Tom Watson's Secret?

[whisper]

There's a nice article that talks about Tom Watson and his improvement in ball striking over time:

Joe Posnanski » Posts The Two Lives of Tom Watson «

Has anyone read his book referenced? I did, and I didn't quite get the secret except that it seemed to be a way to 'swing left". (It involves mimicking Corry Pavin's practice swing. )He described that as preventing a toe-deep divot and losing shots right, which is a little surprising as much of the rest makes it sound like a hook prevention device.

Any thoughts on "TW's secret" and it's relation with Manzella ideas? Maybe like carry in NHA?

 

[natep]

Here's a video of Tom describing his "secret".

 

[spktho]

I think Brian did liken Watson's "secret" to more carry.

 

[faux_maestro]

I think Brian did liken Watson's "secret" to more carry.

Doesn't he say in the video when he first did "the move" he felt like he was coming WAY over the top? That is the carry. I'm working on this myself (while bumping my hips and squatting).

 

[leon]

Well I guess I can finally say I swing like Tom Watson. Of course my swing is the one he FEELS like he is doing!

 

[wulsy]

I think he is taking the p with all the stuff about the spine angle though. He's just trying to make it simple for the audience, right?

 

[leon]

I think he is taking the p with all the stuff about the spine angle though. He's just trying to make it simple for the audience, right?

Maybe he really does feel like he just turns back and forth with shoulders perpendicular to his spine angle.

He doesn't though!

 

[BrendanC]

I think when Watson stopped straining and stretching so much, he hit it better.

In a good critique, John Jacobs called his swing from the 80s 'Rock and Block' and said it relied on timing (and was not good for hitting off tight lies). Jacobs said Nicklaus was prone to the same fault at times - and in fact he went so far called it the 'American disease' of the time.

In the late 80s, some Euros with very rotary actions (especially - in terms of their action - Olazabal, Langer and Woosnam) became quite dominant.

 

[carland]

Maybe he really does feel like he just turns back and forth with shoulders perpendicular to his spine angle.
He doesn't though!

So what do you think Watson does in his swing after his "secret"? Is Watson's swing today similar to Nicklaus' swing in the early 80s?

Nicklaus and Watson (now) were/are such good ballstrikers. It is a wonder why golf teachers spend so much time dissecting Hogan's swing and using it as a model while, by comparison, golf teachers tend to praise Nicklaus and Watson but ignore the way they swing the club.

 

[whisper]

Does the story really make sense though?

So he seems like he is carrying more, put the claim is that this stopped him from hitting out right and from making "toe-deep" divots. Wouldn't we expect carrying to fix path and prevent ascending strikes-- i.e. prevent hooks and make deeper divots?

Since Watson is hitting something that looks like a soft-draw, is there a lesson here for those of us working on that pattern?

 

[spktho]

So he seems like he is carrying more, put the claim is that this stopped him from hitting out right and from making "toe-deep" divots. Wouldn't we expect carrying to fix path and prevent ascending strikes-- i.e. prevent hooks and make deeper divots?

Since Watson is hitting something that looks like a soft-draw, is there a lesson here for those of us working on that pattern?

I haven't studied Watson's before and after, but the carry he implemented may have made him also change his hand path into impact--hands lower and lefter--shallowing out angle of attack too. What's the difference between a soft draw and a straight ball, 1-2* change of path?

 

[trickyric67]

do you think a book or video is far behind?

 

[carland]

Watson just put out a new book called "The Timeless Swing." Here's a cite for it Amazon.com: The Timeless Swing (9781439194836): Tom Watson, Nick Seitz: Books

The back of the book has swing sequences from up the line and down the line. Watson's shoulders look more vertical in the downswing (his right shoulder looks lower) than it does during his backswing. So some of his secret seems like "feel" v. "real."

 

[tbarbertab]

I agree

Watson just put out a new book called "The Timeless Swing." Here's a cite for it Amazon.com: The Timeless Swing (9781439194836): Tom Watson, Nick Seitz: Books

The back of the book has swing sequences from up the line and down the line. Watson's shoulders look more vertical in the downswing (his right shoulder looks lower) than it does during his backswing. So some of his secret seems like "feel" v. "real."

I agree. He may feel like he returns his shoulders on the same plane, but his right shoulder IS lower in the forward swing. If you zeroed out the downswing axis tilt though, I suppose it would be closer.

BTW, I love Watson's swing!

 

[bgoodyear]

I have this book. There is a page with mirrored sequences of his old and new swings. In the old one he was clearly hitting with steeper shoulders leading to a reverse C. He may not be rotary but he's alot closer.