I'd really like to get this "toss" part of the soft draw correct. How does the application differ for people who are elbow planers (snead) versus turn shoulder planers (nicklaus)? I am finding more and more that I need to stay on the elbow plane. Get up on TSP and I'm all over the place. Practice the elbow plane impact position, right bent arm into body turning through, and I hit it much better. How do I integrate this with a SD pattern? Is there a difference in the toss method?
Second, is it just me, or were most great players of the older days in impact positions closer to elbow plane, versus most modern players being on TSP or higher? Why the move away from elbow plane? Something in modern instruction? The move to more upright swings?
I look at players like Hogan, Nelson, Snead and then look at modern players and only a few arrive at impact in the "old school" position. Right arm into the body, really down and pulling through the shot. Hunter Mahan is a good example, and I have seen David Toms execute some great shots from this position. Why is the instruction of "arms extended and both arms pretty much straight into impact" so prevalent? Even Nicklaus, a TSP swinger, and others like him (Tom Kite, Tom Watson, Greg Norman) had the right elbow into the body. I think if Harvey Penick saw a lot of today's swings, he wouldn't be so happy with the impact position.
Second, is it just me, or were most great players of the older days in impact positions closer to elbow plane, versus most modern players being on TSP or higher? Why the move away from elbow plane? Something in modern instruction? The move to more upright swings?
I look at players like Hogan, Nelson, Snead and then look at modern players and only a few arrive at impact in the "old school" position. Right arm into the body, really down and pulling through the shot. Hunter Mahan is a good example, and I have seen David Toms execute some great shots from this position. Why is the instruction of "arms extended and both arms pretty much straight into impact" so prevalent? Even Nicklaus, a TSP swinger, and others like him (Tom Kite, Tom Watson, Greg Norman) had the right elbow into the body. I think if Harvey Penick saw a lot of today's swings, he wouldn't be so happy with the impact position.
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