In Faldo: A Swing for Life he states, "Having turned my upper body and shifted my weight on to my right side in the backswing, it is that subtle moment of separation as the left knee and left shoulder re-rotate towards the target that sets the downswing sequence in motion. . . My reward is then the freedom to rotate my body hard through the ball as I release the clubhead towards the target" (124-125). "In all my years studying the swing, the one solid conclusion to draw is that every great player starts his downswing with a subtle reflexive action in his lower body - usually the left foot or left knee. My own feeling is that my left knee and left shoulder move toger, and that signals the move towards the target. In that split-second my body is actually moving in two directions at once. . . I get a great sense of freedom as I rotate my body through the shot. My body is the engine generating the power, while my arms and hands transmit that energy down through the clubshaft to the ball. At the very last second, my right shoulder, right hip and right knee fire and add thrust through impact - where speed matters the most. When I practice I often say to myself: left side clears, right side drives. On a good day I feel that I punish the back of the ball with my right shoulder - that's my power source" (133). WOW, I stand corrected on Faldo (shows what I can forget in 9 years), now I'll find that Golf Digest.
Golf Digest September 1997, Ernie Els: On the first move down, separate the left shoulder from the chin. This swing thought will help you fire the right side through the shot, transferring your weight while staying quiet with your lefts. More important, separating the left shoulder from the chin allows you to sling the arms down in front of the body, with the club traveling at the greatest speed possible and on the proper plane" (63).
I apologize for my earlier inaccurate comments, I have always had a difficult time thinking of more than one thing in the downswing, so I must have read about the left shoulder playing the role of initiator and thought it drove the downswing. In any case, this is the way I used the instruction years ago.
[Bold Emphasis by Yoda]
Thanks, Matt. I appreciate the time you took to research these quotes and to type them out for us all. This is the kind of dedication and sharing that takes everybody to a new level of understanding.
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"In my experience, if you stay with the essentials you WILL build a repeatable swing undoubtedly. If you can master the Imperatives you have a champion" (Vikram).
The reason you can't sustain the lag is because you are so eager to make the club move fast (a reaction to the intent of "hitting it far"). So on a full shot you throw it away too early, which doesn't happen for your short chip. (bts)
Thanks, Matt. I appreciate the time you took to research these quotes and to type them out for us all. This is the kind of dedication and sharing that takes everybody to a new level of understanding.
Your welcome Yoda, I apologize for the mix-up.
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"In my experience, if you stay with the essentials you WILL build a repeatable swing undoubtedly. If you can master the Imperatives you have a champion" (Vikram).
The reason you can't sustain the lag is because you are so eager to make the club move fast (a reaction to the intent of "hitting it far"). So on a full shot you throw it away too early, which doesn't happen for your short chip. (bts)
Again I thank you for your contribution. At a very young age, your initiative has led you to the principles and procedures of the great Champions of our time...and of all time.
I only wish I had been so fortunate (or so innovative) when I was your age. Back in my own 20s and 30s, the rage was to 'drive the Legs' from the Top. And to keep the Head way back 'behind the ball' through Impact. And to end up in a big 'Reverse C' at the Finish.
Well, it didn't work. At least not for me. And not for many others, either. Look at the photographs from that time. Most of the guys either left the Game hurt or else radically changed their procedure (view Tom Kite as the Poster Boy here). Many had a lot of very personal stuff replaced as they struggled to compete in their 40s. And those without a superior short game never had much of a chance anyway, because the procedure I've described rarely results in a superior GIR stat.
It was all so sad...and so very unnecessary.
By my early-30s, not only was a worse player than in my early-20s...
I was a virtual cripple on Mondays.
I can't tell you how much business I conducted from the floor of my office on Monday through Thursday because of my golfing activities on Friday through Sunday.
And now, as I approach my 60th birthday next month, there is no pain. It's all gone. Not only do I hit balls as long as I like...and teach as long as I like...and shop (as long as my wife likes )...I do so without pain.
I cannot tell everybody enough just how important it is to know exactly WHAT drives WHAT in the Golf Stroke. And how important it is to know just what are the true relationships among the various Components. You simply cannot rely on FEEL as articulated by the great players. You MUST know the precise Mechanic involved and then be able to reproduce it with your own Feel.
I write all this so that you don't spend precious years -- as I did -- chasing the wil-'o-the-wisp of conventional golf instruction (though it's much better now) -- and forego, in that selfsame moment, The Truth.
And with access to such great knowledge comes great responsibility! Just 5 years ago, shortly after high school graduation I set out to transform my 4 handicap game into something I might be able to take on the road. Turns out I didn't have a back that could handle the strain and I lacked the proper information. Now I have access to the information I need, I merely have to develop a pattern with it. And what a fine journey it will turn out to be afterall. Because a blind struggle just isn't fun.
Matt
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"In my experience, if you stay with the essentials you WILL build a repeatable swing undoubtedly. If you can master the Imperatives you have a champion" (Vikram).
The reason you can't sustain the lag is because you are so eager to make the club move fast (a reaction to the intent of "hitting it far"). So on a full shot you throw it away too early, which doesn't happen for your short chip. (bts)
)...I do so without pain. 
Hybrid Mode
