jonnygrouville
New
Two easy questions then. What is width? Is it important?
For those of you with more time on your hands, some more questions and incoherent jabberings…
I thought I knew what width was, but have now heard so many things called ‘width’ or so many different swings called ‘wide’, I am not so sure any more. I thought it was important, but how does having a great big ‘wide’ backswing help get into a better position to hit the ball or generate any more clubhead speed?
Firstly, the definition. The club doesn’t change length and (as long as it doesn’t buckle at the elbow) neither does your left arm. With a good pivot, the point between your shoulder-blades will move away from the target and your shoulders will turn. Unless your right arm has crumpled and dragged the club way inside, at the end of the takeaway, this will look ‘wide’ - greater distance of the clubhead from the target.
There is clearly a difference here from the guy that doesn’t pivot. If the left shoulder hasn’t made it behind the ball, it is not going to look very wide. Is this the point? Is width just an indication that you have made a good pivot? Is it a by-product of not just picking the club straight up with your right hand?
Another definition has been confusing me even more – horizontal distance of the hands from the head away from the target at the top of the backswing. Kind of like JJ Henry. From face-on, there is clearly quite an acute angle between his left arm and the horizontal club. His right arm is folded, elbow more in front of his body, keeping his hands further from the target.
Compare this to classic Davis Love III. At the top he would have width zero. His left arm is pretty much vertical, practically a right angle between his arm and the club. His right elbow is high, more pushed out behind him, and his hands pretty much as high as they can go. But he has always had a 'wide' golf swing and everyone loves saying how it contributes to the distance he hits it.
Seems to me that if they have both made full shoulder turns, Davis’ arms have swung further so this is an extra element he has to add back into the downswing. Is JJ’s more set arms-in-front position, wider by this definition, more reliable as he doesn’t have to do this?
Secondly, does it matter? We all want those angles in the downswing releasing into impact, so why does it matter what you do on the way back?
Classic Davis has this huge arc with the clubhead going back, but if it followed the same path on the way down, he would be throwing away the clubhead and wouldn't hit it out of his shadow. ‘Wide-narrow-wide’ has always been my dad’s mantra. Is this just old school gibberish? Seems to fit when you watch clips of Hogan and the lagging clubhead takeaway is also fitting into this model for me.
So is width in the backswing a way of dynamically kicking off the right sort of chain reaction to have those angles when it matters – in the downswing and at impact?
Thank you for your time if you have got this far. Anything anyone can help with greatly appreciated.
For those of you with more time on your hands, some more questions and incoherent jabberings…
I thought I knew what width was, but have now heard so many things called ‘width’ or so many different swings called ‘wide’, I am not so sure any more. I thought it was important, but how does having a great big ‘wide’ backswing help get into a better position to hit the ball or generate any more clubhead speed?
Firstly, the definition. The club doesn’t change length and (as long as it doesn’t buckle at the elbow) neither does your left arm. With a good pivot, the point between your shoulder-blades will move away from the target and your shoulders will turn. Unless your right arm has crumpled and dragged the club way inside, at the end of the takeaway, this will look ‘wide’ - greater distance of the clubhead from the target.
There is clearly a difference here from the guy that doesn’t pivot. If the left shoulder hasn’t made it behind the ball, it is not going to look very wide. Is this the point? Is width just an indication that you have made a good pivot? Is it a by-product of not just picking the club straight up with your right hand?
Another definition has been confusing me even more – horizontal distance of the hands from the head away from the target at the top of the backswing. Kind of like JJ Henry. From face-on, there is clearly quite an acute angle between his left arm and the horizontal club. His right arm is folded, elbow more in front of his body, keeping his hands further from the target.
Compare this to classic Davis Love III. At the top he would have width zero. His left arm is pretty much vertical, practically a right angle between his arm and the club. His right elbow is high, more pushed out behind him, and his hands pretty much as high as they can go. But he has always had a 'wide' golf swing and everyone loves saying how it contributes to the distance he hits it.
Seems to me that if they have both made full shoulder turns, Davis’ arms have swung further so this is an extra element he has to add back into the downswing. Is JJ’s more set arms-in-front position, wider by this definition, more reliable as he doesn’t have to do this?
Secondly, does it matter? We all want those angles in the downswing releasing into impact, so why does it matter what you do on the way back?
Classic Davis has this huge arc with the clubhead going back, but if it followed the same path on the way down, he would be throwing away the clubhead and wouldn't hit it out of his shadow. ‘Wide-narrow-wide’ has always been my dad’s mantra. Is this just old school gibberish? Seems to fit when you watch clips of Hogan and the lagging clubhead takeaway is also fitting into this model for me.
So is width in the backswing a way of dynamically kicking off the right sort of chain reaction to have those angles when it matters – in the downswing and at impact?
Thank you for your time if you have got this far. Anything anyone can help with greatly appreciated.