Hitting down
 

How much down does one need?
Is it possible to have to much down in the swing?

I'd say it should be just enough down to hit the ball before the ground. The clubhead travels on an incline plane and should reach lowpoint just inches after hitting the ball.

Since lowpoint is on an incline plane the proof of correct execution is that the divot is taken after the ball and points slightly to the right. Unfortunately that is not always the case for my shots - YET.

The more down, the more forward component we lose and the more out component we gain.

There are some decent drawings on the earlier pages of the book.

Re: Hitting down
 

You need to hit down until you reach low point. It will be different depending on the club/ball position, but low point should always be under the left shoulder.

As per 1-L-15:

The Club starts up-and-in after "Low Point" but the thrust continues Down Plane during the Follow-Through.

Indeed it does 8)

downplane force to both arms straight

Re: Hitting down
 

An analogue analogy.

Look at your watch and observe the second hand sweeping around the perimeter of the face. See your clubhead on its downward travel.

Imagine the figure 6 as the low point of the swing arc - which will be at the outside edge of your left shoulder. See the second hand - clubhead - approach the figure 6 and watch its downward (club swing) arc of descent.

You need to contact the ball at one minute prior to the figure 6 and continue driving down - but effectively swinging up - beyond the one minute past 6 mark.

Dial in your swing.

Re: Hitting down
 

Exactly.

Remember Yoda’s low point war cry “Obliterate the plane line!”

If one is observing the clubhead "blur" of the arc of approach, should one see the clubhead , after impact, continue travelling down and out , BEYOND the plane line, out to the low point line ? In other words, the farthest OUT the clubhead travels is out to the low point line, not the plane line?

If the farthest outward point the clubhead reaches is the plane line , just before travelling up and in, wouldn't the plane line be bent and cause the outside in divots?

If one is using the roof analogy( I hope I remembered this correctly), it's late autumn, the low point line is the gutter, the plane line is outermost edge of the shingles, and one sweeps the leaves in the gutter.

I hope I am not completely lost.

Re: Hitting down
 

Indeed! You obliterate the Impact Plane Line and touch the Low Point Plane Line.

And if your Low Point Plane Line is your Impact Plane Line, then you obliterate neither!

Answer in bold.

Remember than the Impact Point Plane Line and the Low Point Plane Line are horizontal lines inscribed on the face of the Inclined Plane. They are parallel to each other. Always keep in my this model in your head. It clears up a lot of confusion. That's why Homer included 1-L. Because the Inclined Plane is inclined, the Low Point Plane line is further out (keeping in mind my previous post :wink:).

How does one incorporate low point into the stroke? During address preparation and waggle, should one wave the clubhead in an arc over lowpoint, not the ball? Also, should one try to incorporate lowpoint into one's aiming point, ala thrusting hands and lag pressure to outer edge of the arc at lowpoint, instead of the inside bakcof the ball?

Thanks

Low point is both under and 'through' the ball, on the inclined plane of force, so there is no way to 'get there' until you make a stroke because you must go 'downplane' and the ball is 'in the way'.

If you were to alter a waggle to hover the clubhead somehow 'outside' the ball location in an attempt to feel more 'out', or to try to stretch to an imaginary low point, you would in fact be off plane.

The low point plane is the low point of the golf stroke, the bottom of the circle.
The ball, of course, is located just to the inside of that point.
If your waggle is 3 dimensional I would think one should one wave the clubhead in an arc over ball since it [waggle] is going down out and though to low point.
Same is true for the aiming point, since the stroke is D-O-T, the aiming point is designed to reach the low point plane with that nuisance of a ball in the way. :D

In a practice swing, after you take a divot, the ball position would be behind the start of the divot, the divot would be low point.

2-P THE WRISTCOCK The Uncocking of the Flat Left Wrist is a Perpendicular Motion – not a Horizontal Motion (as defined in 4-0). The Left Wrist (6-B-2) is Cocked and Uncocked per Stroke Pattern (Chapter 12), per 4-B and per 4-D. It normally moves from “Cocked” to “Level” between Release and Impact, and from “Level” to “Uncocked” during the Follow-through. Wristcock is a Clubhead motion – not a Clubface motion. Only with a Turned Left Wrist, such as 10-2-D, can Uncocking be both motions, that is, actually Throwing the Clubface at the Ball.

The Wristcock shortens the Swing Radius to facilitate and synchronize the Rhythm and Acceleration of the Pivot and Power Package. The true Angular Speed (RPM) of the Clubhead is identical to that of the Hands due to the mandatory Flat Left Wrist. See 2-N-1 and sketch 2-K#5. So as the Clubhead moves from minimum to maximum radius, its Surface Speed (6-N-0) in miles per hour (MPH) increases geometrically. However, the RATE at which the Clubhead radius increases is an additional velocity factor – that is, its “Overtaking Rate” (6-F). Which is dictated by Hand Speed, Trigger Delay (7-20, 7-23) and Travel and which continues until the In-Line (6-B-0) FULL EXTENSION of the Lever Assembly (6-A) is achieved. So for maximum Power at any Clubhead Speed, the Ball must be struck before Full Extension per 2-N-1. Full Extension (Angular Momentum 2-K) can occur at any time or exist all the time during a Sroke per Pattern, regardless of Impact Point or Low Point (2-N). Impact during Full Extension produces a “soft” Impact and is a very useful simplification. See 2-K and 2-L#2.

Centrifugal Force alone Uncocks the Swinger’s Wrists, but Right Arm Thrust during Release is the Hitter’s procedure. Except per 2-M-3 these procedures are not compatible (10-19-0).

Per EC, get your wedge hit little shots with the Basic and Acquired Motion. Get to FULLY UNCOCKED!!!! Everytime. Hold your finish at Follow-Through. Is your Left Wrist FLAT AND UNCOCKED FULLY? Are you pointing at the Plane Line?

Focus on UNCOCKING DOWN PLANE ON PLANE. Always to FULLY UNCOCKED ALWAYS ON PLANE.

Get your Yellow Book out. Look at 4-B-3. Cock Uncock.

I yanked a little wire thingie out of my little boy's kite. Stuck it in the hole in the grip of my wedge. I point it at the plane line and Uncock the Left Wrist so the wire thingie moves in the plane of my Left Forearm. Remember per 6-B-2-0 the Second Power Accumulator is the true Velocity Accumulator. Make that club reverse and switch ends FAST. Keep the wrist soft and hammer ON PLANE and DOWN PLANE.

Wear out your wedge.