[Yoda]

The second point is that this external humeral rotation happens naturally in response to the golfer's intent - the intent to control the clubface via the left hand.

It is not an "unnatural action" that requires practice, as argued by Tom Bertrand in his swing video on the "missing link" in Hogan's secret - the missing link of "actively turning-in the left elbow towards the left hip".

Jeff,

The "natural" rotation you speak of may be natural, but I believe that the Bertrand action approaching Impact is not natural at all. In fact, it is contrived (which is exactly why Bertrand himself admits it is "unnatural" and therefore must be practiced over and over again).

Count me out.

I believe in and teach natural, efficient (geometrically aligned) motions, and this one just doesn't cut the mustard.

The source of this confusion is Hogan himself. As illustrated in the first thumbnail below, he did indeed recommend in Five Lessons that we adopt the contorted arm alignments later recommended by Bertrand. As for the arm alignments of Hogan himself, see thumbnail #2. Or, go here and compare http://www.35mmgolf.com/c001u.html.

Quite a difference, don't you think?

In his book (pp. 28-29), Bertrand noted that, in a conversation with John Schlee (his source of Hogan 'secrets'), Hogan admitted that he himself did not use the contorted alignments -- those illustrated in Five Lessons, purportedly recommended to Schlee, and adopted and perpetuated by Bertrand in his book -- but said that he would if he were "physically" able to do so (after his auto accident "healings").



I was not privy to that conversation, nor was Betrand, and both Hogan and Schlee now are gone, so we'll never know.

So, I'll go with what Hogan actually did, not what he told us to do or said he would do himself if he "could".

Said another way, just gimme the Flying Wedges (Left Arm and Right Forearm of 6-B-3-0-1 / see my avatar) and I'm happy.