The 'Almost' Imperative
 

Homer Kelley ultimately decided on Three Imperatives. However, he seriously debated adding a Fourth Imperative. What was it?

Vote your opinion now. I'll give the answer on September 23 and also an explanation of one of the most important interactions in The Golfing Machine.

Many thanks to drewitgolf for this idea.

Educated Guess
 

I've prolly heard this B4....but I can't remember for sure.

I voted Extensor Action.

I'll go with rhythm.

12-3-0 lists Extensor Action 6 times out of a possible 9 times (section 4 and 5 and sections 9 thru 12 are combined). I'm going with Extensor Action....

rhythm

Hard question. Hope to hear/read Homers exact words on the subject later on.

In my mind I compared the following:

1. Flat left wrist, straight plane line, clubhead lag pressure point and stationary head
2. Flat left wrist, straight plane line, clubhead lag pressure point and balance
3. Flat left wrist, straight plane line, clubhead lag pressure point and rhythm
4. Flat left wrist, straight plane line, clubhead lag pressure point and extensor action

And went with Stationary Head.

hmmmm.........
I have only followed Homer's reccomended reading of the book twice and lurked on every TGM forum known for 3 months so there is still a lot of fog for me, but in my limited knowledge I would guess Rhythm.

3 of 4 listed are Essentials. Does the order of Essentials & Imperatives mean anything?

Rhythm is the last essential, two lines above the imperative list? It was close to the Imperative list, maybe it was to be thought of as the last Essential and the first Imperative?

Also Rhythm is mentioned more times than I can keep track of:
2-0, 3-0, 6-B-3-0, 7-10, 7-12(index)... i'm sure there are more but I cant remember.

Just one man's uneducated fog shrouded guess.

-JP

Hint - one of the answers will cause the others.....
and I'm certain Hogan would agree 8)

like the Pope said "ya gotta have rhythm"
frank

I went for Extensor Action. Hope I get this one right.
Alex

I'm with Alex and the others on extensor action.

Ted Fort calls Extensor Action the 4th imperative.

The head can move( lot of great players move the head), balance and rhythm some players have it better than others.

That leaves X action. Your shots will lack sizzle without it .

Shizzle aka zizzel.

Gotta go with extensor action. When I have slack in my swing, everything suffers.

Just noticed that:

The poll alternatives include the three Basic Essentials plus one alternative that is neither a Basic Essential or a Basic Imperative.

Like all of Master Blake’s Polls. It is hard to find a wrong answer.

The early editions had four or five imperatives, later changed to the three we know with the others became Basic Essentials.

Ted may not be the only one that sees Extensor Action as the 4th Imperative. I agree.

But... I don’t see it as the answer because the concept may be a little tough to explain...

But, Lynn says if you want to be successful you must be different.

So, I am voting for the real Ex-factor- Extensor Action.

Balance
 

Balance

You gotta have it ...
 

Good call....right call! Since Mr. Kelley said that the #1 alignment in G.O.L.F. is the flat left wrist, and that no part of the lever assembly can move forward independently, well rhythm would be indispensable wouldn't it?

EC

I agree, without Rhythm you would have a jerky swing and suffer the possible loss of a flat left wrist, stationary head, balance, and extensor action........................

A while back Yoda gave us this answer or maybe it was when I visited him, so much info in such a short time it is difficult to remember when it was. Problem is I am not sure I remember the answer.

Actaully beside at one time there being 5 or was it 8 imperatives and no essentials to the 3 imperatives and 3 essentials of today Yoda passed on some info that after recieving it was obvious but prior to that I had not put it together.

3 imperatives - are performed with the Hands...

Balance and Stationary Head (essentials) - are related to the Pivot.

Just something for thought...

Exactly Martee. The Hands and their Clubhead Lag, Flat Left Wrist and Plane Line should become a subconsious addiction.

Emphatically, Hands (Imperatives) are not educated until they control the Pivot (Essentials).

I had to go with extensor action.

My Vote
 

R-H-Y-T-H-M

I have not been here for sometime so I nosed around. Maybe I should not be a busy body but I needed to contact Lynn in regards to somthin' somthin'.

Not to steal any thunder but the above bolded was already placed in the Imperative List in the very beginning and then removed.

With the above in mind here is a lil' food for thought:

1. One must be capable of defining Rhythm. Homer defined Rhythm as keeping the clubshaft and the left arm in line. What happens when this is accomplished? Yeppir, one then has accomplished Imperative #1 which is, the Flat Left Wrist.

2. Rhythm is likewise based upon Hinge Action. Each Hinge Action has its own significant Rhythm. It is associated with Accum. #3. By the way if you have no accum. #3 you get Angled Hinge Action travel (I like this word) and Rhythm. Ok back to Rhythm and Hinge Action. With how hinge and rhythm are associated with and tied together. With these two items we then have one of the key ingredients to the golf stroke which Homer called the "Primary Concepts" which is, the Hinge Action of an Angular Motion operating on an Incline Plane. This is what Homer named the "Basic Golf Stroke."

3. Homer also made the following paraphrased statement. If someone would have described Rhythm to me I would have never needed to write the book.

So the above is a small amount of fodder for consideration and so now......I leave the rest to Lynn.

Thanks all and I am now off to my beach.

Best to all.

Randy

Howdee Randee!
 

Love ya, Randy. Solid post. Drop in more often... we got goin's on goin' on and appreciate your observations and comments.

Rhythm = RPM.s????

Hi all,

I truly believe in the importance of rhythm as a potential Imperative, but once one has trained a sucessful/rhythmic swing, how does one maintain that rhythm during periods of stess or fatigue while on the course? It strikes me that the maintenence of rhythm is one of the fundamental differences between humans and the true 'golfing machine'. The human body does get tired, and sometimes stiff and rusty. The human mind does at times get stressed, frustrated or suffer from a loss of focus. I would suggest that problems maintaining the straight plane line and the flat left wrist can be overcome during the round by sheer intellectual effort but the essentials of balance and rhythm require a physical, body participation/precision that can be difficult to maintain during periods of fatigue. Anyone who has ever shot a scorching front nine only to break-down on the back as fatigue sets in and rhythm is lost knows what I am talking about.

Some say that you need to recognize this loss of rhythm and start playing your 'go-to'shots to close out the round, but when I am in the middle of it I often refuse to accept that it is happening and try to force my way back into a good rhythm, rarely with any success.

What do you guys do, start humming the Tennesse Waltz?

I don't think Rhythm is imperative. If you have a flat left wrist whereas no portion of the primary lever assembly will move forward independantly you have no choice but to execute a hinge action with its particular rhythm which will be of some useful in some application or another.

RHYTHM

Yoda,
It's 9/24 at 5 pm.... I've been checking this thread every hour since yesterday at 7 am..... what is the answer? I have to know!!!!

What he said!!!!!!

Shut The Door
 

What was Homer Kelley's 'almost' Fourth Imperative?

Rhythm.

The Left Arm Flying Wedge -- the Sweet Spot Pull and Clubshaft (the Invisible and the Visible), the Left Wrist and Left Arm -- all going around the Left Shoulder Hinge Pin together (the same RPM).

And the Right Forearm Flying Wedge -- actuated Muscularly (Hitting -- Right Arm Drive-out Action) or Centrifugally (Swinging -- Left Arm Throw-out Action) -- closes the Left Arm Flying Wedge 'door'.

Either Way, drag your wet mop though Impact.

Extensor Action with its Checkrein control of the Right Elbow is an essential ingredient.

More tomorrow.

I failed dance class, but at least I got this keerect!!!! :o