Back to Richter Body Bounce golf swing!
Preface
My golf quest was precipitated by an incident on August 29, 1998, at Richter Park Golf Course where I unbelievably scored a 78 while playing with my late friend, Dan O'Reilly, and another walk-in couple, Denise and Bill. How I played that day was a total abandonment of my instincts. Now, May 22, 2025, I believe it was the trebuchet or sling effect - not a golf technique - that made it happen. It was actually the total complete continuous golf swing, swung with abandon with the hips turning sending the clubhead like a trebuchet projectile, that made my perfect golf game that very memorable day.
I remember that day at Richter Park, the 2nd par 5 hole, my third shot, I am looking at the ball and inside me I was telling myself, just let go (like I had been doing from the first hole), just let go, don't think how to hit the ball, just hit it and let go. I did and the ball just disappeared and went, but I don't know what happened and how I did it!
Parts of the Golf Swing
It should be understood that the following are details of the mechanics of the swing that explains segments of the swing that are not intended to be remembered and utilized during actual play. In the course, everything should be muscle memory. Mental notes should be focused on three things, BOUNCE, PULL, LOOK.
Setup
ALWAYS start with the mental picture of the PLANE. Then a frozen one-piece upper body with the arms bound like Hogan (RRE). The mental video is the one-piece takeaway turning along the plane with the left wrist cocking the club like a spear.
Right Ribs and Elbow (RRE)
At all times whenever physically practical, the right ribs and right elbow must be fused together. This position and feel are the essences of the golf swing. The right arm is stiff and the right wrist serves as the fulcrum for left grip and club. The left grip controls the club and forms the V (cock) by using the right palm as part of the fulcrum and brings the clubhead up along the shoulders’ plane (ala McIlroy). These are the body parts that are frozen one-piece and pushed around upwards at the takeaway. Make sure the right shoulder is lower, the right elbow is firmly resting the inside most on the abdomen, and the crease (right elbow most important) pointing skyward. They are essential in all swings, e.g., chips, and pitches.
Upswing and Downswing
THE ONLY OBJECTIVE OF THE BACKSWING IS TO CREATE A BOUNCE EFFECT AT THE TOP, WHERE THE TOP IS ANY POSITION THE FULLNESS FEELING IS DEVELOPED.
Set up the clubhead two inches before the ball to facilitate a clawing hit and create a divot.
RRE with right (or both) hand grip almost cocked at address (exaggerate to the leftmost the position of the grip at address to form a V when brought up on the upswing), like a cat ready to strike and both forearms rigid like Hogan suggested.
With the left hand (or combined with the right) in control, using the right wrist as a fulcrum, bring up the club shaft along the plane then TWIST THE SHOULDERS to a one-piece takeaway (visualizing an elongated plane makes it easier to open the hips towards the target) - vigorously thrusting backward (hurl) the club like a spear along the plane to form a V. (Keep the elbow glued to the belly as long as possible). FEEL the BOUNCE.
THE ONLY OBJECTIVE OF THE DOWNSWING IS TO EXPLODE THE V TO THE LOWEST PART OF THE ARC (DIVOT) ENOUGH TO FACILITATE THE TURN OF THE HIPS. The hip turn is the force that hirs the ball.
On the bounce, with the left hand in control, pull the clubhead towards the ball, the weight shift and timely hip turn, pulling the clubhead to return to the ball and “through” - until the picture-perfect finish. This is the PULL mental part..
The left and/or right wrist/s fire/s - at the right time - before the finish of the weight shift. The LOOK part is the picture-perfect pose at the top of the swing when you are looking at the ball going to the target.
By the way, don't dream about getting more distance. Impossible at this point. Just getting a solid hit should be the desired outcome.
Note also that the hip turn prevents the chicken wing fault. It also facilitates the automatic supination mentioned by Hogan that powers the swing.
All the above are right except in actual play. It is hard to remember and execute them all during actual play. Since it is hard, especially for a senior, to remember the golf steps during the actual play, one should PLAY GOLF BY FEEL. Feel bounce. Pull the club. Look at the target.
FURTHER CORRELATION TO HOGAN'S TEACHINGS
On the downswing, the left hand is in control, but the right follow hand may flip over the left hand and become the lead hand at times. This is Hogan's ball underhand throw image in his book.
This imparts the speed that powers the club towards the ball.
It also prevents the chicken wing.
It creates the divot.
The RRE or in Hogan's part of the swing - the tied up feeling (roped arms) - is frozen and firm in order to pull the tip of the V through the ball. It also ensures the grip stays ahead of the club on the downswing.
Billiard Putting
Put it like you are playing pool or billiards. PPP wide backstroke like Lenny but the grip must be low and close to the waist in order to ensure the putter stays square to the target.
There is something beautiful in a stance like this:
Feet close to one another to facilitate automatic turning.
Open the body approximately 45° to the target line and the right forearm is kept parallel to the target line like a billiard stroke.
Amazingly, the putter shaft droops perpendicular to the T-line and so is my left arm (almost)! Since this line is perpendicular to the target line, use it to align the putter to the target.
It feels so good but looks kind of weird seeing both arms triangulate at the grip
2024-09-30: New Grip, Old Putter
The new jumbo grip made a huge difference in the feel.
The right forearm kept parallel to target line.
Left arm prevents chicken wing by cradling grip; forearm almost perpendicular to the target line.
Ball position above left toe. Putter head rests an inch away from the ball to encourage a rolling ball.
Putting move preferably done by rocking the shoulders.
The ball rolls (therefore, straighter) significantly noticeable when the setup is like a “forward press”. The grip resting by the left hip with frozen RRE, the putter bottom resting nicely flat on the ground, forward press, then rock the shoulders to execute the putting motion. Remember the billiard elbow.
Chipping
Use the same technique as putting. RRE and Putang-ina for all, even Pitching.
PITCHES
The waist is open and the stance is as narrow as position in order to prevent duffs.
Extreme frozen RRE. The elbow never leaves it's attachment to the belly at all times. The body does the swinging.
The club is cocked - the distance commensurate to the needed distance.
Putang-ina Pull.
CHIPS
The same as pitching except the club is not cocked.
Distance also depends on the length of the backswing.
Putang-ina Pull
PUTTING
Aiming (optional) - go behind the ball and aim the right foot to the desired target, the line intersecting the ball. Place the putter in between and aim it using the foot and ball for aiming.
Billiard position
Frozen RRE and…
Make a slight forward press, LEFT HAND BRINGS PUTTER BACK, and hit the ball with the shoulders OR RIGHT HAND making sure the elbow ends up in the billiard position. Distance is by feel.