Every Golf Swing’s Three Givens
The golf swing has three givens seen that with arm swing the arms and legs will always coordinate, the arms swing very nicely on the line of the shoulders since they are attached to the shoulders and the shoulders turn only at right angles to the spine.
The golf swing’s three givens have a hidden sequence in them that can work either for you or against you. This sequence can also allow everything to arrive at the top at the same time or everything at different times. If the golfer starts the motion by swinging the club back one is assuring that the arms and legs will coordinate throughout the motion. With continued arm swing the shoulders will be pulled back and now everything will arrive at the top at the same time. Here the upper body is being wound against the resistance of the lower body with all the coil happening at the top of the swing. Now the golfer who has started with arms will automatically start down with the arms in proper sequence with the body and it’s ground forces.
But if the same golfer starts with shoulder turn the club is quickly taken off line. Now the turn is done but the arms have not started yet so they finish by lifting. The shoulders do not wait for the arms so they start down ahead of the arms. Here the golfer is seen as over the top. Now everything is out of sequence and there are no ground forces. However with a close look the shoulders are still at a right angle to the spine and the arms are still on the line of the shoulders it is just that everything is out of sequence.
So how does one sequence up a golf swing? Start with the arms just as they do in all the other sports.
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Golf Swings Downswing Path Golf swings downswing path from the inside can be just as bad as from over the top. What needs to happen is for the path to be determined by each unique golfer’s downswing plane. Any single plane automatically produces an inside out downswing path to impact, where both the face and path are at the target and then an outside in path with the through swing to a finish. This happens even though the base of the incline remains unchanged as it stays aimed at the target. However the clubhead path is always changing on the incline plane. If one takes an incline and then flattens it the base line will remain pointing at the target. But now the path that the club travels on becomes more from the inside coming down and then more left in the through swing. And if one moves the incline …
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Things are not always what they appear to be The language of golf needs to change from trying to capture a look, a position or a favorite golfer to describing what is actually happening in the motion. Things happen for a reason in a golf swing and mostly if one gets overly involved in trying to make them happen the motion ceases to be functional. Here are some notable examples: Keep the left arm straight: well it sure seems that way but in reality the left arm is stretched, not straight. The need for this is that at impact the left shoulder is higher than it is at address and so if the left arms is not stretched one is apt to hit the shot thin. The swinging motion of the club itself will keep the left arm straight just as a weight and string does when swung in a circle. Adding to …
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Sand Wedge Bounce Defined
Posted on November 2, 2014 by Warren Raatz in About Golf, Golf Instruction, Newsletter | No CommentsA new definition of bounce Sand wedge bounce defined with the elements of degree of bounce, sole camber, sole width, and the sole grind, contribute to a perfect fit. These variables are adjusted to match the turf conditions that you are playing, how you want to use the club as well as your angle of attack specific to how you swing the club. Lets take a look at these elements so that we can see how they can contribute to the bounce of any sand wedge and give the golfer a wedge that can both facilitate and offset how one swings the club. Bounce: This is the angle of the bottom of the club or sole, measured from the leading edge while including the other four elements of sole radius, sole camber, sole width and sole grind. Bounce gives this club a resistance to digging as it lifts the club out of the ground not unlike …
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I was watching “On the Range” with Phil Mickelson. Apparently the reason for his great play in the Phoenix Open was due to slight swing adjustments. He was made to turn his shoulders more level in the backswing. By doing this he could capture more width and, in his downswing, post up more easily on his left side. (remember he is left handed.) Ok, as correct as this is, this really doesn’t tell me anything. Let’s look at this more closely. The shoulders can only turn at a right angle to the spine. This means that if the posture is correct, (for the individual and club,) so are the shoulders. However if Phil’s right knee collapses in the backswing he will over swing, for Phil, which will give the appearance of a shoulder tilt due to a shorting of the right side. This leads to a hang back, in the …
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Seeing Vs Reading Putts
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Learn to use the clubface The golf swing has a number one choice to hit the outside the inside or the back of the ball. Each choice has an advantage and a disadvantage that comes with it. Lets start by looking at the objective of any golf swing and that is to hit the ball to a chosen target with a square clubface delivered on a desired path and on an incline plane determined by the lie angle of a club, striking the ball in the center of percussion of the clubface at maximum velocity. But when doing this one can chose to hit the outside part of the ball, the inside or the back of the ball. As long as the face is square to the target or intended target at the moment of separation, (between the ball and the clubface), the ball will end up at the target. There are advantages and …
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Source of Forward Shaft Lean Forward shaft lean in golf swing is made possible from the three power connections of grip to club, arms to body and feet to ground, resulting in body turn, and it is this body turn that creates the shaft lead. You don’t do it. This means that the focus in any golf swing should be to capture and maintain these three power connection rather than trying to lean the shaft at impact. If instead if ones focus is on trying to lean the shaft with the arms, it is done at the expense of these all important connections. Here’s why. The first power connection is grip to club and here one grips the club for impact. The faster the hips are the more the clubface and shoulders are opened at impact. This means that a stronger grip is required to maintain a square clubface for impact. This becomes an important power …
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The Backswing and Downswing Plane do not need to be the Same Over the top with the golf swing is a term that should be redefined. It was said of Brendon de Jonge’s golf swing that he is over the top with the golf swing implying that his swing possesses something wrong and that perhaps this is where golf swings go to die. Ok but it seems to me that we need to ask our self’s what does it mean to be over the top with the golf swing? Yes his downswing plane is definitely over his backswing plane however, golfers do not hit the ball with their backswings. It seems to me that this comment is a perfect example of trying to impose a preferred look on the golf swing. Instead would it not be better if we put the preferred down and embrace that every swing is unique to the individual and …
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The World of Long Driving The long drive championship was hosted by eight incredibly athletic finalists, each one capable of hitting drives upwards of four hundred yards or more. Looking at these swings one can see some rather obvious similarities. The first is that most of them are truly beasts or at least slightly different. Not only are they large and or powerful individuals but all used drivers measuring 48 inches, the maximum allowed creating a wide swing base and prodigiously long drives. All had very strong grips especially with the left hand. This makes since as it gives one more clubface control and allows for use of the legs and hips. However Joe Miller, the linebacker of a golfer, had very much an upper body dominated motion and with slow hips was seen to jump as he delivered his release to the ball. Here is a golfer who uses vertical forces when …
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Getting the club light is only possible from a correct grip Getting the club light in the backswing not only loads the right arm for power but allows any golfer to swing the club back faster and with more control. This light and levered condition can be easily obtained as it is established at address from a correct grip. With a good grip the club is already light as it is already in an up condition and only needs to be swung back. In the picture above we see a most talented junior golfer Austin Shah in perfect posture made possible from the grip. This club is already up at address as seen with the angle formed by the clubshaft and arms. With his grip the heel pad of the left hand is on top, the thumb is slightly on the side of the handle and the wrist joint is on top of the …
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X Factor can be viewed 4 ways Golf swing and the X Factor is a term used to describe the difference in turn angle between the shoulders (upper body) and the hips (pelvis), in the backswing. Added to this is the X Factor Stretch which is an increase in the X Factor at the beginning of the downswing produced by the hips starting down before the shoulders. This new revved up version, referred to as downswing loading, intensifies the coil created in the backswing. OK everything here is completely correct and horrible wrong at the same time. From this definition it is saying that good golf is directly proportional to how much differential one can achieve between the upper and lower body. And also from this, every golfer is obligated to start the downswing from the hips, that you as a golfer must actively be involved in doing this or one will suffer the consequence …
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Every Club is Toe Weighted Clubhead weighting facilitates fades and draws as all clubs from driver to wedge are toe heavy allowing any club to be released or to held off as dictated by the path. The following picture, with Brian Yamamoto, shows how the toe of the club naturally hangs down when held out in front. A toe weighted club when swung in to out releases quiet easily as it is trying to fly off on a tangent. The only reason it doesn’t do this is from the inward pull of the body turn. This is how one can arrive at hitting a draw, a shot that goes from right to left. With this the ball will go further but at the sacrifice of some amount of control. With the next picture we see Brian demonstrating a perfect draw release. Opposite to this is a shot that is swung more out to in relative to the clubface. This …
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For Every Effect There is a Cause Golf swing cause and effects are born out a most cherished principle in physics that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, called conservation of energy. This fundamental law can be seen in all aspects or our lives from the heat one uses to make a pot of coffee, the gas put in our cars to make them run, the food one eats to keep oneself moving, the orbit that the earth takes around the sun and when one makes a golf swing. The principal of conservation of energy has been validated many time over by scientist, however it was put on very firm ground some 100 years ago from a German mathematician by the name of Emmy Noether, who observed that all conservation laws are based on symmetries of nature. Physical laws can be perfectly symmetrical. Example: the passage of time does not change the laws of nature for if one were to …
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Indoor Simulators and Wedge Play Indoor simulators with wedge play gives all golfers an environment to calibrate distance control by how much one grips down, narrows and opens the stance. Lets begin with a review on wedge play to see how how one can both guarantee success and give versatility by using the four absolutes of pitching. The first is to aim the face at the target as this determines where the ball goes. Next, make sure to point the clubshaft at a center line formed by the belly button and sternum as this maintains the clubface and bounce. (Remember bounce gives this club a resistance to digging.) The arms swing very nicely on the line of the shoulders and finally distance is controlled by how much one grips down narrows and drops either the right or left foot back. Here is how this works: Gripping down on the lever shortens the shot and gives one more control over the club …
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The Posture is Adjusted to Match the Clubshaft Golf swing distance Vs direction requiring only a simple adjustment with the posture as the club changes from short and steep to long and flat. This posture change will allow any golfer to easily move from one club to the next or from the two extremes of wedge to driver, this done without any concern on the part of the golfer to modify the swing so as to make the club work. Here’s how. From Wedge to Driver the clubshaft progressively changes from very short and upright to longer and flatter. When short it will swing more straight back and through and when longer it will swing more around. As the shaft becomes shorter the posture will become more bent over with the torso or more lowered down from the knees and hips, done to ideally get the clubshaft at right angles to the spine at address. The longer …
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Thank you for visiting! If you'd like check out my book: The Journey of Golf. See how the ball club and the individual have determined the golf swing. Here is a quick synopsis: Throughout its long history the golf swing has always been influenced by the technologies of the day. In the 19th century with the feathery golf ball and longnose clubs old Tom Morris played shots on the ground using a flat roundhouse swing. With the advent of the Gutta Percha ball and more upright clubs, Harry Vardon played shots in the air using a new grip and posture. Tiger Woods superb power swing of today is made possible by the modern golf ball and clubs. The journey of golf traces the history of the interaction between the golf swing, technology and course design and shows how every great golfer from Harry Vardon to Byron Nelson and Ben …
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Face Determines the Path Cure for the slice in the golf swing is from a clubface and path that produces a draw found from a correct setup and swinging motion seen as in to out path. But anytime the face is opened unnecessarily, either in the setup or swinging motion, the path will have to be out to in so as to square the face at impact. This out to in path with an open clubface is the source of any slice. The fix is to return to having a clubface, one that necessitates an in to out path. And with this clubface one can also relearn to release the club and use the lower body resulting in a draw. Here is a simple drill that reverses an out to in path to one that is more in to out. This drill also changes the need for holding off the face to releasing it, a move that puts the legs back …
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Jordan Spieth’s Hit Hold Move Jordan Spieth’s hit hold move is considered by many to be a secret move, one that gives him an advantage over the field. Lets take a look at his swing in slow motion to see what is happening. The first thing one can see is that he does not have a straight left arm at the top. And it is not straight coming down, into the ball or afterwards. This shows how the golf swing is based on momentum rather than through positions. With his dominate hand, the right, he is getting the right arm as long as possible through the shot. With the right arm fold at the top of the backswing it straightens down to the point where both arms are straight. This is the point of release and it is past the ball as the body is somewhat open. It is also …
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Swing Plane vs Path The purpose of this post is to show that swing plane and path are not the same thing and that it is very important for the development of golf to be able to seperate the two. Ever wonder why golf tournaments mostly show shots down the line. We don’t see many frontal or caddie views. This perspective does put the target in view which allows one to be more involved in the shot, but there might be another reason and that is we love to see the golf swing in terms of plane and not path. It is much easier to see swing plane anyway and we find this very pleasing to the eye. That is until we encounter a Jim Furyk a John Daley or Ryan Moore. How is it that these swings work at all? Here is how: Purpose of Swing Plane The reason we swing the club on …
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Two Things Control the Clubface in the Golf Swing Controlling the clubface in the Golf Swing is easily achieved from having a correct grip and by keeping the elbows down throughout the motion. A neutral grip can be found by letting the arms hang from the golf posture as the wrist joint of the left hand will automatically line up with the elbow and shoulder joint. Putting the left hand on the club in this position, relative to a square clubface, means that when centrifugal force pulls the club out the face will remain square at impact as these three joints line up. We grip the club for impact. But as shown by Sayaka Carpenter in the follow picture, the more open the hips are at impact the more the shoulders and clubface are opened and so this player will require a stronger left hand grip, or more on top, so as to maintain …
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How to fix the golf swing The logical way to fix the golf swing is to fix what controls the motion found between the two positions of address and finish. The first position of address is our starting position composed of the five elements of setup. We set up for success. The second position of finish is at the completion of the swing where we are posted on our left side facing the target and in balance. Between these two positions is a golf swing and since we are swinging the club, all can agree that the only part of the body in position to swing the club are the arms. That being the case it makes sense that the study or correction of the swing should start with the arms. Said another way, as soon as the arms do their job the body will do its job. So what do the arms do in a golf swing? …
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The Four Dimensions of Height, Width, Depth and Sequence Golf swing and its four dimensions is a measure of its direction with height, width, depth and then how these directions are sequenced born out of a correct setup. Each direction or dimension needs to occur at the correct time and amounts according to body type, facilitated or offset by stance, posture, grip, ball position and aim & alignment. The direction or dimension of width in the backswing is a result of arm swing for when the right arm folds, it shortens allowing the left arm travels to the right as far as it can. As the left arm folds in the through swing the opposite occurs now with the right arm traveling as far as it can as the left arm shortens. The following pictures show the effect of arm swing. Height is caused by the torso tilt at address. This can be easily demonstrated by swinging …
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What it means to release the club Releasing the club in the golf swing is no different than it is in any other sport. Looking at the basketball player the athlete first hinges the right wrist back while cocking and loading the right arm putting everything in position to release to the target. Once the arm has loaded it simply straightens to the target with the wrist going to flat or past. When the pitcher throws the ball the arm is loaded and then straightens from the word go. Both of these players are releasing to the target with neither trying to delay the release. But with the pitcher there is a rotation from the body and because of this there is an appearance of a delay due to an inward pulling from the legs and hips. Now the harder the ball is thrown the faster the body rotates …
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Having the Body Involved Means legs and Hips Getting more body in the golf swing can be achieved in two ways. The first is from more turn and the second is from coil. Most golfers store energy in their backswing by creating a coil. Here they are winding the upper body against the resistance of the lower body usually through arm swing. Coiling is actually achieved from reduced turning. This can be seen by tying one end of a coil down and then turn it. Because on end is tied down it will store energy but it will also have less turn than if the end was not tied down. For most individuals the shoulders can only turn about 45 degrees relative to the hips. The reason golfers have 90 of shoulder turn is from the additional turn of the lower which is usually also about 45 degrees. But if the golfer …
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Junior Golf Swing Requirements Junior golf swing requirements are quite similar to any adult swing in that they both gain momentum from the ground up by using the chain reaction of legs, hips, shoulders and arms through strength, flexibility and balance. Both adult and juniors create coil by getting the upper body wound against the resistance of the lower body through arm swing. But since juniors can be very flexible the focus for them should shift from achieving some degree turn to capturing some degree of coil . This does not mean that they don’t get turned but rather what they need to prioritize in their swing is coil. This is achieved but first squaring the feet and then having the youngster do nothing as they swing the club back. They will still get turned but now they have the ability to create coil. In all golf swings it is all about achieving a balance, that is why one either …
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There are Two Ways to Look at Impact With the Golf Swing The golf swing has two views of impact with the first being an almost instantaneous club to ball event of some 50 milliseconds . With this view one can see that there is very little time for any personal involvement by the golfer in controlling the shot. Now the sum total of an entire round of golf is less than a few seconds! But with new technologies many important events can be easily revealed and measured within this brief moment of time. Simulators offer a most comprehensive and accurate club-and-ball tracking. A few degrees can mean the difference between hitting a fairway or green or can impart a desired fade or draw. Here shot distance is measured, how far the ball has traveled. Carry distance is the distance the ball flew in the air. Club head speed is the speed at which the …
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Golf Swing Tempo Golf swing tempo. As golfers we can all appreciate the effortless unhurried power found in the swings of an Ernie Els or a Phil Mickelson. How do these golfers acquire this perfect tempo even when hitting a 300 yard drive? The answer is that they swing the club and they swing it at their natural tempo. This is good news because if this is the case, what they are doing is incredible easy to do quite simple and requires absolutely no effort on the part of the golfer to do it. Let’s start by going to the dictionary and looking at the definition of the word Swing. Here it defines the word swing as: unrestricted uninterrupted continuous backward and forward motion. Now comes the easy part. The only part of the body in position to swing the club are the arms and since they are attached to …
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Golf Swing Posture
Posted on September 2, 2013 by Warren Raatz in About Golf, Golf Instruction, Newsletter, Swing Analysis | No CommentsThe Postural Release Golf swing posture is created by bending backwards from the knees and forwards from the hips same time and same amount thus lowering down to the ball at setup. This lowering down puts the body in a balanced athletic position and makes room for arm swing. Ideally it puts the club shaft at a right angle to the spine and since the shoulders are always at a right angle to the spine they will now help deliver the arm swing back to the ball. But all too often I hear the advice that one should stay in your posture when clearly such is not the case! If we look closely at any golfer at the finish of their swing they have all lost this forward bend from the hips. This means that it must be very important to actually come out of your posture when hitting a ball. Technically …
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Keep The Club Front And Center Keep the golf club in front of you: a statement of extreme importance in every golf swing. Having the club front and center means that everything is happening between the lines of the right and left shoulders from address to finish. Here the arms are swinging on the line of the shoulders, the elbows are pointing down throughout the motion, the clubshaft is staying between the left and right forearms and the upper body is staying on top of the lower body. The arms swing very nicely on the line of the shoulders as they are attached to the shoulders. Doing this allows the club to swing on plane and since the arms are swinging the legs automatically coordinate. Having the elbows point down throughout the motion keeps the clubface square and on plane, opening to a neutral position as the right arm folds in the backswing and closing to a …
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Swing Simulators
Posted on January 26, 2014 by Warren Raatz in About Golf, Golf Instruction, Newsletter, Swing Analysis | No CommentsWinter Practice with Swing Simulators This artical is to bring to light the value of using the indoor swing simulators to effect a rapid change with one's golf swing. We have all witnessed the golfer who takes a perfect practice swing but then for some unseen reason when stepping to the ball displays some parody of what was once a perfect golf swing. How it is that such a small round object is capable of invoking such havoc?! The difference is that without the ball there are no consequences and so one is free to swing the club in a manner that is the most natural way one’s mind and body is meant to swing. Here the motion is relaxed, efficient and with perfect tempo. But when that same golfer is attempting impact they are now hitting a ball that demands results and with results a survival mechanism kicks in, which …
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Golf Swing Connection
Posted on February 16, 2014 by Warren Raatz in About Golf, Golf Instruction, Newsletter | No CommentsGolf Swing Connection Leads to Power and Direction Connection in the golf swing is a very important ingredient for both power and direction. When connection is looked at in terms of power it is the three connections of grip to club, arms to body and feet to ground and with these any golfer can utilize their individual ground forces of either, linear, rotary or vertical. When looked at in terms of direction it is the ability to keep the club in what is referred to as front and center. Here the golfer has the arms in front of the body, the elbows are down throughout the motion and the clubshaft between the forearms. With this relationship the face is square the club cam be easily swung on plane and the need to catch the arms up to the body or the body up to the arms to impact is eliminated. …
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How Golf Swings Miss the Shot Give Four Possibilities How golf swings miss the shot can be from hitting off the toe of the club or from off the heel and with both of these the path can be from inside out or from outside in. This gives every golfer four possible ball flights. This also means that if one understands these misses it is now quite easy to fix the problem. If one hits the ball off of the toe of the club and the ball goes left, this is from the body stopping and the arms wrapping. This club is coming from inside to inside. But this shot is mostly accused of being over the top as it is seen as going left. We can hear this all the time on TV “well Nick, he really pulled that one left”. It’s not a pull it’s an arm wrap and the …
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Every Golfer has a Postural Release Ground reaction forces in golf swing, vertical and rotary are seen as coming out of posture, one’s spine tilt and allowing the head to come up to a finish. But all too often advice is given to the contrary on all three accounts and anytime one does try to stay in posture or spine tilt or keep the head down these forces are immediately reduced or completely eliminated. Lets look at each one of these separately so one can see what is really going on starting with the posture. At address posture is created by bending backwards from the knees and forwards from the hips at the same time and same amount. By doing this one lowers down ideally placing the clubshaft at a right angle to the spine and into a balanced athletic position. From this starting position every golfer losses this forward tilt from the torso so as …