David's great thoughts and the discussion

Posted: Wed 10:07, 24 Apr 2013

Quote:

Hi,

I liked your description of the SPC. In observation I got into hip spinning in an effort to release the club rotationally, I didn't see that the left side seems to separate from the chin, stall, then the right side come through. I thought ine pulled to the finish, when actually, it feels more like: left side separates, right side comes through, left side opens a bit more as the right side coming through gives more range of motion. I find I swing my best if my left side is firm through the ball. I had to feel VERY lateral to achieve what still looked down the line as rotational. The reason I include this is I felt there must be a way to automate and swing with an ingrained hip spin, rather than reinvent myself. I'm off the opinion now that rhythm is important, not timing of face closure (I try to have passive hands) but rhythm of transition, so as not to jerk around the swing out of ideal boundaries. Personally I like the shape of your swing, but it seems out of control? My first question: is rhythm important and do you make a conscious sacrifice of form over speed, compression, range of motion and power?

My second question is something I would be grateful to have your opinion on.

How do you think Hogan aimed? My observations are that he teed the ball or stood perpendicular to it, not measured like a modern pro looking down the target line, but he seems to approximate this. He then extends his club back behind the ball and keeping the head on the deck, stands on a forty-five degree (roughly) angle facing ball and target. He then steps in right foot, left foot and one waggle; settles feet while looking at the target, looks at ball and waggles, placing clubhead over centre of ball; repeats this, fanning feet out, extends club to ball, rotates head slightly right, forward presses - swings.

My questions:
- do you think these actions were deliberate, but instinctive? (as per Kris Schetters book, he said 'you hit the ball when ready', and did not have a pre shot routine: but clearly he did)
- do you think he sized the shot up when in his stance, and made instinctive adjustments (was this what he meant by 'being accustomed to the path' when waggling? If you practised your waggle as he did, why would the path be any different [and therefore require being accustomed to once again] unless you did size the shot up instinctively over the ball as opposed to from behind it like most pros?)?
- do you think he just went instinctive from the moment of pulling the club or was he deliberate? How do you think he deliberated?
- why do you think he shuffled feet looking at the target and not the ball, but waggled looking at the ball not the target?

If there is a 'secret' this is where it would lie in my opinion. Video can't tell us these answers!

Thanks and kind regards,

David

Hi David,

Interesting thoughts and questions. Firm lead side built sequentially from the ground up is a non-negotiable thing in the downswing phase. You would certainly like Tommy Armour's description of the motion (which is totally in line with the SPC) -- lead side guiding until rear comes with power. You feel lateral because you're a biped, BTW.

Of course rhythm is very important, yet there is no place for researches on this topic in the hard structure section of biokinetics. I will n ot be of any help to anyone in this topic, frankly speaking.

As per how Hogan aimed -- certainly not via his feet, neither via hips. I would say clavicles is a good option.
I am of the opinion Hogan left all his conscious deliberate meticulous actions in his setup. The last conscious think was the feorward press, as you noticed. The rest was just a flow of unintentional events one following the other because there were no other options left thanks to what he did at setup. Beauty of a perfect usage of the theory of natural limitations.
I think he could very probably size his shot when waggling including chosing the right path. The path would be different because of the difference of antisthetic motions, i.e. how much he turn his pelvis forward while having shoulder girdle and hands behind.
He shuffled his feet not looking at the target because he used his feet in no correlation with the target. He did not find target with feet. He positioned them to create as much setup dependent motion as possible. He wanted to automate everything from the ground up and he knew very well (what I know from some time already) that one can automate NOTHING with a parallel stance.
OTOH, when waggling, he imagined shooting at the target, so that he should be aware where the target is located.

His secret was to AUTOMATE THE SWING as much as possible thanks to what is being done before the swing motion starts. I am pretty sure about it.

Cheers