- This topic has 13 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 2 years ago by
.
-
Posts
-
Ross Jun 24, 2014
I have been finding lately, that focusing on your chest is a great way to keep still, so other muscles can do their job. Like on the backswing, keeping your chest fixed, gives the shoulders something solid to turn around.Now, don’t get me wrong, the chest does turn a bit, but no sliding.
Now, on the downswing, many golfers slide forward vs. unwinding. The fixed chest idea can really help you stay in position, as the body unwinds, until the backshoulder touches your chin, then your chest will move along with the body up and out. Again, the head and chest do follow the body rotation up and out, once the back shoulder touches the chin.
Experiment yourself with this concept and let me know how you do. It seems like just a little “chest focus” on the start of the backswing…. and then on the start of the downswing, can make a big difference in solid contact.
Ross
Richard Jun 27, 2014
All I can say Ross, is that this tip has given amazing results over the last 2 days. Finally know what it feels like to rotate around the spine properly. This “chest focus” actually seems to do this automatically. Great, great swing thought.Thank you for all your kindness,
Jay
P.s. Your kindness and BRILLIANCE is the reason I’ve gone from a 15ish to a 5.4 (and dropping) in the last 2 yrs (we only have a 7 month season up here)…and winning my club championship last year. Obviously, I’m beyond grateful to have found you.
Ross Jun 27, 2014
Wow… thanks Jay. This has been my passion (to find a better golf swing), ever since my dad took me at 10 yrs of age, and I spent the entire day on the right side of every hole looking for my ball. I was determined to know why that was happening… and that lead to the next thing… and the search never ended.davew Jun 27, 2014
Hi Ross,I will try again to load my question/comment. I assume by chest ‘moving slightly’ you mean in a lateral away from and towards the target (not swaying) due to the centre of rotation being about the spine.
This is good thought to have like turn the front shoulder or whatever that will cause the spine to be the centre of rotation. I am sure that many of us cannot even sense necessarily any lateral motion of the spine that could be happening above and beyond this i.e. we think we are staying centred until we see a shadow of our head moving laterally (this is a great method to get the feeling of staying centred – watch your shadow on a practice swing). Any lateral movement of the spine could have potentially disastrous consequences for the motion into impact and you are right to major on it.
I will certainly take on board the chest thought.
Best Regard’s,
DaveRoss Jun 27, 2014
Yes… right Dave! Lateral (away from/towards the target). Actually, if you’re focusing on the chest not really moving at all, it covers all directions and gives the shoulders something to turn around via a bit of resistance (like the lower body).DaveF Aug 22, 2014
Ross,
Hit some really pure shots last weekend, thanks for that!
I noticed that when I relaxed my entire left side and slowed the backswing down, it gave me the freedom to turn back with the feeling of no lower body movement. When I can do that, it makes turning on the downswing almost automatic. It feels awesome when it happens. However, finding it difficult to recapture that feeling. Using a mirror I’m noticing my hips keep getting pulled early in the backswing and I sway slightly.
I keep attributing it to flexibility, but I think it’s something else. Per your post, Thinking “move shoulders, not chest” has me rotating higher up on my spine without pulling my hips too soon. It feels similar to putting, in the sense of keeping centered over the ball.
Anyway, after 3 consecutive days of golf last weekend, and hitting more consistently than ever before, I captured what it felt like to execute the swing, so I’m excited, hoping I can do it on a regular basis. It’s sure not from a lack of trying!
Administrator
802 posts
Ross Aug 22, 2014
Great DaveF !! I don’t think you have to “hope” you can do it on a regular basis. The more you stay focused on this, the more you will learn about “it” and your confidence will grow. Putting in the time is what confidence is all about. As you work on, or with something, you’ll find how it works, breaks, and how to fix it the next swing. That is what builds consistency. I’m sure no one hits perfect shots every time, it is about getting back on track asap, as to not lose strokes and confidence. The more you work and stay focused on one thing, the more familiar you are with it (and yourself).Jeff_M Aug 25, 2014
Hi Ross,
I strike my irons solid with your method but I can’t figure out the driver. I suspect my hands are still trying to get involved. I had a few rounds where I thought I saw the light but I lost it the next day. I’m not sure what you mean when you say “keep the wrist angles constant.” What’s the best drill/advice to quite the hands on the driver?
Thanks,
JeffRoss Aug 25, 2014
More and more, I’m thinking that a real focus on keeping the shape from setup, fixed during the backswing, and then back into impact and through, helps keep the hands busy “holding” vs. flipping and trying to help. You may need a bit more grip pressure to maintain the setup angles. That club wants to flip, if you don’t hold it from flipping… but your body must keep turning and accelerating.Traditional instruction has the hands doing many things on the backswing, and just before impact, trying to find this “ideal”* impact position. That take exceptional skill and luck… and is the first thing to go under pressure. You want impact to feel like a rotary/trapping move vs. a hit at the ball feeling.
* Shaft in line with the front arm, being supported by the back hand/wrist bent in. Then, this shape is essentially, drug through impact around to the left (right hander). This has the shaft leading the club face for a solid golf shot, and the body controlling. So, instead of trying to find this at impact, during the swing… we just setup like impact and maintain this using the Large Muscles for a repeatable golf swing. Makes golf more fun.
Jeff_M Aug 28, 2014
Thanks Ross, that shape (template) visualization helps. Also, I remember awhile back you said to feel as if someone was pulling on your front belt loop to unwind on the downswing. Thus helps me avoid shifting and focus more on the rotary turn.
JeffRAM Oct 11, 2014
This is in regard to the chest and turning. Things were going great, solid contact and straight. Then the fats and thins started creeping back in and suddenly I felt I was back where I was before discovering Ross’s method. Always go back to the basic template and drills. I had stopped turning around the spine. Some how I was moving the shoulders, keeping the arm positions correct, but was not really turning. I was trying too hard not to move off the ball. Now everything is solid and straight, this system is by far the best ever, easy to self correct. Thanks Ross!RAM
Ross Oct 11, 2014
Great. Yes, wish it was that you learn something and from then on it would just work and you would not have to ever worry about it again. I have found though, that it does become easier and easier to get back on track.RAM Oct 13, 2014
I constantly re-read past posts, but I think I missed that one. My swing thought on Saturday was to turn as if the grip was in my breast bone and my hands were down on the shaft ( I think this was in the Leadbetter book. One of too many that I have read over the years), but the result is similar. I just found a stack of pages of Golf, Golf Digest, Golf Tips magazines that I cut out and saved thinking that they would help me. They have gone in the dumpster. Too much information! I hope this is working out for you, don’t go away. What is your thought on how to increase rotation speed while staying in balance? Is it more a flexibility issue, or fast twitch muscle thing. I am 61 and have always had a, slower fluid move, not explosive. Thanks again.Ross Oct 14, 2014
I always think of the rotation as if I’m throwing a ball. It is exactly like it just bent over a bit. If you can turn faster throwing a ball than you can with your golf swing, then you should be able to speed up your golf swing once you find what’s holding you back or is in your way.It may be your front foot. Some golfers have their front foot pointed 90° to the target line and that can choke off the knee and limit the rotation (if they are not rotating to the outside of their front foot – some can’t). The answer is to setup like Hogan with the front foot flared out about 30-40°. Then there is more freedom to turn and I’m thinking for you, maybe faster if you don’t feet so restricted or that you may hurt your knee.
Ross
RAM Oct 14, 2014
I will experiment with that. I have the 5 lessons book that has been read over and over like so many other golfers have, and remember that he promoted a square right foot and flared left. His teaching method produced some short term results, but nothing like the consistency of yours. I remember reading a John Jacobs quote that stated that he had never been so busy straightening out students that had read the Hogan book. Thanks for straightening me out.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.