3Jack's Translation of TGM: Part 6

We have now moved into List #2. List #1 was a brief introduction into TGM and various chapters. List #2 completes the rest of the reading and goes into much more detail. The first part of List #2 has us reading all of Chapter 2. However, this translation post (Part 6) will go over Sections 2-A thru 2-C, mainly because there's quite a bit of information going on here and I cannot fit all of Chapter 2 into one post.

Section 2-A (Resistance) & 2-B (Trajectory Control) & 2-C (Force Vectors)

We really don't need to translate 2-A thru 2-C-1. 2-A talks about compression of a golf ball. When you use super slow motion camera at impact, it shows the ball compressing into the clubface. Here's a video demonstrating 2-A.



While Homer goes into some detail about air bubbles and such, you have to remember that this was written before we had the slow motion cameras to show what a compressed ball looks like and that's all Homer was trying to explain in 2-A.

2-B will talk about hitting it straight vs. a slice vs. a hook and talks about hitting the ball from the inside. It also talks about the Venturi Effect and what Homer perceives as the ball flight laws. I won't get into translating it too much here because it's difficult to do so and I physicists and Trackman research has proven these ball flight laws wrong and there's no doubt in my mind that if Homer was provided with this information he would correct his thoughts on ball flight principles.

2-C talks about linear force, but more importantly about 'leakage.' One key quote from Homer here says:

If the Swing Radius is not at Full Extension during impact, an effect in Compression Leakage is unavoidable.

For those who don't know, here's a diagram of radius


So basically if the radius of the 'Geometry of the Circle' shortens at impact, the golfer will not be able to fully compress the golf ball. This is a big reason why the FLW at impact is so important, it keeps the length of the radius of the swing in tact. A 'flipper' will shorten their swing radius and thus not be able to compress the ball consistently and have to tinker around with the low point. FLW at impact keeps the low point at a consistent position (opposite of the left shoulder).

2-C-1 shows Homer's interpretation of the clubhead and clubface dimensions on a typical shot.

2-C-2 goes over the 'Cut Shot' and here's what Lynn Blake had to say about the Cut Shot in one of his posts over his forum:

Traditionally, the Cut Shot is thought of as a Pitch or Sand Shot that starts left of the hole and Fades in. The concept is also extended to the longer shots. For example, the announcer says, "He cut a 6-iron into that back right pin position," or, "a little cut three-wood will leave him in perfect position."

But...

TGMers know that a Cut Shot is any Shot where Vertical Hinging is used, regardless of the Plane Line (2-C-2). With that as our definition, an Inside-Out Cut Shot -- Vertical Hinging with an Inside Out Impact (10-6-E Closed Plane Line) -- will produce a Shot that starts right of the hole, and then Draws in.

I will get more into vertical hinging later, but think of it as rotating your wrists clockwise thru impact. Homer notes that the cut shot IS ANY SHOT THAT USES VERTICAL HINGING and as Lynn explains, theoretically you could hit a draw while using a cut shot technique.

In 2-C-3, Homer talks about the Lob shot, which is a short game shot that uses vertical hinging. I use the lob shot when I want the ball to land softly. This is different from the Flop Shot as the flop calls for a long swing and shoots the ball straight up in the air and the ball pretty much winds up right where it lands. The lob shot will roll, but roll much less than a typical chip or pitch shot.





3JACK