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.