A Look at TGM Loading Procedures

Here's what Homer Kelley had to say, let's dissect it for a bit.

10-19-A DRIVE LOADING Drive Loading is the 'Axe Handle' technique of the 'Hitter' -- an out-and-out Right Arm Thrust against the Clubhead Lag (Angular Inertia) striving to accelerate (radially) a Pre-stressed (Bent) Clubshaft, from a slow Start Down through Impact per 7-19-1 (See 2-N)

All Short Shots can be short, strong Strokes, eliminating all unnecessary motion by using only one Accumulator (until greater distance is needed). But always -- PUSH a lagging Clubhead through Impact.

Clubhead Throway here is due usually to over-acceleration. Use shorter Strokes and/or lower Thrust. The Stroke can be shortened per 10-15-B or by taking advantage of the fact that the Backstroke will stop when the Right Elbow becomes fully bent.

Drive Loading is the main method used by 'hitters' to get the club from the top of the swing to and thru impact. It is a thrust of the right arm, much like a boxer throwing a punch (or the 'Palm Heel Strike' I posted about before).

The italicized words 'slow Start Down' are actually italicized in the book and are not my doing. Mr. Kelley did this for a very important reason. It's because he felt the KEY to drive loading was starting the downswing very S-L-O-W-L-Y. I mention this in my 'hitter revelations' post. As I drive load the #1 Pressure Point into the base joint of my left thumb, when I go too fast and I lose the sensation of the #1 pressure point against my left hand. It's amazing how much power I have when I start the downswing slowly and how easy it is to have that effortless power, balance and rhythm when the start down is executed slowly.

The short shots can be short, strong strokes using only one of the power accumulators (mostly the #1 power accumulator). Mr. Kelley felt that only using one of the power accumulators eliminated unnecessary motion. I will say that in my full swing I 'drive load', but on short shots I will use a 'swinging' technique because the 'hitting' technique gets the ball going too low and hot for my tastes. However, if I need a shot to go low and firm, I'll just resort to drive loading again.

Lastly, Mr. Kelley feels that drive loaders who have a problem with clubhead throwaway, it's usually caused by over-accelerating the clubhead. To combat that, take a shorter stroke and thrust the arm lower.

Here's a Lynn Blake video where a student named John Hue talks about drive loading and 'hitting.'

10-19-B DOWNSTROKE (OR FLOAT) LOADING This procedure delays the Wristcock until the Start Down and completes it as specified by the Stroke Pattern Assembly Component. 'Float Loading' also describes this procedure --- especially the sensation, because the Cocking motion should not be at all sharp, but gentle, or even lazy. With a 'Frozen Wrist' procedure (10-3-K), the Downstroke Cocking Action is limited to increasing the Right Elbow Bend only.

Assembly, Loading and Release are usually accomplished simultaneously, then with a Flicking action --- automatic or non-automatic -- continues as either Drive or Drag Loading, designating it as either 19-B/A or 19-B/C. And use corresponding Short Shot recommendations.

Downstroke Loading (7-19-2) must set up either Radial Acceleration per 10-19-A or Longitudinal Acceleration, per 10-19-C for the corresponding Release procedure.

Quiting and/or collapse of the Wrist alignments and structure need special attention here for Clubhead Throwaway prevention.

Mr. Kelley felt that 'Float Loading' has no wristcock until the start down of the downswing. It's called 'float loading' because the wrists cock in a very gentle and soft fashion. If a golfer 'freezes' the right wrist and tries to 'float load', they won't increase their wristcock, they'll just increase their right elbow bend. So if you want to 'float load', think about 'soft, gentle wrists.'

Float loaders who have a problem with clubhead throwaway need to focus on their wrist alignments. If they 'quit' and do not keep the proper wrist alignments the clubhead loses lag.

I like to put float loaders into a category of either a 'true float loader' or a 'float loader.' A 'true float loader', IMO, does not cock the wrists on the backswing. Sergio and JB Holmes are 'true float loaders' by my definition.

A lot of people talk about Hogan float loading, but IMO he wasn't a 'true floader' as his wrists are clearly cocked at the top of the swing.

All that being said, I think float loading is a positive thing. It helps with creating lag and even if you're not a 'true float loader' and just use some float loaidng procedure. Here's a Brian Manzella video for more on 'Float Loading.'

10-19-C. DRAG LOADING Drag Loading is the Rope Handle Technique of the 'Swinger,' an out-and-out PULL, striving to accelerate the Clubshaft lengthwise, from a quick Start Down to Release. Start the Club down as though it were being drawn from a quiver like an arrow --- feathered end first. Maintain this motion until the Release switches ends. This is possible only if, and for as long as, Inertia can hold the Clubhead inside the arc of the Hands or hold to a Line Delivery Path (2-L). Centrifigul Force will set in when the Clubhead crosses to the outside and it will begin to pull into its own incidental orbit per 2-P and 2-K#5. Then further acceleration can be applied only at Pressure Point #1 to support the Pull on the Clubshaft - especially for Short Shot Power.

Develop an 'Instant Acceleration' Hip Action (to the desired Handspeed, per 10-15-B) so that the Throw Out Action (6-B-3) can immediately set up the Rhythm and take over the rest of the Downstroke sequence (6-M-1). (See 2-K and 6-F-0.) With or without Wristcock, always Drag (or pull 10-3-D) a swinging Club Down Plane --- even with only Centrifigul (Angular) Momentum (2-K). (See 10-23-C).

For Clubhead Throwaway prevention, monitor the pull of Centrifigul Force and the Drag of the Lagging Clubhead.

Drag Loading is a procedure for 'swingers' (remember, a swinger can also use float loading -- as well as the hitter). The 'rope handle technique' that Mr. Kelley talks about has the golfer imagine that at the top of the swing they are holding the rope to a large bell. Then the golfer 'rings the bell' by 'pulling the rope' straight down. The 'drive loading' method does feel more like the golfer is 'chopping wood with an axe' and feels like you're 'hitting from the side' OR like you're 'casting a stone.'


Here Mr. Kelley italicizes the words quick Start Down whereas the 'drive loading' technique has a SLOW start down. From my experience in using a 'swinger' pattern you really have to bang down on the ball and bang down on it pretty hard. It's also important to note that it's more of a pivot driven procedure. Obviously, the drive loading procedure does require a quality pivot action, but it does not dominate the procedure like the drag loading procedure does. Mr. Kelley's 'arrow' analogy wants the golfer to feel like they are like Robin Hood and they are pulling an arrow out from their backsack. So, it's a very quick procedure. Earlier in the book when Mr. Kelley talks about 'hitters' and 'swingers' he says 'if strong, hit. If quick, swing.' So if you want to 'swing', be prepared to drag load and be prepared to do it in a quick fashion.


I think one of the biggest things that trips up golfers is that I believe the majority of golfers are better suited for the 'hitting' procedure. Not only does the hitting procedure play into most golfer's dominant arm, but most golfers are not nearly as coordinated with their non-dominant arm. Furthermore, I think 'swinging' requires a bit more body flexibility which not everybody has. And instead of using a 'hitter' pattern, popular golf instruction and training aids are usually geared towards some of the components of the 'swinger' pattern.

For instance, the Swingyde training aid is teaching 'drag loading' through and through. It will tell you that it's something you MUST do in the swing, but if you're better off being a hitter, it's going to be a problematic training aid for you. Lastly, while popular instruction and training aids may teach you a component of the swinger pattern, it may not include other components or may contain the wrong components for that pattern.








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