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.

The Golf Swing Simplified or the Tiger Woods Way

I have always believe from that start that Tiger Woods cannot not be long and consistent at the same time without him simplifying the swing. I have watched him a lot of times and he seems to be just like a machine - no extra moves. He just goes up, down, and done!

After a long quest, I believe I know what he is doing - and it a very simplified swing. He does not hit with the hands. He hits by turning his body around! So all he does is bring the club up and turns around to a C-finish, letting the body drag the arms and the club back to the ball and through.

You may have different swing thoughts or techniques as long as you "hit" with the body. Here is how I do it at the moment. Depending of the evolution of my swing, this may change. However, right now, here it is:

1. I set up the regular way, making sure the "alive" grip is employed.
2. Waggle.
3. Forward press with my right knee and immediately lift the club with the right hand. For a higher trajectory (irons, especially the long irons), I lift the club abruptly with the two middle fingers of the right hand (pronounced cocking). Doing this with the woods encourages a draw or hook. For the driver and fairway woods, I rely on the jammed-up grip which ensures a little push or a very light fade. The jammed grip ensures a consistent direction.
4. At the top, the down swing is started (and hit) with the body returning to the C-position (picture-perfect position). Please see the topic about the left wrist as it is an detailed extention of this. I sort of learned this after writing this section.

There is no thinking involved. The set-up takes care of aiming and the club grip takes care of the trajectory - pure target golf.

Why do I do a forward press (read the muscle memory section also)? I find that the essential swing thought or technique, which is the left hip starting and bringing the club up in the upswing - I cannot keep up thinking about it throughout the game (18 holes). I lose it, especially, when the adrenaline goes up in competition. With the forward press, my mind is empty - the muscle memeory takes over.

Rating of this Tiger body-turn hit is G-10.

How important are all these tips? The G-ratings.

I has dawned on my that we have all read books in golf and took up some of the golf tips that we read. But one thing has been missing and I realized it as I write my golf observations. Nobody has rated the importance of the golf tips. This said, I will try to rate my advice as I write them so that you and me can remember what is important and what is not. Let us give it a 10 point system.

Rating 10 must be the most important one. Rating 10 must always be part of the swing. Without it, the golf swing cannot be a perfect swing. One that comes to mind that is 10 is the right knee staying perpendicular to the target line. It can never bend (or sway), else the direction of the ball is like crap shoot - not consistent at all.

Rating 1 must be a nice to know golf tip. Nice but one can even not use it and still one can execute a perfect golf swing.

Let us leave the in between ratings for now.

Muscle Memory

It is a necessity to commit to muscle memory all the techniques learned. It is not enough to know them and think about them when executing a golf swing - it is a necessity to forget them! The ultimate phase of the perfect golf swing is executing them automatically - letting muscle memory do the work. When in the golf course and playing golf, the golf mechanics must not be brought with you. Instead, one must be enjoying the game, playing the course, thinking about how the ball will carress the wind and grab the ground. No thoughts of golf swing mechanics should cloud the mind.

In order to accomplish this, one must practice, practice, practice. Practice the body as well as the mind. And, take heed that muscle memory is important. If not ingrained, during competition or any time of stress, the lack of it (muscle memory) will haunt you.

It is easy to say muscle memory but almost impossible to execute. In my case, I found I cannot do it. I am a target golfer. I will set up, follow my routine, and fire. This works for me and I doubt if I will ever be able to change. Sorry to say that I cannot follow what I preach. Lots of luck to you who can.

In order for my technique to become more or less like muscle memory, I rely on a forward press (G-8) of my right knee to start the swing. With the forward press, I was able to forget the mechanics of the upswing. Of course, this works best with the extreme alive grip (G-8).

The Grip

Golf instruction books have always taught that the grip pressure is mild and like holding a live bird. I find that this is not true for me whenever I play my best golf.

In order to eliminate extra unnecessary movements (enemy of consistency) of the club, it is desirable to make the two hands act like one. In my case, I jam - with a lot of pressure - the right two middle fingers against the fingers of the left hand and hold the club a little firmer - enough to suffocate a bird.

The other basic grip techniques follow the usual golf instructions. I like Hogan's.

It should be noted that at times the above grip pressure is important but at times concentrating on other contrasting move is better. For example, if you want a long iron (the ball), e.g. four iron, to come out jumping (with higher trajectory) at impact, then it is important to cock the club more. In this case, the right hand cannot be jammed to the left hand since you need it (the two middle fingers) to immediately lift the club after the forward press. This example happens a lot so one must be aware of it. Read the "Evolution of a Golf Swing" to be aware of other things.

At the moment, I use the jammed grip with my driver and fairway woods. The quick-cock grip with all the irons, especially the 4 and 5.

Ever since I have written this though, I have realized that a compromise between the two techniques above is the best and only type of grip that must be used. I am even giving this a rating of G-10, same as the fixed right knee/leg.

Here is how the new grip is executed in detail and why it is very important to do it this way (G-10):

1. As a part of the set-up routine, lay the club face behind the ball.
2. Assume your normal grip.
3. Now focus on the right hand. Wrap the fingers around the club. Feel the right palm snugly rests on the left thumb and adjust until it feels snug and right.
4. Now focus on the left hand. As the right hand craddles the club shaft, check for the "alive" club by gently pushing down with the left hand pad against he two right hand fingers. The club shaft at this point should be almost at a right angle with the arms.
5. With the right hand, adjust minutely the club face to the target line before starting the waggle.

Here is why this grip is so important. First, by setting the left arm as the last focus, we have told the brain that the right hand is not in control. It is only acting like a fulcrum (alive grip) and the right forearm muscle is totally disengaged. Second, the left hand being the last brain focus as the controller, the only thing a right-handed golfer (like me) can do is to tighten up the left forearm muscles and just bring the club up with it (nice consistent takeaway). The tightening of the left arm muscle is conducive to the Tiger body-hit technique. Third, the combination of one and two, gives an order to the brain that the only thing to make the ball go is making the body turn faster - which brings the ultimate effect, the clubhead drags along rather than getting ahead of the body.

Why is it better than the two techniques? The grip is still jammed and tight. The L-position (alive club) of the shaft promotes a high trajectory, same as conciously bringing the club up. The bad thing about the "conscious right hand bringing of the club up" is it promotes a right arm hit - rather than the desired body turning hit.

Golf Swing 101 - Details

In line with the objective of using only the big muscles and using simple moves, this is how the swing is to be executed. Essentially, the function of the body or torso (really big muscles) is to bring the club up and down; the left arm is just to stiffen up (brings the club face back to original position); the right hand is to cock the club. I call this Target Golf.

1. Employ an extreme alive grip starting at the address position. The club must be held tout (see grip section) and well balance - almost like an L at address.
2. Firm up the left arm, waggle, execute a forward press with the right knee, and bring the club up with the right hand automatically. In reality, the upswing mechanics, when done consciously is a push of the left hip towards the ball. This motion essentially is the correct movement to bring the club up because it automatically puts the left arm along the plane. In practice though, I found it hard to consciously do this - thus, I have relied on muscle memory which in turn is called and started with the forward press.
3. A positive feeling of the club already cocked and the butt pointing at the ball must be felt at the top.
4. The beginning of the downswing is characterized by the firming of the left arm and grip.
5. The hit or downswing is all the body coming back around - no hand movement at all. The arms and hands are there to just follow the body turning and guide the club head towards the ball.
6. Finish with a picture-perfect golf pose. 14Jul2015: This is essential as it squares back the "fanned" club face back, as well as, scrapes the ground and prevents a fat hit.

The Golf Swing

1. The golf swing is slow deliberate left hip push of the club head until the left arm is aligned to the plane continued by a left arm / shoulder turn along the plane, which centrifugally powers the club-head to a deliberate (two right middle fingers lifting) cock (like a waiter with a tray) at the top of the upswing. The shoulder unwinds to hit the ball on the downswing.
2. Ensure that the correct "Hogan" posture is employed. Make sure that the right leg is locked inward to prevent swaying. The left arm and the club shaft must be like one straight line at address (from the top) but angled (alive fingers) as seen from the side.
3. The right grip must be solid and angled to anticipate the waiter-with-tray position at the top. Plant the other fingers like a glove over the left grip - ala Hogan.
4. Upswing: The upswing is an "extreme" fulcrum method that feels odd and almost unbelievable. The left arm is held straight with the club shaft and at the same time the club is balanced with the two right hand middle fingers as the fulcrum and the left hand pad as the counter weight for the club (really balanced!). Remember that the right grip must be in a strong position, so that the waiter with a tray move can be executed. Start the swing by pushing the left hip towards the club head – sliding it laterally until the left arm is aligned to the plane. Centrifugally and smoothly swing the club head up with the left arm. At the same time, the left pad pushes up the club while the right two fingers assist in the cocking. With a continuous move, cock the club with the right two middle fingers visualizing a tray being brought up along the plane by a waiter. When executed correctly, the feeling of the upper body is like a page of a book flipping back and forth - repetitively! The primary purpose is to create a full shoulder turn and a deliberate, repeating swing.
5. Downswing: While the upswing winds the shoulders like a wheel, the downswing is the reverse, the wheel unwinds and the club, club head is brought to the ball by centrifugal force. This is the Ernie Els swing but may sometimes feel like the Tiger swing. There is no active hit at all. This should make the whole golf swing automatic and repeating!
6. 14Jul2015: Do not forget the picture perfect finish. This move squares back the club face to the target.
7. The same stroke goes for putting, chipping, and pitching – shoulders winds and unwinds back to the target. The alive-grip is very important on non-full swings. In putting, do not forget the left hand cradle grip to prevent fanning the putter.
   

Basic Beliefs

There are certain things that we will believe here as true - without further questioning them:

1. Hogan's plane, the imaginary plane that extends from the neck to the ball, is the key to accuracy and repetition. Further study of this should be done by reading Hogan's books. It is just believed by the author (me) that repetition and accuracy of the golf shot can only be done by knowing of or visualizing the plane during the swing. (04Sep07 - the plane from the neck to the ball is not important. Visualizing it during the swing is a handicap to one's swing improvement.)
   
2. Rhythm is the glue that binds everything. The pieces of the golf swing is practiced consciously (a piece or group at a time) but when in actual play situation, everything is left to the rhythm. The rhythm we espouse here is the rhythm of the wrist in fly-fishing. The shoulder will wind and unwind in the same rhythm as the wrist when casting the lure in fly-fishing. (04Sep07 - Rhythm is better thought of as the twisting and untwisting continuous movement.)
   
3. The use of the big muscles promotes consistency so it will be solely be employed for all golf swing techniques to be developed. Any small muscle technique will not be used nor pursued in the search of the perfect golf swing. (04Sep07 - True then and still true now.)
   
4. Accuracy and consistency is desired above distance. Accuracy first, distance last. If distance is pursued, it will be through better equiptment and/or better physical fitness - never incorporated in the swing technique. (04Sep07 - Not really ideal - distance first is better)
   
5. Simplify, simplify, simplify. The less moves, the better. Cosistency must be the result of simplicity. (04Sep07 - Definitely true)
   

Basic Objective

We can discuss almost every technique here but if we do not even swing and look like a Pro while doing it, we would never be able to swing like a Pro. So that said, the foremost objective always is to develop a swing that looks like a Pro. With the proliferation now of cheap digital cameras, I would say owning one is a must. At the very start, we should get our swing picture taken so that we can have a baseline swing to remember. By studying the baseline swing, we ourselves can figure out what is needed. Of course, one does need not a picture most of the time to know what is wrong with our swing. Even without seeing myself on a picture, I knew my problem is not being able to create a full turn (04Sep07 - Now I can say I can make a full turn. I tried and I succeeded.). I always make the excuse that my body built is just not capable of it. This is baloney.