Swings that are overly straight

[cypressperch]

First, I know that I will come across as a know-it-all to some out there. I participated in the Golf Digest instruction forum for years, but for whatever reason, it was terminated. My computer has been stored for months while my wife and I moved back to Louisiana. I was told by a lot of people that I had helped their games, and I got a kick out of doing that and hearing that. It is just by accident that I have found this Shot Talk place, and I hope you guys do not mind if I attempt to help those who might be in need. I am trying to help. I have been at this game almost 50 years, and during that time I have developed almost every problem thinkable and worked out of them. I have read a lot on golf, and a lot of what I write is from having read about and researched different aspects of the game and then applied them. No, I never made the Tour, but at 60, my index is 4 and falling. But I am one of those who probably does teach better than I do. (Someone one said, "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." I was a teacher and a coach for thirty years, but I have to admit, that there is some truth in that saying.) And yes, I do ramble, and I need to get to a point. Got the ol' Mad Cow. Bad stuff.

My favorite expert on the swing is John Jacobs. One of the points he makes that I find very true is that in our attempt to hit the ball straight, many who take up golf try to get their clubface to square up on the target line very early and then keep in there too long. The result is an overly straight swing path. Actually, their goal is seldom achieved, and the real result is often a glancing blow often with an open clubface producing a slice. The slice is certainly the most common error with beginning golfers, and the attempt to produce an overly straight clubhead path is a major producer of slices.

Golf is full of contradictions. The most obvious is probably that if you want to hit the ball far and straight you should loosen up and swing more easily. Likewise, if you want to hit the ball straight, your club head will follow a rounded path. Indeed, there is a flattened area as the club face gets square to the line, impacts the ball, and continues on line through the ball. But that flattened area is not nearly as long as some would think. Though it has that flattened area, the path made by the clubhead is far more circular than straight.

Trying to produce a straight clubhead path is a very unnatural action physically. It usually ends up with the golfer having to manipulate the club so much that swinging freely and forcefully is impossible.

One should stay "connected" during the swing. Connection is having the arms synchronized to the trunk of the body during the swing. Vjay's "head covers in the armpits" drill insures connection. If the arms stray away from the body, the covers fall. Keeping the elbows close together, as Hogan advised, helps to accomplish connection.

If we maintain connection and then coil our shoulders on the back-swing until our back faces the target, the club face will automatically and naturally open up. The clubhead will move on the target line and then come inside the target line, as it should, and this will be automatic.

So, as we coil back, the arms move to the right and then up. Coming down, the arms will start to come down when the the back is still facing the target. (Let me say at this point, that the last statement I wrote is perhaps the most important idea in all of this. STARTING THE ARMS DOWN WHILE THE BACK IS STILL FACING THE TARGET ALLOWS YOU TO GET THE CLUB IN POSITION TO ATTACK THE BALL FROM THE INSIDE. IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS, YOU GO OVER THE TOP, COME OUTSIDE TO INSIDE AT TOO STEEP AN ATTACK ANGLE, AND HIT A SLICE. IF YOU MANAGE TO SQUARE THE CLUBFACE TO THE BALL, YOU HIT A SOLID PULL. So start the arms down with the back still facing the target. Do not be in a hurry to get back to the ball or you will not be bringing the arms down first. As the shoulders uncoil, if you stay connected, the club face will naturally close until it is square to the target line.

Thinking about swinging through the ball is enough to flatten out the bottom of your swing. But please remember this. It is a very small fraction of a second that the ball is on the clubface. It is gone almost as soon as it is hit. There is nothing you can do to change its course. So let the clubhead come inside the target line as a Natural response to the rotating shoulders. Accelerate through impact and come on up to a full finish in which your chest is facing the target. Remember, at the top of the back-swing your back faced the target. At the completion of the swing you are looking at the target.

I have left out the role of the hips. The purpose of this writing is to point out that if allowed to, the shoulder turn will produce the correct clubhead path. That path will be very rounded. But it will get the club face square to the target line and produce straight shots. Since this is a natural swing, you will be able to swing forcefully and with greater confidence. The results will be consistency, accuracy, and plenty of distance.

If any of this does not work for you, I will gladly give you a double your money back refund for any money that I have received. Hope this helps some of you with your game. Sincerely, Cypressperch

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by cypressperch

If any of this does not work for you, I will gladly give you a double your money back refund for any money that I have received. Hope this helps some of you with your game. Sincerely, Cypressperch

CP,

If you feel inclined to lend a hand to a fellow ST'r, go to town. That's really why it's here.

However, you quote confuses me. Are you thinking of charging for your services? If so, I'm not sure that would fly here, even with your credentials. The internet is a haven for opinions and influences. And everyone has one. However, there's not a chance in hell I'm gonna pay for one unless the guy/gal is there with me on the range, telling me what I'm doing wrong. I think this is the concensus around here as well.

I'm not questioning your motives, as a bit of instruction can be worth it's weight in gold if it hits you right. I personally think Pelz is a crackpot but I love Pennicks style. The language fits my mental image of my swing, and therefore I'm a student of his train of thought. Perhaps your words of wisdom could help others and their train of thought.

It's always great to have someone with swing knowledge on board. However, I wouldn't bank on this being a retirement fund because of that.

Cheers CP, and thanks for taking the time to write out your feelings on the swing above. I, for one, appreciate it.

R35

[token_hottie]

Rock I think he was joking... you know, double your money back (since the advice was free)

You been smokin dope again?

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by token_hottie

You been smokin dope again?

Yes, thank you very much, MOTHER!

If that's the case, then so be it. But if it wasn't, just covering bases.

I meant no harm by what I said.

R35

[ezra76]

Holy mackeral, that took me 15minutes to read. Can you take a look a the video I posted? It's under the pictures section.I know I need to turn more and lose the sway. Anything else you can see I'd apprecaite the advice. I also have one slowed down to half speed and I can get it even slower if need be. Just let me know. Thanks a bunch.

[cypressperch]

was certainly a joke. On that other forum, if you offered to help someone, there was always the writer who would say, "Don't listen to CP or any of these other moronic posters. See a pro when you have a problem!"

I would not argue with such advice except that on that particular "Instruction Forum" you would have had no reason for a forum if everyone went to a pro, or if everyone COULD go to a pro, given the cost involved. Also, it may very well be possible that some of us old fartts may have learned as much about the game in fifty or so years as a young professional in maybe less than ten. In fact, I would strongly advise that you find out about a professional you are thinking about using before you start paying out so much money per session. So it is that I got into the habit of putting that line out there about my "guarantee" to let everyone know that it hasn't cost you anything, and a person if totally free to use it or not.

Sincerely, CP

[Bravo]

Well we certainly cannot argue with someone who is highly qualified offering free advice.

Obagain is one of our longtime members here and is in the golf equipment business in Ft. Worth Texas. He has been dispensing equipment advice since we cranked up the site. A valuable resource.

The playing abilties of our members are all across the board here from low single digits all the way up to green novices just starting out.

We welcome your thoughts and ideas...as we pass out free advice to each other every day.

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by cypressperch

was certainly a joke. On that other forum, if you offered to help someone, there was always the writer who would say, "Don't listen to CP or any of these other moronic posters. See a pro when you have a problem!"

I would not argue with such advice except that on that particular "Instruction Forum" you would have had no reason for a forum if everyone went to a pro, or if everyone COULD go to a pro, given the cost involved. Also, it may very well be possible that some of us old fartts may have learned as much about the game in fifty or so years as a young professional in maybe less than ten. In fact, I would strongly advise that you find out about a professional you are thinking about using before you start paying out so much money per session. So it is that I got into the habit of putting that line out there about my "guarantee" to let everyone know that it hasn't cost you anything, and a person if totally free to use it or not.

Sincerely, CP

Perfect CP. This was what I was expecting.

Your longevity in the game should come in handy, just as Bravo highlighted.

R35

[mont86]

Originally Posted by cypressperch

was certainly a joke. On that other forum, if you offered to help someone, there was always the writer who would say, "Don't listen to CP or any of these other moronic posters. See a pro when you have a problem!"

Here we say, Don't listen to R35.

[Bama Duffer]

Welcome aboard, CP. Advice is always welcome here and usually quick to be contradicted.

I agree about Jacobs. I've read many golf books over the last year or two and the one I keep coming back to is Practical Golf. Just a great instruction book.

[Pa Jayhawk]

Originally Posted by mont86

Here we say, Don't listen to R35.

Yeah, and he gets to blame his gullibility in not understanding jokes on trying to look out for the good of the forum. We all thought it was Slings outstanding skills at curving the garbage from the forum. When really they are saying, "Man, I saw that R35 guy going in, prior to posting, what the heck was I thinking?"


Welcome aboard CP

I on the other hand am one of those High Handicappers that likes to think I know more about golf than I probably do, and figure there is always someone out there bad enough that they will find value in what I say.

[Rockford35]

OK.....fine.

From this point in, Mont and Jayhawk are getting all the Spam filtered to their e-mail addresses.

I don't get mad, I get even.



R35

[DaveE]

I know, let's all send him $10.00 for his advice and then say then say it didn't work.

Just kidding CP, it's always good to have people here who really understand the game. I'm not one of them by the way.

[Pa Jayhawk]

Originally Posted by Rockford35

OK.....fine.

From this point in, Mont and Jayhawk are getting all the Spam filtered to their e-mail addresses.

I don't get mad, I get even.



R35

Works for Me. The wonders of Hotmail, it is basically like a 250mb garbage can for e-mails and it only takes the click of on button to delete them all. It really only serves as a spam collector anyways. Since I only visit it about once a month to delete everything, and keep the e-mail valid, I wouldn't notice the difference.


Although after seeing what Sling did to guys like 19 when he was messing around, he on the other hand kind of concerns me if he makes threats.

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by FKA Pa Jayhawk

Although after seeing what Sling did to guys like 19 when he was messing around, he on the other hand kind of concerns me if he makes threats.

I'm coining a new term.

"I'm gonna go Sling on your ass!"

R35