Got a haircut this afternoon, and read the Dec issue of Golf Digest during the cut. I was pleased to see a tip from Stenson…keep your left hand low through the strike…heel heavy divots!
So I take it that you think Stenson is a hitter? I have been wandering if he was or not. Hard to tell…
Back in his prime I never liked the look of Kite’s action…it just didn’t look as pleasing to the eye as Faldo or even Price, but now looking at it I see it was technically beautiful through the strike.
Kite was very short off the tee because he did not have good backswing shoulder rotation. Very controlled through impact and as most know was a very straight hitter. Combined with one of the best short games, and he had a great career.
It was good to watch him win the 1992 Open at Pebble. On the last day he was shooting pars when everyone else was getting blown all over the course. Especially after his meltdown to Curtis Strange in the Open a couple years earlier.
I like Kite’s body position better than Price but his club face is not quite as square to the plane. Would be interesting to know where those snapshots came from. Presumably coaches from back then. I would definitely like to see more Kite swing images from after his swing change.
welcome to the club 
Pivot Driven …
One of the striking things about down-the-line photos of a hitter’s swing is the position of the hands — lower and closer to the body than a swinger’s protocol.
A lower hand position is one of the major reasons for flatter clubs.
But what about ball position — distance from the ball?
I’d like to hear experienced students’ comparison of distance to the ball at address pre-ABS and now.
Reason I ask is that I am a new student working on Mod 1. One of the challenges for me at the moment is the right elbow. As a swinger, I have played with those free swinging arms out away from the body. Now I’m learning a new, very foreign feel - that of a bent right elbow at impact (the bag) with the hands close to the body and the arms packed tight.
It makes me very aware of why a full pivot is crucial.
But my first inclination from all of this is that I will have to get used to crowding the ball (relative to my experience with free, extended arms). I know Trevino talked about crowding the ball to hit a power fade.
I’ve found in trying to move toward a “hit” move through the shot that I began to hit everything near the toe. It was a really noticable difference because I always hit it in the center with my more out to right field release, and now suddenly I have wear marks on the toe of my club.
I’ve tinkered around and figured that it’s because my shoulders are much more open at impact, and because I’m cutting it left, my club moves in closer. I’ve started playing the ball off of my hosel and now I’m hitting it in the center again.
Diz that is awesome. What’s the lie angle on your clubs?
Funnily enough, I mixed up the ideas of opposing hands. I had my left hand moving clockwise and right hand counter-clockwise.
No wonder even though I’m swinging left, my right hand still doesn’t look like hogans. So doing swings with right hand going clockwise and left counter-clock wise feels more right.
Thanks for the pic Diz, I think it’s sparked a lightbulb.
Do you also feel like you squeeze/pull the butt end of the club into your body through impact (Another way to verbalize this feel would be to try and squeeze something between your upper arms and armpits)? When I do this feel my hands and arms get very packed into my body.
Grady pointed out that I still “hit” through the target, I am thinking these feels will help eliminate that. Will try out ASAP and see if the golf ball likes it.
your welcome… check this one out… no active hands or right arm thrust finish…
Nick,
Just to be clear, I said you still seem to be hitting at the ball, instead of through it. Now the intention of pulling the handle in tight is a good one…we call it orbit pull. What I have learned, however, is that your intentions must be well past impact. In my case I focus at a point equal to my left foot. That is when I feel the pull, and when I feel things really accelerate. 
Dizanator–I really like your work. And I think Dariusz has a point about the third pic from the left. Curious what you are thinking here. Would you see benefit in more pelvic and thoracic extension at this point? It looks a bit positional, as is. But I know you can rip it either way.
what would that do paul? whats ur experience
Nick my clubs are 3 degrees flat…
DIz