Garcia Analysis

[Kevin Shields]

I still go through the mags every now and again hoping to pick up a tidbit here and there (and maybe some good photos), but they always disappoint. This months GOLF magazine has someone analyzing Garcia's swing. Now there's a perfect opportunity to talk about plane shifts and why he has his left shoulder so low late in the downswing, etc. But you just get the same tired stuff about "one piece takeaway", posture, balance, "perfectly on plane" (because the shaft is aligned with the right forearm, ya think that will confuse some people?). I guess just once i'd like to see one good swing analysis (that isn't from this forum)

 

[Redgoat]

doubled,

Thanks for the kind words about my article. One of the challenges when writing an analysis in a golf magazine is too keep the average golfer in the conversation. I could write about plane shifts, pressure points and lag loading, but 99% of the people reading it would have no idea what I was talking about.

It is a balancing act between keeping the information understandable to the average golfer and trying to explain 10 pictures in 10 very brief blasts of text. There is no question that given more space and more pictures, the analysis could be more in depth, but neither is the case.

Brian, keep up the good work. Maybe I can buy you a "light" beer at the show.

Redgoat

 

[mjstrong]

Doubled,

It seems like Brady Riggs wrote the article you were talking about, and I'd like to add that he has written some interesting articles in Golf Tips magazine that were very good. There were some analyses that were not your "standard" fare, but those are the kinds of articles that may miss your average golfer, ie. 99% of the golfing world. I would not be surprised if the feedback on such articles was, "Great article, but can you make the next one a little more beginner-friendly?"

I understand that it'd be nice for all golf publications to be customized, but you would quickly lose customer base if you catered to such a small percentage of the market. This is why more "specialized" website like this one can thrive like it does. I usually read the golf magazines for swing sequences, WITB articles, and will browse the rest out of interest, not expecting to read anything too stimulating.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Kevin Shields]

doubled,

Thanks for the kind words about my article. One of the challenges when writing an analysis in a golf magazine is too keep the average golfer in the conversation. I could write about plane shifts, pressure points and lag loading, but 99% of the people reading it would have no idea what I was talking about.

It is a balancing act between keeping the information understandable to the average golfer and trying to explain 10 pictures in 10 very brief blasts of text. There is no question that given more space and more pictures, the analysis could be more in depth, but neither is the case.

Brian, keep up the good work. Maybe I can buy you a "light" beer at the show.

Redgoat

Those are excellent points and ones i did not think of. You are correct and i do apologize.

 

[Kevin Shields]

Doubled,

It seems like Brady Riggs wrote the article you were talking about, and I'd like to add that he has written some interesting articles in Golf Tips magazine that were very good. There were some analyses that were not your "standard" fare, but those are the kinds of articles that may miss your average golfer, ie. 99% of the golfing world. I would not be surprised if the feedback on such articles was, "Great article, but can you make the next one a little more beginner-friendly?"

I understand that it'd be nice for all golf publications to be customized, but you would quickly lose customer base if you catered to such a small percentage of the market. This is why more "specialized" website like this one can thrive like it does. I usually read the golf magazines for swing sequences, WITB articles, and will browse the rest out of interest, not expecting to read anything too stimulating.

Just my 2 cents.

Brady Riggs definately writes good material. Perhaps I'm still just a little bitter that since the mags were my only information source growing up i wish i could have been exposed to the things that would have helped me more. Foot firmly in mouth, i'm sorry if i offended anybody. However, if the world of instruction is going to change, and get to the masses, i'd love to see the mags embrace some new ideas so they would be accessible to the average player. One guy in there had a tip on the right forefinger that was a great one.

 

[Redgoat]

double,

Absolutely no offense taken. My idealistic side agrees with you, but the practical side makes the venue a challenge in this case. BTW, I never mind criticism when it is from the right place.

Brady Riggs

 

[Kevin Shields]

Good to hear, verry classy response. A part of me just wonders if the info is kept so broad, does it confuse the average joe even more. For example, the term "on plane" is thrown around so casually that as a junior i would try to play on the elbow plane one month and change to a steeper plane the next based on someone else saying that was "on plane'. I wonder why the editers dont pick up on this. Oh well. Nevertheless, someone in your position has a much more difficult job than i made it sound.

 

[Redgoat]

On plane is a tough one. It certainly isn't above or below when on the forearm. It is a good benchmark especially for the average player who is almost always steep. I am always open to suggestions. Like I said, with two sentences to analyze a picture, you want to get the most bang for your buck. It is what makes writing these articles so interesting.

If you look at the face on pictures of Sergio and Hogan, there is quite a bit of info in there. You can hear the influence of McHatton and Doyle in my text, but it is still me.

I just finished one of Vijay. Hopefully you will like it more.

Brady

 

[Kevin Shields]

HaHa, i'm sure i will, not that your job is to please me. As you can probably guess, i'm a golf swing nut, certified. You're right, on plane IS a tough one. I tried to have that shaft in line with the forearm for so long. It was only when i realized my forearm wasn't on plane approaching impact that i knew it was a bad idea. There's just too many exceptions and different ways.

Again, i did not mean to take a shot at you. It was inadvertent.

 

[Robbohank]

Swing Articles

I drifted away from most of the golf magazines a few years ago but continued to read Golf Tips as we have a subscription at work. I've seen TGM "influence" (if you can call it that, my opinion only) in all of Brady's instructional articles, and find them to be about as informative as you're going to be able to get in a monthly magazine that is being read by "the masses". It's a tough job, but I think GT makes the strongest effort to provide good instructional information among the monthly magazines.

Robbo

 

[DOCW3]

almost always steep

On plane is a tough one. It certainly isn't above or below when on the forearm. It is a good benchmark especially for the average player who is almost always steep. I am always open to suggestions. Like I said, with two sentences to analyze a picture, you want to get the most bang for your buck. It is what makes writing these articles so interesting.

If you look at the face on pictures of Sergio and Hogan, there is quite a bit of info in there. You can hear the influence of McHatton and Doyle in my text, but it is still me.

I just finished one of Vijay. Hopefully you will like it more.

Brady

Brady~

Is that because the right shoulder is too high or not level at the top? I have one report from a former GSED claiming most including tour players are not level at the top. The difference was that the average was so high that they could not recover. Also, why don't we see more rear and overhead views?

DRW

 

[mjstrong]

Brady Riggs definately writes good material. Perhaps I'm still just a little bitter that since the mags were my only information source growing up i wish i could have been exposed to the things that would have helped me more. Foot firmly in mouth, i'm sorry if i offended anybody. However, if the world of instruction is going to change, and get to the masses, i'd love to see the mags embrace some new ideas so they would be accessible to the average player. One guy in there had a tip on the right forefinger that was a great one.

Yeah, I'd like to see the magazines start by publishing correct ball flight laws, like Brian's posted on this site, as opposed to the very old PGA Teaching manual version. Even though the old version is very simple to explain to students, it doesn't analyze the club-ball flight relationship correctly all of the time.

Brian, do you ever submit any unsolicited articles to the magazines, hoping they'll like what they read and publish them? Or are they too entrenched with their current writers?

 

[Redgoat]

Brady~

Is that because the right shoulder is too high or not level at the top? I have one report from a former GSED claiming most including tour players are not level at the top. The difference was that the average was so high that they could not recover. Also, why don't we see more rear and overhead views?

DRW

The average player has several factors going against him. First and foremost he thinks he need to hit the back of the ball with the face square to make it go straight and has to "get under it" to make the ball fly. When you combine that with a bad grip (usually too weak), a history of slicing, and a poor pivot it is no wonder why the shoulder is high and the club is steep.

That is why it is so incredibly easy to fix a slicer! Fix the brain, then the grip, show them the path, turn the hips and magic: A DRAW.

Brady

 

[JRJ]

Brady, enjoyed the Sergio analysis very much. A couple of questions for you:

1. In your opinion, what made Sergio go from being Top 5 in putting several years ago to almost dead last? How does that drastic a drop-off happen and will the long putter save him?

2. In frame 4 you mention the left arms clockwise rotation - can you please expand on that and how it helps with lag, etc.

3. I personally struggle with taking the club too inside at the beginning of the backswing, what do you recommend the avg. 8 handicap player do in order to take it back more up (on plane) with a flat left wrist at the top

Thanks.

JRJ

 

[dale47]

Hi Brady,
Have you ever compared Sergio's swing to a young Gary Player swing. Very similar IMO.

 

[Jared Willerson]

2. In frame 4 you mention the left arms clockwise rotation - can you please expand on that and how it helps with lag, etc.

JRJ

Face a mirror take the club to the top with your left elbow pointing directly at the ground.

Now turn your left arm clockwise......Your hands have stayed in the same place, but the "look" of huge accumulator lag has increased dramatically.

 

[David Alford]

If you're talking about the January issue on Garcia, it's (almost) totally worthless. Someone trying to get into Garcia's swing has (almost) zero possibility unless they know exactly how he makes his backswing and exactly how he makes his downswing...for starters.

 

[tongzilla]

If you're talking about the January issue on Garcia, it's (almost) totally worthless. Someone trying to get into Garcia's swing has (almost) zero possibility unless they know exactly how he makes his backswing and exactly how he makes his downswing...for starters.

why is the January issue of Garcia's swing worthless?

 

[chdwck]

At what pointwill articles change

This question might be best answered by redgoat because of his experience in writing golf articles but for whoever else wants to lend an idea, at what point does anybody think golf articles in magazines will change? When if ever will I pick up a copy of golf magazine and see things like "lagging the sweetspot" or an analysis using plane shifts. What would be the best way to introduce these terms and concepts to some one who is a novice to the game?

 

[Pro]

This question might be best answered by redgoat because of his experience in writing golf articles but for whoever else wants to lend an idea, at what point does anybody think golf articles in magazines will change? When if ever will I pick up a copy of golf magazine and see things like "lagging the sweetspot" or an analysis using plane shifts. What would be the best way to introduce these terms and concepts to some one who is a novice to the game?

The way to introduce them to better terminology would be the same way they were introduced to the so called terminology they now think they understand. Pictures, definitions, explanations, some mag may figure this out and really help golfers along the way!!!


todd