where does power come from?

[BC MIST]

Hey BCMist are they talking about you?

http://www.network54.com/Forum/72052...ted+lower+body

Fraid so. Hard to be anonymous these days, eh?

[Started2k3]

Fraid so. Hard to be anonymous these days, eh?

Lyle is quite a rare and unique name (except in the Ottawa Valley).

The trick to being anonymous on the "net" is to have the same name as someone famous. When I Google my name (first last) it came back with came back with 7.5 million pages. It appears that I am not 19 "Links" away from anything on the net.

[Started2k3]

I totally agree with you there. I have decided to limit my practice to the Sim. That at least gives you some idea if you are on the right track. The only problem still is that I find the mats way more forgiving than turf.

I found that all simulators are pretty much useless at determining actual ball flight. Tried practicing on simulators one winter, and according to the simulator I was getting quite good (broke 80). But when spring came it turned out that all I had learned was how to trick the simulator, and my swing had worsened.

The mistake I made last winter was trying to incorporate some web info into my swing without being able to test it on the driving range.

This winter:
- basement carpet putting (really easy and helped this year with distance control)
- chipping at the Thunderbird dome (when possible)
- preserve or improve rotational strength of my abdominals; I will probably be trying a number of these exercises (videos)
http://www.sonicboomgolf.com/video/

[ironmaster15213]

I think the answer that your really looking for is "how do you get optimal acceleration of the velocity of the club head"!! That comes from the proper sequence of releasing the torque of all your levers of your downswing in a swingpath to impart as much transfer of energy from the clubhead to the ball in the direction you want said ball to travel. For further clarification see B.C. Mist, he does have the answers but you have to get the idea of power out of your mind so that you can allow your clubhead to accelerate naturally. You cannot hope to reach 100 M.P.H. from 0 while trying to skip 10,15,and 20 m.p.h. on the way. Once you can learn that acceleration is a process and you can't rush it you will be on your way to higher club head speeds. For further info wait till I return to Canada and I will show you in person

[BC MIST]

I totally agree with you there. I have decided to limit my practice to the Sim. That at least gives you some idea if you are on the right track. The only problem still is that I find the mats way more forgiving than turf.

During the winter, if I want to improve my swing, I practice. If I want to stay the same, I don't. If I don't, I may regress but it is unlikely I will regress if I do practice. With this in mind, why would anyone do nothing or play sim golf, if deep down they want to get better?

One key then is what and how do you practice? If you know what you need to do then practicing with the use of a video camera is invaluable. Doing a lot of correct slow motion and static position repetitions will again be beneficial. Simple drills can be done indoors that will make your short game and putting better. I hit hundreds and hundreds of shots, employing one simple drill, that pays huge dividends when I chip.

I also make extensive use of the Thunderbird from December to April and that use I feel has made me a better golfer. The advantage is that I know,( at least I think I know) exactly what I am trying to achieve and work diligently towards my goal. I hit balls occasionally at the east end Superdome just to confirm that I am on the right track.To me sim golf is not golf but a social activity and that's fine. It does not help me get better.

After the last OVGA tournaments are over, NOW, I begin working on the improvements I want to make for next season. I already see some positive change, however, it is not yet consistent and with a lot of correct practice, it will become that way by spring. I just cannot imagine a winter without working on my swing indoors at the TBird or a similar place.

[little brit]

During the winter, if I want to improve my swing, I practice. If I want to stay the same, I don't. If I don't, I may regress but it is unlikely I will regress if I do practice. With this in mind, why would anyone do nothing or play sim golf, if deep down they want to get better?

One key then is what and how do you practice? If you know what you need to do then practicing with the use of a video camera is invaluable. Doing a lot of correct slow motion and static position repetitions will again be beneficial. Simple drills can be done indoors that will make your short game and putting better. I hit hundreds and hundreds of shots, employing one simple drill, that pays huge dividends when I chip.

I also make extensive use of the Thunderbird from December to April and that use I feel has made me a better golfer. The advantage is that I know,( at least I think I know) exactly what I am trying to achieve and work diligently towards my goal. I hit balls occasionally at the east end Superdome just to confirm that I am on the right track.To me sim golf is not golf but a social activity and that's fine. It does not help me get better.

After the last OVGA tournaments are over, NOW, I begin working on the improvements I want to make for next season. I already see some positive change, however, it is not yet consistent and with a lot of correct practice, it will become that way by spring. I just cannot imagine a winter without working on my swing indoors at the TBird or a similar place.

Well BC the reason I am considering the Sim is that for the past two winters I did the golf school, but in the spring I have gone out and discovered that I had deteriorated. It took me a long time to get back to where I was the previous fall. Also mixing teaching seemed to cause just major confusion. I know better now what I need to practice on. I used the sim a couple of times to practice in last year. Not a game, but just going on my own to practice. It is closer to me and I really liked that at least I got some feedback as to my ball flight, distance etc. Unfortunately there is no putting green though. That I will do at home as best as I can.

When you say static drills are you talking Bertholy. I definately am interested in doing those. (Anyone got one to sell?)

What other sort of drills for chipping and putting would you recommend BC? My chipping is bad enough that I would be concerned for my walls though

I have a regular digital camera that would take a video. I will give it a try and see how that works out, but I haven't much room in my house to do full swings, and the garage is an ice-box.

[BC MIST]

Well BC the reason I am considering the Sim is that for the past two winters I did the golf school, but in the spring I have gone out and discovered that I had deteriorated. It took me a long time to get back to where I was the previous fall. Also mixing teaching seemed to cause just major confusion. I know better now what I need to practice on.

When you say static drills are you talking Bertholy. I definately am interested in doing those. (Anyone got one to sell?)

What other sort of drills for chipping and putting would you recommend BC? My chipping is bad enough that I would be concerned for my walls though

I have a regular digital camera that would take a video. I will give it a try and see how that works out, but I haven't much room in my house to do full swings, and the garage is an ice-box.

The key to your perceived lack of progress you nailed correctly above. There are obviously many theories about how the club should be swung and if you jump back and forth between them, then confusion reigns. In reality, the position we get ourselves into at the top of the backswing, varies relatively little from swing method to swing method. The confusion comes because of the 100's of different ways we are told to get there, and the various "feelings" we should have. Add to that the many incorrect things that we are led to believe are correct, those who actually make progrees deserve a lot of credit.

You have expressed an interest in the "Golfing Machine," type swing motion, one that is the basis for Mark Evershed's teaching. He makes it a lot simpler and when you start eliminating all the BS of the other methods, progress is made very quickly. Swinging ON PLANE, after you discover what this term really means, keeping the right wrist bent coming through, and just moving your lower body into a stable position, you will soon realize that golf is NOT as difficult as the swing gurus, whether local or international, make it seem.

I would encourage you to do more than just hit the sims in the winter, as your enthusiasm for the game, combined with the simple swing motion of Mark's, would likely see you a better ball striker by spring. Finds some clubs that you like, have the right length and right lie angles and then forget about being a club junkie.

The one simple drill that I use which makes chipping a piece of cake is this:
-Hold the club in your right hand only with the grip more diagonally across the palm than at the base of the fingers.
-Create a gap of about 3 fingers between the grip cap and your right forearm.
-employing a very short, smooth backswing, come through maintaining the three finger gap between the grip cap and the forearm. This is difficult at first as most golfers want to flip the right wrist. Keeping the right wrist flexed, a fundamental of Mark's, is all you need to do. The feeling is of gently shoving the right forearm forward. For every 25 of these do 5 where you place the left, top hand on the club. Firm up the back of the left hand for this, relax the right and just shove the right forward.

You will end up with a stroke where there is ZERO wrist flipping and you chipping progress will skyrocket.

[little brit]

Thanks BC I am hoping to see Mark on Friday. I am looking forward to it.

I will go out and try your chipping routine in the meantime. I am pretty sure I don't flip. I am almost obsessive about it, but can have a jerky quick swing for the chipping, I need to slow down, and smooth it out.

Thanks again

[zoic]

BC, I am wondering if you would have any advice on the body during chipping. I never liked flipping wrists so I have no issue there, and I do chip very well most times. I am unsure as to what my body should be doing during this time, it seems to sort of rock and shift weight through the swing, like a little hip push sort of. I think that sometimes I am moving to much and/or too little when I do not hit it as well. Should it be mostly arms with a very still body at the hips?

I seem to feel moving too much starts a very minor almost not noticeable flip of the wrist, like back a 1/2" end then returning to lock, never breaking past straight though.

[Powerdraw]

BC might not mind to much that i answer, but for such a short stage 1 stroke, that is putting and chipping, there should be no body-pivot motion in my book. The fewer the moving parts the better. Sorry BC and zoic, not a hijack, just an over enthused golfer! lol

have a great one.

[manitoulin]

it all happen half a second before the ball is hit, fast wrists,aand a quick turn,with good timing.

[Powerdraw]

manitoulin, are you talking about chipping?

[manitoulin]

talking about power, i should have explained the stuff i'm talking about is how increasing swing speed works.

[BC MIST]

BC, I am wondering if you would have any advice on the body during chipping. I never liked flipping wrists so I have no issue there, and I do chip very well most times. I am unsure as to what my body should be doing during this time, it seems to sort of rock and shift weight through the swing, like a little hip push sort of. I think that sometimes I am moving to much and/or too little when I do not hit it as well. Should it be mostly arms with a very still body at the hips?

I seem to feel moving too much starts a very minor almost not noticeable flip of the wrist, like back a 1/2" end then returning to lock, never breaking past straight though.

One of the reasons I like the work of Mark Evershed is that he does not tell you to do something that you automatically do, if you do something else correctly.

The translation of the above is this: If you hit down on the ball, whether with a chip or a full swing, your weight will get shifted. For a chip shot if you just try to clip the grass with your club, slightly in front of the ball, any motion of the legs will happen and you won't have to think about it. In you setup position for a chip, you weight should favour your forward foot so hitting slightly down should be easy. The knees will move a little but you may not even feel this happen.

The key for me is the technique that I described to lttle brit. Firm left hand, passive right hand, push with the right forearm, hit down on the ball. NO FLIP. So, yes. An arm stroke, with a quiet, but not silent body.

[zoic]

Thanks, I am sure that when I chunk one it is because my body is moving way to much. I will try to get the feeling of hitting down on the ball, something I have not really worked on before this year.

[Powerdraw]

also try a frozen bent back towards forearm right wrist throughout. Amazing what this does to flippers.