What are the components/procedures to controlling low point with ABS method? Holla!
The first thing is you have to understand low point.
In TGM we were falsely taught that at set up, low point is going to be at the left arm with a club extended straight down from there.
Ball placement then would be there (driver) or at the armpit just prior for irons to hit with a slight descending blow.
The problem with this is that the torso is rotating through impact, it’s in motion, and to access the 4:30 line entry you need spine tilt over the right foot to make room for the arms to come down into the slot. Most people don’t set up here, and they either rotate their shoulders too upright trying to keep this faulty lowpoint concept, or they sway way off the ball (which is the better option) to get the spine tilt. The problem is that now this relationship has changed and is no longer relevant to the address position. There is no guarantee that the golfer is coming back to the same place, especially when you throw in all the movement generated forces, like CF and so forth.
What happens if I move the ball back in my stance? Do I take a deeper divot? or do I rotate my plane line out to the right and take a shallow bacon strip and hit a push shot? Do I just aim left and block it to the target? There has been some good golf played like that (Trevino, Hogan to some degree)
Another factor is forearm rotation. This one is overlooked. Once you let go of the 2D TGM swing plane belief system, then forearm rotation becomes the pathway into the 3rd dimension. This is the 3D reality of moving from a flat entry at P3 to square on the back of the ball…but you have to EARN YOUR WAY INTO THIS!!!
Now we have knees that bend, bending at the waist, even torso crunching and shoulder to hip joint compression or expansion. Let’s not forget about how the right elbow straightening can adversely effect stabilizing lowpoint.
Let’s not even get into sidehill and dowhill lies and all their combinations.
Didn’t Homer say “complexity is far more simple and workable that mystery?”
I agree, so if you are going to understand low point, then you need to understand all the factors that can affect it.
It’s just not that simple as…
put the ball here and close the book on it.
NOPE!
Some players throw their hands at it earlier than others and this is going to change lowpoint… or how deep is your 4:30 line. What about how you have your gear set up regarding lie angles?
There is no doubt an advantage to playing off more of a “true lowpoint” if not for the simple fact that even in a bad golf swing, the clubface is going to be slightly open to the target prior to lowpoint visually and slightly close thereafter, but most people are so brainwashed by straight plane lines and perpendicular ball positions that they have no understanding that proper lowpoint is part of a developing process, and not a static requirement.
What am I saying here?
In a nutshell, your low point will change as your golf swing improves.
A TEXTBOOK SET UP DOES NOT ENSURE A PROPER GOLF SWING!
Your set up and ball placement must evolve from your golf swing.
For an ideal placement, you have to earn your way into it.
Working your lowpoint is more art that science.
This is what I expected! Some big time red meat to chew on here . . . get out the toofpics and floss . . .
If it ain’t too much trouble could you expand on the relationship of forearm rotation and low point? Makes a lot of sense but I’d like to be sure the I’m completely sniffin’ what you are ladlin’ out.
Great post . . .
Think of it this way…
If you come down the 4:30 line, and you don’t do much in the way of forearm rotation… you are either going to hit way behind the ball, or you are going to simply place the ball there, aim left and block the ball at a newly directed target. Nothing wrong with that… but you are leaving a fair amount of potential pressure on the hitter’s table. Of course we are still uncocking the wrists here.
My point is… if you really want to get access to a ball position in a more classical placement… meaning more toward the left foot as typically taught…then you need to really crank some serious forearm rotation if you are actually working the club from a deep 4:30 line. This you have to earn… you can’t just do it… you have to learn to do this… and this is why I start ALL students on module #1, from beginner to touring pro. You simply can’t be too good at this.
Makes perfect sense . . . . from a Machine-y standpoint this release would be “non-automatic” I assume? You are ACTIVELY doing this no? Thanks again . . .
Non automatic in the sense that it is an active strike.
Passive release, or automatic as TGM would say, requires that the hinges are free and oily not just through transition but through impact also… but with this method you also need acceleration at transition to be steady and even, without a hint of “hit”… or the whole house of cards collapses and this is why Homer penned rhythm as essential.
But what if you’re stiff? or your hands are cold? or you are nervous and can’t get over the hit impulse? Then what do you do?
I’ll tell you what you do… you choke, and you hit it sideways… and you dig deep into your wallet after the round.
You want to load the power package at P2, deliver it to P3 with a perfect gradual smooth gentle acceleration, then sling the arms and hinges passively into impact in a totally relaxed oily trusting way with the arms flying off the body, and the clubface fully rolling over into a dual horizontal hinge 18 inches past impact, with light grip pressure that requires an absolute dead center flush strike on the clubface to avoid any twisting of the club in the hands due to the forces of impact, and add in the concern that the shafts you are using will to have to be frequency matched so that they all release the same longitudinally through out the set otherwise you will have to memorize the characteristics of each individual club regarding your downswing acceleration rate?
You do that…
not me.
nice!