Conference 7.286::golf

    
    thanks Kevin
    
    	excellent report
    
    	Walta

    Very good article...
    
    I had a chance to watch the top pro's in action at the British Open
    and in my opinion most of them swing slow and easy...yet still get 
    tremendous distance and accuracy....
    
    It still baffles me how they can swing so easy and still generate
    so much power....
    
    There must be something to be said for "having good timing and tempo"
    
    
    
    Still searching in vain.........
    

Great report on the PRO's swings. You're absolutely right about 
the set-up and weight.  

I know you see some wondrous body shapes on a golf course, but 
golf is actually an athletic sport.  The keys are balance, timing 
and movement.  During the set-up, the weight should be on the 
balls of the feet.  In his book, "The Winning Formula", Nick 
Faldo describes perfectly, how your weight moves in the golf 
swing.  BTW his book is excellent.  He goes into minute detail 
about every inch of his swing.

Nick states, and I would urge you to stand up *now* and try this, 
that the swing is all about weight transference.  At the top of 
the back-swing, all his weight in on his right heel.  At the end 
of his follow-through, all his weight is on the ball of his left 
foot.  Liken the swing to say a discus thrower.  In that sport, 
the thrower coils round on his hind, right leg, then explodes 
onto his left leg.  Think of a 100 metre runner - take steroids 
:-), no - in the blocks his weight is on the back foot, and he 
explodes onto the front foot.

Freddie (Couples) advocates the same.  He actually increases his 
power, by slightly flexing his right knee, and turns his body 
over and round it.  You shouldn't dip your shoulders into the 
turn - and again I urge you to stand up and try this -  flex the 
right knee, and rotate your body round onto it on the back swing.  
Pause for a moment, and feel the power coiled up in that right 
knee.  You should almost be able to lift your left leg without 
falling over.  Now explode off and through your right knee, just 
like the discus and 100 metre boys.  Be athletic.  That's what I 
mean by

      BULK BEHIND BALL

The weight transference onto the left leg ensures that whatever 
your physique, you get the maximum power.  I think there is a 
famous law, Murphy's or something, which says  m1v1 = m2v2

Exploding off the right leg, normally means that you end up off 
balance at the end of the follow through.  That's where

      BODY BEHIND BELT BUCKLE

comes in.  Having coiled up and round the right leg on the back 
swing, the technique is to uncoil on an axis through the middle 
of your body.  Keeping your Body Behind your Belt Buckle ensures 
that you don't sway forward onto your left leg , and that you 
don't rush through with your shoulders..

Trust me, I'm in Software Services.  Turning, not tilting, nor 
swaying, onto the right heel, and exploding off the right knee 
onto the ball of the left foot - try it - gives full weight 
transference.  Staying behind the belt buckle ensures you don't 
rush past the ball with your body before your arms, hands and 
clubs hit it.

To help me remember this, I have a mental picture of this simple 
swing thought:-


   7 B's = Bulk Behind Ball, Body Behind Belt Buckle

In my view, that's where the PRO's get their power.  By keeping 
their weight behind the ball at all times.  Being a 
five-stone-weakingly myself, I need every ounce.

Randall (who doesn't believe in the GRIP IT 'N RIP IT theory)

    
    	Kevin...
    
    	What's the thinking behing pointing the left foot out? I am
    	having big problems off the tee lately and it seems to me that
    	doing this may help. Better follow-thru?
    
    		Smitty

    It helps get your weight through - especially if you make a lateral
    move & turn, like the better players (everybody oughtta do it - but
    it's beyond the abilities of a lot of players). However, if you're a
    "spinner," or "pull hooker," you're better off with the front foot
    pointed perpendicular to the line of flight. Ahhh, what the hell do I
    know, since moving into our new/old house, I haven't swung a club. I
    can't WAIT to start - back to ole "square one..."
    
    --Jack

Smitty,

Try this one.  Rather than point your left foot out, point it in.    
Assume that your left foot is the little hand on a watch face. 12 
o'clock is your left foot pointing at 90 degrees to the target 
line. "Out" is 10:30, then "in" is 2 o'clock. 

Take a full driver swing, and let rip.  If you tear the ligaments 
out of your left knee, the problem with your driving has nothing 
to do with your left foot set up.  Try it and let's know how you 
get on.

Randall ;-}

Smitty,

	Pointing the left foot out at address is, as Jack said, to help with the 
weight transfer so you can turn around the left side instead of falling over.
Turning the foot to "2:00 o'clock" will turn the fiendish grin upside down
in a hurry. Just thinking about it hurts. :-(

	I do recommend getting Hogan's book, it does a wonderful job of 
explaining the swing.



						KO

    
    I believe Nick Faldo is a student of David Leadbetter. How does
    his teaching compare to Hogan ?
    
    	Bruce w.

    re: .9
    
    Hogan was not a "teacher" he wrote a couple of books which formed
    the basis for many who "teach" the game...IMHO