Myth Busting Conventional Thinking

Public Forum- Concepts in Advanced Ball Striking
#1

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Here is a recent comparative swing sequence from a visiting student who was experiencing inconsistent ball flight.
The top sequence demonstrates faulty transition resulting in OTT and poor ball flight patterns.
The lower sequence shows proper transition and slotting into P3 creating a proper strike with a piercing ball flight.

Conventional thinking would suggest that upper frame 1 is an ideal top of backswing position, and that one would be wise
to spend time trying to find an address position and proper backswing to find this classic pose that sets the golfer up for sure fire pass down and through the ball. (Myth 1)

Some would say that even though upper frames 2 3 and 4 are steep, the shaft is still on plane and the ball can be struck properly from a shoulder plane with a hitting technique (myth 2)

If you swing or cut left post impact as in upper frames 5 - 7 you will hit the ball well (myth 3)

If you simply set the club nicely at the top then finish properly in balance at finish you will have a proper golf swing (myth 4)

You should fit your gear to your golf swing (myth 5), however, if this were the case, upright gear would be fit to the upper swing sequence therefore making the lower sequence prohibitive.

I could go on and on…

But most compelling here are frames 2 and 3 comparatively. The proper slotting into P3 now allows the student to use the same aggressive post impact pivot work as in the upper OTT sequence because now opposing forces are set into dynamic motion.

How was such a radical transition implemented within 20 minutes? (myth 6)
In this case, the student had been training the muscles correctly through module work for months, both through transition, pre impact, and post impact. The transformation came by overcoming being ball bound and learning to trust the slot though a series of pre shot mental procedures that suddenly connected the dots. There is no chance that this could have happened had the muscles in the body not been properly trained, conditioned, strengthened along with spacial awareness protocols.

Here the student already knew how to transition the club best for his body by using a more float drop load into the slot (frames 1 and 2). There was no direct discussion about this, or backswing or set up. Although it appeared to happen quickly, it came about by months of proper training before arriving here from the East Coast. A fairly simply catalyst is all that was needed to bring it all together in what would appear to have happened rather quickly.

From here moving forward, there is a very bright future with some very good ball striking awaiting in the not to distant future.

#2

That’s outstanding. Could you go into a bit of detail of what those pre-shot procedures were for this particular student? You can certainly see a big difference in acceleration in frames 8. Look at his hair in the bottom frame.

Do you think this student would have connected the dots had he not visited you in person?

#3

We’ll be opening up a deep discussion about it in the private student area where we will discuss the details of how we went about this to help assist students there who may be experiencing similar ball fright.

It certainly doesn’t hurt to come out to see me, but this is not quick fix stuff… he shedded for few months to be able to move into the P3 slot that quickly AND then work the club left post impact properly.

Most instructors would either work with the steep swing and then work the club inside into a steep shoulder pivot stall - arm throw which would correct the slice to some degree, but would then create a massive timing element that would further stall the players development unless they don’t mind beating golf balls all day to keep it all in check.

If you choose to work on your technique or swing… then why not just bite the bullet and do it the right way, rather than keep bandaging the situation with equipment designed for hackers and endless compensations in the swing to cover up issues that could be corrected with a bit of elbow grease and an old fashion work ethic.

No doubt he would get it eventually, but a lot of it at this point is just being confident in the techniques we have already been working on, and I also wouldn’t underestimate the affect of seeing someone like myself go out and demonstrate it out on the golf course first hand… and not just another barker from the directors chair on a driving range.

#4

See you over there. I think it’s great to hear from us students on the successes/challenges we’re facing with ballflight, what our misses are, etc.

#5

Man, that’s a huge difference. He is definitely hitting into the P3 slot there. If you don’t mind me asking, what kind of ball flight issues was he having?

#6

Huge upgrade, well done.

#7

WOW !

Looks like another cure…swing cancer.

#8

Wow! Serious improvement there.

#9

Assuming a student has done their module homework, this now allows me to teach correctly without having to use quick fix BS. I could clearly see that the student had the coordination and muscular strength to work the club properly. Had he not been diligent in his training, it would be unrealistic if not impossible for me to lead the student to the water so to speak. The student now has the tools, coordination, spacial awareness and direction to properly move forward toward striking a golf ball with confidence applying a much more sophisticated method than would have been possible 8 months ago. I think it’s really a small sacrifice to make in the big picture.

#10

Will the lucky student please come forward? :slight_smile:
That could easily be me; having the tools but also having ball fright. I look forward to the discussion in the private area.

#11

What is ball fright? Sorry for being ignorant… :confused:

#12

Same as being ball-bound - your swing deteriorates due to hitting at the ball rather than through the ball; or something like that. :neutral_face:

#13

Yep…I know too many who can’t walk their talk, and I actually know a guy who uses a director’s chair while instructing. No kidding…it’s about 4 feet high I guess made of wood and canvas and has his name printed on the back like he is Cecil B. Demille or something. And get this…he even wears a Titleist visor while inside at a dome during the winter months.

I think me may be PGA but I’m not sure. I’ve seen and heard his action a lot during the winter and he really can’t compress anything more than maybe 6 iron…but he sure looks like he knows what’s up by being all decked out the way he is.

I’m going to start tunneling over right know through the mouse hole…should be there by November :laughing:

Pretty cool comparative shadows in frames 1-5. Good stuff Lag. :slight_smile:

#14

In hindsight I think it was a spelling mistake and “ball flight” was intended. :confused:
Although ball “fright” is also a good description. :slight_smile:

#15

Teddyirons,

Haha i thought it might of been flight, but wasnt sure. Either way, sounds like its being ball bounded. Surprisingly i struggle this off the tee, not so much off the ground.

#16

Great original post Lag! Really like frames 1 & 2. I wish I was there to see the look on your faces when the ABS student got it. I bet it was moving for both of you

#17

very impressive in pic2, top one looks like hes keeping a better spine angle but slotting ott… how did u get him more back on his heels?..

#18

That’s some great improvement. Going from that steep to that shallow is not easy. I still look too much like the top sequence, but I’m wearing out my impact bag and putting gray hairs in TM’s head trying to get to the bottom sequence.

#19

Lag,
I would love as well as other ABSers to know some of the procedures that went on in the private forum. It appears in the second set of photos the mod work showed up especially mod 2,3,5 and 6.

#20

His module 3 work was very good… so I could see that he was ready for a deep slotting of the club… as long as module 1 was up to speed to start the re routing of the club from the 4:30 line into impact… I could see he had the capacity to strike a proper golf shot. He could do it in practice swings… and into the bag… so the body was certainly competent. For some, there can be a mental jump to trust it. So what we did was figure out a way to overcome the fear of slotting the club, and allow it to happen by tricking the brain to some degree.

However, this really isn’t something one can do unless they have the pieces in place, or on the table so to speak… so that it can all be strung together into one fluid action… however fleeting that might be. Once you know you can do it… it takes away any doubt about this being something ominously elusive or only accessible to the special or privileged. The ball flight confirmed that it was all being executed properly. It was an absolutely gorgeous shot that bored through the air, held it’s line and had that piercing quality to it. That’s what I want you all to experience.