Part 6C of the TGM translations will only go over Section 2-G.
2-G (Hinge Motion)
Clubface alignment control will control the direction of ball flight. Clubface alignment control is very much dictated by the Hinge Motion in the swing. There are 3 types of hinge motions:
- Horizontal
- Angled
- Vertical
Now, hinge motion is different from clubface motion. Hinge motion is an actual motion the arms, wrists and hands make as they motion from one position to another. They will often be referred to as:
Horizontal Hinge = Full Roll
Angled Hinge = No Roll
Vertical Hinge = Reverse Roll
Homer states that while there are 3 hinge motions, there are only 2 clubface motions, and they are 'Close' and 'Layback.' What he's trying to say is that in only 2 of the HINGE motions does the clubface change direction/angle...and those are the Horizontal Hinge (closed face) and Vertical Hinge (layback).
To understand the hinge action in the swing, IF THE CLUBFACE IS SQUARE AT IMPACT, after impact the face can point in the following directions:
Horizontal Hinge = The toe of the clubhead will be pointing at the target.
Vertical Hinge = The clubface will be pointing up at the sky.
Angled Hinge = In between Horizontal and Vertical. The face will be about 45* closed.
This pic of Tom Tomasello shows the hinge motions. There's a white mark on the clubface showing where the clubface is pointing. In these pics it goes:
1 = Angled
2 = Horizontal
3 = Vertical
The Horizontal Hinge calls for a 'full roll of the clubface', but Homer Kelley states that the hands actually do NOT roll. He also states there will not be a change in grip, grip type, impact fix or anything else. Very important to understand for now, but the real benefit of understanding this is figuring out if you should use a horizontal hinge and if so, then how do you execute it.
After the hinge action has been executed, THEN the golfer can execute the 'swivel' and make sure that the swivel is 'on plane.' Here are some Lynn Blake videos on the subject.
Homer suggests a drill where you 'zero out' the pivot. All 'zeroing out' the pivot is to point the toes inward (aka pigeon toe) so the hips cannot pivot. Homer then suggests that you learn to operate each hinge action with the 'zero pivot'. First doing it without a club, then with just the left hand, then with both hands. He feels that learning how to execute each hinge is good because once you understand the difference in feel between each hinge motion, then you can properly execute each hinge motion. For the horizontal hinge action, I believe you are better off squaring the clubface in the takeaway with the left arm/left hand. By squaring the clubface, I mean that you should get the toe of the club pointing straight up in the air. Then you should 'pull' with the left side on the way down and that should allow you to almost automatically execute the horizontal hinge action. Believe it or not, I usually execute all 3 hinge motions in my practice range sessions so I can get the feel and I think Homer was dead on with it helping the golfer.
Homer then gets into rhythm, but I feel that this Lynn Blake video does a fantastic job of translating what rhythm really is:
3JACK
Thanks Rich. You are something for knitting all this together! That's the first time I truly understood rhythm.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: In the last video, Lynn Blake says "you keep the left wrist flat".....I have heard others( e.g. Lag & others) say you can't keep it flat by having the mind in the left wrist, that instead it's a result, a vapor trail of doing other things properly, such as driving the #1 or #3 pressure points.
Do you think Lynn meant what he said? Do you have any thoughts?
In the "finishing swivel" video, is that Ben Doyle in the background?
ReplyDeleteAlso, you see many bent left wrists in pictures of tour players( including Tiger) that capture their swings from follow through to finish. Is this preferable, or allowed? Or do they "still have room for improvement", even though they are winning major championships?
Ben Doyle talks about having the 'mind in the hands' and I think that's a good concept. I think what Lynn is saying that the left wrist has to be flat as a point of reference, but he doesn't mention *thinking* about a FLW at impact. I believe getting a FLW at impact is usually accomplished by not actively thinking about keeping the left wrist flat. Instead, one is probably better off about thinking about the right wrist or the pivot and getting maximum lag pressure (whatever way they accomplish getting lag pressure) at impact.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what you mean by 'captured' and where the left wrist is bent. It's certainly not bent at impact if you're a Tour player as long as it's not a big flop shot or bunker blast.
ReplyDeleteBy "captured", I mean a picture that catches their swing post-impact, from about p4 to finish. Many of them seem to have let the flat left wrist collapse or bend.
ReplyDeleteThanks
You just need a FLW at impact. The hinge and swivel may be a little off in those cases, but you can still hit the ball well with a little bend after impact.
ReplyDeleteThe hinge actions I just don't get. The pin doesn't change.
ReplyDeleteThe pin doesn't change, but the type of force and where the clubface is pointing when your clubshaft is parallel to the ground on the downswing changes.
ReplyDeleteIf I am drag loading and I have the toe pointing straight at the sky when the shaft is parallel to the ground (before impact), the clubface will square up at impact and then horizontal hinge naturally.
If I am drive loading and I have the clubface 'angled' or facing slightly at the ball when the shaft is parallel before impact, the angled hinging will happen naturally.
Homer talks a bit about the law of 'for every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction.' That's what sort of applies here. If the toe is pointing straight up when the clubshaft is parallel to the ground before impact, then the face will close until the toe is pointing straight up after impact in the follow thru. The same happens with angled hinging. If the clubface is 'angled' with an open face before impact, it will be 'angled' closed after impact.
Where most golfers get screwed up is that they have a swing meant for horizontal hinging and they will have the toe pointing straight up in the air before impact and then use angled or vertical hinging on the way thru. Or their swing will be meant for horizontal hinging, but their clubface will be too closed on the way down and then to square up the face they use vertical hinging which is a poor hinging action for long shots.
So, if someone where to use angled hinging and add a little swivel to make the toe point straight up past the ball, how would you know that they swiveled vs hinged?
ReplyDeleteSwivel happens after the hinge. Take a look at this Hogan pic (http://www.historicgolfphotos.com/content/store/products/1263/3/1262.jpg)
ReplyDeleteThat's an angled hinge. He then swivels afterward.
Now take a look at this pic and check out the 3rd row -- middle pic (http://forums.iseekgolf.com/images/adamscott_swing.jpg)
That's horizontal hinging.
Hope that helps.
John
ReplyDelete"So, if someone were to use angled hinging and add a little swivel to make the toe point straight up past the ball, how would you know that they swiveled vs hinged?"
That would be disruption of rhythm, no purpose.
The finish swivel is a "bridge" into finish from follow-through, both arms straight, when the clubhead passes the hands. The left forearm swivels, the left elbow folds, the left wrist remains flat. It's insurance.