Monte Scheinblum video

[imperfectgolfer]

See this 3jack blog page - 3jack.blogspot.com/2015/07/hitting-your-irons-straight-and-long.html

He refers to this MS-video.



In his video, MS gets his student Brendon to get more forward shaft lean at impact by encouraging him to deliberately try to "flip-his-right wrist " from a "set" right wrist position at P5.5. Why does that seemingly counterintuitive idea work?

Here is my explanation.



I believe that a "good" golfer who has his power package loaded at the P5.5 position with the RFFW correctly aligned relative to the intact LAFW (and with ~90 degrees of lag present) will have his right palm well-positioned against PP#1 at the P5.5 position. When he tries to actively use his right arm/hand to apply an "active" force at that time point in his downswing, he will actually produce an "active" push-force at PP#1 (which is above the coupling point) by actively straightening the right arm that causes PA#4 to release faster, which will get the hands faster into impact with the hands well ahead of the clubhead. In other words, although one can mentally try and isolate the "active" right-sided force to an isolated "active" right wrist flipping action, it is not biomechanically easy when the right elbow is bent to a ~90 degree angle at the power package loaded P5.5 position, and any attempt to use an "active" right-sided force causes an "active" right arm straightening action that causes the right palm to increase push-pressure at PP#1 (which is above the coupling point), which will help increase the forward speed of motion of the left arm (which in TGM terms is equivalent to "increasing the speed of release of PA#4) and that gets the hands into impact faster. 

By contrast, a non-skilled golfer will likely apply his right-sided push-pressure force against the back of the shaft below the coupling point (at or near PP#3) and that will increase the speed of motion of the clubshaft relative to the speed of motion of the left arm, and that will increase the likelihood of flipping before-or-through impact.

Jeff.

[imperfectgolfer]

In my first post, I postulated that a golfer could get more forward shaft lean at impact by "trying" to actively straighten the right wrist at the P5.5 position if the right-sided push-force was actually applied at PP#1 (and not PP#3) by a straightening right arm (while maintaining a bent right wrist) - thereby increasing the speed of PA#4 release in the later downswing (between P5.5 and impact). However, that small degree of added right-sided push-force would not necessarily explain Brendon's significantly increased clubhead speed and shallower clubhead attack angle in his "after" swing. I therefore decided to download that video and examine Brendon's swing in greater detail using a swing analyser program.

These are my results.

MS wrongheadedly claimed that Brendon had a steeper clubhead attack angle of 8 degrees in his "before" swing because he was trying to get forward shaft lean by shifting his body forward.



Image 1 shows MS demonstrating a forward shifting/tilting upper torso (with the spine tilted leftwards) and he wrongly claims that Brendon was coming into impact with forward shaft lean with that body postural alignment and with a bent left wrist and straightened right wrist. However, he is obviously wrong!

Image 2 shows Brendon at impact in his "before" swing - note that his head is behind the ball and he has a rightwards-tilted spine and secondary axis tilt. Note the flat left wrist and slightly bent right wrist.

Here are capture images from his "before" swing, which can more easily explain his TGM biomechanics/mechanics.



Image 1 shows Brendon at P4. He is not really overswinging much during his backswing and the clubshaft is not "across-the-line" (as MS asserted).

Image 2 is at P5 - note that he still has ~90 degree of lag.

Image 3 is at P5.5. Note that he is losing his lag very fast. Image 4 is at P6+ and he has lost all his lag and the clubshaft has already caught up to his left arm. From that position, he simply drags the straightened "left arm-clubshaft" unit into impact along a steep path that causes a steep clubhead attack angle of 8 degrees and poor clubhead speed at impact.

The reason for his poor TGM mechanics is that he is not keeping the power package intact between P4 and P6 and he is prematurely straightening his right arm, which causes an early random club release. He is failing to actively adduct his right upper arm between P4 and P5.5 so that he can drive his bent right right elbow to the pitch location alongside the front of his right hip area, and also maintain a bent right elbow that will allow his RFFW to have the "correct" ~90 degree relationship to his LAFW. This "failure" causes a premature breakup of his power package assembly during the power package slotting phase. Note how "high" his right elbow is in image 3 and image 4 and how far it is above the right hip area.

Here are capture images from his "after" swing.



Image 1 is at P4. He has a slightly more compact backswing action, which is advantageous because it allows him to more easily move his arms and torso more synchronously together during his downswing action.

Image 2 is at P5. Note that he is actively adducting his right arm and driving his right elbow towards a desired pitch location in front of his right hip. Note that his right elbow is below his left elbow - which signifies a more active/assertive right arm adduction maneuver.

Image 3 is at P5.5. Note that he still has a bent right elbow, which is now adducted very close to the right side of his mid-torso just above the right hip area. Note how he has kept the power package intact (RFFW angled ~90 degrees relative to the LAFW) and that allows him to still retain his clubshaft lag angle of ~90 degrees.

Image 5 is at the P6 position and he is now losing lag - representing a late random club release action. The fact that he retains his lag for longer can easily explain his greater clubhead speed at impact.

Image 6 is P6.5. Note that his hands are well ahead of his clubhead and he has a lot of forward shaft lean as he approaches impact. Between P6 and impact, his club is releasing along a more rounded clubhead arc so that he can generate a shallower clubhead angle - because his hand arc path is nearly level to the ground between P6 and impact.

In other words, his increased clubhead speed and shallower clubhead attack angle in his "after" swing is mainly secondary to his improved TGM biomechanics/mechanics during the power package slotting phase between P4 and P5.5, and it has nothing to do with any attempt to "actively" flip his right wrist starting at P5.5. He may "feel" that his right wrist is actively straightening, but that "feel" is probably coming from a proprioceptive sensation due to his much improved club release action (PA#2 release action).

I think that MS's entire explanation is totally wrongheaded and I think that it reflects a very poor understanding of golf swing biomechanics/mechanics.

Addendum added later: Although I disagree with MS's explanations, I have to concede that he actually improved Brendon's downswing action with his advice to "throw his right wrist". I suspect that MS's advice to "throw his right wrist" caused Brendon to more actively adduct his right upper arm during the early-mid downswing between P4 and P5.5, and that created a more acutely rounded hand arc path with a more vertically downwards hand arc path between P4 and P5.5 and then a more acutely rounded hand arc path between P5.5 and P6.5. I believe that the shape of the hand arc path has a major effect on the club-release phenomenon. I discussed this issue in great detail in my review paper on the endless belt ( perfectgolfswingreview.net/endlessbelt.htm ) and in the Q&A topic number 20 of my downswing chapter ( perfectgolfswingreview.net/downswing.htm ).

In that Q&A number 20 topic, I featured this image of Heath Slocum.



Note how HS's hands move from 1 => 2 on the red hand arc path (his "real life" hand arc path) due to his active right arm adduction maneuver, and not from 1 => 2 along the "hypothetical" blue hand arc path, which would happen if he used a straight line hand delivery path (that is wrongly recommended by TGM literalists - based on the "aiming point" technique).

Jeff.

[imperfectgolfer]

Here are more images and comments on Brendon's "before" and "after" swings.

Consider the timing of his club release action.



Image 1 of his "before" swing shows him at P5. Note that his hands have been moving near-vertically downwards/groundwards between P4 and P5 and his hands are roughly at the level of his mid-sternum.

Then his hands start to move more forwards/targetwards after bypassing P5 - see his hands at P5.5 in image 2. That forward motion of the hands (combined with a straightening right arm) induces the early club release (release of PA#2).

Note in image 1 of his "after" swing, that his hands are still moving downwards/groundwards and his hands are lower (just above waist level) and he is still maintaining his lag. Image 2 shows the start of his club release (release of PA#2) - note that it happens when his hands are well below waist level.

The major difference between the two swings is that he is adducting his right arm more assertively in his "after" swing and driving his right elbow more assertively down to its pitch position in front of his right hip area.

Here is a visual presentation that shows what "effect" it will have on his hand arc path.



Hand arc path is the curved red line.

Starting with his "before" swing.

Note that the hand arc path mainly starts in a downwards/groundwards direction in his early downswing. Then it curves more forwards/targetwards starting at the level of his mid-sternum (level of the pink arrow). Note that the "average" slope of the hand arc path (green arrow section) is roughly at a 45 degree angle relative to the first vertical section (represented by the blue curved arrow).

Now, consider his "after" swing.

Note that the pink arrow is at a lower level (just above his waist level) which means that his hands move downwards/groundwards for longer. Then, note that his hands move forwards/targetwards along a more horizontal path (green arrowed section), which is probably about 60-70 degrees angulated relative to the first part of his hand arc path (represented by the blue arrow). That means the the change in his hand arc path is greater in degree, and that will induce a *greater degree of club-releasing force that will allow his club to release more efficiently.

(* see this nmgolfer article if you want to understand why the club-releasing power increases if the change in hand path per unit travel-distance is greater - nmgolfscience.tripod.com/release.htm )

What allows Brendon to get a later club release (which means that he is holding his maximum lag for longer) in his  "after" swing is that he is driving his right elbow more assertively downwards in his early downswing due to a more assertive right arm adduction motion between P4 and P5.5. Brendon gets this much better downswing action by thinking of the "idea" of "flipping his right wrist" as fast as he can - even though he never flips his right wrist in his "real life" swing. The mental "idea" of "flipping his right wrist" changes the biomechanics of his downswing action between P4 and P5.5. (as described) and it is that change which improves his downswing action. I strongly suspect that he could achieve the same beneficial "effect" if he thought of performing a i) a stone-skipping action with his right arm or if he simply thought of performing an ii) underhand type of throw action (baseball pitching action). I am not against the mental idea of a "right wrist flipping" action if it works for him, but it could cause other golf students to flip pre-impact if they apply their right-sided push-pressure below the coupling point. I therefore prefer alternative mental imagery - like the mental imagery of "skipping stones" or "performing an underhand baseball pitching action" - which is less likely to cause any pre-impact right wrist straightening (flipping).

Jeff.

[imperfectgolfer]

I think that it is important to understand that a golfer can shape his hand arc path even without assistance from a rear arm.

Consider the one-arm swing of Sasho MacKenzie.



Here are capture images.



Image 1 is at P5. Between P4 and P5 his hand arc path was directed downwards and slightly away from the target.

Image 2 is at P5.2. Note that his hands have been moving mainly downwards and not much targetwards, which allows him to retain his lag.

Image 3 is at P5.5. His hands are starting to move targetwards, and the change in the direction of the hand arc path induces the club to release.

In other words, a golfer must pull the butt end of the club downwards/groundwards for longer to create a hand arc path as seen in Brendon's "after" swing, which will result in a later random club release action.

Although Sasho doesn't develop any significant secondary axis tilt and lateral bend, I think that it is much easier biomechanically to perform the equivalent of an underhand baseball pitching action if one pivots with those biomechanical elements - especially if one desires to have the clubshaft traveling on a shallower plane through the general impact zone between P6 and P8.

Jeff.

[imperfectgolfer]

Another point about the differences in Brendon's hand arc path between his "before" and "after" swings.



Note that I have yellow-highlighted the lower section of his hand arc path.

Note, in his "before" swing, that his hand arc path is moving steadily downwards with its nadir at impact. That type of hand arc path is conducive to generating a steeper clubhead attack angle.

Note, in his "after" swing, that his hand arc reaches its nadir opposite his right thigh and then moves slightly upwards into impact. That type of hand arc path is more conducive to generating a shallower clubhead attack angle.

Jeff.

[imperfectgolfer]

Consider a relevant question.

If a golfer uses the mental imagery of "stone skipping" to improve his swing action between P4 and P6 (as described above), does that mean he is a right arm swinger or is he a TGM (left arm) swinger whose swing action is beneficially modulated by a right arm "stone skipping" action?

My answer-:

If one traces the hand arc path of a right arm swinger (whose swing fulcrum is the right elbow at its pitch location in front of the right hip area) and a TGM swinger (whose swing fulcrum is the left shoulder socket, but who also uses an active right arm adduction maneuver to synergistically/actively drive his right elbow to its pitch location in front of the right hip area), the hand arc paths may appear identical. The difference is that a right arm swinger powers his swing with his right arm (using the combination of an active downplane motion of the right shoulder + an active release of PA#1) while the TGM swinger powers his swing via the sequential release of PA#4 => PA#2, but where he synergistically improves his swing action by incorporating i) an active right arm adduction maneuver that synergistically improves his early-mid downswing action by inducing a later random club release action (as described in my previous posts) +/-  by incorporating ii) an active right arm straightening action between P5.5 and P7 that synergistically improves his swing action by assisting in the more efficient release of PA#3 during the right forearm paddlewheeling phase between P6 and impact and that may also help to prevent left arm stalling prior to impact (via push-pressure applied at PP#1).

Jeff.

[imperfectgolfer]

Here is an additional method of improving your hand arc path so that the hands move downwards/groundwards for longer during the P4 to P6 time period, which will i) allow one to hold lag for longer and also ii) increase the speed of club release when the hands acutely change their direction from being mainly groundwards/downwards to being more horizontally targetwards.

Aiming point technique - see www.golflagtips.com/the-aiming-point-concept-from-the-golfing-machine/#more-146

When using the aiming point technique, one uses the right index finger at PP#3 and aims it towards an "aiming point" as one starts the downswing.

Note that one needs to aim one's PP#3 more backwards (away from the target), and not at the ball, when using longer clubs (like a driver) because it takes longer for the clubshaft to catch up to the left arm with a larger clubhead path radius.



Note that he is aiming his hands (actually PP#3) at an "aiming point" on the ball-target line that is just inside his right foot. That will produce a more vertical hand arc path during the P4 => P6 time period, and it will likely have the same beneficial effect as "stone-skipping" or an "underhand pitching throw action" imagery, and it will also necessitate the use of the same biomechanical technique - an active right arm adduction maneuver that drives the right elbow actively downwards to its pitch location alongside the right hip area.

Another factor that influences the "aiming point" technique is hand speed. If a golfer is capable of swinging much faster (due to a faster pivot action and faster release of PA#4), then he needs to move his "aiming point" even further backwards (away from the target) so that he can more efficiently release the club (which is conceptually equivalent to using a smaller pulley in the endless belt system or conceptually equivalent to angling the endless belt system more away from the target).

Here is Jamie Sadlowski's hand arc path (with a superimposed endless belt system diagram superimposed on the image).



Note that the straight line portion of the hand arc path (between 1 and 2) is not only directed downwards/groundwards, it is also directed well backwards (away from the target). It is conceptually as if he is aiming his PP#3 further backwards along the ball-target line towards an "aiming point" that is well behind his right foot, and not just inside his right foot. That creates a more acute angle between the straight line section of the hand path (1 => 2) and the circular section of the hand arc path (3 => 4). Note that the angle (representing the change in direction between the straight line and circular sections) is closer to 70-80 degrees (rather than ~60 degrees seen in Brendon's "after" swing). That creates the equivalent of a smaller pulley ("tight turn"). A "gradual turn" type of hand arc path would be useful for chipping or short iron shots close to the green.

Jeff.