My Basic Motion

A friend asked me to write down what I am doing with my practice. This is what I came up with. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Rick
First I pick a spot about a foot or so in front of the ball on my target line. From an angle behind the ball, with my chest facing about 60 degrees to the right of target. I take the club in my right hand only, held lightly between thumb and forefinger with the heel-pad touching the grip. I am thinking of the right fore-arm flying wedge at this time. I aim clubface a little left of target with a forward leaning shaft. I then step into stance with left foot, then right foot. The grip end of the club looks like it is in front of my left thigh. I take my left hand grip with flat left wrist in line with the club-face. I move my left thumb toward the rear, to fit into heel-pad gap, feeling the pressure of PP #1. I maintain this impact alignment. Head bent down with eyes looking directly at ball, not thru the bottom of eyes. Feel the right fore-arm on plane again. This feels like a higher hands position to me. Right arm is lower than left with right elbow lightly touching the side of the right hip. I try to feel good posture at this point. Using extensor action, I waggle slowly feeling a slight left forearm swivel back, up, and in, and the right hand moving on plane. The feeling should be Slow, Deliberate and Heavy. I then make the back-swing to approximately two feet back. Visualize a straight line from the club-head back to the inside quadrant of the ball and drive the hands and clubhead down this line. I try to think only of PP#1 and #3 during the swing. Keep head very steady during swing. Keep balance on left heel. Maintain rhythm (endless belt) Swing to follow thru about two feet forward (both arms straight). No body movement at all, feels like right arm is doing all the work. Right elbow folds, and then it straightens out.

Originally Posted by RickPinewild

A friend asked me to write down what I am doing with my practice. This is what I came up with. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Rick First I pick a spot about a foot or so in front of the ball on my target line. From an angle behind the ball, with my chest facing about 60 degrees to the right of target. I take the club in my right hand only, held lightly between thumb and forefinger with the heel-pad touching the grip. I am thinking of the right fore-arm flying wedge at this time. I aim clubface a little left of target with a forward leaning shaft. I then step into stance with left foot, then right foot. The grip end of the club looks like it is in front of my left thigh. I take my left hand grip with flat left wrist in line with the club-face. I move my left thumb toward the rear, to fit into heel-pad gap, feeling the pressure of PP #1. I maintain this impact alignment. Head bent down with eyes looking directly at ball, not thru the bottom of eyes. Feel the right fore-arm on plane again. This feels like a higher hands position to me. Right arm is lower than left with right elbow lightly touching the side of the right hip. I try to feel good posture at this point. Using extensor action, I waggle slowly feeling a slight left forearm swivel back, up, and in, and the right hand moving on plane. The feeling should be Slow, Deliberate and Heavy. I then make the back-swing to approximately two feet back. Visualize a straight line from the club-head back to the inside quadrant of the ball and drive the hands and clubhead down this line. I try to think only of PP#1 and #3 during the swing. Keep head very steady during swing. Keep balance on left heel. Maintain rhythm (endless belt) Swing to follow thru about two feet forward (both arms straight). No body movement at all, feels like right arm is doing all the work. Right elbow folds, and then it straightens out.

Unfortunately, it's the difference between reading the book and seeing the movie. But in my minds eye, it looks great. I like how the ball rolled 2" past the hole. It was a hard break to read.

Hey Rick- there is a lot of room for variability on chip shots, so I'm sure what you described could work really well- but since you asked for comments- I'll throw a few in.

1) Let's say you want to be a Golfing Machine devotee- so you really would like a Strong Single Action grip with the left wrist vertical to the ground. That's one of the references for the left hand - Vertical to the ground- like a door. So unless you're playing this shot a lowpoint with a square face- anything back of low point would result in a condition where the vertical left wrist would not "line up" with the leading edge i.e. clubface (as you had referred to it).

2) The right forearm lightly touching the right thigh would be a concern- you've got potential interference there- so that same forearm is going to lightly brush your thigh through impact?- don't hit too many balls you'll have a real chafing problem- (just kidding! - kind of)

3) "Feels like the right elbow is doing all the work- just bending and straightening out"- I've been there done that- here's the trap to avoid- you get so wired on that feel that it becomes your procedure- and your focus goes away from the clubhead feel and your hands and you focus on the wonderful feeling of the right elbow bending and straightening-

4) Just a guess- but with a the right elbow so close to the body- and your comment the hands feel higher than normal- if you move the ball further away- you may want to get a little more axis tilt to comfortably lower the right shoulder for the right forearm to remain on plane.

So, I'm sure you're a great player- and you probably don't need to change a thing- but maybe something will click (learn something) for someone else- regarding something that you posted or that I or others comment on- so thanks for taking the time to post and share your procedure.

Love your use of the spot system of alignment!

Finally, while the following is unrelated to your post- it relates to my comments of what to be careful of- in regards to Golf Machine application - as you know-there's alot more going on - even in a chip shot- than what you described or what Homer described. The term "Too Mechanical" in practice can mean that you isolated a limited number of factors to focus on and have ignored or limited other motions from happening- you've said "this is all that is required"- "I don't need to do or let anything else happen and I will hit the ball great".

Perfect doesn't mean Mechanical! Perfect doesn't mean ignore some factors and only concern yourself with a limited number of items (1-B). Perfect doesn't mean that you need to consciously control every movement! Ultimately and even at every stage you SHOULD have alot of the movement automated- i.e. outside of your conscious control i.e. memorized. It's an easy trap for Golfing Machine students to fall into- Homer wrote about the essence of the concepts and defined their basic criteria- the principles in play.

So here's the correlation- The Golfing Machine's definition of the golf swing as written in it's pages- is no different than any definition that you see in the dictionary- it defines the essence of that thing. So if one were to invalidate the Golfing Machine based on what is not there- then one would need to invalidate the definition of a Table: (as something with legs and a flat top for humans to hold objects on)- as invalid as it doesn't describe the particulars of all tables. Alternatively, there is more to the golf swing than what's written in the Golfing Machine just like there is more to a table than four legs and a flat top! Both merely provide the essence of the concept for it's definition- all the particulars of any and every swing or any and every table- still fall into that concept.

In summary, IN THE CONTEXT THAT I"M DISCUSSING HERE- if you try to limit, simplify, isolate- in application- then you might not actual play golf very well and you might walk away from the Golfing Machine concepts- as concepts that don't work in practice. Use what you got- and let some of the concepts in the Golfing Machine improve what you have. This last section that I've written is really for those perfectionists out there that the Golfing Machine likes to attract.

Thanks and I think I've rambled enough- off to work!

Great Post Mike O.

Mike O - Good reply, especially the part regarding the feel of the right elbow and loss of focus (been there, done that, ugh).

Still thinking about your second part, a lot of good info there.

Rick - Wow! I copied your post and broke added line spaces. Read it again. For me that description you provided kind of put me into the fog. Guess I kind of like a simplier defintion or format, a check list. I guess it comes down to the person you are providing the information too. Much like golf instructors who teach the same thing, but have a different presentation base on the student. Let us know how it was recieved.

Originally Posted by RickPinewild

A friend asked me to write down what I am doing with my practice. This is what I came up with. Any comments or suggestions would be appreciated. From an angle behind the ball, with my chest facing about 60 degrees to the right of target. I am thinking of the right fore-arm flying wedge at this time. I aim clubface a little left of target with a forward leaning shaft. I then step into stance with left foot, then right foot. I take my left hand grip with flat left wrist in line with the club-face. I maintain this impact alignment. Using extensor action, I waggle slowly feeling a slight left forearm swivel back, up, and in, and the right hand moving on plane. The feeling should be Slow, Deliberate and Heavy. No body movement at all, feels like right arm is doing all the work. Right elbow folds, and then it straightens out.

Hi Rick,

Thanks for taking time to describe your procedure. You have asked for comments and suggestions. I have extracted the quotes above from your post and follow with my observations.

1. From an angle behind the ball, with my chest facing about 60 degrees to the right of target.

Assuming a Square Stance and Square Plane Line (toward the Target), the Shoulders (and Chest) should likewise be 'Comparatively Squared-Away' (10-8-A). This alignment will not prevent Educated Hands from making their mandatory Inside-Out, On Plane Impact (2-J-2 per 5-0).

2. I aim clubface a little left of target...

Absent the desire for special effects, the Clubface should be aligned Square to the Target on Short Shots, regardless of Hinge Action. This advice, given by Homer Kelley himself, conflicts with the normal Impact Alignments of 2-J-1. The reason is that the Ball is on the Face of the Club for a shorter distance in these Strokes, and thus there is no material difference between the Impact and Separation alignments.

3. Then step into stance with left foot, then right foot.

There is no 'right or wrong' here, but I would recommend stepping in with your Right Foot first. It opens you up to the Target and promotes the essential, On Plane 'Underhand Pitch Motion and Feel' (2-N-0).

4. I take my left hand grip with flat left wrist in line with the club-face. I maintain this impact alignment.

Considering your 'aimed left' Clubface, that would mean that your Left Wrist is now aimed left of the Target. Instead, the Flat Left Wrist -- and the Right Forefinger Clubhead Lag Pressure Point -- should be aligned to the right, down the Angle of Approach (7-2). The further back in your Stance you locate the Ball, the more the Clubface will be Closed to these Angle of Approach Alignments (7-11).

5. The feeling should be Slow, Deliberate and Heavy.

The Mantra of Execution is "Deliberate, Positive and Heavy" (3-F-6). I would caution against the thought "Slow". Instead, think "lighter" Lag Pressure (6-C-0-3). Lighter Pressure will automatically result in a slower Stroke, without the everpresent danger of Daintiness (6-C-2-D). Similarly, for increased Power, think "heavier" (increased Lag Pressure) not "faster" (2-M-2-1).

6. No body movement at all, feels like right arm is doing all the work. Right elbow folds, and then it straightens out.

Sounds like a nice little Hitting Stroke. You have described the Physics of the Action -- Right Elbow Bend and Straighten -- but don't forget to give that Stroke its essential Geometry -- Trace the Plane Line. And know that once the Stroke gets any longer than the two-feet Back-and-Through Basic Motion, the Body should begin its participation (between "Zero and Full" per 7-12 and, even with Zero Pivot, "partial, relative or total" per 3-F-5). First with the Shoulders, then the Hips. Always supported -- and stabilized -- by the Action of the Feet and Knees. Just when should this participation begin? According to Homer Kelley, "As soon as it becomes useful." Remember, even Hitters (with their driving Right Triceps) are not exempt from the requirements of the Pivot.