Golf Master Tips, Professional Golfer Hitting and Right Arm Swinging - In this section, I am going to describe the difference in biomechanics/mechanics between hitting and right arm swinging at every stage of the swing.
Consider Lee Trevino's swing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDpnbkHm8Oo
Note that Lee Trevino's pelvis is significantly open at impact, and note that his right heel is slightly raised off the ground.
A TGM hitter will usually maintain his "frozen" right wrist bend ("fixed" degree of dorsiflexion that he adopted at address) unchanged throughout the entire downswing and early followthrough.
At impact, the right forearm should be on-plane behind the clubshaft.
Note that Scott (a hitter) has his right forearm on-plane behind the clubshaft at impact. Note that he has maintained his "fixed" degree of right bend (dorsiflexion) throughout the downswing, which ensures that he has a flat left wrist and forward shaft lean at impact.
A right arm swinger can start the downswing with an active pivot action (like a left arm swinger) or he can use a reactive pivot action.
Note that my expressed opinions merely reflect my personal approach, which - although I perceive my personal approach to be a biomechanically/mechanically sound approach - does not represent any particular golf school's ideology.
A TGM hitter usually starts the swing with an impact fix alignement address position. In this position, the right wrist adopts a certain amount of right wrist bend (dorsiflexion) that depends on the position of the ball relative to low point.
A TGM hitter usually starts the swing with an impact fix alignement address position. In this position, the right wrist adopts a certain amount of right wrist bend (dorsiflexion) that depends on the position of the ball relative to low point.
Professional Golfer Hitting and Right Arm Swinging
The degree of right wrist bend is then "fixed" at address, and a TGM hitter will usually maintain that same "fixed" amount of right wrist bend throughout the backswing and downswing.
The clubshaft will have forward shaft lean at address - the degree depending on ball position relative to low point. A TGM hitter will often have the right forearm in-line with the clubshaft (as seen from a DTL view).
A TGM hitter will use the right forearm takeaway. However, he will not utilise a takeaway swivel action during the takeaway and he will make no attempt to swivel the left hand so that the back of the left hand/clubface becomes parallel to the inclined plane during the mid-backswing. The clubface will appear to be facing the ball during the takeaway, and it will be less open to the clubhead arc during the mid-backswing.
The desired endpoint for the hands at the end of the backswing is a positional location roughly opposite the right shoulder - this position is called the top-of-the-backswing. A TGM-hitter should not attempt to get the clubshaft parallel to the ball-target line by the end of the backswing by incorporating an additional quarter-turn rotation of the left arm to the end-of-the-backswing position (a position adopted by many left arm swingers). A TGM-hitter should distinctly "feel" like he is loading the right elbow at the end of his backswing.
A right arm swinger will also preferably use a right forearm takeaway (which I described in detail in my How to Move the Arms ,Wrists and Hands in the Golf Swing review paper) because it will allow him to keep the clubshaft on-plane throughout the backswing, while allowing him to avoid any unnecessary right wrist upcocking movements.
Scott (TGM hitter) at address - capture images from his swing video
Right arm swinging
A right arm swinger will usually prefer to hold the hands centralised between the legs in a traditional/standard manner. The right wrist will be slightly dorsiflexed at address - the amount depending on the position of the ball/hands relative to low point. The further back the hands are at address, the smaller the degree of right wrist dorsiflexion at address. The clubshaft will usually be approximately perpendicular to the ball-target at address. It is not biomechanically necessary to have the right forearm straight-in-line with the clubshaft at address (as viewed from a DTLview).A TGM hitter will use the right forearm takeaway. However, he will not utilise a takeaway swivel action during the takeaway and he will make no attempt to swivel the left hand so that the back of the left hand/clubface becomes parallel to the inclined plane during the mid-backswing. The clubface will appear to be facing the ball during the takeaway, and it will be less open to the clubhead arc during the mid-backswing.
Scott (TGM hitter) at the end-takeaway position - capture images from his swing video
The desired endpoint for the hands at the end of the backswing is a positional location roughly opposite the right shoulder - this position is called the top-of-the-backswing. A TGM-hitter should not attempt to get the clubshaft parallel to the ball-target line by the end of the backswing by incorporating an additional quarter-turn rotation of the left arm to the end-of-the-backswing position (a position adopted by many left arm swingers). A TGM-hitter should distinctly "feel" like he is loading the right elbow at the end of his backswing.
Scott (TGM hitter) at the top-of-the-backswing - capture image from his swing video
A right arm swinger will also preferably use a right forearm takeaway (which I described in detail in my How to Move the Arms ,Wrists and Hands in the Golf Swing review paper) because it will allow him to keep the clubshaft on-plane throughout the backswing, while allowing him to avoid any unnecessary right wrist upcocking movements.
However, he should utilise a takeaway swivel action (like a left arm swinger), so that he can get the back of the flat left wrist/hand parallel to the inclined plane in the mid-backswing. Because he is utilising a takeaway swivel action, the toe of the club will be pointing straight-up by the end-takeaway position. The desired endpoint for the hands at the end of the backswing can be the top-of-the-backswing position (like a hitter) or slightly beyond that point (depending on his level of torso and left scapula flexibility).
A right arm swinger does not need to "feel" that he is loading the right elbow, because he is not going to be releasing PA#1 actively in a straight line thrust action (like a hitter). The right hand should end up in a positional location that is biomechanically compatible with an efficient "stone skipping action", and a stone skipper would not attempt to get the right hand too far behind the right shoulder by the end of his right arm loading action.
The right forearm flying wedge must be roughly at right angles to the left arm flying wedge at the end-backswing position in both hitters and right arm swingers.
The right forearm flying wedge must be roughly at right angles to the left arm flying wedge at the end-backswing position in both hitters and right arm swingers.
Downswing
A TGM hitter is going to power the downswing primarily with a right arm straightening action (active release of PA#1). However, the "right arm straightening" action must be delayed to the mid-downswing, because the right shoulder (launching pad for the release of PA#1) must first get closer to the ball before PA#1 is released - otherwise the TGM hitter will run-out-of-right arm before reaching impact.
During the early downswing, the primary requirement is a pivot-action that will move the right shoulder downplane, so that the right shoulder can get closer to the ball. A TGM hitter will usually adopt an active pivot-action that starts with a hip bump (small amount of left-lateral pelvic shift secondary to re-weighting the left heel), and that hip bump is soon followed by an active upper torso rotation that moves the right shoulder downplane.
A TGM hitter will usually avoid an over-active right shoulder downplane thrust movement that will over-accelerate the left arm away from the chest wall in an uncontrolled manner. I know of no biomechanical imperative that mandates that a hitter must use an active pivot action, and a hitter can choose to use a reactive pivot action (as described in the right arm swinger's downswing section) if it works better for him.
A TGM hitter will start his right arm/forearm thrust action from his loaded right elbow position (which is moved downplane during the early downswing). A TGM hitter should "feel" that he he is thrusting his right hand in a straight-line thrust action towards the ball (or aiming point located near the ball) when he actively releases PA#1 (actively straightens the right elbow with a very active right triceps muscle contraction).
A TGM hitter will start his right arm/forearm thrust action from his loaded right elbow position (which is moved downplane during the early downswing). A TGM hitter should "feel" that he he is thrusting his right hand in a straight-line thrust action towards the ball (or aiming point located near the ball) when he actively releases PA#1 (actively straightens the right elbow with a very active right triceps muscle contraction).
The right arm straightening action must be sufficiently efficient, so that the right hand can apply a constant push-pressure at PP#1 and PP#3 throughout the mid-late downswing in a drive-loading manner. The constant drive-loading of the left hand and clubshaft during the mid-late downswing means that a TGM hitter is actively releasing PA#2 and PA#3 via his active "right arm straightening" action.
There should be no centrifugal release of the club in a TGM hitter's action, and a TGM hitter should be actively driving the clubshaft towards impact - like swinging an axe-handle using a radially-directed thrust force against the back side of the axe handle.
A TGM hitter's straight line thrust action of his hands towards the ball should be perceived to be a cross-line procedure (relative to the ball-target line) and a TGM hitter will often "feel" that he directing his straight line thrust down-and-out in the direction of his aiming point (and therefore directed slightly to the right-of-the-target).
A TGM hitter's straight line thrust action of his hands towards the ball should be perceived to be a cross-line procedure (relative to the ball-target line) and a TGM hitter will often "feel" that he directing his straight line thrust down-and-out in the direction of his aiming point (and therefore directed slightly to the right-of-the-target).
The endpoint for the straight line thrust action is not impact, but the end of the followthrough (when both arms are straight). The right elbow should still be slightly bent at impact. During a hitter's straight line thrust action, the right forearm is being driven towards the ball, and the right forearm pushes the right palm against the left thumb, which then causes the left arm/hand to be pushed towards impact.
There is no release swivel action of the left forearm/hand (no left forearm supinatory movement) in the mid-late downswing, because the hitter doesn't incorporate a takeaway swivel action in the backswing, and he therefore cannot use a release swivel action in the downswing.
Ken Perry, a hitter, uses a hitter's typical punch motion of the right elbow in his downswing. Image 1 shows Ken Perry entering the mid-downswing phase of his downswing action. Note how he has kept his power package intact, while the right right shoulder has moved downplane, thus delivering his right shoulder (launching pad for the release of PA#1) to a downplane position that is closer to the ball.
Ken Perry's downswing action - capture images from a swing video
Note that the right elbow has reached a position alongside the right hip, and this position is called the punch elbow position. A hitter does not usually actively drive the right elbow to a position in front of the right hip - pitch elbow position - like a swinger.
Note how PA#1 releases in the mid-late downswing (images 2 & 3) and note that the right arm has not completely straightened by impact. Note that Ken Perry has an open pelvis at impact (image 3) but his right heel is still planted on the ground - and that fact is merely a reflection of the significant degree of flexibility that he has in his right hip joint and right lower limb, and there is no biomechanical advantage to keeping the right heel flat on the ground at impact. Many hitters have already rolled their right ankle over by impact, and their right heel may also be slightly raised off the ground if they have a significantly open pelvis at impact.
Consider Lee Trevino's swing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDpnbkHm8Oo
Lee Trevino (hitter) at impact- capture image from his swing video
A TGM hitter will usually maintain his "frozen" right wrist bend ("fixed" degree of dorsiflexion that he adopted at address) unchanged throughout the entire downswing and early followthrough.
At impact, the right forearm should be on-plane behind the clubshaft.
Scott (TGM hitter) posing at impact - capture image from his swing video
A right arm swinger can start the downswing with an active pivot action (like a left arm swinger) or he can use a reactive pivot action.
A reactive pivot action is a pivot action where the pelvis (lower body) reacts to movements happening above waist level. A right arm swinger can choose to start the downswing with an active upper body/right arm movement - active downplane thrust motion of the right shoulder and active adduction motion of the right upper arm towards the right side of the torso (so that the right elbow is driven towards a pitch position in front of the right hip) - and he will then allow the pelvis (lower body) to react to the active downplane thrust motion of the right shoulder/right upper arm.
This reactive pelvis phenomenon works particularly well for a golfer who has zero/little hula hula flexibility, because he has a stiff spine that allows the right shoulder's downplane thrust action force to be transmitted down the rigid vertbral column in such a manner, that it shifts the lowest lumbar vertebra, and therefore the pelvis sacrum, left-laterally by 1-3".
That small degree of left-lateral pelvic shift movement (hip bump motion) is just sufficient to allow the golfer to re-weight the left leg, and increasingly brace/straighten the left leg. If the lowest lumbar vertbrae move 1-3" left-laterally, then the degree of rightwards spinal tilt is being increased if the head is kept stationary - a phenomenon called secondary axis tilt - and secondary axis tilt makes it easier for the right shoulder to continue to move downplane (rather than roundhouse) during the remainder of the downswing.
This reactive pivot action may not work well for a golfer who has a large degree of hula hula flexibility, because the right shoulder's downplane thrust action may not be transmitted down the spine to the lower body, and the pelvis may remain static during this active upper body action. If the pelvis remains static, then the golfer may end up performing an "upper body dive" motion where the right shoulder moves too horizontally and that roundhousing right shoulder movement will likely drive the hands/clubshaft OTT. A golfer, who has a large degree of hula hula flexibility, may be much better suited for a left arm swinger'sactive pivot action, which is the standard/traditional swing action used by the majority of professional golfers.
Different "right arm swing" golf instructors will describe the reactive pivot action in different ways.
Consider this swing video presentation by Kris Moe, who teaches the Gary Edwin right arm swing methodology -http://www.viddler.com/explore/krismoe/videos/7/
Note how he talks about the "feeling" of the arms swinging across the front of the body while the lower body remains quiet, and how he "feels" that the lower body's pivot action responds to the swinging arms.
Tom Tomasello describes his reactive pivot action differently - see chapter two of reference number [9].
Tom Tomasello states that a golfer should "feel" that he is swinging his clubshaft past his left thigh without there being any prior active movement of the pelvis left-laterally towards the target.
I think of the reactive pivot action differently. I previously stated that a golfer can acquire rightwards spinal tilt at address by shifting the pelvis to the left, thereby straightening the left side of the torso slightly, and this address-postural motion should give a golfer a "feeling" that the left leg is already pre-braced at address.
Different "right arm swing" golf instructors will describe the reactive pivot action in different ways.
Consider this swing video presentation by Kris Moe, who teaches the Gary Edwin right arm swing methodology -http://www.viddler.com/explore/krismoe/videos/7/
Note how he talks about the "feeling" of the arms swinging across the front of the body while the lower body remains quiet, and how he "feels" that the lower body's pivot action responds to the swinging arms.
Tom Tomasello describes his reactive pivot action differently - see chapter two of reference number [9].
Tom Tomasello states that a golfer should "feel" that he is swinging his clubshaft past his left thigh without there being any prior active movement of the pelvis left-laterally towards the target.
I think of the reactive pivot action differently. I previously stated that a golfer can acquire rightwards spinal tilt at address by shifting the pelvis to the left, thereby straightening the left side of the torso slightly, and this address-postural motion should give a golfer a "feeling" that the left leg is already pre-braced at address.
That "feeling" of the left leg being braced is enhanced when the right shoulder's downplane thrust action (that initiates the downswing) transmits a "force" down the spine that pushes the pelvis left-laterally by 1-3" against a pre-braced left leg. If the left leg is increasingly braced as it becomes increasingly weighted during the early downswing, then it will resist any left-laterally directed force, and that "force" will be deflected and it will cause the left buttocks toautomatically/ naturally/ secondarily move backwards in the direction of the tush line, and also slightly rightwards away from the target (left hip clearing action).
In other words, I believe that the "left hip clearing action" will happen automatically/naturally/secondarily without any need for an active muscular contraction of the hip girdle muscles (as occurs in Tiger Woods swing, when he initiates the downswing with an active pelvic motion). You can see my "left hip clearing action" happening automatically/passively when I demonstrate the right arm swinger's swing action in my swing video lesson - I am making no deliberate/active effort to perform a "left hip clearing action", and I have exactly the "same feeling" of experiencing an efficient reactive pivot action when I perform a "stone skipping" action.
Each individual right arm swinger should experiment with an active pivot action, and a reactive pivot action, in order to determine which pivot action works best for him.
Presuming that a right arm swinger chooses to use a reactive pivot action, then the first downswing move is a simultaneous i) active downplane movement of the right shoulder and ii) an active adduction movement of the right upper arm towards the right side of the torso so that the right elbow moves to a pitch position in front of the right hip.
Each individual right arm swinger should experiment with an active pivot action, and a reactive pivot action, in order to determine which pivot action works best for him.
Presuming that a right arm swinger chooses to use a reactive pivot action, then the first downswing move is a simultaneous i) active downplane movement of the right shoulder and ii) an active adduction movement of the right upper arm towards the right side of the torso so that the right elbow moves to a pitch position in front of the right hip.
These two simultaneous movements allows a right arm swinger to keep the power package intact, and also maintain the right elbow bend unchanged while the right elbow moves to its pitch position in front of the right hip. The inert left arm is being passively driven forward by push-pressure from the right palm at PP#1. At this time-point, the golfer should look like Ben Hogan in image 5 in this next composite photo.
When a right arm swinger reaches the delivery position (mimicing Ben Hogan's positional alignments in image 5), the right arm should already be adducted alongside the right side of the torso, the right elbow should be nearly reaching its pitch location in front of the right hip, the left arm should be moving down-and-out towards impact secondary to active push-pressure at PP#1, and the right elbow should still be bent at roughly a 90 degree angle.
Ben Hogan's early-mid downswing - capture images from his swing video
The pelvis should have shifted a few inches to the left and the left buttocks should be moving back towards the tush line so that the pelvis becomes slightly open (relative to the ball-target line) - due to the biomechanical phenomena happening during the reactive pivot action (as previously explained).
When the right elbow reaches its pitch location, it is leading the hands. From this time-point onwards, the right elbow will actively straighten and the right forearm will paddlewheel towards impact. The fulcrum point for the right forearm paddlewheeling action is the right elbow, which remains at its pitch location in front of the right hip during the remainder of the downswing.
When the right elbow reaches its pitch location, it is leading the hands. From this time-point onwards, the right elbow will actively straighten and the right forearm will paddlewheel towards impact. The fulcrum point for the right forearm paddlewheeling action is the right elbow, which remains at its pitch location in front of the right hip during the remainder of the downswing.
The right arm straightening action (due to active contraction of the right triceps muscle) should occur with enough isotonic force, so that it allows the right palm to maintain extensor action via push-pressure at PP#1 while also ensuring that the right hand keeps up with the previously pushed left hand during the release swivel phase of the downswing (from the 3rd parallel to impact).
However, the isotonic force cannot be excessive because an excessive right arm straightening force may interfere with the passive/centrifugal release of PA#2 and PA#3. The "feeling" of the right arm straightening action should "feel" identical to the "feeling" of the right arm straightening action that happens when skipping stones.
A stone skipper will initiate a right arm throw action at the start of the right arm throw action that will drive the right elbow to its pitch location in the first phase of the throw action. Then, a stone skipper will "feel" his right elbow straightening as the right forearm is thrown forward toward the target.
The "feeling" should be that the right forearm is being thrown by the initiating active right upper arm adduction throw action (combined with the active downplane thrust-motion of the right shoulder) - and it should "feel" like the right forearm is being "whipped" towards impact.
The "feeling" of the right forearm being thrown in the late downswing should "feel" distinctly different to the "feeling" that a TGM-hitter will experience when actively/forcefully straightening the right elbow in a straight line thrust action towards the ball, because in that hitter's scenario the right forearm motion will be much more forcefully directed down-and-out towards the ball in an active straight-line thrust manner, so that the right hand can drive-load the clubshaft all the way into impact.
A key point that a golfer needs to understand is that swing power is generated in a right arm swinger's swing by the right arm generating an active thrust force (push-force) in the early downswing - between image 1 and image 3 in the Hogan photos, and when the left arm passes the 9 o'clock position (which marks the end of the early downswing and the beginning of the mid-downswing) the active thrust action should already be rapidly diminishing, and PA#4 should start releasing. In other words, the active thrust action of the right arm throw action happens while the right elbow is still bent at roughly a ninety degree angle. This biomechanical feature distinguishes right arm swinging from hitting (where right arm swing power is mainly generated in the mid-downswing due to the active straightening of the right elbow).
A right arm swinger should "feel" the left arm swiveling into impact due to the passive release of PA#3 - like a left arm swinger. However, compared to a left arm swinger, the left arm may be traveling slower because it is being pushed by the right arm (rather than being catapulted forward at a fast speed by an active pivot-drive action - as occurs in a left arm swinger's downswing action).
A key point that a golfer needs to understand is that swing power is generated in a right arm swinger's swing by the right arm generating an active thrust force (push-force) in the early downswing - between image 1 and image 3 in the Hogan photos, and when the left arm passes the 9 o'clock position (which marks the end of the early downswing and the beginning of the mid-downswing) the active thrust action should already be rapidly diminishing, and PA#4 should start releasing. In other words, the active thrust action of the right arm throw action happens while the right elbow is still bent at roughly a ninety degree angle. This biomechanical feature distinguishes right arm swinging from hitting (where right arm swing power is mainly generated in the mid-downswing due to the active straightening of the right elbow).
A right arm swinger should "feel" the left arm swiveling into impact due to the passive release of PA#3 - like a left arm swinger. However, compared to a left arm swinger, the left arm may be traveling slower because it is being pushed by the right arm (rather than being catapulted forward at a fast speed by an active pivot-drive action - as occurs in a left arm swinger's downswing action).
Therefore, a right arm swinger may "feel" that the right palm is actively assisting the left hand's PA#3 release roll-over action - as the right forearm paddlewheels into impact during the late downswing. In a left arm swinger's release swivel action, the supinating left forearm will rotate the left hand into impact automatically/naturally, and a left arm swinger does not usually require any assistance from the paddlewheeling right forearm/hand to ensure an efficient release of PA#3.
At impact, the right forearm should be on-plane behind the clubshaft and the right wrist should still be bent (as occurs in a left arm swinger's action).
The low point of the clubhead arc will be opposite the left shoulder in a right arm swinger (as well as in a hitter or left arm swinger) because the maximum swing radius is determined by the straight left arm and the clubshaft that is straight-in-line with the left arm, and it is not dependent on the biomechanical mechanisms responsible for powering the swing.
At impact, the right forearm should be on-plane behind the clubshaft and the right wrist should still be bent (as occurs in a left arm swinger's action).
The low point of the clubhead arc will be opposite the left shoulder in a right arm swinger (as well as in a hitter or left arm swinger) because the maximum swing radius is determined by the straight left arm and the clubshaft that is straight-in-line with the left arm, and it is not dependent on the biomechanical mechanisms responsible for powering the swing.
0 komentar:
Post a Comment