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The first point this ‘Country Gentleman Golf Teacher’ would like to make is the fact that our ‘Top Of Back Swing Velocity’ is factually “ZERO” … ‘Dead Stopped’ … ‘Putting To Driving’!

How does excessive acceleration during the ‘Sweep Back & Up Interval’ contribute to “ZERO”?

Does more ‘Pace or Velocity’ contribute to ‘Tempo, Timing, Rhythm and Cadence’ or more physical golf-swing structure? If you step on the throttle, will this evolve into an improved ‘Clubhead Path & Plane’? One will or can certainly accomplish more ‘Clubhead Speed’ but what does the ‘Terminal Velocity At The Top Of Back & Up Speed’ have to do with pure acceleration in the ‘Take-Away, Sweep, Turn & Lift’ journey?

BASEBALL RUINS GOLF
GOLF RUINS BASEBALL

Which is it or is it either?

A really talented baseball player suffers no ill effects from attempting to apply a good whack to the backside of a generously-dimpled golf ball. We have invested a great deal of time and video frames to the study of these questions and notions. The two tools (bat and club) are quite similar in form and performance. The bat has a round face. The golf club is substantially flat!

How simple can we make this “Which is it?” discussion? Quite simple!

A solid baseball strike, ‘Bunt to Home Run’, involves precisely the same componentry, human or mechanical, with very similar procedures … ‘Those How Tos’.

A hot shot over shortstop into medium centerfield involves very similar mechanics than a hard hit ‘Golf Punch Basic Procedure’. Believe it or not, both require relatively ‘Quiet Hand, Wrist and forearm Triangles’. If you get too ‘Flippy-Handed’ you are not going to like the outcome.

We have been shooting loads of ‘Motion Videos’ for between four and five decades. My father and I (in his bold tracks) were hungry 16 MM professionals who had a substantial development and testing photographic studio in the basement of our spacious 3 story with full basement home. I wanted to evaluate the golf swing from all perspectives … Down The Line, Up The Line, Body On, Back To Front and From The Top Down. As you have heard me explain, this was an amazing and revealing experience. It enabled us to get ‘Mechanically Logical and Motion Efficient’. We were pioneers in this activity. Down the road, I became a key Golf Specific Videographer for name-brand golf school operators. We operated, with ‘State Of The Art’ equipment. We thoroughly, often evaluated more than twelve clients per day.

From the dominant ‘Down The Line’ (DTL) perspective, we fastidiously deduced ‘Shaft and Swing Plane’. It was easy to see swing mechanics that were above and below this ‘Standard and Neutral Plane’. It became fashionable to refer to and become fixated on aspects such as ‘Laying Off and Shallowing Out’ … not always useful, productive or scientifically accurate!

HEAVIER PUTTERS?
Sledge Hammer vs. Finishing Hammer

Not unlike heavier Drivers, Fairway Metals, Hybrids and Irons? Really light golf clubs tend to get ‘Flippy’. Heavier golf clubs create an increased awareness of ‘Clubhead Spatial Location’. For example, at our ‘555 Golf Swing Check Points’ (Swing Sequence #3 [Shaft Horizontal to the ground during The Extended and Sweeping Back & Up Segment], SS #5 [Top Of Back Swing Transition] and SS #7 [Pre Impact] we are more aware of ‘Club Position’ with an increased mass. There is more ‘Work’ being done!

Change in any and all swing direction, ‘Back & Up to Down & Out’, this ‘Transition’, is more apparent with heavy than with a light Clubhead. Your ‘555 Team’ strongly promotes a ‘Pause At The Top Of Every Back Swing’. (TOB) A change in direction involves a ‘Dead Stop’ from the Putter to the Driver. Strive to accomplish this ‘Zero Velocity’ condition with every ‘Club Trip’!

the simpler the machine the better

If you ‘Set-Up’ precisely and consistently (Posture, Grip, Stance, Ball Location and Alignment), you should be able to repeat ‘Defined Positions and Resultant Motions’. Now add awareness and function of your ‘5 Essential Elements’ (Clubface Aim At The Moment Of Separation, Clubhead Path, Clubhead Speed, Sweet Spot and Angle Of Attack). You shall be rewarded!

Control of ‘Mass, Time and Space’ shall become closer to reality as you diligently earn it!

Being able to accomplish a consistent ‘Angle Of Attack’ … the Clubhead’s travel or route through ‘Space Motion or Swing Gates’ to the ‘Ballistic Point Of The Ball’ … is truly a key. Now, add ‘Lever Assembly Length or ‘Extensor Control’ to this learned mechanical skill.

Can we ‘Chicken Wing at the Top Of The Back Swing’ ... lose our ‘Extension and Lever Assembly Wrist, Forearm and Elbow Triangles’? (see ‘Quiet Triangles’)

The answer to that question is “YES!” The process is known as ‘The Flying Brace Elbow’.

‘At the Top Of The Front Swing’, we actually call it the ‘Chicken Wing Error’. The dominant physical error is ending up with ‘Bent Primary Articulating Joints … Shoulders, Elbows and Wrist Hinges’. (see ‘The Narrow Swing Circle’ … ‘Loss of Width’)

Another description is that we ‘Lose Our Extensor Action’ or ‘Lever Assembly Length and Radius’. We should have a ‘Straight-ish Target Lever in the ‘Back & Up Segment’ (Swing Sequence #4 and #5). We should also have a ‘Straight-ish Brace Lever at the Top Of The Front Swing. (Swing Sequence #9 and #10 … Chase, Follow & Finish - Width, Control & Speed)

DRIVER SHOULDERS CLOSED LONGER
and with ‘Longer Shafted Clubs’

More ‘Brace Shoulder Lag Pressure’, better Shaft and Clubhead Path Plane control are the predictable outcomes.

This produces more ‘Brace Shoulder Duration Control’. You will achieve prolonged ‘Transition’, which is useful. It will help you get our ‘Brace Elbow’ into the ‘Power Slot’. (see Laid-Off and Shallowed Out)

Any of these items tend to directly affect ‘Angle Of Attack’ (AOA) efficient ‘Compression & Line Of Compression’.

What is ‘Deep Rough’? Grass that reaches the top of the golf ball or more … certainly 1 to 2 inches.

An absolute key to making this shot is to be very positive and certain about your ‘Bottom Of Swing Arc’ (BOSA) It is strategic to determine whether there is a lot of grass ‘Under The Ball’. This type of ‘Lie’ demands a strike set that resembles a tall-teed ball. Be careful not to ‘Whiff The Ball’! (see ‘The Chili Dipper’ or ‘Really Fat’)

What is a solid guideline for this procedure? Treat the shot like a ‘Bunker Flop Shot! It will require considerable ‘Delivered Energy’. Determine your regular ‘Energy Load’ and ‘Double It’! “Time For A Feel?” Make the practice swing you think is needed!

Aim for your ‘12 Inch Landing Circle’! Visualize and feel!

Focus On The Working End Of The Stick

Your Hands Get To The Ball Before the Clubhead and Sweet Spot. Visualize this fact in slow motion several times during every practice session! ‘Slow Motion Drills’ are some of our bread and butter activities. Think of the value of your ‘Body Clocking Drills’! (distance control) Enormous assets! If you want to be King Of The Approach Game and Short Game, there is but ‘One Way’! … EARN IT by hitting balls precisely!

This ‘Hands Early’ is often referred to as “Forward Press” … bent Brace Knee and bent Brace Lever Assembly’. Focus on the ‘Center Of Clubhead Mass’ at all times. See ‘Ocular Acuity’!

Crystal clear thinking supported by real knowledge produces logical answers to valid golf questions! Our ‘555 Progressive Golf System’ is the key that opens the ‘Big Green Door’ for you!

‘Progressive Golf’ is simple! We start from the small and expand that ‘Micro Skill’ to bigger and bigger ‘Macro’ stroke procedures or patterns. We grow from ‘Putting, to Chipping to Bump & Run, to Knock Down Shots, to abbreviated Punch Basics, to Pitch, to Full Swing and finally to taking advantage of our Driver’ (The Big Stick and The Big Rip).

We have ‘555 Golf Tools’ with which to accomplish this magically real and simple range of performance. This is about ‘Energy Management’. Here is a helpful clue how we create ‘Impact & Separation Reality’.