At address, Larry Nelson -- "Hogan with a smile" -- has always set up with his Hands in their Impact Location and Alignments.
Would that include an on-plane Right Forearm?
Good question, armourall2. And it prompted a trip down Memory Lane.
A week after Larry Nelson won the U.S. Open at Oakmont, we got together for acouple of hours on the practice tee at Atlanta Country Club. I wanted a seriesof stop-action photos of 'the Swing that won the Open," and he graciously-- as usual -- consented. The end result was an in-depth study of one of thegreat Total Motions (12-5-3) in the history of The Game.
My big Blue Book includes fifteen pages of these pictures, and I hauledit out to verify what I thought would be the answer to your question. And theanswer is...
No.
His Right Forearm and Elbow are not On Plane at Address.
The reason is that unless the Body has also shifted into its ImpactLocation, the Axis of the Shoulder Turn (the Spine) has not yet been Tilted.And it is this Axis Tilt (7-14) that brings the Right Shoulder (7-13) andultimately the Right Forearm (7-3) On Plane (2-F). Attempting to 'force' an OnPlane Right Forearm -- as many do -- while omitting its actuating DownstrokeHip Turn is counterproductive and should be avoided. Larry instinctively knewthis and never made the error.
Oh, one more thing.
Larry was always criticized for his 'across the Line' Clubshaft at the Top. Andas we reviewed the photographs in his living room the following week, wediscussed that point.
"I've always had that. It just never felt right to get it parallel to theLine."
"That's because, Larry, you're a Hitter. And the best Hitters -- asOpen Champ, you definitely qualify! -- don't Swing the Club parallelto the Line, they Drive the Club across the Line. And yourClubshaft alignment at the Top is setting you up perfectly for that!"
"Really!"
"That's right. Also, you'll notice that you never get the Clubshafttrailing way behind your Arms on the Downstroke. You know, the way Hogan did,for instance."
"Yeah, I never had that either."
"You know why?"
"Because I'm a Hitter?"
"You got it! Swingers Pull the Club down behind them just likeit is a piece of string. They crank up the Gyroscope of the Circling Clubhead,keep their Right Arm passive, and then let Centrifugal Force do the rest of thework. Hitters start out Pulling, too, but once their Right Shoulder hassupplied the initial Thrust, they start Pushing against the back of theShaft -- just like it was an Axe Handle -- and they use their ActiveRight Arm and Elbow to Drive the Club through Impact. That's one reason,by the way, you like those very stiff Shafts. They're great to Pushagainst."
"Well, I'll be darned!"
"I'm sure you'll sleep a lot easier knowing you're doing it right. Can wego see your trophy now?"
Hybrid Mode
