of my chest, the center bone of the chest, the sternum. That must be a technical term for that part of the skeleton. This is that part of my body I feel hits the ball.

Can I forget everything and just feel my way through the swing? The driving range reminded me that the answer is NO and it is because the cocking and bringing the club by the right hand up is a key ingredient of my swing. The downward hit is done by the chest but the upswing must be done by the right hand.

The reason and answer to this, I concluded can be found in the other topic - The Isosceles Triangle. I MUST RESOLVE NOT TO IMPROVE ANYMORE IF IT WILL ENTAIL A CHANGE IN MY CURRENT SWING. My swing is simple at the moment. Setup, bring the club up with the right hand, shoulders twist as much as possible, shoulders hit!

The Grip and Setup

Contrary to popular beliefs and teachings, the primary purpose of the grip is to "launch" the club head to "orbit". Consequently, if this maneuver is not precisely angled correctly, the club head will orbit but will not be able to successfully land smoothly. This may be an unusual analogy but the swing - up swing and down swing - is directly related to the movement of the shoulders. Therefore a smooth and correctly angled takeaway is necessary to achieve an accurate ball flight.

In addition to the grip, the set-up is also necessary. Set up relates to the position of the arms and hands to the club grip, the club shaft position and its height.

Additionally, the right pinching fingers (thumb and forefinger) need special mention. How tight should it pinch the grip? It should be tight enough to steady the club firmly (for pro-like consistency) but not too tight to encourage the right arm to takeover and derail the shoulder swing.

Here is a point by point instruction:

• Grip the club ala Hogan and lay the club head behind the ball.
  
• Drop the grip and let it stay where it wants to stay (gravity). The hands are directly below the chin. The club is more of a right angle than straight to the ball.
  
• Place the grip a little left just to make sure it lines up with the left arm.
• Now you should have that feeling that you can lift the club head with the right hand. It must be a nice and confident feeling.
• Feel that confident feeling; else start again.

More about the confident feeling... For me, it is feeling or being aware of the point of the V, where the right forefinger and thumb meet - at the instant before the club is taken back. That point is where the right hand brings up the club. The effort of the right hand bringing the club is like a fly-fisherman flinging his fishing pole backward. It is not a visual direction but rather a by "feel" direction. NOTE: ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING THIS IS THE COCKING OF THE CLUB BY THE RIGHT HAND IS DONE FIRST, THEN THE LEFT SHOULDER COMPLETES THE BACKSWING.

Swing Plane Must Cross the Target Line

It is so easy to make the mistake that the swing plane perimeter is imagined as a circle and and the plane goes along the target line. However, this is far from the truth. In our mind, we should endeavor to hit the ball with an inside to outside intent, in effect, crossing the line.

When using the shoulders to throw the club towards the ball, make sure that you understand the actual path the clubhead takes depending on the length of the club you are using. For example, if you are hitting the wedges, you tend to send the clubhead digging to the ground. This is because your swing plane is so upright that it almost mirror the target line. However, if you are hitting the driver, you must throw the clubhead more from the ball to outside the target line. You are in effect throwing the clubhead to cross the target line. In reality, what happens is the clubhead never crosses the line but just stays a little longer on the target line. If not purposely thrown to cross the line, the clubhead would have just have immediately come around and leave the target line, thus giving the ball a glancing blow rather than staying with it longer.

So what to do, you would ask? Well, if one cannot do the latter suggestion (below), then one must make sure the club is thrown (by the shoulders) to cross the target line - in effect forcing it. However, if one can twist his shoulder far enough at the upswing - really twist - then the swing itself is automatically corrected because of centrifugal force and because of "over" swinging.

The Perfect Lie

The "perfect lie" is a very appropriate phrase since it is true no matter how you read it. You can say that golf pro teachers have been lying since they do not emphasize the importance of how the club lies at address but this is very important - even more important than the squareness of the clubface at setup. This is more so for the woods and hybrid clubs. These clubs have a bigger head and on setup, their bottoms must nicely sit on the ground - even if it means that the face is not square to the target. The main reason is it is a prime importance to allow the club to nicely slide along the ground in order to prevent any unneeded twisting that can ruin the shot and direction of the ball. So the other meaning to the "perfect lie" is make sure that the club squats perfectly on the ground.

When addressing the ball, ensure that the club touches and comfortable sits on the ground before gripping the club. It is not advisable to lift the club like Nicklaus - let it stay on the ground until it is brought up by the right hand to initiate the swing. Again, this is a requirement and very important for the woods and hybrid clubs.

Remember also that letting the club sit on the ground may make the club face look like it is no longer square to the target. This is alright. The main important thing is that your shoulders and hips are aligned to the target line. Do the same thing for the irons.

Pitching Version 2.0

Again you will notice here elements of the "Isosceles" and "Separation" techniques at work.

Essentially pitching in general is the same technique as the full swing (see Shoulders Version 2.0). The obvious difference is the swing plane which, instead of the shoulder to the ball plane, is hands to the ball plane. Consequently, it is a flatter swing. This technique is designed for high shots with full back spin.

Here is how to do it:

1. Setup with weight favoring left side. The club is resting fully aligned with the left arm and the ball more to the right of center aligned more to the right foot.
2. Visualize the low plane - hands to ball, parallel to the shaft. Because of the "Separation of Church and State" theory, the right hand INITIATES the swing by cocking the club shaft towards the two o'clock direction and bringing the club along the low plane. Somewhere at the early part of the takeaway and as soon as the club enters the plane, the shoulders take over swaying the club along the low plane, hip high - the body turning around the vertebrae. (Read the last pointer)
   
3. Pivot (more like swaying) the body (not the shoulders since the plane is by the hips) around the hip high plane until the desired feeling (for the distance) is felt. This can be half, three quarters or partial swings - it is not necessary to go all the way.
4. Again, make sure that the turn is full as signified by getting that "enough" feeling. (Read the last pointer)
   
5. The shoulders make the hit by turning the upper body towards the ball along the hip-high plane.
6. As in putting, rhythm must be established by making a connection between the upswing and the downswing.

There are so many mentions of the plane that you must now realize it is very important. With this technique, you can open the club face and make a LOB SHOT out of this pitching technique. However, there must be a clear distinction between the plane for full shots (shoulder-high) and the plane for pitches (hip-high).

The Shoulders Swing Version 2.0

Now is the time to visualize the golf swing as hitting the ball with the shoulders - all the other parts purposely ignored. After several practices and developing the previous chapters on the "Isosceles Triangle" and the "Separation of Church and State", I realized that a few written chapters need to be modified. WORD OF CAUTION - DO NOT FORGET THAT THE MAIN INTENT IS TO MENTALLY THINK OF THE SWING AS A SHOULDER SWING - the arms and hands just automatically executes by centrifugal force. The small wheel and the big wheel concept must be junked.

Here is how to do it:

1. Standard setup for targeting purposes - feet, shoulders aligned. However, the club is resting fully aligned with the left arm - to the point that the hands rest to the right of the head (vs. directly below).
2. Feel the right thumb and forefinger wrap and resting on the club. Feel the right palm comfortably sitting on the left hand. Right fingers are not jammed towards the left fingers - it is gripping comfortably the club. The right hand will actively lift the club like a hammer towards the two o'clock direction.
3. Be consciously aware of the knee-locked right leg.
4. Firm up the left arm and hand.
5. Because of the "Separation of Church and State" theorem, the right hand INITIATES by cocking the club shaft towards the two o'clock direction. Somewhere at the early part of the takeaway, the shoulders take over finishing the up-swing. (Read no. 10)
   
6. Pivot the shoulders right locked leg until the left muscles is pulled all the way and the left shoulder is way under the chin. Of course, for half or partial swings (as in pitching) - it is not necessary to go all the way.
7. Again, make sure that the turn is full as signified by the left shoulder hitting the chin.
8. The shoulders make the hit by moving the weight and turning towards the ball.
9. The weight movement should automatically force a reverse C finish.
10. As in putting, rhythm must be established by making a connection between the upswing and the downswing.
    

I REPEAT AGAIN - DO NOT FORGET THAT THE MAIN INTENT IS TO MENTALLY THINK OF THE SWING AS A SHOULDERS SWING.

Please do not be fooled that this section may not be important. At the moment, I would say this is the most important section that I have written.

The locked knee is a crucial part of it for it maintains the body's alignment to the target. The shoulders pivots around the knee - as far as it will go. This mental change, that is, having the focus on the weight of the upper torso while swinging is very, very important.

THIS IS REALLY A VERY SIMPLE MOVE AND LEAVES YOU WITH THE FEELING THAT YOU EXECUTED TIGER'S SWING. MINUTE CHANGES TO ACCURACY IS ACHIEVED BY APPLYING THE THEORY OF THE ISOSCELES TRIANGLE.

Separation of Church and State

Like the law of separation of Church and State, there should also be a law of separation in the golf swing. First, let us identify the entities involved in golf - the big muscles and small muscles. Big muscles can be the shoulders while small muscles can be the hands. We can also refer to it as the upswing and the downswing. And the rule should be the "the muscles employed in the upswing should not be the same employed in the downswing."

The Tiger swing - a modern Hogan version?

Have you noticed Tiger's swing? It is different from most of the professional golfers. He has a delayed shoulder jerk. His swing is not a normal pendulum swing. He seem to turn slowly and at the end gives his shoulders a jeck-like movement.

I tried simulating it in the driving range but the closest I can get to it is making a pronounced weight transfer to the right - by pushing the left shoulders in until the weight is on the right and the hands fully cocked - , then making a weight transfer to the left followed by the shoulders' hit. It is hard to incorporate naturally in the swing. I think the weight shift must be transferred to the upper body and at the downswing, the upper body fires first naturally. This is hard but it does look like this is the natural progression from what I have been learning in the previous posts.

I have not had the time but I think this is like the Hogan's knee swing or Nicklaus' rolling feet tip.

Well now that we have Tiger performing his swing at any time we want to, we can practically copy his swing. Watching him at perform the slo-mo way tells me that he has simplified his swing very much. This must be why he is so accurate. Notice his body twists like a book page flipping from the spine? He is not even minding his arms or the club - he just flips his shoulders to the top and let the club find its own way to the slot.

And how about the downswing. It is just the total left side simultaneously throwing its weight to the left side . Then, of course, the delayed socket-popping hit follows.

A very simple move indeed.

At the driving range, I tried to see if I can do Tiger's opening a page upswing and a delayed weight transfer first downswing. What became apparent is this might be really the Hogan swing except Hogan just got too technical in explaining his swing. I find that at address, I can visualize the plane, start the club with a little right hand flip of the club and bring the whole left side around the spine up to the top with the shoulders and arms following the plane. Downwards is the pronounced weight shift to the left with the delayed big hit immediately following. This is the Hogan swing masquerading as Tiger's!

During another session at the driving range, I noticed by concentrating on my left knee, I was able to put the club head right into the "slot" at the top - without much effort on my brain. Hitting the ball with the same left knee seems to have delayed the hit a little bit. What is important to remember in this paragraph is by "throwing" the club head with the left knee towards the 2:00 o'clock position, it made the upswing fall easily on a "groove" and it hit the slot smoothly - thereby, promoting a complete turn at the top.

The Isosceles Triangle

Technically, the secret of the accuracy in all swings - whether it is the full swing or the putter - is to be able to return to the Isosceles Triangle at the point of impact. This explains what I discovered and presented in my last post. Let us review what an isosceles triangle is.

An isosceles triangle is a triangle with (at least) two equal sides. In the figure above, the two equal sides have length and the remaining side has length . This property is equivalent to two angles of the triangle being equal. An isosceles triangle therefore has both two equal sides and two equal angles. The name derives from the Greek iso (same) and skelos (leg).

A triangle with all sides equal is called an equilateral triangle, and a triangle with no sides equal is called a scalene triangle. An equilateral triangle is therefore a special case of an isosceles triangle having not just two, but all three sides and angles equal. Another special case of an isosceles triangle is the isosceles right triangle.

For golf, let us not dwell on the other special isosceles triangle but just the one pictured above. Picture your shoulders as the side "a" and the sides "b" as the distance of both shoulders to the ball. On the upswing, the "b" sides will no longer be equal - the left getting longer and the right getting shorter. You can test this by facing both hands together and looking how the left hand gets shorter in relation to the right hand while moving the shoulders around and the arms moving up. What happens, technically speaking, is the face of the club or putter opens up. To get it back to the square position (the isosceles triangle), one has to let the shoulders wait for the hands to catch up at the point of impact.

Have you not noticed that when you really want to hammer the ball and let the body work more - the ball slices? Yes, that is the body not waiting for the arms (the other way around - hook - is possible but usually new golfers cannot do this). Now that you know the technical stuff, let us go to the practical side.

"Putting is probably a very personal thing. It is so easy to do for everyone and you really need no skill to hammer a ball to the hole. " This is what I have said for so long a time but this just changed in the last couple of days.

Here is another fallacy I have been advocating before, "The technique follows the same intention as the full swing - use the big muscles for consistent accuracy." Well not entirely wrong in a way - this statement is correct when you think of the putt as two pieces. The first is the big muscles; the second is a rebound with the absence of the big muscles. Sounds confusing isn't it?

• First, practice how hard you far you want the ball to go.
  
• When satisfied, lay down the club with the left hand roughly square to the target, both feet together.
• Start aiming the club to the target while the right hand joins in to fully grip the club.
  
• With both hands now on the club, finish the targeting of the putter face to the target.
  
• Once satisfied and while still looking at the target, move the feet apart for the proper stance.
• Start the back swing with shoulders up to the point you previously (first bullet) practiced.
• With the shoulders relaxing, let the putter bounce back with the arms guiding it back to the target.
• The isosceles triangle is achieved at point of impact - then becomes a scalene triangle again after impact. Note that the reverse scalene triangle happened at the upswing also.
  

Getting Really Technical

I just got back from a 5 day trip to Palm Coast, Florida. I played three golf games in three consecutive days. I took pictures of my friends' swings and ask them to take my picture too. After the game, while perusing my digital camera images, it became apparent that my finish form is not that good looking. My friend has a better looking form. That was the first day. Even though I was out driving my friend and out-scored him, I decided that his form will help me improve further.

The difference between my form and his is the finish of the swing. He turns his shoulders around and stays there even at the end of the swing while I seem to be standing up erect when I finish. On the second day, I decided to put that end of the swing form into mine. Disaster. I started pushing and fading my ball to the right. Although mostly serviceable, this was a night and day difference from the previous day where my ball is going straight to my target with a slight draw at times.

This effect made me to think and figure out why. There is a similarity to my putting - when I open my shoulders during the stroke, the ball goes right. The explanation is the face of the club or putter must be striking the ball with an open face. When you think about it, this is really what is happening. If you think of your shoulders as two points of a triangle and the third point is the club head, the distance of the shoulders to the club head must remain the same for both the time of set-up and the time of the hit. Opening the left shoulder makes the distance to the ball longer while the right shoulder's distance get shorter - the effect of which is an open club face. Vice-versa can happen too but seldom.

This said and proven, I reverted back to my old form and played happily ever after. By the way, this topic has a very important implication to putting. The face of the clock should be visualized, the shoulders turning like a pendulum, the force measured by the "hours" separating the backward and forward stroke - and all successfuly implemented to be able to putt straight.

Putting

Putting is probably a very personal thing. It is so easy to do for everyone and you really need no skill to hammer a ball to the hole. This is the reason why no one will believe if I say follow this technique. What I will write here is my own, designed for me, works for me, and put in writing for me to remember.

The technique follows the same intention as the full swing - use the big muscles for consistent accuracy. It also use the grip techniques extensively. It is important to note the techniques employed here. It is like the grip I rated G-10. The right hand starts and then the focus is put on the left hand. The intent is to leave the right hand immobilized, the left hand in charge and the shoulder make the hit. Here is how I do mine.

Lay down the club with the right hand roughly square to the target. Now let the left hand cradle (literally cradle!) the club. The focus is still on the on the right hand until it is laying and sitted comfortably on the putter. Usually the right thumb should find itself on top of the flat spot of the putter grip. Now comes the finer aiming with the left hand. Once satisfied, the left hand pushes the putter head out and upwards (at around two o'clock) - the shoulder instinctively following. The forward motion is done with the turn of the shoulder.

Things to note: the big muscle is employed (shoulder); the cradle position of the left hand prevents fanning, same purpose for the full grip of the right resting on the putter grip. The last focus was on the left hand.

My major problems in putting are twofold: number one is my eyesight, I have a major case of astigmatism; second is my natural tendency to push the putter. Astigmatism is really bad because you see the ball where it is really not - your vision is distorted. I really on logical memory to sight the putter. Combine this with yips and it is disaster big time.

I am thinking of not fighting this and maybe working my handicap to my advantage. In order to do this, I will open my stance from now on. This thing works! Also, from now on, thinking the result is far more important than thinking shoulders, etc. This leaves everything to muscle memory, the ultimate golf skill! The putting procedure now should be:

• Read the putt, decide on the break, and align the ball (with line) towards the target.
• Do several practice putts to get the feel for the length of the putt that is needed. Remember to the ball rolling there.
  
• With an open (including open shoulders), align the putter lines to the line on the ball, and repeat the same practice thought - move the ball to the target spot. Note that the shoulders should have taken over.

All the above were written one year ago. It is amazing that when you find a golf secret, then you somehow also discover the key to somebody else's. Here is what I read about Lorena Ochoa how she won today the Samsung World Championship golf tournament.

"She got up this morning and went for a run and then was totally calm when she got to the golf course," said Dave Brooker, her caddie. The night before at the home of Tom and Kathy Mahoney and with the help of former Bel Air assistant pro Nick Bradley she worked on keeping her weight on her left leg during her putting stroke to avoid her tendency to lift her head back too soon and open the putter face.

Well I discovered the same thing in the past few days. My putts are going to the right because I do not stay still after I hit the ball, in effect, not following through. Another error is that I always imagine that the putter must stay square to the target when that is really impossible - it actually sends your ball to the right. If you try to push the ball to the target without a back stroke, you will know that you cannot do so with the putter face square. The putter face must close after hitting the ball - else it goes right.

The putting procedure now should be:

• Read the putt, decide on the break.
• Do several practice putts to get the feel for the length of the putt that is needed. Remember to think the ball rolling there.
• Hold the putter with the left hand and aim.
• Try (only) to keep the shoulders and feet parallel to the target line.
• Bring the putter back with the left shoulder.
• Bring the putter forward with the left shoulder and instinctively letting the putter close after impact.
• Do not look for the ball - keep the eyes rooted to where the ball was at impact.
  
• Observe how the putter face naturally closes on the follow through.
  

Divots

It is fortunate for the rich golfer who started in a country club. Here they started and practiced their golf swing on real turf. With them, they must have mimicked what they see on TV, the divots flying after every shot. Divots to them become second nature - their muscles always anticipating that dig-into-ground feeling.

Pity us poor golfers. We bought our first golf set from the "SALE" rack and can only practice the swing on a piece of carpet inside the bedroom. We even have to use the shortest club and purposely flatten the swing to avoid hitting the ceiling of the bedroom. Worse is we learned to instinctively jerked up the left shoulder after hitting the plastic ball lest we ruin our floor. It is not unusual that the Missus to find scratches on the floor and ceiling. On my case you can even find a hole in my dropped ceiling caused by the rubber trainer that is not suppose to fly out of the head of the club. I still wonder where that rubber trainer went when it created that hole. After thirty years + years, it has to be still in there.

Well it is time for me to learn to make a divot. I am still not a member of a country club so I cannot learn it from real turf. I must learn it on artificial turf in the driving range - I can afford that now... How do I do it, that is the question.

Swing Check Points - the New Testament

Check points for a total body swing:

1. Club set-up:
   
• The left hand holds the club while aiming to the target. The right hand then grips the club. Purpose: To ensure that one does not open up the shoulders while aiming.
  
• The shaft points to the left shoulder and aligned with the left arm which makes the right shoulder droop lower than the left shoulder. Purpose: This simulates the clubface allignment at the moment of impact.
• The arms are purposely held hanging straight down towards the ground, thereby, accentuating the drooping of the right shoulder plus there is a noticeable right angle created between the club and the arms. Purpose: The arms are hanged straight down and the club held almost at a right angle (almost cocked already) to promote the automatic cocking of the club. Like mentioned in the PLANE - cocking by the right hand along the plane should never be employed.
  
2. Grip: The interlocked fingers are more in. The palms are facing each other where the left hand you may think is weak and the right hand may think is strong. The hands are felt as a one solid mass. The V of the right hand is felt more - to make the cocking easier and automatic. Purpose: Not too sure - ensures against fanning the clubface at the same time having a stronger grip? Or, maybe the grip works better with the chin-to-chin technique?
   
3. Stiff right knee: The relative position of the right knee stays at right angle to the target line at all times during the backswing. Purpose: The same as the next one - accuracy and power.
4. Flat foot stance: Ensure that both feet are planted on the ground securely. The left sole and heel only lifts up when pulled by the upper body, else it stays down. Purpose: To ensure that the club comes back consistently.
5. Plane: DO NOT USE WHATSOEVER. Purpose: Shanks can easily happen when visualizing of the plane. Just stick to the chin-to-chin technique. However, although it is not conciously employed with this technique, the roundhouse swing of the shoulders functions the same way.
   
6. Chin-to-chin: The left shoulder pushes the whole club away into a roundhouse motion until the left shoulder hits the chin. Then the roundhouse motion is brought down, around and through the ball - without stopping until the right shoulder hits the chin. Purpose: to make a complete pendulum swing for power and consistency.
   

Swing Check Points - In the beginning...

1. The flail, the flail.
   
2. Club set-up: The club shaft points to the left shoulder and aligned with the left arm. Purpose: This simulates the clubface allignment at the moment of impact
3. Grip: The thumb and foreginger pinches the shaft "actively" with the feeling that the club is to be taken initially by the hands toward the two o'clock position and eventually along the swing plane until the upper body is flexed. Purpose: To ensure that the hands start the swing and the clubface is not fanned open.
   
4. Plane: The hands points at the bottom of the plane and takes the club head toward the two o'clock position and along the plane. Purpose: For fine targeting and accuracy.
5. The left shoulder pushes the clubface along the target line at the start of the swing. Purpose: For accuracy - the proof is in the putt (use left shoulder also to bring the putter back).
   
6. Coiled Upper Body - Upswing: The hands and arms bring the club up until the upper body is coiled to the maximum. Purpose: To make sure that shoulders are fully coiled and the power transferred to the upper body. This is the upswing of the flail technique so "feel" the flail with the left shoulder!
   
7. Flat foot stance: Ensure that both feet are planted on the ground securely. The left sole and heel only lifts up when pulled by the upper body, else it stays down. Purpose: To ensure that the club comes back correctly and to maximize coiling of the upper body - for power.
8. Stiff right knee: The relative position of the right knee stays at right angle to the target line at all times during the backswing. Purpose: The saem as no. 5 - accuracy and power.
9. Coiled upper body - Downswing: Once the hands and arms have coiled the upper body, an entwined power is felt, and that coiled feeling is the one that hits the ball. Purpose: Delayed hit. This is the flail hitting the ball so "feel" the failing done by the left shoulder.
   
10. Reverse C: The coiled feeling is imagined as going around and through the ball - which imparts more power. The right shoulder is way in front of the left shoulder at the finish position. Purpose: P-O-W-E-R.
    

Flat Footed Golfer?

With the golfer image that we always see on TV, we tend to imitate it so closely that we tend to pose like a golfer. One of the things I am sure I am guilty of is raising the left foot because that is how the pros look at the top of their swing - the left heel raised. But have we stopped and thought about how the pros got to that position? I "pose" to that position but the pros' left heel was pulled to that position - the difference is that they have the muscle tension but mine is just for show - no valid tension (in golf parlance) at all.

Maybe, for the neophytes in golf like me, we should just stay flat-footed on our backswing and let the tension happen by itself. As matter of fact, this flat-foot rule can be elevatedt to the same stutus as the rigid-right knee rule. Let us try this out for now.

Practicing the Shoulders Swing

You know that finshing your backswing is integral to hitting good shots. Yet pressure and impatience make it one of the first fundamentals you forget (the real problem is time - you tend to forget over time - in weeks - and the shoulders get lazy and the arms take over). First your backswing gets short, then your transition gets quick, and suddenly solid contact is elusive (and you start shanking!). This creates a nasty cycle: the more your ball striking deteriorates, the more you shorten and quicken your swing to compensate.

When something goes wrong, check your full backswing first. Your entire swing should feel long and slow, powerful but almost effortless. To make sure the backswing does't get short, Freddie Couples practices hitting shots without it. Instead of addressing the ball, start at the top of the swing, hold it for a few seconds, and then swing through. Hitting a few dozen balls this way not only helps your body get more comfortable with a full backswing position, it's a good way to work on your downswing timing and hand-eye coordination.

The Shoulders Swing

Now is the time to visualize the golf swing as hitting the ball with the shoulders - all the other parts purposely ignored. After several practices, I realized that this really works. And in the process, I learned quite a few other things. WORD OF CAUTION - DO NOT FORGET THAT THE MAIN INTENT IS TO MENTALLY THINK OF THE SWING AS A SHOULDER SWING - the arms and hands just automatically executes by centrifugal force. At the same time, the small wheel and the big wheel concept must be employed.

Here is how to do it:

1. Standard setup for targeting purposes - feet, shoulders aligned. However, the club is resting fully alined with the left arm - to the point that the hands rest to the right of the head (vs. directly below).
2. The small wheel in motion: Feel the right thumb and forefinger wrap and resting on the club. Feel the right palm comfortably sitting on the left hand. Right fingers are not jammed towards the left fingers - it is gripping comfortably the club. The right hand will actively lift the club like a hammer towards the plane of the big wheel (Hogan's plane).
   
3. Be consciously aware of the knee-locked right leg.
4. Firm up the left arm and hand.
   
5. Shoulders is push towards the ball and bring the club head along the path it will take on the downswing making sure that the (small wheel) right hand cocks the club shaft fully along the (now merged small wheel, big wheel) plane.
   
6. Pivot the shoulders around the right locked leg until the left muscles is pulled all the way. Of course, for half or partial swings - it is not necessary to go all the way
7. Again, make sure that the right hand fully cock the club shaft along the plane at the top (small wheel).
   
8. The shoulders make the hit by moving the weight and turning towards the ball.
9. The weight movement should automatically force a reverse C finish.
   

I REPEAT AGAIN - DO NOT FORGET THAT THE MAIN INTENT IS TO MENTALLY THINK OF THE SWING AS A SHOULDERS SWING.

Please do not be fooled that this section may not be important. At the moment, I would say this is the most important section that I have written.

The locked knee is a crucial part of it for it maintains the body's alignment to the target. The shoulders pivots around the knee - as far as it will go. This mental change, that is, having the focus on the weight of the upper torso while swinging is very, very important.

AGAIN, AFTER SETTING UP WITH THE DOMINANT LEFT HAND, THE SHOULDERS PUSHES THE CLUBHEAD ALONG THE DESIRED PATH TO THE TOP (COCKING OF THE CLUB). THEN THE SHOULDERS PULL DOWN AUTOMATICALLY TO THE BALL WITH THE LEFT ARM GUIDING DOMINANTLY THE CLUBHEAD TO THE BALL AND THEN AROUND TO A C FINISH.

THIS IS REALLY A VERY SIMPLE MOVE AND LEAVES YOU WITH THE FEELING THAT YOU EXECUTED TIGER'S SWING. IT IS CONSISTENTLY ACCURATE ALSO.

Together at Last, Small Wheel, Big Wheel and Shoulders' Swing

The small wheel and big wheel concept is only the beginning. It is an integral part of learning the full swing but they are just parts of the real swing. They must be melded together to produce the correct full swing. But let this be a warning to all, the small wheel concept must never be forgotten. As a matter of fact, it should be always be a part of the warm up routine - to let the hands know that they are suppose to take an active part in hitting the ball. But why don't I have a warning for the big wheel? Because the small wheel becomes a part of the big wheel and the big wheel becomes the full and correct swing. It becomes the correct swing only when the big wheel incorporates the essence of the small wheel. When both are employed with the shoulders make the hit (see the Shoulders Swing section), then you got the correct swing mechanics.

Let me repeat. The cocking of the right wrist is the center of the small wheel. The cocked wrists hits the ball like a hammer. The big wheel is the like the Hogan plane. It is the wheel where the neck is the center and the shoulders (particularly the left shoulder) acts as the prominent trigger that do the backswing and the forward swing.

The objective of the left shoulder is to push towards the ball and turn the body pulling the left side muscles as much as possible. In the process, the right hand ensures that the small wheel becomes melded to the plane (of the big wheel) by making sure the wrists cocks fully with its plane melded to the plane of the big wheel. While the left shoulders is twisting the body, the eyes are sensing and making sure that the club is set fully by the right hand at the correct slot (along the plane). When this is done fully, then the shoulders start the untwisting motion (downswing) to hit the ball automatically.

This section takes too much for granted. Details should gotten by reading again the section of the wheels and the shoulders swing sections.

Big wheel, small wheel

Here is what I learned while studying the Carlos Franco's (see previous posting) chipping technique. The chipping swing must consists of two wheels, the big and the small wheel. The attention is on the small wheel and this is the one that imparts the back spin. I never thought about a two wheeler swing before - I wonder what this will do to a full swing?

What will further testing show? A lot! First, it revealed the techical explanation on how professionals can put a spin on the ball to be able to back it up. Second, and foremost, I realized that I am missing this in my swing techniques.


Chipping I think is the best way to show how to do this technique. Let us learn how to lob a ball. On the address position, keep the clubface open. Break your wrist backward, yes backward. Now slide the clubface under the ball with the left hand. See the difference?


Now let us go incorporate this "back-hand" with all our swing, including putting. Let us see what happens. I think this will add distance to my game...

This is the way to play the normal golf swing using this technique:

• On the setup, make sure that the position of the arms, hands and club shaft is almost straight and it is in the hitting position at the moment of impact. If this is followed correctly, the hands will appear a little left of the chin position.
  
• Start the swing by starting the small wheel. This is done by breaking the right wrist backward toward the two o'clock position. The feeling is also the motion goes in the direction of where the thumb and forefinger presses together - which I should remember easier than describing it.
• The small wheel will start the rolling of the big wheel and will end only when the feeling of tightness is encountered.
• The start of the foreward swing is the automatic rebound of the bound muscles. The body shifts the weight to the left.
  
• The hit is automatically done by the hands when the body and the arms are already at the hitting zone - all the power on the left leg already.
  

Lob Chip to Putting to Hammer

The title of this section is not indicative of its importance in the total realm of the golf swing. You must consider the mechanics employed here as the same mechanics for the full swing. Having said that, let us start.

The lob chip is so difficult to execute that if the mechanics are not recognized correctly, it cannot be done consistently accurate. The main secret is the grip, which the hub of the little swing (vs. neck for full swing), and the direction of the break of the right wrist.

Let us talk about the hub of the chip (or putting). If the neck will sway or bob while you are executing your full swing, you will never hit a straight shot consistently. You may even entirely whif the ball. That is the very reason why all golf instructions emphasizes the stillness of the head on the golf swing. Now, bring the concept to the chip and putting. You cannot make the hub of both these little movements be the neck also, should you? I know this goes contrary to what I have been saying from the very start but this revelation only got started because of what I learned from Carlos France (see GHO section).

With the chip and putting, the golf plane is really a small wheel with the hub as the clasp hands. The object of that little swing is keep that hub or the hands very still. Of course, not to the point of restricting the movement.

If you do this, you will notice that to move the club head or putter head away from the ball, you naturally will have to break your wrist backward. Upon a lot of repetitions of this movement- the breaking of the wrist and while keeping the hands almost dangling over the ball - you will notice that the effective and consistent flip of the right wrist is like a small cocking (as in full swing) which effective moves the right clasp hands throwing the club to the 2:00 o'clock position (hey, this was mentioned in the full swing way back in some chapters of this blog!).

Now, here is the important effect of this method in putting: You do not have to control the direction of the backswing and forward motion of the putter - it is automatic. The only thing you have to worry about is the direction and the distance. Again, this is the secret to putting. If you noticed in the other chapter, I referred to this as Tiger's secret. At that time, I was not able to really comprehend why it was working (sometimes). It was really keeping the center of the little swing or plane as immobile as possible.

Here is the putting mechanics that work for me now. Remember the object is to keep the hub as close as possible where it started - dangling under your chin.

1. At address (which is very open for me), align the club perpendicular to the line of target.
2. The right thumb must rest on top of the flat portion of the grip and must be welded tightly together with the forefinger.
3. Break the right wrist backwards, like hammering a nail, towards the 2:00 o'clock position or towards the center of the bound two fingers above. In other words, towards where it will normally break if you are hammering a nail.
   
4. While executing the above, make sure that the clasped hands (hub or center) stay as much as possible to the same spot, intentionally making that perimeter (club head) of the little circle (plane) as small as possible.
5. The downswing is done by the left hands.
6. After the ball, ensure a smooth follow through without regard to the hub any longer.

What am I saying here - that a hammer swing or putting is the correct way? Unbelievably, I must eat my words. The hammer is a part of the small wheel of the plane. There is a big wheel and small wheel and the hammering motion is done by the small wheel. Mea culpa, mea culpa.

Watch out, you may cry out of joy! This will make you a very accurate putter. Ten footers will be nothing after this. The chip is executed the same way.

Greater Hartford Open

Yesterday, Wednesday, June 28, 2006, I was invited to go to the Greater Hartford Open, aka, Buick Championship Open. Next year, I was told that it will be Travellers Greater Hartford Open - or something close to it. It was the Pro-Am day so we were allowed to take pictures. And pictures I took a lot. As a matter of fact I took a lot of multi-burst photos on my digital camera. It would really help if I try to learn what I have seen.

Well here is one that I noticed. I stayed for a while just admiring the view of the 18th hole on my left and looking at all the professionals in the driving range on my right. After a while of seeing the professionals hit balls, it hit me too! All of them are finishing like a statue at the end of their swing, fully on their left side facing the target. Some are motionless more than the rest but really very different from us mortals. I resolved to do this from now on.

I moved on to the practice chipping area. Carlos Franco caught my eye. He was trying to tell somebody how he was doing what he was doing. You must have an idea what is going on. This is a green where all the professionals are chipping on. When I say chipping, they are really not chipping in my sense of the word but actually lobbing the ball near the hole and stopping it. Carlos Franceo seems to have a very pronounced wrist style. With the same (looks to me) swing, he can lob the ball straight up in the air and land the ball by the hole and stop it with a plenty of spin; or make the ball go very low, but land by the hole and stop it the same way with plenty of spin. You can tell by the reaction of the ball when it lands, the ball looks like a braking car. That guy really knows a lot more than the other professionals out there who seem to have a cookie-cutter method. You can tell he uses his wrists more than others. It is pronouncely cocked more at impact and stays open for lofted shots; but rolls around more for the low brake shots.

One thing everybody has is the very thin and lofted club. It looks thinner when they lay it by the ball. Everybody opens the face for this shot. One, John Engrel, a lefty, was so close to me that I even asked his name. The openness of the clubface seems to depend on how far he was going to land the ball - very open if the hole he was aiming was closeby and a little close when he is aiming at a farther hole.

A friend who was with me said he is going to learn that kind of chipping. I told him that when we see each other again (hopefully while playing golf), we are going to compare notes on who got to learn better.

Before I end this topic, one thing common that every professional is doing in the range or in the chipping area is - they dig down into the ground. I can tell so in the chipping area; more so at the sand trap by the chipping green. Their hands are not woozie looking - the club going through the grass makes a statement every time - every time.

Well, a day later after a trip to the driving range and trying to execute what I have seen during my trip to the GHO. In order to come out with a picture perfect finish and be able to hit the ball with an wide open face club, I had to do two things: 1) Make sure the right wrist is fully cocked before initiating the hit; 2) The hit is done with the firm left hand and by the body turnaround and weight transfer to the left side. It is like a right hand, left hand routine!

The Slow Mo Loop at the End of the Swing

Did you ever wonder how Michelle Wie and some other good golfers have that slow motion loop of the club at the end of their swing? The swing is usually so fast but at the end, there usually is a slow motion of the club wrapping around their neck. Is this a mannerism or a result of certain mechanics that they employ but not discernable? I believe that when the left hand is used to slap the ball like Hogan, the slow-mo finish is the result.

I am making this a section by itself to emphasize that this is a key part of the swing. I can include it in the preceding section but it might get lost as a minor point, considering all the other major points in that section.

The Right Middle Fingers - Secret of the Very Few

Wonder why there are only a few pros at the top? Because only a very few knows the relationship of a full swing and a putter stroke. Most are applying, often times unconciously, the correct use of the right middle fingers but are not aware of its importance. Hogan never found it. Tiger did. How would you know who are aware of this? They have to be one of the best drivers and at the same time best putters of the golf ball. Nicklaus, employed it but I doubt if he was aware that he is doing it. Only Tiger probably realized the connection of the middle fingers to all facets of ball striking.

Remember I often write about the right knee and how important for it not to twist (locked knee) on the upswing to avoid swaying? That right knee controls the upper body (or the orientation of the shoulders to the target) from changing its orientation to the target. I would say that keeping the right knee locked during the swing is the number one rule in the golf swing. It limits the spray pattern of your balls (smaller controlled pattern) so as to make you be able to appreciate your game. When you apply the locked knee, you are more or less in control - you can actually apply "course management" because you, in a sense, knows where your ball is going.

But what is this secret that separated the boys from the men - the second most important rule in golf? The right middle fingers! Hogan was never a good putter (he had the yips) so I can say he never found the secret. Let me explain further... But before I do, let us not forget that this works only when shoulders swing the club, as in my previous posting.

How is it executed? On the upswing (shoulders turning - not body), you have to feel the middle fingers (the tip part after the knuckles) acting like a claw pulling the club to the right and UP and around, as it follows the turning shoulders. (The tuning shoulders should follow the 2 o'clock path as it turns upwards since this is essential to initializing the inside out path.) At the top when the shoulders cannot move any longer, the two middle fingers bring the club up some more until the upper body is so coiled that it cannot go any longer at the top. This position will be the same every time, the "slot". At this moment, the upper body is about to explode. Just let it... it will come back to the ball the same way it left it with an inside-to-out path.

How does this technique work and why does it help? The answer is this technique forces the club face to come back to the ball, not only the same angle at set-up, but comes back in an inside to outside path. This tendency promotes accuracy. However, due to the action of the middle fingers forcing the club to set at the top consistently at the same slot, it also ensures a repeating swing. Be aware that the way the club left the ball on the upswing is the way it will come back on the downswing.

How would one know that he has executed the correct movements? When correctly done, upon the release of the shoulders (downswing), you will feel that the club is righting itself accurately towards and past the ball. You will have that feeling that the club did it all. However, if you cannot still get it, buy a weighted trainer club, something heavy. Once you start swinging with an extra heavy iron clubhead, when not done correctly, you will notice that your left hand arm muscles is working too much to straighten the club face towards the imagined ball (I do this in my cathedral ceiling bedroom). The inverse is the right way - when no effort is done and the heavy club rights the club face automatically and the path is a very definite inside out, then you got it.

Why did I say Hogan did not get it? Because he never learned how to putt like Tiger Woods. Tiger is the one that started to make 20 footers easy. Before, pros usually are expected to miss when it goes beyond the range of six foot. But Tiger started making those ten footers easy. The secret is the same. You must feel that the putter is being moved by the shoulders and the right middle fingers only helping to claw the handle back and up slightly (pendulum) - the shoulders putts the ball. In that little instant and short distance, a mini version of the full swing is executed - the pendulum-claw action forces an automatic, repeating, and accurate putting technique.

The Takeaway

My problem in golf ever since I can remember is the takeaway. I do not fucking know how to bring the club up. While I was in the Philippines last February, one of my nephews who is supposed to be really good in golf gave us a little golf clinic. What he showed us is to bring the club from address to the side and when it is pointing to your right side, he said, isn't it easier to bring the club up when it is already aligned with your shoulders. One thing this clinic showed me is the plane he is showing. It is not like a glass from the shoulders to the ball (like Hogan's) but a plane from the shoulders to the grip (or hands at rest).

Today I went to the driving range to apply what my nephew taught me. The takeaway he taught was a lot better that my old one and it definitely adds more distance. However, there was still that jerkiness in it.

I tried a variation which seems to be perfect. I think this golf season, I will try to feel the body in the takeaway and downswing - ala Tiger Woods.

• I changed the grip to the inter-lock to remind myself that this is an upper body swing.
  
• Also, I made sure that the grip with the fingers is a little solid - in order that the club will swing the same every time - no loosiness.
• The left knee (going 2:00 o'clock) pushes everything in one solid motion.
• At the top, the feeling is that the upper body cannot twist anymore.
• The upper body swings down and through.
  

Pitch and Putt

Pitching in golf is learning the in between shots, in contrast to the full shots. It usually refers to golf shots around and inside the 100 yards range. However, I believe once this is mastered, one will also acquire the skill to use all clubs without executing the full shots - shots you need most of the time for windy situations.

The technique to be followed here is the one expoused by David Toms - a low trajectory body only shot that skips twice and stops on its tracks.

The procedure here is:

• Usual routine full shot should be employed. In addition, make sure about the target spot, how far it is. Visualize how the ball will land, brake and trickle into the hole.
  
• Practice the shot first - decide on the shot (one fourth, half, or three fourth). Tighten the left arm; make sure the alive grip is ready; make a full cock and
  
• Turn around (to the finish position) let the club hit the ball by the forward motion of the body.
• Imagine the "result" not the technique.
• Do not forget the ice cream scooping motion (see chipping section also) which will prevent skulling or chilli dipping mistakes.
  

A lot of practice is still needed to get to know the distances between the clubs and the trajectories. So practice and measure, practice and measure, practice and measure.

One very important thing to remember (same as in chipping and putting) is that the left arm brings back the club but the body brings it forward. Proceed to learn chipping.

Common Denominator: Pitch, Chip, and Putt

There is a common basic swing technique between the pitch, the chip and the putt. (This is true for full swings too) This common technique is the essence of chipping - without knowing this, you will never be able to fly your chipping softly or make them run at will. What I am saying here is even though they are the same for all the three, chipping is really where you know you cannot get around without it. Once learned, you will know how crucial this technique is. The test to know for sure that you have learned the technique is when you are capable of the chip-lob shot. This chip is the one where the club head passes under the ball before it (the ball) can come down.

Essentially, this technique follows one rule (this was mentioned somewhere else): the backswing is the left hand, the forward swing is the body turning around. In short, the hit is always done with the body - always, no exception. The motion of the backswing is like a reverse scooping of ice cream by the right hand (remember the left hand is the prime mover). The forward swing is like scooping the ice cream forward and throwing (with the body and arms) the ice cream (ball) to the target spot. This ice cream scooping motion makes it easy to come back to the ball without skulling it (or chilli dipping).

To learn this easier, start with the pitching section first of this blog. Try to learn how the technique is done in pitching. One learned, then go to the chipping section. Last is the putting section.

Note: this topic is huge and I am not done yet explaining the whole thing. This will include update of the other sections - pitches, chips and putting.

After a long lay-off, Disaster!

Well living in the northeast USA one has to contend with laying off the club for a few months. It a good thing that I can afford to travel down to Orlando with the family and enjoy (not true) golf in between trips accompanying the grandkids to the, what else, Disney World.

What a disaster! I thought I know the secret of golf already - the knees - but after a long lay-off, the muscle memory is no memory no more! Military golf takes over - left right, left right...

It is wonderful that I started this blog. Now I have to use it myself and read again what I have written so my body will replenish the muscle memory banks again. Golf is indeed a journey, an annual journey in my case.

Upon reading the whole blog again and comparing my recollections of my latest adventure in golf, the number one culprit that destroyed my game is probably the left hand and left arm losing the golf muscles built in by last year's constant golf. The winter months have weakened my left arm and left wrist to point that my right hand was taking over in the grip, the hit, almost everything. Lucky you lefties (playing rightie golf), winter months must be your recuperation months while us righties degrades. I hope God remembers and balances this out somehow.

Holy Grail of Golf

The holy grail of golf is something like the holy communion of the catholics. Holy communion with the catholics means one has to go to confession first before one can go and partake of the holy communion. One needs to be cleanse of sins and be worthy to receive the host - or holy communion. Without the preparation and worthiness, the communion or the host cannot be taken. Same thing for the holy grail of golf, one cannot partake if one is not prepared to receive it.

So what is really the holy grail of golf? Is it the knees that Hogan once mentioned was his secret? Maybe it is. One can argue a lot about it being the holy grail of golf. But like the real Holy Grail, it may always end up as a big debate. One thing is clear in my golf development is that the knees are really a major factor of my success. However, thinking back and relating to all I know now, I would say that the big secret in golf is learning how to hit the golf ball with the body. This is a concept that is highly debatable and it so vauge to be an end by itself. So, although I know it is not, I will say that we should stick with the knees for now as the holy grail of golf. But for those who really are looking for the occult, try sifting through my blog and feel the commonality of all.

The Knees and why they are important

Now that we have intentionally forgotten the mechanics of the golf swing, it is time to concentrate on the next level, the knees. What do you really do with the knees? Why are they important?

First, in our journey, and I hope you are with me now, we intentionally have forgotten the "how to" of the golf swing. It has been said that the ultimate in the perfection of skill is the absence of awareness of how one's skill is executed. At this stage of my golf skill development, I have not fully forgotten the "how to's" but have expoused the active involvement of the knees. Somebody said that the knees are the secret of Ben Hogan. If Hogan at his prime still thinks of the knees, then I intend to do the same. Now that I employ the knees, I would say that I have arrived! My golf quest is done, I have found the Holy Grail of golf!

Having said that, what do I mean by the knees? Well now I just imagine that I hit the ball with my knees. In my mind, when executing the golf swing, there is a connection of the ball and the knees.

At the setup and while the my eyes are focused on the "entire" ball, I start my swing with the forward press of the right knee. In my mind my right knee squeezes the ball. The forward press can be a real bending of the knee to the left but now I just feel my right leg muscles tightening up. This forward press can be a personal preference and may be ommited if desired. As for me, without it, I cannot consistently start the golf swing the same way. One has to experiment and find out himself.

Immediately after the forward press, the left knee takes over. In my mind, I find my left knee sliding left to right across the ball and as far as my knees can do it. I firmly believe that in golf, a full turn and a full cock is extremelly important. Depending on the degree, in the absence of a full turn, a shank can happen, shots are not caught flush on the club face, and ball direction strays to the right. By sliding the right knee to the right, it pulls the left waist in, ultimately the left shoulder in, the left hand cocks the club, and so forth. That is how important that left knee slide is. So without the left knee going to the right as much as possible, the other body parts are restricted and the golf swing suffers.

After the left knee sets you up to the top, the right knee takes over. Still looking at the entire ball, slide the right knee from right to left across the ball. Like the left knee, you can do this a far as you want. The sliding of the right knee ensures that you end up in the reverse-C position. With this move, it guarrantees that you will not end up with the weight falling backwards. You will look like a pro. The sliding right knee, most importantly, straightens your ball flight - for without it, you may tend to go around the ball which will cause a pull or a hook.

Now that you know the mechanics of the knees, you can use it to limber up before your first shot of the day. With the knees, start swinging the driver back and forth, left knee, right knee, again, again - longer and longer until you have fully flexed the muscles. By the way, you will notice that by doing this, your club and arms have followed a pattern. Hogan calls this the golf plane!

Equipment Evaluation

Now that I have achieved consistency, maximizing the distance is now necessary. It is time to evaluate my equipment.

By the way, I use to have two offset clubs in my bag, the fairway 3 and 5 woods. Whenever I have a nice hit with these two clubs, I have the strangest feeling that the ball stayed with clubface for a split second. I can feel the weight of the ball on the clubface! I think this is due to the offset feature of the club. Therefore, I was inclined to buy, the offset Hogan BH-5 irons. I like the weight of these clubs when I tried it at the beginnng of the season.

I have gone to EBAY and bought all the clubs. Now I have the Hogan BH-5 irons, all offset. I love these irons. I wish they make similar wedges (I still have my 60, 56, 52 Titleist).

As to the woods, I bought offset 5, 7 and a driver - all from King Cobra Golf. My putter is a special Callaway. I did try the rescue woods but really did not like them. I, however, love my offset 5 and 7 woods.

At this point, I am very happy with my equipment. I can now cover the 150 - 180 yards range with my 5 and 7 woods. My driver is good but I am still stuck with my 200-yard carry with it - I would love to add more distance so I am still shopping. And my Titleist wedges - I can play with them but I still do not have the confidence. They are a little heavy for me and the grips are a tad thick.

I would like to add that going to the offsets widened the fairways for me. Now I know that my shots only will either be straight or they will go left - not right (especially the driver). I can now aim more to the right of the fairway without fear of losing the ball to the right side.

The Evolution of the Golf Swing

Learning golf is a journey. Learning the all the techniques at the same time is an impossibility. This will explain why in the beginning, the instruction for the golf swing carried detailed techniques, e.g., swing plane, waiter plate, etc., but later on it became much simpler, e.g., Tiger Woods technique. Why then should I not update my earlier instruction? Which then should the reader follow?

I had this dilemna too but thinking this out carefully, I came into the conclusion that what I learned previously must also be essential. Before I was focused on learning the plane, how the left hip is very important, and so on. Now I don't even think about it. I just do what I said about Tiger Woods, lift the club up and turn around to a picture-perfect finish. But I don't think I could reach this point if I did not start from the basics - which now became ingrained as muscle-memory.

So if you readers find some inconsistencies from the start to the end part of this blog - that is essential and part of the journey - the search of the perfect golf swing. This is what is missing in most of the golf instructions and maybe this is the key to learning how to play golf. Everybody is so focused on finding a secret but all along, the secret is the search or the journey, rather than a technique itself. Most golf instruction books will mention this subtly, e.g.,:

• "I practice the mechanics in the golf driving range, then forget it in the course".
• "Muscle memory."
• "I do not conciously remember what I hit the ball with, left hand or right hand."
• "At the beginning of the golf season, I go to my golf professional to remember the basics again."

Remember, all these instructions are saying that after learning the techniques, the ultimate golf instruction, is to "forget all of them" when playing!

One Chip One Putt

Chipping, as far as I am concerned, includes every shot excuted around the green - except sand play. It should be executed by muscle memory. The chipping thought should be the "ball flying with the desired trajectory into the desired landing spot and rolling in the hole."

The procedure should be (very similar to putting):

• Visualize the shot needed and where the ball should land.
• Perform some practice chips but remember to think result - not how to do it. Remember that the forward press starts the swing and the left hand and arm sets the trajectory. A higher trajectory requires a sharp upswing by the left hand. The forward swing is done by muscle memory - usually just the shoulders in very short chips but may include the body on longer ones. The key here is, it should be automatic - the body doing it without any thinking.
  
• With an open stance, repeat the practice swing for the real shot.
  

Skill progression - left wrist, Tiger Woods, Hogan's secret

The left wrist, as it turns out, is the beginning of all things in golf, whether it is swinging, pitching, chipping or putting. It is, therefore, important to always keep in mind its function. Its purpose is to bring back the putter or club so that it can bounce back like one falling with bungie cord. It stretches the club or putter so that the body, in turn, catches and brings it back - like a flail, or like a fly-fishing with the lure bouncing back. Remember, left arm rhythmically brings the club or putter back, the body, in turn, catches it and bounces it forward.

The main application of the left wrist is the active cocking of the club on full swings. Remember that it does not pronate - the only action of the cocking wrist is the up motion. Again, I cannot over emphasize it enough, it does not hit - the turning body does that. Apply this to putting, chipping, pitching, full swings, everything.

As our skill progresses, be prepared to intentionally forget what you have learned and go on to the next level. After the firm left wrist above, the skill to learn next is the Tiger Woods method.

The turning body is different depending upon the level of golf skill already acquired. It could start simply as turning around the body or can be a two-part downswing like Tiger Woods. Have you seen him whack his drives - no smooth form at all? This shows exactly what he does on his downswing - a two-piece downswing. First, he moves his weight to the left, then turns his shoulders violently (when distance is needed) to hit the ball. So in other words, one can start simple and eventually graduate to the Tiger Woods way. By the way, as an observation, I think the turning of the shoulders (along the plane) promotes the accuracy and consistency as it throws and makes the clubface stay longer along the target line.

From left wrist to Tiger Woods... The ultimate, it is believed, is when everything is forgotten. However, for now we will progress after the Tiger Woods shoulder shot and start on the left knee and right knee hit.

It has been said that Hogan's secret is the right knee. We will stick to that at this stage of our development. At this stage, the swing should be: after the right knee forward press, perform the backswing with the left knee; then the hit the ball with the right knee. Simple.

For the first time in my 30 plus years of playing golf, this is only the time I can say that I now play golf without thinking. What a wonderful achievment! Full muscle memory is still not the case but I ain't complaining! The process as it stands now is:

• As usual the pre-shot routine is done - aiming at target, remembering a spot (or aligning the ball when on the tee), feeling the "alive" grip.
• Set up in front of the ball and align the body parallel to the target line.
• Look at the ball, the whole ball (not a spot since looking at the whole ball promotes accuracy and consistency).
• Forward press with the right knee.
• Back swing by pointing the left knee to the ball.
• When the feeling is fully set, fire the right knee towards the ball.
• Finish with a full C posture.
  

Bunker Shots

Rounding up the golf skill necessitates an intimacy with the sand as it is usual to meet them in the course of a golf game.

So what really is the "Alive" Grip?

I have used this term "alive" all throughout this blog. It is so important to me (although I only rate it as a G-8) that I cannot play well without it. With the short irons, if I forget to employ it, a resultant shank painfully reminds me immediately. To me, it is a feeling that the club is taut and ready to pounce like a cobra. So what is it?

When I use my right two middle fingers as a fulcrum to perfectly balance the club between the force excerted by the pad of the left hand and the weight of the club head, that is the description of the state of being "alive". The grip is alive when the right hand is employed this way and that state of perfect balance is achieved.

Imagine a see-saw when thinking about the alive grip. If only one person is on the see-saw, it is not alive. But if two persons are on it, the see-saw, becomes alive. Put this analogy on you hold the golf club. If you leave it dangling from your grip, it is hard to impart the force of the body to the club head. However, if you balance the club, by pushing down on the left pad of the hand with the right two fingers supporting the club, any force excerted by the body is easily transferred to the hands and the club head. And the other way is true too. Hitting the ball will not tend to twist the club head since it is dynamically attached to the body. This is what I mean by an "alive" grip.