Tommy Tomasello -- The Downstroke Motion

Courtesy of our Professional Contributor, California teaching professional Lee Dietrick, GSEM, http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/forum/v....php?page=pros
we are pleased to present another LBG Classic Video featuring Tom Tomasello, GSED. Tommy taped this one at his home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in May 1992 at the age of 72. Lee had left him a voice mail asking a few questions. Rather than write back, Tommy sat down at the camera and videotaped his response for Lee...and for posterity.

No doubt there will be some interesting discussion of the motion he describes. Some have called it Right Arm Swinging. Others have called it Hitting with Horizontal Hinging. Tommy himself labeled it on the tape as the Magic of the Right Forearm, Homer Kelley's overarching term describing the normal participation of the Right Forearm in either the Punch or Pitch Major Basic Stroke (7-3).

I'll take Tommy at his word: I personally believe he is focusing on the Right Forearm's participation in the Left Arm Swing (12-2-0) Further, his description of the Pivot's response to the Right Forearm is simply his interpretation of the Hand-Controlled Pivot (Chapter 5). In any event, the video stands on its own and is here now for us all to see. We invite you to share your own conclusions. For ease of downloading, we have arbitrarily divided the video into two chapters of about fifteen minutes each.

Enjoy!

http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/forum/v...se_images&g=19

Thanks for sharing a great video, Lynn. Personally, I really like the feeling of control that comes with a "heavy hand" driving the club through the ball. But I must admit that I've improved my so-so strokes by relying more on pure swings this season.

Anyway, in my own game, although I somtimes do clean hits and clean swings, I have problems drawing the line between hitting and swinging. Thus, a part of Homer's notes was kind of reassuring. I also think these notes may clarify what Tomasello is advocating: In Homer's words an "out and out swing with right arm thrust".

From Homer's notes:

"Left Arm or Right Arm - If the Right Arm Drive propels the Left Arm
Lever Assemblies, it is still a Left Arm Stroke because the center of
the Clubhead Arc is the Left Shoulder. It is merely Right Arm Powered. But - if the center of the Clubhead Arc is at the Right Elbow, then it is a true Right Arm Stroke, the Bat. Right Arm thrust can add considerable yardage for an out and out Swinger, provided its tendency toward Angled Hinging is recognized. Pivot Thrust can add about half as much increase in yardage for an out and out Hitter provided its tendency toward Horizontal Hinging is recognized. "

On a side note, I do believe there is a need to balance the hipturn against the right arm drive. If the right arm drive overtakes the hip turn too early, the clubface will either close prematurely or remain open through impact - depending on grip and rhythm. It's either that or me having a stroke issue

This is a really great video - thanks to ldeit for this. It will be in my collection forever

Thanks Again

Originally Posted by Yoda

Courtesy of our Professional Contributor, California teaching professional Lee Dietrick, GSEM, http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/forum/v....php?page=pros we are pleased to present another LBG Classic Video featuring Tom Tomasello, GSED. Tommy taped this one at his home in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in May 1992 at the age of 72. Lee had left him a voice mail asking a few questions. Rather than write back, Tommy sat down at the camera and videotaped his response for Lee...and for posterity. No doubt there will be some interesting discussion of the motion he describes. Some have called it Right Arm Swinging. Others have called it Hitting with Horizontal Hinging. Tommy himself labeled it on the tape as the Magic of the Right Forearm, Homer Kelley's overarching term describing the normal participation of the Right Forearm in either the Punch or Pitch Major Basic Stroke (7-3). I'll take Tommy at his word: I personally believe he is focusing on the Right Forearm's participation in the Left Arm Swing (12-2-0) Further, his description of the Pivot's response to the Right Forearm is simply his interpretation of the Hand-Controlled Pivot (Chapter 5). In any event, the video stands on its own and is here now for us all to see. We invite you to share your own conclusions. For ease of downloading, we have arbitrarily divided the video into two chapters of about fifteen minutes each. Enjoy! http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/forum/v...se_images&g=19

Thanks Lee for sending me a copy of this video a while back...as of June, I'm using the motion in the video for my primary full swing....it works....both distance and accuracy (won the last golf tournament I entered earlier this month....the swing holds up under tournament pressure).

Thanks Yoda for putting this video on your website...I believe a number of golfers will benefit from seeing it.

Bagger/Trig...great editing job as usual.


DG

Lynn, DG, and all,

I am glad to offer this video for all to see. Tommy sent this to me a few years ago and I watch it often. As I told Lynn last evening, I do not remember what I asked Tommy but was very happy to receive his comments.

I didn't know what I had until I became more knowledgeable and involved with TGM.

As a note, there is a lot of similiarity between his downswing motion and that of Peter Croker whose work is also based in TGM.

Hope all enjoy the video.

Lee Deitrick (ldeit)

How is this not throwaway? can someone explain what the difference from this and casting is please?

To me the clubshaft down-and-out "throw" is a different but effective way to communicate the uncocking motion while disallowing throwaway.

Now; Is it a:

Hitting motion or 4-barrel
Where the throw-out provides power...

or

a Swinging motion
where the zero-power throw-out is there to make sure the clubhead lag pressure point is established?



I do not know and he does not go into that, but either way I learned from the video. It gave me a new great visual for what throwaway is and is not.

Thanks Lee. Lots of food for thought.

Not to mention that it was great to see a follow-up to the earlier Tomasello videos. He seems to be substantially older. Initially it seems he will not raise from the chair, but as he does it is easy to see that he'd still be able to play decent golf and the age of 72. Nice!

Great video
TT is talking about uncocking the right wrist down plane, is that what he is feeling. According to TGM the right wrist should never cock, only bend??

Originally Posted by Thom

Great video TT is talking about uncocking the right wrist down plane, is that what he is feeling. According to TGM the right wrist should never cock, only bend??

I thought he was talking about uncocking the right forearm, but I need to look at it again. If he actually said so I am sure his mind was somewhere else. Maybe in his hands...

wanole,

Throwaway is a horizontal wrist motion, bending the left wrist or flattening the right wrist.

Casting is a vertical wrist motion, uncocking the left wrist while the right arm does not bend or lower.

ldeit