Post by imperfectgolfer on Aug 14, 2014 10:39:14 GMT -5
Rory McIlroy is presently regarded as the world's best golfer and yet he doesn't manifest the biomechanical features that KM/Jeffy regard as being essential to an elite golfer's swing.
Here is a swing video of Rory McIlroy's recent driver swing
Here are capture images of his downswing action.
Image 1 shows RM at P3.8 - just before he reaches his end-backswing position. I have drawn a blue line along the top of his head.
Image 2 shows him at P4 - note that his head has dropped due to a small degree of knee flexion and hip joint flexion that occurs as he prepares to perform his downswing action. Note that his right femur is internally rotated because he rotated his pelvis clockwise during his backswing action while maintaining some flex in his right knee. Note that his left femur is not internally rotated/adducted because he doesn't lift his left heel and allow his left knee to move markedly inwards - like Bubba Watson or Bobby Jones.
Image 3 shows him at the approaching-P3 position - end of his hip-squaring phase - where he has dual-ER of his two femurs. I believe that his pelvis is rotating counterclockwise away from his right femur due to activation of the lateral pelvic rotators of his right hemipelvis (+/- left hemipelvis).
Image 4 shows him at P6 - note that his pelvis is open to the target due to the continued counterclockwise rotation of his pelvis. Note that his pelvis is not more open at P7 (image 5) and at P8 (image 6) than it is at P6. Jeffy previously argued (in his first iteration of the 2nd pelvic firing phenomenon theory) that an elite golfer continues to rotate his pelvis actively in the late downswing and that the rotary speed of the pelvis reaches maximum at impact. Jeffy has since withdrawn that wrongheaded claim - because there is irrefutable evidence that maximum pelvic rotary (angular) speed is achieved at the end of the mid-downswing (roughly between P5.5 and P6) and that the rotary speed of the pelvis actually decreases in the later downswing. That is not surprising - now that I better understand that the counterclockwise rotation of the pelvis is due to muscular contraction of the lateral rotators of the pelvis, and that these muscles are already fully contracted by P6. The left femur is going into internal rotation between P6 and P7, and therefore the left lateral pelvic rotator muscles cannot be actively rotating the pelvis. Also, the right femur is mobile between P6 and P7, and therefore the right lateral pelvic rotator muscles cannot be contributing to the counterclockwise rotation of the pelvis - because the right lateral pelvic rotator muscles can only cause the pelvis to rotate away from an immobile right femur between P4 and P5. I suspect that the major muscle that causes the pelvis to continue to rotate counterclockwise after P6 is the left gluteus maximus muscle, which becomes more active as the left leg straightens (extends) in the later downswing.
Note that RM's pelvis rotates a lot counterclockwise between P8 and the finish position (image 7) but I strongly suspect that it is not due to any muscular activation of any pelvic girdle muscles, and that it is a passive biomechanical phenomenon secondary to the marked degree of active upper torso (shoulder) rotation that is happening between P8 and the finish position.
Here is an image of RM at P7.5.
RM is obviously a DHer who maintains a stable clubface between P7 and P7.2 and his clubshaft doesn't prematurely bypass his left arm due to a pro-flipping phenomenon. Note that he has a bowed/arched left wrist in this image and his right wrist has not yet straightened. In other words, his lead wrist is not moving towards extension through impact (between P7 and P7.2) which BM and Jeffy wrongly claim is a feature of a skilled golfer. Also, note how straight his left arm is in this P7.5 image, and he doesn't manifest any left bicep-induced bending of the left elbow between P7 and P7.2 (which KM/Jeffy wrongheadedly claim helps a golfer to avoid left wrist extension through impact).
RM also doesn't manifest any of the biomechanical features that KM claims are essential (or at least highly advisable) if a golfer wants to be a DHer - i) early left forearm supination combined with left wrist palmar flexion; ii) delayed internal rotation of the right humerus (note that RM's right elbow is very high and far away from a "deep" pitch position at P6 and that he has actually rotated his right humerus early); iv) strong left hand grip.
RM uses an intact LAFW/FLW technique (like Henrik Stenson) and he uses a late left forearm supination that only occurs between P6.5 and P7 - and he doesn't use a combined "early left forearm supination + left wrist palmar flexion" action (like Gary Woodland).
Jeff.
Here is a swing video of Rory McIlroy's recent driver swing
Here are capture images of his downswing action.
Image 1 shows RM at P3.8 - just before he reaches his end-backswing position. I have drawn a blue line along the top of his head.
Image 2 shows him at P4 - note that his head has dropped due to a small degree of knee flexion and hip joint flexion that occurs as he prepares to perform his downswing action. Note that his right femur is internally rotated because he rotated his pelvis clockwise during his backswing action while maintaining some flex in his right knee. Note that his left femur is not internally rotated/adducted because he doesn't lift his left heel and allow his left knee to move markedly inwards - like Bubba Watson or Bobby Jones.
Image 3 shows him at the approaching-P3 position - end of his hip-squaring phase - where he has dual-ER of his two femurs. I believe that his pelvis is rotating counterclockwise away from his right femur due to activation of the lateral pelvic rotators of his right hemipelvis (+/- left hemipelvis).
Image 4 shows him at P6 - note that his pelvis is open to the target due to the continued counterclockwise rotation of his pelvis. Note that his pelvis is not more open at P7 (image 5) and at P8 (image 6) than it is at P6. Jeffy previously argued (in his first iteration of the 2nd pelvic firing phenomenon theory) that an elite golfer continues to rotate his pelvis actively in the late downswing and that the rotary speed of the pelvis reaches maximum at impact. Jeffy has since withdrawn that wrongheaded claim - because there is irrefutable evidence that maximum pelvic rotary (angular) speed is achieved at the end of the mid-downswing (roughly between P5.5 and P6) and that the rotary speed of the pelvis actually decreases in the later downswing. That is not surprising - now that I better understand that the counterclockwise rotation of the pelvis is due to muscular contraction of the lateral rotators of the pelvis, and that these muscles are already fully contracted by P6. The left femur is going into internal rotation between P6 and P7, and therefore the left lateral pelvic rotator muscles cannot be actively rotating the pelvis. Also, the right femur is mobile between P6 and P7, and therefore the right lateral pelvic rotator muscles cannot be contributing to the counterclockwise rotation of the pelvis - because the right lateral pelvic rotator muscles can only cause the pelvis to rotate away from an immobile right femur between P4 and P5. I suspect that the major muscle that causes the pelvis to continue to rotate counterclockwise after P6 is the left gluteus maximus muscle, which becomes more active as the left leg straightens (extends) in the later downswing.
Note that RM's pelvis rotates a lot counterclockwise between P8 and the finish position (image 7) but I strongly suspect that it is not due to any muscular activation of any pelvic girdle muscles, and that it is a passive biomechanical phenomenon secondary to the marked degree of active upper torso (shoulder) rotation that is happening between P8 and the finish position.
Here is an image of RM at P7.5.
RM is obviously a DHer who maintains a stable clubface between P7 and P7.2 and his clubshaft doesn't prematurely bypass his left arm due to a pro-flipping phenomenon. Note that he has a bowed/arched left wrist in this image and his right wrist has not yet straightened. In other words, his lead wrist is not moving towards extension through impact (between P7 and P7.2) which BM and Jeffy wrongly claim is a feature of a skilled golfer. Also, note how straight his left arm is in this P7.5 image, and he doesn't manifest any left bicep-induced bending of the left elbow between P7 and P7.2 (which KM/Jeffy wrongheadedly claim helps a golfer to avoid left wrist extension through impact).
RM also doesn't manifest any of the biomechanical features that KM claims are essential (or at least highly advisable) if a golfer wants to be a DHer - i) early left forearm supination combined with left wrist palmar flexion; ii) delayed internal rotation of the right humerus (note that RM's right elbow is very high and far away from a "deep" pitch position at P6 and that he has actually rotated his right humerus early); iv) strong left hand grip.
RM uses an intact LAFW/FLW technique (like Henrik Stenson) and he uses a late left forearm supination that only occurs between P6.5 and P7 - and he doesn't use a combined "early left forearm supination + left wrist palmar flexion" action (like Gary Woodland).
Jeff.