Swing the clubhead

Following on from my previous post about connection, a few thoughts. The thing about a connected lead (left for me) arm is the tendency to overdue the rigidity of it. This is contrary to the excellent teachings of Manuel de la Torre, who frowned on anything that limited the fluidity of the full golf swing. He is of course correct. It is one thing to have a straight lead arm at the top of the backswing and another to have a rigid, ramrod straight lead arm. I've definitely fallen into this trap.

The solution is to do what de la Torre suggests for the backswing - take the club back with the hands towards the trailing shoulder. The exact final position will vary with each individual. The downswing then begins with the arms. The wrists stay flexible and have no conscious role in the downswing (or any part of the swing other than as hinges. The trailing arm will extend of its own accord during the backswing and both arms will ultimately straighten coming into impact. The whole process is very fluid and natural, and very individual.

However, there are some things worth doing while all this is happening. Balance and good footwork are keys, together with the awareness that the whole swing motion is coordinated, with no effort to move any part of the body first. Adam Scott, whose swing is universally admired, gave a rare tip some time ago, which (paraphrasing) was that he always thinks 'start everything together in the downswing', not the usual 'start the downswing with the lower body'. The latter advice has probably caused lots of trouble - especially for slicers.

I'm still committed to a connected swing, I think you can be too loose and variable with your arms and body positions. But de la Torre's advice makes a lot of sense to me. He favours good posture, set up and awareness of some technique issues, but he is much more in favour of fluidity and a naturalness of movement in the golf swing. 

Anyway, I need to free up my swing; I was getting restricted. I'm going to swing the clubhead next chance I get.

Connecting the dots

After a short period experimenting with right (trailing) elbow positions - in an attempt to find my backswing - I have returned to a connected lead (left) arm as my backswing key. It's something I did quite effectively for a while, so why I did not stick to it is a mystery.

Anyway, this connection feels good, it feels consistent and solid, but it does have a couple of downsides, as follows.

Restricting the backswing in this way does shorten the swing, which can feel powerless, unless you (I) realise that the use of the body, particularly the core, compensates very well for the loss of length in the backswing. This combination of arms (and it is an extended arm, virtually straight) and body rotation does provide plenty of power for someone of my age and build. I'm not hitting it 300 yards, so being on the fairway is much more important.

The other downside of this compact and shorter backswing is the tendency to hit too soon, or put another way, to hurry the downswing. This means I need excellent rhythm, which incorporates a slight pause at the top of the backswing. The challenge is to get the pause just right - not too short, not too long. Too short will result in a hurried, poorly timed swing. Too long will introduce the possibility of too much sway or some element of lifting or some other movement that will destroy the accuracy of the swing and strike.

These issues aside, there is a lot to be said for this kind of left (lead) arm and upper chest connection. It provides good structure for the swing, good consistent positioning on the backswing, which is what I really need.

The other thing I need, is a more consistent putting stroke. I've tried all kinds of grips and techniques, with no more success than if I'd stayed with a simple, conventional grip and my life-long putting stroke, which is neither a long, fluid stroke, nor a short pop stroke. I know I'm a good putter; I don't need tricks, I just need to trust my stroke. If any technique is worth thinking about it is probably just making sure I keep the putter low. By focusing on that, it can help keep at bay the thoughts like 'don't miss this one'. After all, confidence is key with putting. There are many ways to pat (not skin) a cat.

That's it, I'm trying to connect (maybe re-connect) the dots. I'm trying to keep it simple and enjoy the game. Tinkering with a swing is fun, but ultimately fruitless. Better to focus on those dots.