The Impact Zone

[12 piece bucket]

I would like TGM experts to expound on the aiming point that Clampett emphasizes in the book. I have read the first 3 chapters so far. While I understand that the "thrust" of the proper impact is down/out/thru the inside aft quadrant of the ball, I find that if I direct my eyes to the aim point 4 inches in front of the ball as Clampett shows in his book, I seem to run the risk (when swinging) of failing to completely release accum #3, resulting on occasion in a shank or weak slice. I feel sometimes like I am coming into the back of the ball with the little finger side of my left hand rather than a F/L/V wrist. Hopefully this description makes sense.

Need to experiment with this a little more I guess, we are still on mats where I live which limits divot evaluation anyway.

What about the idea of aim point 4 inches in front of the ball? Yoda?? Ted??

I have read a little over half of the book. It's really good compared to most of what the mouth breathers the Golf Channel pimps out.

I think he has mixed up aiming point and low point and impact hand location. He kind of covers himself with the whole "experimentation" deal . . . which is of course what you have to work out.

You can pretty much approximate where your low point will be if you go to fix and note where your left shoulder is. Low point is going to occur basically where your left arm is in line with the left shoulder assuming of course that you are using the left shoulder as the center of your stroke (not the right elbow or left wrist). Low point could be 4 inches in front of the ball or maybe not.

Based on Clampett's description of Aiming Point, I think he has opted for option 2 where by the ball is moved but the Aiming Point is constant (for him what he believes to be Low Point). By using this method the release feel is constant for all club shaft lengths:

6-E-2 . . .
Three procedures are available to compensate for this:

1. move the Aiming Point forward or aft of the established Ball location. This Aiming Point procedure seems more easily acquired if introduced as a Feel. At the top of the Backstroke – even at End (10-21-C) – mental construct a line form the #3 Pressure Point to the Aiming Point. Let a careful Downstroke direct the thrust precisely along this line. Hitting or Swinging, direct the #3 Pressure Point strongly downward per 1-L-9, 1-L-10, 2-J-3 and 6-C-2-A to insure the “Downward” element of Three Dimensional Impact (2-C-0). That is – TRY TO DRIVE THE BALL INTO THE GROUND, NOT INTO THE AIR. If you don’t KNOW that you hit down, assume that you didn’t. The Hands must ALWAYS take one of the Delivery Paths (10-23) but even with the Circle Path, the Thrust is still a straight-line EFFORT toward the Aiming Point. Even “Tracing” (5-0) must not disrupt it.
2. move the Ball forward or aft of the established Aiming Point per the previous page, using the Hand and Club guidance procedure presented for 1. above. So the Ball Location changes required for a Push or Draw per 7-2 must exceed the changes required by this procedure before Plane Line Rotation should be employed by the “True” Swingers. As usual, though, Clubface manipulators have their choice of either procedure – that is the 1. or the 2.
3. “Open” or “Close” the Stance per 10-24-F.

But hey I think it's fantastic that he has introduced this concept to the golfing public and pressure points and loading to boot.

But to answer your question on the 4 inch thing (and I am unfortunately very familiar with a 4 inch thing) . . . experiment with it. I'd say 4 inches MAYBE for a wedge or 9 iron. But that seems a bit forward to me. Aiming Point is where you are directing THRUST NOT THE CLUBHEAD. I think if some people took his advice to keep the left wrist cocked as long as they can and use an Aiming Point 4 inches in front of the ball for all clubs . . . you could have MAJOR problems. That's just me.

Good for him for talking up the Machine and introducing some of the concepts that would probably spook some golfers. Bottom line Bobby Clampett without question had Accumulator Lag and Clubhead Lag in copious amounts. There's a pic in the book where he's slap loaded up the shaft like one of my buffet plates. That's worth the price of admission.

Back to picking my nose.

[Amen Corner]

Back to picking my nose.

Be sure of using a aiming point!

The big task for you would be to reach high point, but I am sure you can do it. Now would you use arc or angle of approach? I would suggest a thrust on a straight line.

Report back your findings!

[Martee]

I don't know why this brothers me, but it really does. Where in the book does he state that the Aiming Point is 4 inches?

I must have missed it. I beleive he starts on p 37 about aiming point. There is one place on pg 38 he states about its' exactness or preciseness doesn't have to be 4 inches, which the 4 inches is in reference to the bottome of swing (Low Point). On pages 40,50,51,59 and 201 he identifies/defines Aiming Point and again no 4 inches.

Can someone help me out here cause for whatever reason this is getting to me. This is poping up across all forums and no one seems to have identified the exact quote. Maybe it is a bit awkward wording in one area of the text but within the book, after reading it, if anyone still has the idea that he is talking about 4 inches for the Aiming Point, well I don't know.

A little help or can we put this to rest that he doesn't say that?

[mrodock]

I don't know why this brothers me, but it really does. Where in the book does he state that the Aiming Point is 4 inches?

I must have missed it. I beleive he starts on p 37 about aiming point. There is one place on pg 38 he states about its' exactness or preciseness doesn't have to be 4 inches, which the 4 inches is in reference to the bottome of swing (Low Point). On pages 40,50,51 and 59 he identifies/defines Aiming Point and again no 4 inches.

Can someone help me out here cause for whatever reason this is getting to me. This is poping up across all forums and no one seems to have identified the exact quote. Maybe it is a bit awkward wording in one area of the text but within the book, after reading it, if anyone still has the idea that he is talking about 4 inches for the Aiming Point, well I don't know.

A little help or can we put this to rest that he doesn't say that?

I read it the same way you did Martee.

[12 piece bucket]

I don't know why this brothers me, but it really does. Where in the book does he state that the Aiming Point is 4 inches?

I must have missed it. I beleive he starts on p 37 about aiming point. There is one place on pg 38 he states about its' exactness or preciseness doesn't have to be 4 inches, which the 4 inches is in reference to the bottome of swing (Low Point). On pages 40,50,51,59 and 201 he identifies/defines Aiming Point and again no 4 inches.

Can someone help me out here cause for whatever reason this is getting to me. This is poping up across all forums and no one seems to have identified the exact quote. Maybe it is a bit awkward wording in one area of the text but within the book, after reading it, if anyone still has the idea that he is talking about 4 inches for the Aiming Point, well I don't know.

A little help or can we put this to rest that he doesn't say that?

I don't think Clampett says that the Aiming Point is 4 inches in front of the ball. But radlink54 read it that way. I could see how a person could get confused by reading the Aiming Point and "swing bottom" passages in the book. I don't think Clampett has misrepresented it necessarily but it is confusing particularly if this is your first exposure to the concept.

Don't get me wrong. There is A LOT in this book to like. I just think that part is a bit foggy.

What do you think about the whole "keep the left wrist cocked as long as you can" thing?

I don't want to poor mouth Clampett. I think he's good for the Machine, good for the game and miles ahead of 98% of the instruction books out there. I'm just trying to be objective.

[Martee]

Keeping the wrist cocked, read very careful as he did not say force it to remain cock, he stated let the pivot transport and lateral/rotational motion uncock it.

This book is about swing styles, there are areas that don't track for hitting styles IMO.

I think some TGM circles will have issues in the lack of preciseness that they often equate with TGM.

As I read it, Clampett was quite clear that this wasn't about styles and their variations. I think many will have trouble making and maintaining this paradigm shift.

He does offer some style/variation suggestions, but the concept of The Impact Zone is to stop being ball focused, compress the ball with power, and sound alignments.

Aim Point and Swing Bottom getting confused appears to be that not uncommon or we have a few people going around and spreading the word cause I was surprised that I have seen this on almost every forum where they are reviewing the book. As I have given reference to pages, I am surprised that there can be confusion, my only conclusion is that they are skim or speed reading and not really reading. But I could be wrong

I am not sure I agree that Clampett is good for the Machine, but I do think Clampett is good for Golf with this book.

[glcoach]

One part of the book was particularly enlightening for ME, the concept of cocking the left wrist.

I have been so focused on a flat left wrist that on video my wrist is arched big time at the top of the swing with no wrist cock. I think this also goes back to keeping the left wrist flat and "dynamically flat" that 12pb educated me on a few weeks ago. By consciously trying to just let the left wrist be cocked by the right elbow. I have made some progress, we'll see how it goes.

I personally like the book and like how Clampett presents the Machine. Especially, the idea of looking past "stylistic" stuff and focusing solely on the dynamics.

[glcoach]

Martee, in your opinion, why is Clampett not good for TGM? Not trying to flame or anything, I would just like to know. Thanks in advance.

[kmmcnabb]

This is one of the few golf books (and I have them all) that I would buy for my friends. Good information that no one else outside of TGM discusses much but they should.

I have gotten through the book once (got it last Saturday) and plan to get through it again this week.

I love it. His explaination of aiming point is great and Clampett is quick to point out those that provided his training (Ben, Chuck, etc).

Good read. Highly recommended.

[radlink54]

I don't think Clampett says that the Aiming Point is 4 inches in front of the ball. But radlink54 read it that way. I could see how a person could get confused by reading the Aiming Point and "swing bottom" passages in the book. I don't think Clampett has misrepresented it necessarily but it is confusing particularly if this is your first exposure to the concept.

Don't get me wrong. There is A LOT in this book to like. I just think that part is a bit foggy.

What do you think about the whole "keep the left wrist cocked as long as you can" thing?

I don't want to poor mouth Clampett. I think he's good for the Machine, good for the game and miles ahead of 98% of the instruction books out there. I'm just trying to be objective.

Thanks 12 piece. Sorry Martee. Not trying to falsely claim Clampett says aim point=low point=4inches. Just trying to understand better. I guess my question was based on a picture in the book where the white line is drawn from the top or end of backswing to a point in front of the ball. Also the picture where he says "yes my eyes are looking in front of the ball" about 4 inches out.