Brian Manzella
Administrator
May the Forces be with you.
By Brian Manzella
There are many movements the player must perform in an efficient golf swing. But there are only two forces that the golfer has to create. A downward force and a rotational or what I like to call an ‘around-ward’ force. Poor players add directional forces such as forward and upward in a vain attempt at making the ball fly toward the target. If can you learn to create the “Two Forces” and eliminate the unnecessary other forces, you can simplify your swing and maximize your distance and accuracy.
Let’s start with the downward force. Doesn’t there have to be a forward force? The answer is no. If you put a golf club against a wall, horizontal to the floor, and drop it, it would fall straight downward due to gravity. Same if you pull it down the wall or push it down the wall. Straight down. But, if you had a pin the the grip end of the shaft, into the wall, the clubhead would go down the wall and forward toward the ball and target (pic 1).
Dropped, pulled or pushed STRAIGHT down, the clubhead will go forward also if there is a pin at the grip end of the shaft. The key is that there is only a downward force at work in this ‘pinned’ example. In the golf swing there are two pins: the primary one at the left shoulder where the left arm attaches, and a secondary one at the left wrist. So with or without wristcock, the golfer gets two for one with the correct application of a downward force. The clubhead will go downward and forward.
The ‘around-ward’ force is necessary for two reasons. One is transportation. Transportation? Yup. If you make a ‘normal’ backswing and let the arms/hands/club unit just fall from the top, the clubhead will hit the ground several inches behind the ball (pic 2).
But if you pivot forward, around your spine, you can ‘drop’ the club right on the ball (pic 3).
Or drag it down on the ball. Or push it.
The second reason you need the rotating ‘around-ward’ force is for speed. Simply, the faster you unwind (RPM’s) the faster the clubhead will go.
The ‘around-ward’ move most closely approximates a left handed frisbee toss. Just go out to the store and buy a basic model (if you already don’t have a half dozen in your garage) and practice throwing it left handed. Just stand 90 degrees to the target, like your golf stance, unwind and fling that frisbee. Just like in the golf swing ‘over-accelaration’ of the left arm BY the left arm, is a disaster. Allow your torso to drag your left arm around and flail your left arm off of your chest (pic 4).
The only difference in the frisbee pivot and the golf version is the plane. The frisbee plane is horizontal to the ground, and the golf one is on an incline. You could throw the frisbee into the ground, on the target line, a few yards forward on the ball, to get the feel (pic 5). The change in planes necessitates the tilting of your spine both more over and slightly to the right, just like in the golf swing (also pic 5).
The combination of the downward force, and the rotational one, can be exercised by skipping rocks. Rock skipping includes the right arm throw (downward on plane) and the ‘around-ward’ pivot with a titled axis. So many golfers have trouble with this all important detail. The golfer MUST be able to create this throw without ‘un-tilting’ as the release occurs (correct pic 6)
(incorrect pic 7).
This ‘around-ward’ rotation of the golfer, called the PIVOT, creates a resultant OUTWARD force just like the one created by twirling a rock on a string (pic 8).
It should be obvious that poor players with their upper body forward lunges and lifts, disturb the orbit of the clubhead much as any non-rotating force would disrupt the twirling of the rock on a string.
With a frisbee, a hand full of rocks and a piece of string, you should be able to understand the two forces in the golf swing and apply them to your swing effectively. Just as important, is the elimination of the forces that are NOT either downward or ‘around-ward.’ The reason the great players look like they are doing less than you are is because...they are!
By Brian Manzella
There are many movements the player must perform in an efficient golf swing. But there are only two forces that the golfer has to create. A downward force and a rotational or what I like to call an ‘around-ward’ force. Poor players add directional forces such as forward and upward in a vain attempt at making the ball fly toward the target. If can you learn to create the “Two Forces” and eliminate the unnecessary other forces, you can simplify your swing and maximize your distance and accuracy.
Let’s start with the downward force. Doesn’t there have to be a forward force? The answer is no. If you put a golf club against a wall, horizontal to the floor, and drop it, it would fall straight downward due to gravity. Same if you pull it down the wall or push it down the wall. Straight down. But, if you had a pin the the grip end of the shaft, into the wall, the clubhead would go down the wall and forward toward the ball and target (pic 1).
Dropped, pulled or pushed STRAIGHT down, the clubhead will go forward also if there is a pin at the grip end of the shaft. The key is that there is only a downward force at work in this ‘pinned’ example. In the golf swing there are two pins: the primary one at the left shoulder where the left arm attaches, and a secondary one at the left wrist. So with or without wristcock, the golfer gets two for one with the correct application of a downward force. The clubhead will go downward and forward.
The ‘around-ward’ force is necessary for two reasons. One is transportation. Transportation? Yup. If you make a ‘normal’ backswing and let the arms/hands/club unit just fall from the top, the clubhead will hit the ground several inches behind the ball (pic 2).
But if you pivot forward, around your spine, you can ‘drop’ the club right on the ball (pic 3).
Or drag it down on the ball. Or push it.
The second reason you need the rotating ‘around-ward’ force is for speed. Simply, the faster you unwind (RPM’s) the faster the clubhead will go.
The ‘around-ward’ move most closely approximates a left handed frisbee toss. Just go out to the store and buy a basic model (if you already don’t have a half dozen in your garage) and practice throwing it left handed. Just stand 90 degrees to the target, like your golf stance, unwind and fling that frisbee. Just like in the golf swing ‘over-accelaration’ of the left arm BY the left arm, is a disaster. Allow your torso to drag your left arm around and flail your left arm off of your chest (pic 4).
The only difference in the frisbee pivot and the golf version is the plane. The frisbee plane is horizontal to the ground, and the golf one is on an incline. You could throw the frisbee into the ground, on the target line, a few yards forward on the ball, to get the feel (pic 5). The change in planes necessitates the tilting of your spine both more over and slightly to the right, just like in the golf swing (also pic 5).
The combination of the downward force, and the rotational one, can be exercised by skipping rocks. Rock skipping includes the right arm throw (downward on plane) and the ‘around-ward’ pivot with a titled axis. So many golfers have trouble with this all important detail. The golfer MUST be able to create this throw without ‘un-tilting’ as the release occurs (correct pic 6)
(incorrect pic 7).
This ‘around-ward’ rotation of the golfer, called the PIVOT, creates a resultant OUTWARD force just like the one created by twirling a rock on a string (pic 8).
It should be obvious that poor players with their upper body forward lunges and lifts, disturb the orbit of the clubhead much as any non-rotating force would disrupt the twirling of the rock on a string.
With a frisbee, a hand full of rocks and a piece of string, you should be able to understand the two forces in the golf swing and apply them to your swing effectively. Just as important, is the elimination of the forces that are NOT either downward or ‘around-ward.’ The reason the great players look like they are doing less than you are is because...they are!
