start down, idiosyncracy

start down

I don't think that's causing anything. It's OK to turn your head side to side, not OK to move it back and forth, up and down.
The head stays centered between the feet, preferably stationary.

Your two eyes focused on the aiming point of your hands (normally the aft inner quadrant of the ball) will tell you if your head moves, if you pay attention to it for awhile.
Notice the difference in feel when it doesn't move. See if you can describe that feel to yourself. Reproduce the feel. If it doesn't work, re-describe the feel until it does. Eventually it will fade into the background.

Shadow-boxing, er, swinging. Another way to check it.

What do you think of the amount of knee bend, compared to, say, a full-body forward press before start up, mimicking impact conditions?
Head height can be checked there also.

Originally Posted by whip i am new to tgm. one of the things im now working on is my start down. i have always had a fairly unique head movement through the ball and have decided in the past that it wasnt causing me any problems, but now i see that my start down is affected by it. when i reach the end of my swing my first move is my head looking out towards the target, by doing that the hips and shoulders follow across the line instead of my hips moving parallel first to accelerate the right shoulder down plane. what are some good drills to groove the correct start down move for swinging?

face onhttp://www.swingacademy.com/videoplayer.aspx?id=4395
dtlhttp://www.swingacademy.com/videoPlayer.aspx?id=4391

It looks as though your downswing starts by shifting almost all of your weight to the Left side so that your torso can muscle the club. Looks like a sling shot.

Hmm?

Keep pressure on your Right Foot. Move your Right Hip laterally, parallel to the Plane line for a couple of Inches as the torso turn pressure (x factor) builds. As the Right Hip Starts to rotate, the Right Shoulder is pulled further Down-plane and the Left Shoulder is pulled up-plane. At impact the weight transfer may be no greater than 50-50. Learn to set your Left Heel Down without removing too much pressure from your right foot. Keeping pressure on your Right Foot will allow you to stay in Posture through Impact. Currently, your Hips slide toward the Plane Line at Impact.

TRANSFER POWER

The Turning Rate of the Pivot Components – especially the Shoulder Turn as actuated by Hip Action (7-15) – MUST be identical and synchronous with the #3 Accumulator Roll, else its Rhythm gets disrupted. Or at least difficult. This requirement also dictates when and how much Downstroke Hip Slide is needed. The “On Plane” Right Forearm ALWAYS establishes and maintains the correct Clubshaft-Left Arm angle through Release and Impact. See 7-3.

The Hips lead and pull the Shoulders throughout the Downstroke. Stay Connected. Synchronize the Speed of this Hip Action to the desired speed of the #3 or #2 Accumulator Pressure. Be smooth and controlled. In other words, the Speed of your Hip Action is to maintain the Pressures in your hands, not to change the Pressures. The Pressures were established during your Backstroke and/or how sharply you set the Club at the Top or end.

Originally Posted by whip i am new to tgm. one of the things im now working on is my start down. i have always had a fairly unique head movement through the ball and have decided in the past that it wasnt causing me any problems, but now i see that my start down is affected by it. when i reach the end of my swing my first move is my head looking out towards the target, by doing that the hips and shoulders follow across the line instead of my hips moving parallel first to accelerate the right shoulder down plane. what are some good drills to groove the correct start down move for swinging?

face onhttp://www.swingacademy.com/videoplayer.aspx?id=4395
dtlhttp://www.swingacademy.com/videoPlayer.aspx?id=4391

Nice dynamic motion there. For a great drill research "start down waggles" using the search function here.

Im seeing the cross line hip motion you refer to as a "goat humping" type hip thrust towards the target line and would recommend that you do the start down waggles while keeping your butt back and on a the same line when viewed from down the line. There is no "goat hump" move in the golf swing. Removing it will help to steady your head, keep your feet on the ground and prevent back injury as you get older. You will find more consistency for sure and probably some added distance as well as your left side firms up. Tiger made a similar correction when he was still an amateur.

Research "clear the right hip" or "cleared right hip" too. Basically you turn the right hip back in Start Up (the first clear). Then Slide the Hips laterally (swinging) or parallel to the Angle of Attack (hitting) with a Delayed Hip Turn (the second clear). These two moves open an inside pathway for the right elbow and prevent "round housing" or an over the top move in Star Down. So the Hips clear a path in Start Up, shift the weight left with a delayed turn which clears another path in Start Down and then turn as part of the "Gear Train" to pull the Shoulders. No Thrusting towards the target line which will move the head and left shoulder. Research "Axis Tilt" while your at it. Geometry and Physics. The Hips have a big job to do but strive to stream line it to what is necessary only. Remove all unnecessary motions. The thrusting may feel powerful but it isnt in reality. I think you'll get longer with this simplification.

Good luck with it.

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Typo in above: "parallel to the Angle of Approach" for hitters.

Originally Posted by Loren Typo in above: "parallel to the Angle of Approach" for hitters.

Yes, thanks again. Angle of attack is of course a different animal from a different point of view.