Recruiting the body - Backswing

[blehnhard]

Happy T-Day to All -

Lots of mention has been made of "recruiting" the body on the DS. I interpert this to mean only using what in necessary in body movement to accomplish the new information on the release (out toss, lining up, letting the left wrist bend after impact as needed, etc).

Should one only "recruit" what is needed in the body to move the hands to the selected top of backswing position, or should one use a lot of body turn (hips & shoulders) to maximise "back to target"?

In my case, I take a small "step" to the right (moves hands about even with right thigh), then just take the hands to the top of my swing (hands still to right of head, shaft about 45 deg short of parallel - or what would generally be termed 3/4 BS). I let my shoulders and hips be pulled by my arms (no restrictions on much the move - only moving the amount needed for my arms and hands to reach the desired position - can keep a "softer" left arm with this swing

This does not get my back fully turned to the target. Conversely, I can make a big shoulder / hip turn at the start without any extra movement of the arms and reach a "back to target" turn and then have to raise the arms to reach top of backswing. This gives me a "bigger turn" but causes a lot of tension in the left arm.

I am 70 years (today) and not as supple as I used to be. On trackman this summer, I could get close to 100 mph with the driver (this prior to using any of the new info on release - hope this can add a few mph).

I am looking for the easiset / simplest swing to carry me thru my "old age".

Thoughts - Bruce

 

[Brian Manzella]

Happy Birthday Bruce!!!!!

The fact of the matter is simple, your backswing will work great with every "idea" but the "out-toss."

You don't need it.

 

[Matt 4-L]

Happy birthday Bruce...You described my backswing exactly and I find that I hit it further then trying to move everything to get a fuller shoulder turn.

 

[SteveT]

Would love to see a video of your septuagenarian ~100 mph driver swing. However, doesn't your clubhead speed tend to diminish as you trudge the final few holes and fatigue reduces your clubhead speed to your age..???

 

[drewyallop]

hi Bruce,

65 and very interested in your thoughts. I can get my back facing the target on short and mid-irons and still remain relaxed and also do a little toss. But trying to do this with driver and woods feels so stiff and unnatural and it seems impossible to get back to the ball. And forget about the toss from this position. I will go with your 3/4 BS with these longer clubs, no toss and focus only on torquing the CP on the way down.

If it helps, gripping stronger than Manzella neutral especially with the back hand helps me both with torquing and tossing.

 

[blehnhard]

Man - what a "senior moment" yesterday. Turned 69 not 70 - jeez you'd thinnk at my age I would be trying to go the other way. Anyhow thanks for the birthday wishes.

Have not had much chance to practice with these new thoughts - hope to maybe get out this weekend for a bucket of balls. Heading to Pinehurst next Thur. with 7 others for 4 days of golf. Will report back.

I am going to focus on a "quiet" (but reacting) body, starting the DS with my arms (no tugging I hope), start releasing the bend in the right wrist when left arm is parallel and then get the club moving as fast as possible with hopefully some "jump" at the bottom.

One question in relation to the full release of the right wrist bend -

There was some info in another thread that measured the change in the bend in Luke D's wrist. No doubt active torque at the beginning, but what about the last change in bend (from say right thigh (low point of CP to past impact where the right wrist is straight). Is that active torque, or has the club started moving fast enough that it just pulls the wrist straight as the club moves past impact?

Thanks - Bruce

 

[Matt Bryda]

but what about the last change in bend (from say right thigh (low point of CP to past impact where the right wrist is straight).

You may notice it more as active if your hula hoop is not in the ground enough

 

[SteveT]

Is that active torque, or has the club started moving fast enough that it just pulls the wrist straight as the club moves past impact?

It's the latter... because you don't want to interfere with a radially and axially freewheeling left arm and hand in final release.

Think of a fast spinning bicycle wheel and you trying to increase the spin by pushing a spoke near the hub. No....