Magic of the Right Shoulder

[DDL]

Once a upon a time, in a golfing galaxy far far away......

All this time, although I was trying to aim, thrust, pull, whatever, my right shoulder at the ball, I was apparently doing it all incorrectly. I took the instruction of "back and down" and putting the right shoulder into the right pocket feel too literally. My interpretation was to squeeze my right shoulder, independent of my upper body, downwards during transition and axis tilt, then aim it towards the ball.

Even though I was faithfully performing the 3 imperatives, including the best I could with keeping the right forearm on plane, I could never accomplish the feeling of my flying wedges driving completely down and out, nor the consequent momentum carrying my wedges to finish.

I bought Tour Tempo yesterday, tried it out, and noticed my right shoulder felt like it was coming over the top. Also felt like my right shoulder was participating a lot more to the swing. After checking out this new movement in the mirror, I noticed that my right shoulder was actually going downplane, steeply. looked like the photos in Hebron's book and in Brian's article. Slomo swing sequneces of the pros revealed to me that pros' right shoulder work together with their torso. I also didn't see one golfer during today's broadcast lowering or squeezing their right shoulder independent of the torso.

What I was doing before, squeezing my right shoulder down into my right pocket, or back and down, was actually a plane shift to a shallower plane. My hands and right shoulder weren't coordinated. No matter how much I tried to keep the right forearm on plane, I really couldn't because my right shoulder felt like it was getting left behind and not participating. Hence the inability to fully feel down and out and the lack of followthrough rotation to finish. With my previous swing, at impact, my right shoulder was at the periphery of my peripheral vision. After the squeeze down, it probably ran out of room to go downwards or its path was obstructed. My arms went ahead without my abandoned right shoulder.

With the new steep, turned shoulder plane , "over the top" path of my right shoulder , the position of my right shoulder at impact was under my right ear and right side of my chin. I could feel my right shoulder thrusting dowards and taking with it the flying wedges, "smashing" the plane line as Yoda described it.

After my warmup session of 12-5-2, I tried out the new swing at the range with about 10 balls. Incredible! Ball flight with my 5-iron was appreciably higher. That smashing down and out produced more backspin. Not much more distance, maybe 10 yds extra, since I didn't have the courage to use the new 3 to 1 tempo ration described in Tour Tempo. More like my standard 1.5 to 1 . ALso noticed that I rotated all the way through as my right shoulder rotated all the way through. Did notice a pull, which I corrected at fix with a slightly open clubface. Left the range on a high note. didn't want to hack away and ruin my progress.

All this time I was was focused with ball position, how to pull, where to pull, left leg, blah blah blah. My right shoulder was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The on plane , fully participating right shoulder is my own personal thris imperative, and I am sticking to that story

The end

 

[nevermind]

nice post.

do you have any stils that can highlight the changes? I'm trying to get the right shoulder move down but cant picture it.

 

[goodgolf57]

I too have experienced much of what you have written concerning concentrating on the right shoulder. To strike the ball well, I have to trust the shoulder will go down properly and just feel ppt#3 lag moving through impact w/ correct hinging. When the shoulder doesn't behave, my short game better be sharp.

 

[drewitgolf]

quote:Originally posted by DDL

Once a upon a time, in a golfing galaxy far far away......

All this time, although I was trying to aim, thrust, pull, whatever, my right shoulder at the ball, I was apparently doing it all incorrectly. I took the instruction of "back and down" and putting the right shoulder into the right pocket feel too literally. My interpretation was to squeeze my right shoulder, independent of my upper body, downwards during transition and axis tilt, then aim it towards the ball.

Even though I was faithfully performing the 3 imperatives, including the best I could with keeping the right forearm on plane, I could never accomplish the feeling of my flying wedges driving completely down and out, nor the consequent momentum carrying my wedges to finish.

I bought Tour Tempo yesterday, tried it out, and noticed my right shoulder felt like it was coming over the top. Also felt like my right shoulder was participating a lot more to the swing. After checking out this new movement in the mirror, I noticed that my right shoulder was actually going downplane, steeply. looked like the photos in Hebron's book and in Brian's article. Slomo swing sequneces of the pros revealed to me that pros' right shoulder work together with their torso. I also didn't see one golfer during today's broadcast lowering or squeezing their right shoulder independent of the torso.

What I was doing before, squeezing my right shoulder down into my right pocket, or back and down, was actually a plane shift to a shallower plane. My hands and right shoulder weren't coordinated. No matter how much I tried to keep the right forearm on plane, I really couldn't because my right shoulder felt like it was getting left behind and not participating. Hence the inability to fully feel down and out and the lack of followthrough rotation to finish. With my previous swing, at impact, my right shoulder was at the periphery of my peripheral vision. After the squeeze down, it probably ran out of room to go downwards or its path was obstructed. My arms went ahead without my abandoned right shoulder.

With the new steep, turned shoulder plane , "over the top" path of my right shoulder , the position of my right shoulder at impact was under my right ear and right side of my chin. I could feel my right shoulder thrusting dowards and taking with it the flying wedges, "smashing" the plane line as Yoda described it.

After my warmup session of 12-5-2, I tried out the new swing at the range with about 10 balls. Incredible! Ball flight with my 5-iron was appreciably higher. That smashing down and out produced more backspin. Not much more distance, maybe 10 yds extra, since I didn't have the courage to use the new 3 to 1 tempo ration described in Tour Tempo. More like my standard 1.5 to 1 . ALso noticed that I rotated all the way through as my right shoulder rotated all the way through. Did notice a pull, which I corrected at fix with a slightly open clubface. Left the range on a high note. didn't want to hack away and ruin my progress.

All this time I was was focused with ball position, how to pull, where to pull, left leg, blah blah blah. My right shoulder was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The on plane , fully participating right shoulder is my own personal thris imperative, and I am sticking to that story

The end

Congratulations on you discovery of 2-N-1.

 

[DDL]

From the initial acceleration, should the right shoulder and torso be constantly rotating at a constant rate, analagous to hand speed ? Used to feel like my right shoulder would get stuck and slow down considerably and even stop as my arms took over. Now it feels like my right shoulder is thrusting in a rotary fashion, like a boxer's right cross in a downward direction. Even with greater participation of my right shoulder, still feels my arms still do some of the work in moving my upper body. Well I am hoping it is my upper body doing the work and my right shoulder isn't working independently. Feels like my arms carry my shoulder around after impact.

 

[DDL]

Nevermind:

No Pics. However both HK and YOda have a curriculum to train the right shoulder as a pivot component. 12-5-3, under trigger delay, 10-20-C, SHoulder Turn Throw. Yoda want s one to aim and thrust the right shoulder in a straight line (if memory severs me correctly or not) towards the ball. HK states to thrust the right shoulder against #4ACC.

I find Yoda's method "hazardous". Not an indictment, but Yoda's method is an anchovy topping, and Hk's is pepperoni and black olives. I like one much better than the other and one doesn't give me indigestion.

First, the right shoulder is capable of a wide range of movement while the upper body isn't moving, and thrusting it straight at the ball causes the right shoulder , in my case to "separate" itself from the upper body. This has led to plane shifts and over the top moves. Plus I assume that the right shoulder should be travelling in an arc along with the upper body, not in a straight line, independent of the torso.

Second, HK's method of thrusting against #4ACC feels steeper and more down than Yoda's method. Perhaps my depth perception and severe astigmatism is the culprit. The ball, although 5- 51/2 feet from my eyes, looks only a few inches from my face. Consequently, to hit the ball with my right shoulder, I perform more of a right cross boxer's motion.

With all the research Homer did, I wonder with his method, thrusting against #4ACC, the right shoulder is automatically on plane. Or even if off plane, it errs on the side of being too steep, and can be easier to correct with centrifugal force for swingers.

Now of course I only have been doing this for a couple of days. First day was great. Second day, I lost courage after some mi****s ,so slid back to a mostly arms approach. So it seemed. Lost the feeling of smashing through the ball and plane line with my entire flying right wedge , especially the right shoulder. However, with a smoother tempo, I was able to pick the ball cleanly off a bumpy mat without hitting it fat or getting the clubhead stuck in the rough spots on the mat. Maybe my right shoulder took off one of it's training wheels?

PS. Anyone know of a book titled " How to Post Messages Succintly" ?

 

[holenone]

quote:Originally posted by DDL

However both HK and YOda have a curriculum to train the right shoulder as a pivot component. 12-5-3, under trigger delay, 10-20-C, SHoulder Turn Throw. Yoda want s one to aim and thrust the right shoulder in a straight line (if memory severs me correctly or not) towards the ball. HK states to thrust the right shoulder against #4ACC.

I find Yoda's method "hazardous". Not an indictment, but Yoda's method is an anchovy topping, and Hk's is pepperoni and black olives. I like one much better than the other and one doesn't give me indigestion.

My method and Homer's method are one. In fact, I learned it directly from him.

It is the Right Shoulder Turn Thrust toward the Ball, i.e., On Plane, that produces the Left Arm Loading against Pressure Point #4 (6-B-4-A).